ROTW: Creative Thing
Thread started by
Roadblock at 08.19.11 - 6:31 pm
Long time rida... This man is an amazing graphic designer, fast and is in great shape as a rider. But most of all Creative Thing does his thing by posting Ghost Bikes time after time... Thanks for doing this. I don't even want to know, but how many have you posted?
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Fuck Yes!
OK
Interview time:
When did you start riding regularly?
How many centuries have you hosted? ridden?
How big is your spoke card archive?
Strangest/ most interesting spoke card(s)?
trickmilla08.19.11 - 7:02 pm
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He gets my vote!
Greatest guy. Did you guys also know he is very creative?
Leslie, you rock!
gado_gado08.20.11 - 12:23 am
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WELL deserved.
Q: Why don't you come around here and talk about music and art and stuff anymore?
PC08.20.11 - 1:39 am
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Wow. I don't know what to say...
The reason I miss a lot of rides is I have a job.
For 35 months (Oct. 07 to Aug. 10) I didn't and could stay out late.
Thanks, everybody.
Creative Thing responding to a
comment by PC
08.20.11 - 1:36 pm
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How many night time centuries and how many day time centuries?
Leslie volunteers for a lot of things too, ask who did the course markings in Long Beach for the LA River Ride?
mk4524 responding to a
comment by Huey555
08.21.11 - 12:27 am
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Yay! One of the coolest people I've met through MR. Good family person, talented and caring. Dedicated to the cycling community...Yay Les, love you...:)
alicestrong08.21.11 - 4:26 am
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yer not getting off that easy.
find the essay questions at the top of the thread.
;-)
trickmilla responding to a
comment by Creative Thing
08.21.11 - 8:43 am
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Congratulations!
sexy08.22.11 - 2:45 am
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I love talking about myself, but I am uncomfortable in the spotlight.
Well, to answer Trickmilla's questions:
When did you start riding regularly?
As an adult, I cycled to college (15 miles), then didn't ride for a long time. In 1986 I took up the bike while recovering from a running injury. I never stopped after that.
For the past few years I have cycled over 7,000 miles a year. My wife and I share one car and six bicycles. I simply love to ride!
How many centuries have you hosted? ridden?
I rode the first Dark Century, organized by Tern, in 2007. I have helped host the last 9 D.C.'s. I absolutely love the whole idea of riding a bike all night long!
I had done several solo 100 mile rides and a few of those "pay $75 and get a t-shirt" organized rides before that first dark century. I haven't done any entry fee rides since.
I guess I've finished 25 century rides over the years.
How big is your spoke card archive?
Right now I have 120 spoke cards. Many of the cards came from rides I have done, but a lot more were donated by other riders like Mr. Rollers. User1 and Barleye.
The first spoke card I got was from an ally cat race in Pasadena in 2006. I kept it, despite having no idea what it was!
Strangest/ most interesting spoke card(s)?
I have a pendant shaped hand made card by Mixedemotions which is pretty unique. I also like how Barleye sometimes uses old B&W photos on his RWNN cards. I think Taco Tuesday does some really terrific cards, but I don't have any of those. The fact is, we have a very creative community of artists, and it really shows in all the wonderful spoke cards that have been produced.
I'd like to add one more comment:
I have only made a few ghost bikes on my own, and even those were bikes that "the ridah formally known as Joe Borfo" donated. We have developed a "ghost bike crew" in Long Beach and collectively we have made and installed around 15 bikes so far. User1, Danny Zuko & Kat, and Ed of Long Beach have been essential in getting bikes done quickly after a cycling fatality. The HUB has also donated several bikes. We concentrate on the L.B. and O.C. area, and unfortunately we have been kept very busy this year.
All the other ghost bikes I am aware of in the L.A. basin have been put up by folks associated with Midnight Ridazz, which is really something for us to be proud of,
Creative Thing responding to a
comment by trickmilla
08.22.11 - 2:50 pm
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Leslie's up there as one of the coolest dudes i've met riding a bike. Always positive...
Received his Wheelmen Fargo Hill patch on the first try....
barleye08.23.11 - 9:14 am
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Leslie is one tough rider. On the first Dark Century, he pulled the pace line for maybe 20 percent of the time (wolf pack riders included)...on a mountain bike...with knobbies. Since then, he has become an acute force on DC...at least the one's I've been on. He's always positive and helpful. If you are a new rider and want to ride a long way at night, consider contacting Leslie. He will do you right.
There is this other side to Creative Thing. He is an insatiable artist, and a very talented artist, in my opinion. If you get to know him well, he will send you mail art that will give you pause. You won't be able to throw it away or file it. I have kept coming back to every letter CT has sent me. It is mail...these things are mail, but they are also objects...documents that are fully compelling as art. If Leslie snail mails you, you will most likely have an object of value. I really value every letter he has sent to me. I can't really describe it well enough to give it credence.
Of all of the people I miss in L.A., I miss Leslie. He is one of those close friends who you need to keep in touch with. He's definitely within the top five or ten people I think about, when I think about how much I miss L.A. , good friends, and L.A. bike riders.
To Leslie---Keep it up, man. WE LOVE YOU.
tern08.23.11 - 1:19 pm
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Actually, the mt. bike I rode had slicks. And I only took a couple of pulls at the front of the pace line!
Thanks for the love, Tern and everyone else! I am floating this week!!
Creative Thing responding to a
comment by tern
08.24.11 - 8:07 pm
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Hello Creative Thing,
I took on a little mission to find you because I wanted to help a woman who I met on the side of the road. She is the wife of Duane Parkinson. I stopped at your ghost bike because I wanted to look at it and take a picture of it. I had never seen one before. As I walked up I realized a woman was sitting there and she told me it was her husband who died. Shes been going back to the location to sit by the bike because she said it's the only place she can think. She asked me if I knew who made it... she wants to say thank you. I had no idea, but told her I would ask my cycling friends. So I found out about ghost bikes and followed some links in pictures to you. Did you make this ghost bike? Would you mind being contacted by the wife? - Her name is Jill.
I want to say thank you too.
bitofca responding to a
comment by Creative Thing
08.28.11 - 12:49 pm
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I can only dream of one day being described the way you just did for CT. It's a true testament of who he is. I have yet to meet him but look forward to doing so in the near future.
July responding to a
comment by tern
08.28.11 - 1:43 pm
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Bit:
Sorry for the delayed get-back. I've been thinking about your request.
We started out posting the ghost bikes anonymously, and I think it best for us to stay in the back ground AMAP.
I am very happy to know that Jill finds some comfort in our memorial to her husband. I can't even imagine what she is going through. I have a family myself.
I would like her to know that there is a whole cycling community that is aware of this tragedy and is concerned about making the streets safer for cyclists and educating motorists to be cautious and aware when passing anyone on a bike.
Creative Thing responding to a
comment by bitofca
09.1.11 - 9:26 pm
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Well deserved! Congrats Les, and Maximum Respect!
Hope to see you cruisin Fullerton now that school is back
marleydog09.2.11 - 4:55 pm
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THANK YOU FOR CARING SO MUCH FOR OUR DEARLY DEPARTED RIDAZ!
KUDOS MAN!
if you ever need help with ghost bikes, im game. 323 574 3970 Aktive.
Aktive_42009.5.11 - 10:09 am
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Hi Creative,
Its very fine to stay anonymous and I will pass you message back again. Its amazing gift for me to share in the blessings of your kindness. Thank you again from me and from her.
bitofca responding to a
comment by Creative Thing
09.7.11 - 10:33 am
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Ridazz Roulette!
