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Thread started by Ms. Stephanie at 11.3.09 - 11:14 am
I can't believe this guy has never been nominated for Rida Of The Week! This guy cares DEEPLY about Midnight Ridazz and the Rida community, as evidenced not only by his creation and leadership of the best goddamn ride we’ve currently got in LA – The Ride With No Name – but also by the continual flow of ride ideas pouring from his always-moving-always-thinking-always-caring brain. Not only that, but this guy doesn’t fucking troll, he doesn’t give a fuck about schisms or groups or cliquish behavior. He’s a laid back motherfucker who judges people for who they are, who gets to know people before making retarded assumptions about them, and who contributes a whole lot of positivity AND good rides to this community. Plus, this guy’s cooler than shit and he’s even older than my old ass! It gives me hope for my future.
Anyways, Barleye, I’ve only been part of this community for 2 years, and I know you’ve been around a lot longer, so I can’t speak to everything you’ve contributed. But what I’ve seen is plenty. You should be the Rida of Several Weeks in my book.
Oh, yeah. And Barley wrote this piece on what spoke cards mean to him, which I hope he doesn’t mind me sharing. It’s definitely worth reading and again shows how important this community is to him: http://reverend-dak.posterous.com/barleye-on-spokecards
So, join me in bombarding Barleye with dumb-ass ROTW questions, as is tradition, and in celebrating and fucking with him, as is also tradition.
Amen!
President of the Cranky Old Men's Club! I think the first time I encountered Barleye was on the Tie Dye Ride then the Ride of Silence. Before I knew it he's a friend and helping me with spoke cards for last year's World AIDS Day. He sets a great example for us all and I hope to be more like him when I get old!
Well deserved!
xo
Total asset to the community. Has one of the best rides in town and puts a LOT of effort into every single one of them. One of the best ride leaders and just an all around rad dude.
1. When was the last time you shaved your beard?
2. Would you rather become a pro skateboarder or be paid to across america?
3. How often do you ride from the west to the east or vice versa?
4. What is your favorite single ride ever?
The first time i met him was on the Cub Camp 'The Movie' Part 1 ride (if you can call it that). We were shooting the video and he was just off to the sides watching the craziness of the group. He just came out to ride and here we are fighting off the killer bikes before they killed Franz. I kept my eye on him as i like to make all new riders feel welcomed. He bailed and i felt bad that he thought this is what its normally like (the lack of riding).
I saw him again on another ride a few days later and actually started talking to him and wanted to make sure he knew what MR was really about. Since then we've been pretty good friends and he's done a tremendous amount for the community. He's created an archive of Spoke Cards, put on RWNN, Tandem ride and others. Like Ms. Stephanie said he's full of new ideas for rides and routes and has a wealth of knowledge about Skateboarding history in LA.
I'm glad to see him being recognized for his efforts.
Barleye always plays good music on his rides.
Barleye holds it down at DTLA polo
Barleye can sometimes be found wearing an awesome scarf, or a hat that says "Girls Kick Ass"
Hey Barleye, do you prefer cake or pie?
Have you ever broken any bones?
Do you consider yourself a better offensive or defensive polo player?
Can you bring me a sandwich?
Congratulations Brad! So glad you finally made the core elite level. Now you can stop bugging me about why you're not there!
Alot of peeps don't know this, but Brad is great for getting him to go pick up your parts. He went and picked up a wheel from CL the other day. The dude is gold! Try it sometimes! I can't wait to ask him for a ride to Salton Sea. In fact, I'm gona ask him now. Yo bro, how bout a ride?
Q: When was the last time you shaved your beard?
A: About 4-5 months ago…brought it down to a goatee….immediately grew it back.
Q: Would you rather become a pro skateboarder or be paid to across america?
A: I’m assuming that said Ride across America….I’d rather ride across America.
Q: How often do you ride from the west to the east or vice versa?
A: I used to more often but around 3-4 times a month.
Q: What is your favorite single ride ever?
A: Good question. Single ride….maybe “Through the Looking Glass.” It was a great route and I just dropped into the middle of the ride and chatted up my friends. I had been leading the RWNN for a few months by then and It’s much different when you’re leading a ride. You can’t talk to your friends…you’re more concerned with keeping the ride on route. My favorite group ride is Sins and Sprockets.
Q: At what point did you decide to do the ride with no name?
A: About 10 seconds after Charlie announced that the last Sins and Sprockets was going to be in October 2008, I waited until I got home from the ride and posted the RWNN. I waited until after the ride out of respect for SNS. SNS was the best…I knew that type of ride needed to continue. People seem to like RWNN thus far.
Q: What’s your favorite spoke card from the rwnm?
A: The October 2009 ride with my dog Otis on it. He passed away suddenly a few weeks before the ride and my girlfriend wanted me to put Otis on it….as she put it “I wanna see every bike in L.A. with an Otis spoke card on it.”
Q: Someone stole the stop driving one from my spoke, do you have any more?
A: Of course…I’ll make you one. I’ll have it with me on the next RWNN.
Q: Have you ever met Jay Adams? If so, story.
A: Never met him face to face. I own www.Z-boys.com, and I interviewed him when he was doing time in a Hawaiian jail on drug charges.
Q: What was your first bike?
A: My first serious real bike was an early 80’s Univega Super Strada. Now I ride a Cannondale Caad 4.
Q: Will there be another tandem RWNN?
A: I’m thinking about it. Maybe in December?
Q: Do you prefer cake or pie?
A: Cake
Q: Have you ever broken any bones?
A: No
Q: Do you consider yourself a better offensive or defensive polo player?
A: Defensive, now that I have a better bike to play on. Skidding and re-directing is much easier now. I can also screen better now with the new bike.
Q: Can you bring me a sandwich?
A: no
Q: Who is your favorite polo player?
A: Toss up between David and Alex. They’ve both been so instrumental in guiding me thru the game and giving encouragement and tips. They’re amazing to watch. Stilline is my weekly teacher though…showing me new stuff every week at 213 polo.
Q: When passing someone in an airplane do you prefer to give them the ass or crotch?
A: Crotch
Q: Do you like Mayonnaise?
A: I prefer Veganaise
Q: Have you visited any Foreign countries. if so which one is your favorite?
A: Belize. I loved it there. Did a lot of snorkeling at the coral reef there.
Q: What band do you like best BeowĂĽlf, evol, excel, uncle slam or no mercy?
A: Excel. I’m good friends with Dan, the singer of Excel and they got burned by Metallica in a big way. Watch the video below and hear for yourself. First off, a trademark is only good if you have the money to defend it. Metallica’s people said just that to them…that they would fight them to the end. Dan and Excel couldn’t get the $$ to hire a good attorney to fight them. Metallica could have dragged it out in court for years.
Q: What kind of product do you use in your hair?
A: hahaha
Q: How often do you take pictures of yourself to post on MR?
A: At least once on each ride for documentation purposes. I can’t stress it enough how important it is to document what we’re doing on these rides.
Q: Remember that time you parked in front of Wurstkuche and then fell out of your car? I do! It was fucking funny!
A: That curb was so damn tall. I was pulling my bike out of the car and I lost balance and fell on my ass….I looked down the sidewalk and you guys were just staring at me as I was laying on the ground.
Q: How many different flannels do you own?
Sunglasses? Hats?
A: Flannels: about 15
Sunglasses: about 10
Hats: about 5 or 6
Q: Where did the name Barleye come from?
A: When I was about 2 y.o. or so, my older brother couldn’t pronounce Bradley so it came out as BARLEY. The e on the end of it was for my last initial for email purposes. It’s a silent “e” as my nickname my whole life was BARLEY….but people pronounce it as BAR-LIE…which it isn’t….I wanted consistency with my screen name matching my email.
Q: Are you going to dye the gray out of your beard with Grecian Formula? Are you a Grecian Man?
A: I did once and I looked like Billy Mays. Never again.
funny! my friend and i used to go over to dans house when we where kids and bug him to give us shirts and stuff when he lived by the post office and worked at streets of venice. his mom hated us, i think she was german.
buckchin responding to a comment by barleye
11.3.09 - 2:30 pm
he still lives there....next to the church.
This was on Douchebagsonbikes.com a while back....that's Dan.
Read below:
At first look this sporting chap had all the makings of a classic Westside douchebag on a bike but the black headband under the limited edition Vinokourov Oakley's of shame got me thinking this guy was a little different.
And boy was he. Unlike most guys you see riding $8,000 bikes this guy was actually friendly. He greeted me with a "What's up 'bro" and for the next couple miles we rode together and chatted about all things cycling.
My nugget of wisdom he dispensed during our chat was regarding the hook of ol Lance and Kate Hudson.
"Oh dude. Man, if she looked like she did in 'Almost Famous' all the time she'd be boners. But she was just so depressing in 'You, me and Dupree' I don't know man. I don't know."
Guess he's just a reminder that not all guys wearing neon sunglasses are douchebags.
barleye responding to a comment by buckchin
11.3.09 - 2:35 pm
seriously.... Barley has not been nominated?!?! This dude is soooo legit. I've been on countless rides with him. I bump into him all over LA both on AND off the bicycle.
PLease.... MR community, show this dude mad love. he deserves it fa reals.
Q: Are you going to dye the gray out of your beard with Grecian Formula? Are you a Grecian Man?
A: I did once and I looked like Billy Mays. Never again.
DUDE! You'd make an awesome Billy Mays!!! Due it fo da laydees!!!!
User1 responding to a comment by barleye
11.3.09 - 5:14 pm
We have the worst CRITICAL MASS when we should have the best.
It's fallen on deaf ears so i'll say it here again. LACM should not be just a 2 hour ride. It ends before the People's Ride. The People's Ride can stand on its own yet the organizers, or at least the person who posts as THE PEOPLES RIDE on m.r. is too chicken shit to speak up about it and just keeps posting it on the last Friday of each month. There's another thread here with people who all of us respect highly agree with the idea that it should be on its own night. Maybe the last Saturday of the month? I know a lot of people like both rides and that's fine...but LACM is getting a raw deal here...
Nobody owns any night and as many rides can be posted for any night of any month...but CRITICAL MASS should be the exception.
I think we'd all love to see more larger consistent rides on Saturday nights as well.
barleye responding to a comment by Joe Borfo
11.3.09 - 7:03 pm
I really wish this would happen. I really like The People's Ride and I believe LACM could be so much better...and promoted as to bring out as many riders as possible...Ridazz, commuters, roadies...et
TheJen responding to a comment by barleye
11.3.09 - 7:22 pm
I agree 100%!!! That night is such a FAIL the way it's setup now. It doesn't make either ride shine or expand. I'm really thinking of going to SD one of these days. Probably in the spring to see how their ride goes off. LA's night doesn't even compare to what SD is doing.
Barleye for ROTW!!!!
User1 responding to a comment by barleye
11.3.09 - 7:47 pm
Congrats on RTOW Brad you deserve it.
You're Hot.... (No come on)
You're Young......(No come on)
You're Handsome.....(No come on)
You Play Polo...(COME ON!!)
There's a posting over there-----> titled (ice) skate and destroy. Try to make it out. Bring your significant other, friends, kids, etc.... and ice skate in DTLA with other ridazz at Pershing Square on 12/2/09. It's only $8.
I find the organizer of the People's Ride utterly reprehensible for leeching LACM's steam. I've never attended a People's Ride, but I've been on many LACM's.
i like how you guys go on and on about lacm and the peoples' ride but i've never seen you on them... (i did see user1 on last week's lacm, and he made a good suggestion for next time)
sitting online and complaining about it won't change anything! COME OUT TO LACM!
i'm trying to improve both rides
-i want to make lacm longer and more together
-i want to make people's ride a chill ride to wind down the evening after lacm
at the same time... both rides have a mind of their own!
people kept asking me on lacm... "whens the next stop?" this confused me... i was like "next?" when was the first? hahaha... but so many people were asking about when we were stopping and i figured that a bunch of people probably had to pee.
almost everyone on that ride either has not ridden on a group ride before, has only done lacm once or twice before, or something like that.... very few people who know what's up!
snowcone responding to a comment by spiraldemon
11.4.09 - 11:24 am
i like how you guys go on and on about lacm and the peoples' ride but i've never seen you on them... (i did see user1 on last week's lacm, and he made a good suggestion for next time)
sitting online and complaining about it won't change anything! COME OUT TO LACM!
snowcone
11.4.09 - 11:10 am
@snowcone I haven't been around Midnight Ridazz for nearly as long as some others (like spiraldemon), but I've been around to ride LACM enough times to know that I no longer like it now that it's just a prequel to the People's Ride.
Our ROTW the fantastic Barleye tried hard to get us back out to LACM and show support for it, and to fight with him to get the People's Ride on another night, and I went back out to LACM a couple times purely due to his battle cries. But I was STILL disappointed.
Barleye has hit a real issue here, and I think it's something to which people who care about LACM should pay attention.
I really support your efforts with LACM, and I'm willing to ride it again, perhaps, given your obvious energy. But one of the beauties of LACM was that it was spontaneous and weird and sometimes ended early and sometimes never ended. Forcing it to be at a particular place at a particular time ruins the spontaneity and fluidity, for one thing. And it no longer has its own identity, which is a real shame.
Shaddy....it's just like what jeff and stephanie are saying....LACM goes directly to the people's ride. plain and simple. you wanna make them both better? whoever the chickenshit that posts as PEOPLES RIDE on here....have them post the peoples ride 24 hours later on saturday night. we're all scrambling to find a good ride on saturdays anyhow....I stopped going on LACM many months ago...the last time I did, harry and I dropped out at melrose and normandie as it predictably went north on normandie towards the peoples ride. that was the night the helicopters followed the ride thru hancock park. we ended up getting beers outside a liquor store and had a great time chatting...
barleye responding to a comment by snowcone
11.4.09 - 11:50 am
Critical Mass is different in every city, defined by the collective will of its participants. There are few rules on how it's supposed to be done and there is no RIGHT way to do it. Right now, LACM is composed of a majority of new riders, many whom have no idea what Critical Mass is. Right now, LACM accurately reflects its riders. If we want to change it, we are going to need to come out and represent a different voice.
I don't have a clear image of what LACM should be, but I know what direction I want it to go. I will push it in that direction until it feels right. If you come out and we can agree on trying different things to improve it, we will be able to greatly improve it.
I think that we should all keep an open mind while approaching LACM and its future.
User1 suggested that at the start of the ride... we get together a couple of different destinations, and ask people to verbally vote on where they want to go. I think that's a fun way to get everyone involved.
snowcone responding to a comment by Ms. Stephanie
11.4.09 - 11:52 am
Dude, are you even reading what people are saying about this night? You're shitty ass People's Ride not only ruins LACM, it also ruins PR!
Since when were you able to the pulse and feel for how CM is now? The ride is an accurate reflection of what the rides want huh? Tell you the truth, I think most of the riders are sheep and are just there for a ride. They really don't know what they want, and are game for anything. You mentioned above that some riders were wondering when the next stop was. I find that hard to believe since we probably road at the most 10 miles that night. It also leaves me wondering how more than 1000 riders can roll 25-30 on a CM ride(SDCM). Are LA riders that much more out of shape than SD riders?
Just in case you can't pick up a clue, change your piece of shit ride to another night and leave LACM be on it's own!!!!!!!
User1 responding to a comment by snowcone
11.4.09 - 12:13 pm
"User1 suggested that at the start of the ride... we get together a couple of different destinations, and ask people to verbally vote on where they want to go. I think that's a fun way to get everyone involved"
Jonnyboy and I suggested that too.
Joe Borfo responding to a comment by snowcone
11.4.09 - 12:14 pm
"Barleye, how many of the original Z-Boys have you met? Have you skated with any of them?"
---
I've met: shogo, biniak, peralta, muir, sarlo, alva, wr4, peggy, and p.c....I skated a back yard pool with Alva once at a pool near LAX.
in a weird way, the website was responsible for both LORDS OF DOGTOWN and DOGTOWN AND Z BOYS getting made.
around 1998 or 1999, Spin magazine wanted to do an article on DOGTOWN....the writer Greg Beato was amazed at the articles and interviews I had up for Tony Alva, Jay Adams, and Stacy Peralta...and I told him they were 100% word for word from the old SkateBoarder Magazines. The article used a ton of references from the stuff on zboys.com.....Greg said he couldn't have done the article without the references from the page....to find any of that stuff on the z boys was nearly impossible in the late 90's. as a result of the article titled "LORDS OF DOGTOWN"...Hollywood wanted to do a movie about it...so Stacy contacted me about posting a piece on the site asking for any pics or videos of the z boys from 1975-1979 so he could do it right and make the documentary...
A lot of the magazines in the documentary are mine that I dropped off to Stacy and Glen Friedman in Santa Monica....coincidentally in production offices 1/2 mile from the old bikerowave.
barleye responding to a comment by Ms. Stephanie
11.4.09 - 12:16 pm
Shaddy, What Alan said but he didn't need to call it a shitty ass ride.....
seriously, It's the fact that LACM ends at 9:30 at the People's ride. That's why I don't come out for it anymore. Go back and read threads thru 2009 and you'll see the debate we all had on too many stops, not enough stops, peoples ride afterwards, etc.
Annie called out a few people in the past but i'm not gonna do that....
PLAIN AND SIMPLE
change the night of the people ride and problem solved....LACM would be such a better ride and the homies would come out and play.....
CRITICAL MASS deserves more than what it's getting.
barleye responding to a comment by snowcone
11.4.09 - 12:22 pm
Actually what I was saying to do is for someone to get on the megaphone and have everyone vote to go one of four directions. North, south, east, or west. The loudest response is the direction we go.
User1 responding to a comment by Joe Borfo
11.4.09 - 12:32 pm
Oh yeah, one other thing that I don't think I've seen anyone mention in this thread is the little known fact that this guy has almost single handedly re-organized the photo gallery and kept it organized. Without his efforts, it would almost surely be a completely useless mess by now.
Barleye! How much do we all love you.. I could count the ways outloud, but instead in your honor I will masturbate copious times to this album, which should be your theme album.
Q: Where did the name Barleye come from?
A: When I was about 2 y.o. or so, my older brother couldn’t pronounce Bradley so it came out as BARLEY. The e on the end of it was for my last initial for email purposes. It’s a silent “e” as my nickname my whole life was BARLEY….but people pronounce it as BAR-LIE…which it isn’t….I wanted consistency with my screen name matching my email.
coldcut responding to a comment by SKIDMARCUS
11.4.09 - 11:25 pm
I've been ride'n MR rides for a little less than a year and Barley was the first rider I met. On my first LACM ride, even though he had a bunch a friends around him, he noticed I was a new and came over to introduce himself. That's what the rider community is all about. RWNN continues to be my favorite ride and the work he puts into it is awesome!
Q: On rides do you prefer to be called Barley, Brad, or Bradley?
So glad you are ROTW! i also can't believe that you haven't been a ROTW yet. I am +100000ing everything Ms. Stephanie said in that 1st post. YOU are rad rad rad!! I have to count on 2 hands, the things you've PERSONALLY done that were extremely kind for me or Ridazz near and dear to me! you are always thoughtful and you have the well being of MR in mind at all times! RWNN is one of the best rides out there and I am ashamed that I miss too many of them. QUESTIONS TIME!!
On time Tootie said you sit in your armchair in your underwear sewing those bike tube wallets... do you sitll do that?
There is one seen in Jackie Brown where Robert De Niro looks SO MUCH like you, have you seen that!?
Can I have DAYS at a time w/ MEEEE-LOW? I love her! I will dog sit whenever needed!!
How did you first hear about MR? what was yr first ride (sorry if that one has been axed, i didn't see it)
Q: How did you first hear about MR?
A: I think my gf and I saw a ride go by in silverlake once….or maybe we saw something in the newspaper. I honestly don’t remember.
Q: What was your first ride?
A: The Dead End Ride aka “The Friday the 13th ride” January 2006
Q: Where do you see MR in the future?
A: Hopefully still going strong. There are too many ridazz to have it not continue for years to come.
Q: Have you seen a change with the rides lately?
A: Of course…Too many people riding recklessly.….I definitely miss how it was in mid-late 2007 thru 2008 though….LACM was fun, Cruzz with us (r.i.p.), Sins and Sprockets (r.i.p.), Chill Chinatown Mosey (r.i.p.), CRANK mob (r.i.p.), Los Angelopes rides thru DTLA, Friends of the Friendless needs to be monthly…That’s all I have for now…
Q: What can we all do to improve the rides that we have now??
A: Less drinking, less littering, stay on the right side of the road…Those are all just common sense. On the last M.R. ride, some dudes were passing around a 40oz at a red light….when finished off, one of their buddies just threw it on the middle divider with grass but it ended up shattering on the street after a few bounces…I see that shit all the time…the kids just laughed it off. We need to call out stuff when it happens.
Q: Can we see a pic of you without a beard or goatee????
A:
Q: Do you still skate??
A: Not much at all.
Q: What were some of your favorite punk bands back in the day???
A: L.A.’s Wasted Youth, Fear, Black Flag, Neighborhood Watch, Shattered Faith, Sin 34, Descendents, Red Kross, Youth Brigade
Q: Can I buy you a beer?? (maybe, a few pitchers?)
A: sure
Q: How do you like playing bike polo??
A: I used to watch it on the Westside when LAB had games at Woodbine Park….never gave it a second thought…I don’t remember why I even started to play….It just sorta happened a few months ago. 213’s got some really fun players and the games are really great on Thursdays.
Q: myspace or facebook or twitter?
A: Facebook. I think Twitter sucks…and to an extent so does Facebook. Nobody gives a shit about 99% of the status updates.
Q: Whats your favorite alcohol beverage??
A: Bloody Mary’s and a good beer
Q: If you had to choose one, would you prefer sex or bike riding??
A: Sex
Q: What are your next favorite rides besides RWNN??
A: 2nd Friday M.R. ride, FOTF, Los Angelopes
Q: What kind of music do you listen to now??
A: Old hard rock mostly…as you get older, you start listening to EVERYTHING…I really dig classical a lot….old punk, old 70’s “punk”, Modern Lovers, 80’s metal…still listen to the Beastie Boys, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, small bands such as Motochrist, Motorcycle Boy, Young Heart Attack
Q: What do you think of these skaters today???
A: They’re fun to watch…style nowadays is sorta too technical, if that makes any sense…I still dig Duane Peters and Christian Hosoi though. They have so much style, it’s just sick!!!
Q: One time Tootie said you sit in your armchair in your underwear sewing those bike tube wallets... do you still do that?
A: I haven’t in a long time….I found one that’s ½ finished recently that I’m gonna complete soon. It has a huge patch on it too. Looks good. I sold about 10 or so at ReForm School a year or so ago….I’m taking orders though…$20 each. There’s a thread about them with pics on the forums.
Q: There is one seen in Jackie Brown where Robert De Niro looks SO MUCH like you, have you seen that!?
A: Haven’t seen the movie.
Q: Can I have DAYS at a time w/ MEEEE-LOW? I love her! I will dog sit whenever needed!!
A: maybe
barleye responding to a comment by mixtemotions
11.5.09 - 12:25 pm
Brad is the man!! Well deserved. All around great guy. If I could grow a beard, I just hope mine can grow somewhat close to his. And yes... the work w/ the MR gallery... awesome job cleaning it up. About time too!! Hip Hop Hooray!!
Q: Did you ever use Tracker Trucks, Bones or Kryptonic wheels and the original Alva board? And what was your first setup?
A: Still use Trackers on my current set-up. I only had one set of Bones….they were the 64 x 64’s, Had tons of Kryptonics, and coincidentally enough, never had an alva board growing up. My first real set-up was a Z-Flex 27”, Bennett Trucks, and Road Rider 2’s.
Q. what made you choose the start point of the rwnn?
were you thinking of any other start point options?
and will you ever change the start?
A: Al’s Bar was at the start point of the ride many years ago and that part of town is just so different and clean in a good way from other parts of DTLA. SNS started very close by as well and I wanted people to have a familiar feeling doing the ride as I knew the formula Charlie used was successful.
I never had any other start points in mind…I'm considering making RWNN Bi-monthly with a different start point for the other one. I’m considering the park across from L.A. High School on Olympic for the start. That gives us the flexibility to go any direction while maintaining flat ground riding.
ROTY better.Dude is the photo gallery leading contributor king.Keeps us updated with his pics.Makes some of the best spoke cards Ive seen.Help us understand the game of polo.I belive he came up with ridazz spotlight this yr.I know there its still Oct. but my vote goes for ROTY!! WOOOO!!!