QUICK TALK #74 CHRIS SILVA

Blog by: Paulo’s Portugese

I remember seeing Chris Silva name on one of the Metro jams a few years back, and at that time I thought to myself that he must have a Portuguese family, since his family name is Silva! A few days ago I’ve asked to Isaac Barnes, a Canadian rider too, if he can get me Chris Silva contact, with the help of Cory Beal, I’ve reached to Chris, asked him if he would like to do a Quick Talk! for my blog, he was really cool and said yes. Read and enjoy! Chris, thanks soo much for your time doing this small interview.

“profile pic1″- Harry Silegren

Photos by: as credit.

NAME: Christopher Peter Almeida Silva
AGE: 26
HOMETOWN: Toronto Ontario Canada
SPONSORS/HELP: Animal Bikes, Macneil BMX, Sour Fever Clothing.
YEARS RIDING: 15

“profile pic2″- David Lang

1. Inspirations?
New spots, weather, music, family, friends.

2. BMX…
Is a creative outlet.

3. Bike riding heroes?
Jay Miron

4. Having two Portuguese ribs (note: both Silva’s parents are Portuguese) what do you know about Portugal? And the Portuguese riding scene?
I’ve Been to Portugal twice. Once when I was 6 my family went to Terceira and Sao Miguel and again when I was 17 we went to Sao Miguel(Azores). I really don’t know much to be honest, it’s a beautiful place and Sao Miguel has amazing hot springs in the mountains. I saw some ramps there but it was a huge parking lot with a quarter pipe at one end and a roll in at the other. I didn’t have my bike with me so I was bummed when I didn’t see any riders.

5. Are your parents psyched on BMX?
My mom doesn’t like it much, when we were in Sao Miguel when I was 17 we went to see some famous statue of Jesus and my mom told me that when she was praying in front of the statue that she prayed for me to stop riding BMX, haha. My dad ia cool with it, when I was younger he was the only way I ever got to skateparks or contests, I’m really thankful for him going out of his way so much to take me to those places and just staying there to watch me or film me when I was a kid.

6. Favorite Portuguese food?
Oh, that’s a hard one… I really like the custards, “Pasteis De Nata” I think it’s called.

7. Today’s lunch?
Todays lunch was screen printing for 3 hours, no lunch for me but I made spaghetti for dinner.

8. A phrase/word in Portuguese that you use often is?
Haha, I’d rather not say but when I’m mad this is about the only thing that comes out of my mouth in Portuguese; “Filho Da Puta”

9. Who are the people you ride with? Any other “Portuguese” riders?
I ride by myself a lot, I like it that way. But if I’m in the mood to roll with someone I pretty much only call my friend George, dude is the best, he doesn’t care if we ride spots all day or just ride around looking for new spots for 8 hours straight, haha. Besides that I try to get out with some of the dudes on the Sour Fever Clothing Team to film and stuff. Nuno Pinto is one of the first Portuguese riders I ever met, there’s also a few other local Portuguese riders in the city who are pretty damn good; Justin Soares and Daniel Riscado.

“street shots 1 and 2″- David Lang

10. Favorite spot to ride?
Anything new and interesting. Rexdale Trails as well.

“Rexdale trails”- Ben Rinne

11. What do you love most about your hometown?
Family, friends, spots, not so much the weather…

12. Barspins? Flips? Grinds? Whips? Flow?
ALL! I’m losing my bar spins, I love to flip a few times a year, I grind till I get hurt, I flow the trails.

13. Contests…
First one was 1999 and my last one was 2009. They’re fun but not for me anymore. BMX contests are too crazy these days, I’m not that dialed of a rider.

“conte3st”- Brody Huk

14. What’s been your most memorable BMX experience?
There’s too much… everything from going to my first skatepark and meeting Keven Salmon(Biggest Local/Pro influence and so stoked I’m still friends with him), riding contests, traveling all over Canada and some of the USA and Europe, meeting Jay Miron and getting picked up by his company TenPack/Macneil, to working at a local skatepark and continuing the cycle trying to influence kids like Keven did to me.

15. Favorite trick of all time is…
Fufanu

“me as a kid”- Ian Miller

16. Favorite video part?
Ruben Alcantara in Etnies Forward

17. What’s the best thing about BMX?
It’s what you make it, you do what you want, when you want. No rules, no teams, no schedule, it’s just you and your bike.

18. What’s the worst thing about BMX?
Trends; what’s cool and what’s not cool to do on your bike.

19. Your biggest fear is:
My future

20. The best advice you’ve ever received was?
Nuno Pinto- “When you get older you’ll realize there’s more to life than just BMX” I thought he was nuts when he told me that in 2005 but it’s so true. It’s not a bad thing to ride BMX but there is more to life and at the time I didn’t think or care that there was.

21. Must have gadgets…
Not really I try to live simple. Cheap cell phone, not bad computer, shitty camera.

22. What do you want out of BMX?
I got more than what I wanted from it and I’m more than thankful. I’m not a greedy man.

23. The last book you read was?
Green Eggs and Ham, I think when I was 4 or 5 years old.

24. I’d like to know more about…
Aztecs, Maya, Inca, RapaNui, I do my research but there’s always so much more to learn.

25. What would you like to achieve this year?
Figure out what I want to go to school for and go to school.

26. What country would you most like to visit?
China

27. Before this, I was…
Who I was before.

28. Last words?
“No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax This won’t hurt.” – Hunter S. Thompson