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Al - a.k.a digablesoul - is always on the rides. He always brings the tunes on his great sound system. He always takes the best photos and shares them on the website. I also think that his pictures are valuable to MR.com because it documents our history and movement for the entire bicycle community.
Some of you might not know digablesoul, because he is not an attention whore like myself. But I'd be surprised if you don't know him because he is very real, friendly, and always looks out for his fellow ridah. He stays behind to fix flats. He stays out late to drink some beers with the rest until the ride is over.
Al is the kind of guys you always want to have on a ride. Great friend, good person, fellow Rida - RIDE ON!
Please put in your +1 and let Al know how valuable he really is to our community.
Al - digablesoul is definitely one of those guys whose always there, as Joe says, in the background not an attention seeker like that fuckin english guy!! Al does an awesome job with the pix and sounds - that system sounds great for it's size - and is an all round great member of the cyclinng scene.
One of the first guys I ever met on a ride. He just strolled up and introduced himself to my girlfriend & I and made us feel welcome. I think it's cool how hard he works on his photography. Al, your shots are looking sharp!
And I've asked him on more than one occasion what his old hiphop selections were...good tunes.
Digablesoul ...... The best playlist around on these rides. Keep it up AL !!! I give ya +1000
LOS ANGELOPES here we come.............. we need more good pic's of the freaks....
Al was one of my very first ever bike riding fwendz, and even though he didn't bother to learn my name until last month ("uhh, by the way...what's your name?") despite our frequent conversations over the past year and my constantly greeting him by his own first name ... he's still a good guy with a really fucking loud and annoying red whistle. and he takes all the pictures and needs to be in more of them!
Only guy that I can relate to when it comes to knowing L.A. before it was hip.Only other guy that hung out at library Olympic/Westmoreland as a kid ..ahh those days..reading news paper on micro film.Seriously.
Wow everyone... thank you very much!! I was definitely not expecting this. I do tend to hide in the background and am in a way shy and don't quite like the spotlight. But... since I've met and added Tecate to the rides.. it all flew out the window... First time I had beer on a ride was SFVCM early 07 when Captain Sharrow made an apperance ... and since got the courage of adding a first a whistle (had to start off slowly), then a sound system to whom I give all the props to Eric Hair on setting it up. Without him... none of this would be possible.
As for the pics... the photo thing takes me away from actually socializing with people as much as I would like to which isn't too bad but I do like taking pics and shaking my booty so hopefully you guys won't get tired with either of them soon.
I have met soooooo many great people doing these rides. My non biker friends and coworkers would always ask... "What are you doing this weekend? Riding?" and I'd always respond, "Yup!" Till this day it's hard for them to imagine how people can ride the streets of L.A., with complete strangers.... and have a good time. I just tell them, Get a bike and you'll see."
The ladies dig the soul!!! Oh yeah!! On the pic attached... I don't know who took it... but I always thought I looked cool in that pic. I think the FBI should change my file photo to the one w/ me and the ladies... Oh yeah!!
Again... thank you for all the kind words and see you all on the next ride...
Twas the week before Christmas and we were just riding into Griffith Park for the Festival of Lights when out of nowhere DigableSoul came ripping through, blasting Twisted Sister. We loved it, the motorists loved it, the kids loved it, the coyotes loved it!
and someone mentioned this already but seriously - Al - and I've ttold you this in person already - your photo's are getting AMAZING!!!! I love seeing how much you've improved in tthe last year or so. It's really really inspiring!
and your tunes?!?!?!?!!! I got one thing to say...
POISON!!!!!
YES!!
Big super big <3 tto Al for being freakin AWESOME!!
always nice, always cool, and always ready to gett rad on rides!
I will always be grateful to Al for his help when I had my accident. There is no one better to have with you when something goes wrong. Al should be RIDER OF THE YEAR!
Al, you totally have my vote! As a relative newb to MR, you were one of the first people I met, and you are consistently one of the faces I associate with MR. I love the vibe you give out and can always count on your pics to be some of the best quality and best reflection of the craziness that is MR!
AL!!!!
YEA!
for so long, you WERE Cubcamp to me. come back!
CONGRATS MAN!
btw, AL inadvertantly gave Pretty Ricky his nickname last year at Richie's BBQ. I dont think you knew that. You couldnt remember Antonio's name, and kept calling him "Enrique". It eventually changed to Pretty Ricky... hahah
I am so down with you being rida of the week! You totally deserve this, if not ROTY! I cant imagine MR rides without ya. You contribute so much; lunging the sounds around, taking the sweetest photos, helping peeps with flats, and keeping the group together.
One great memory was a few years ago, when I first started doing the rides, I was on a lowrider cruiser and got left behind in a dark, hilly residential area and you left the group to go look for me. I think we were in Silverlake. From that moment on, I knew what a cool person you were. Thanks man.
Now, a few questions:
Who was the very first person you met on a MR ride?
What was your very first group ride?
What was the farthest you ever rode in one night?
What bike did you ride before your current roadbike?
What is your favorite type of music to ride to?
If you were to plan a ride, what theme would it be?
Have you ever had a secret crush on a female rida?
Have you ever had a secret crush on a male rida besides Borfo?
Would you ever ride a tall/freakbike on a ride?
Would you ever ride a fixie on a ride?
Was there ever a time that you were so drunk, that you couldn’t ride?
Al's the bomb. Always friendly, always helpful to everyone, tunes rock. I've had some fun rides with Al. I remember the first and only cubcamp i did. It was kicking my ass and al hung with me through the end. I think i probably would have cut out early if Al didn't hang with me and push me to the end of the ride, and I was glad I made it.
Hey DS, just want to shout out and agree--you're the best. You're always a welcome part of our Sins and Sprockets ride! Plus you're a cool guy to hang out with--always in a good mood, always ready for a party.
Wow everyone.... man I can't thank everyone enough for all the comments. I'll definitely get to the questions and I'm getting all these flashbacks of the moments being brought up. ROTW was a big surprise to me and I can't stop myself from smiling while reading all the comments on this thread. Thanks everyone!
woooo!!!! YAY! AL!!
you are awesome! I'm always so happy to see you on rides! You have a great attitude and take great photos and rock great tunes out yo' booty box!! <3 ROTW!!!!!!
Yeah, what everyone else has already said: Al's a great guy, someone who's always welcome on a ride.
I've watched as his photography skills have grown immensely in a very short time. He knows is equipment and has a knack for capturing great moments on rides. He used to ask me questions now & then, now it's me asking him stuff. Since we use similar equipment, we've had the opportunity to learn from each other and try to raise the bar a little higher.
I washed the ROTY crown, cape and Magic wand for you,(it smelled like a mix of chicken coop and pupas) sorry, I broke a bottle of red beer on it after the fact.
Al!!! You know how I feel about you! You are one of my favorites!
I think you might have been the first person who spoke to me. You attempted to take a bite out of my veganbananapenis (an unsuccessful feat) and then whipped out your own veganbananapenis, resulting in a dual to the death. Fortunately for us, we survived but the v.b.p.'s did not (naturally short lifespan). And so you can continue to pepper our memories with your wonderful photos. But ultimately, you're just a voyeuristic pervert. yay!
User "digablesoul" really turns my little ASCII crank!!! His sound system may not be the loudest, but it is so fresh and so clean (clean)! Ha, ha, ha! And above all, he is CUTE CUTE CUTE!!!
AAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL..........can't believe I didn't see this thread!!!!!!
Great guy and totally a true ROTW for me.
Thanks for the props on the sounds system; between the two of us perfecting the setup I think we've created THE setup for bikes. I've seen at least 3 identical setups now within the LA area.
PAM, if you think it's too quiet, we can turn it up for you.
We has watts!!
Best flow EVER was busted by AL to a beatbox by Richie and I....I'd like to share it with you all.
"my name is AL and I'll be your pal..............................................."
al rules! one of the first people i met on these rides a year ago, and still one of the ones i make an effort to speak to every time i see him! nicest dude ever.
Si, si "Al' tu sabes, el mas chingon con todas las chicas a tu lado. Yep the minute I see him in a ride, I just know everything is going to be allright, lov ur music, big props Sir Al, you you ROTW
Plus 10 for another, fine wielder of the soul-reap...er camera.
We take much risk to cover the weekly action of MR activity.
Whether it's for all to see, or just something for one of us to find comfort in when we can't physically be there, the likes of Digable Al, and everyone else who likes to shoot, will always have an audience.
Again… thanks everyone for the words and my apologies on the tardiness of the answers and my long answers. To the questions!!
Who was the very first person you met on a MR ride?
To be honest I don’t remember the first person I met. I’d go on a ride by myself… ride the ride… and jump in my car and left. I never went up to people or said hello. Just stayed back and watch people enjoy the ride. But I think the first person I actually went up to was Richie. I noticed from a block away that this bike had all these lights on it’s handlebars and a glowing strobe stringy thing on it and just had to ask about the setup. It was one of the Cruz with Us rides in 11/06. He was on his red mtb and that was his pre wig days.
What was your very first group ride?
My first ride was Pizza Delivery to the Mafia and I was just amazed. I convinced four friends to come along. Over 1.000 at least on bikes. I couldn’t hold a straight line. Freaked out when there was bottlenecking… and my ass was sore.
What was the farthest you ever rode in one night?
The furthest was the 06 Los Muertos ride. I’m in Burbank… and figured that since it started in Griffith Park.. Then I’d be fine…. Scene 2 and now I’m struggling up Cesar Chavez and start seeing 710 fwy signs. What? Where the hell are we? Ended back at Echo Park… got off my bike in the park and every muscle in my legs cramped simultaneously. I held in the pain, leaned on a railing, and cried silently. After that was done…. Ah yes, I have to ride home. Had two flats on the way home and one spare… stupidly threw away the first flattened tube and had to patch my sucker up. I finally get home… everything just hurting… and notice that the nose of my saddle was pointing upwards. That’s when I think I started the “Saddle Sores” thread. It must’ve been like 36 miles… it felt like an eternity. The thing I missed the most was that I was just now riding alone. No screaming, hearing gears changing, or people yelling. Till this day… I am still convinced that I was being followed by another bicycle up the river path. Hello new bicycle accessory… the third eye rear view mirror.
What bike did you ride before your current roadbike?
The first bike and only bike I brought was a full suspension mtb w/ these fat Hookwoom slicks. I would hit everything and feel confident going down Vermont… especially on the Swarm the Pier ride. I then realized that on the first Hollywood Ridazz I was getting my ass handed to me w/ people on these skinny bikes going up Fairfax. A certain type called the “fixie/single speed” grabbed my attention because of the no gears thing and still kicking ass. I feel bad though because I still have that bike. Just sitting there. Neglected. Now I feel guilty. Thanks Brian.
What is your favorite type of music to ride to?
My favorite type would have to be the 90’s hip hop followed by the older ska stuff… and then the electro hip hop stuff. I tend to get carried away and spin my own special mix when the time is right. I like to toss in something like Lee’s favorite Salt n Peppa and then come in with BBD’s Poison. Followed up by Chubb Rock’s “Treat em Right” and end it with either “Jump Around” by HOP or De La Soul’s “Me, Myself, and I” Oooor Monie Love’s “It’s a Shame.” My apologies for the repeats but I strictly try to enforce the “Never play the same mix on consecutive rides” ride rule which isn’t working.
If you were to plan a ride, what theme would it be?
Hmm… that’s a good question. Probably so good that’s why I don’t plan any rides. Too much responsibility and that’s why give plenty of props to those that do organize the rides. Like if someone can easily and cheaply buy something so they can dress up… I never do… and feel guilty when I see people in the spirit of the ride and I’m not. Like on the Angelopes ride… everyone has their own thing going… like a cape, mask, top hot, dress, and I’m in my wicking shirt and clip in shoes. I do have the music and the whistle… that has to count as something. Hmm… might be dangerous but I’ve always dug rides when there’s fire. Like on the Rave ride or Richie’s Bday Bonfire. Maybe if each rider can bring a log and we have a huge bonfire!!
Have you ever had a secret crush on a female rida?
I would have to say yes. Never said a thing. One ride riding into USC, I saw this one older guy with those jackets w/ the corduroy collars go up to this girl in front of me and just wouldn’t get the idea that this girl wasn’t interested at all. She was being nice, not trying to be a bitch but gave all the signals of “Fuck Off!!” but again… in the nicest way. I didn’t want to that guy…. Plus I’m shy as hell in the first place so it’s not like that was going to happen. So I kept it a secret
Have you ever had a secret crush on a male rida besides Borfo?
Borfo and Sexy were the first one’s to catch my eye. Running around and yelling out, “Midnight Ridazz!!” “Ride On!!” <~~~~ Speaking of… I remembered trying this yell on each ride after that and it sucks that no says “Ride On!!” I loved hearing that.
A special note… I’m slightly buzzing so I apologize for the length of this.
Would you ever ride a tall/freakbike on a ride?
I rode Fuzz’s and couldn’t go anywhere with. A tall bike? I definitely would like to imagine me on one cause even though I’m bumping the sounds… Mr tall bike there “Spook” and “Richie” is getting all the attention and the Pier Pressure ride.
Would you ever ride a fixie on a ride?
Yes… I have ridden a fixie.. Dan’s (brassnuckle) and thought to myself that I’m going a) fall on my face, b) break something on his bike and, finally c) both. I quickly dismounted and gave it back to him. I did finally pick up an Nishiki and want to change to a single speed. Give that a try.. Start out slow.
Was there ever a time that you were so drunk, that you couldn’t ride?
Not yet I would say. Now if you asked. “Have I ever thrown up on a ride?” Yes… yours as a matter of fact right when energized alcoholic beverages was becoming the rage. What is this Sparks or Joose? I never saw the yacking coming. Like a ninja. Speaking of alcohol on rides… Have you ever been told by other people, who didn’t ride with you, like when you got home that you reminded them of a drunk bum? I have and I was wondering if it’s because it’s Tecate that I drink a lot. That with the combination of smoking doesn’t really appeal to the potential ladies that I can talk to.
Do you prefer smaller rides, or larger rides?
Hmm… I like both but… you do get to appreciate others on smaller rides. Like… when crank mob first started… I noticed more of the same people I would regularly see on rides and that these people all knew each other. Like Angelopes… when I first got there I was like, “Holy crap! I know or either said hi to… each person on this ride.” And if I didn’t know them… it was so much easier to introduce yourself cause there was no place to hide. What really brought me out of my shell was Cubcamp. For reals. Without a doubt… riding with them in the beginning… going through places I wouldn’t ever imagine at night and the miles that went along with it… I couldn’t imagine doing anything like that in my life if it wasn’t for Richie putting it together along w/ Marcus, Kieron, Enrique/Antonio, Karla, Annie, Franz. Garry, Jude, the other guy who I can’t remember his name but saw him this past VNC, Alex, and those I don’t recall… I wouldn’t have accomplished any of those rides. Marcus?? The Molehill ride kicked my ass!!! One thing I’ll always appreciate is that on that ride and going on another one going over Sepulveda… you guys would check up on me and not leave me behind . I will always appreciate that.
That’s what the small rides do. Knowing the rider right next to you rather than just hoping this person can hold their line.
Like meeting Annie on the New Years ride 07. I could see the frustration on her face and thought she was cramping. So I asked if she was ok and she told me that it was cause there was too much stopping and no riding. Deep inside I wanted more people to get flats so I can rest. Not really though… but totally didn’t mind the flats. Time for a breather. Have you guys ever had a chance to look back at pics of smaller rides? I went back to the galleries and noticed people that were on that ride that now I know. Kind of a trip really. Like… you know these people now but why not earlier. OTH and Bikemom were on that ride w/ their little one and I didn’t say hi but now I’m happy to always see them. I remember always asking John on the camera stuff when I first bought my camera and between talks on the rides and emails.. I didn’t know if he was getting of tired of me. Thanks John for putting up w/ all the questions.
Again… thank you everyone for ROTW and ride safe.
Yeah boogs... I totally remember meeting you there. Real quick.. I dig your vids and the tracks you choose. You had one w/ MF DOOM and some old school stuff. Nice!!
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Ridazz Roulette!
I'm sure everyone will agree with me.
We've got a file on him.
Wow everyone... thank you very much!! I was definitely not expecting this. I do tend to hide in the background and am in a way shy and don't quite like the spotlight. But... since I've met and added Tecate to the rides.. it all flew out the window... First time I had beer on a ride was SFVCM early 07 when Captain Sharrow made an apperance ... and since got the courage of adding a first a whistle (had to start off slowly), then a sound system to whom I give all the props to Eric Hair on setting it up. Without him... none of this would be possible.
al is the shit.
Digablesoul Questions:
Hands Down, Al is the man!!!!
Si, si "Al' tu sabes, el mas chingon con todas las chicas a tu lado. Yep the minute I see him in a ride, I just know everything is going to be allright, lov ur music, big props Sir Al, you you ROTW
AL,