Coming soon...

Stay tuned. Towards the end of the month, I will begin posting new work from the Ghost Bike Road Trip.

Nashville, Cairo, St Louis, Chicago, and Madison...

From Kentucky I headed to Nashville. I knew that Nashville only had one ghost bike, and was out of the way, but I really wanted to see Nashville. I had been to the Grand Ole Opry as a 10 year old kid and that was cool, but it's Nashville...it has to be cool right?? 

I am trying to cover a lot of ground, there is not time to "hang out" and do things in the cities I visit (and my budget only has space for gas, lodging and a small amount of food), but I do feel that in driving around a city, I get a "feel" for it...enough that I can decide if it is a city I would like to return to. I was disappointed by Nashville. With the exception of the downtown area it was sprawling strip mall after sprawling strip mall. Maybe I am spoiled by living in San Francisco and spending so much time in New York, cities you can walk and don't have to drive to get anywhere. I could not imagine living in Nashville without a car. 

The ghost bike I found was for Michael Rivas at 28th and Old Hickory St. After I had shot the bike, I noticed a woman changing the water that the flowers were in. I stopped and chatted with her for a few moments. She had known Michael, said he was around 30 years old, and she told me that his parents lived right around the corner if I wanted to go knock on their door. I chose not to, I felt it could be intrusive. I gave her my card, and she said if she saw them, that she would pass it along.

Michael Rivas ghost bike, 28th at Old Hickory, Nashville, TN

My next stop was to be Cairo, IL. I did some research, and all the hotels in that city were one star or less, and after my experience in Zanesville, I didn't want to risk another motel that I felt compelled to check for bed bugs. I used priceline, name your price to find a good deal on a hotel right on the river in Metropolis, IL. You heard me right, Metropolis, the home of Superman! 

Metropolis, IL sunset

Metropolis, IL sunrise

On my way out of town, I drove by the huge Superman statue in front of the City Hall. Too funny!

Besides ghost bikes, I have been shooting a lot of dilapidated buildings and such. I had done some research and found out about Cairo, IL. It was supposed to basically be a ghost town. When I arrived, there were more people living there than I had expected, but I did find my share of dilapidated buildings. I didn't take many photos with my phone, so you all will have to wait for the real stuff when I go through all my photos taken with the real camera. 

I did however take a picture of an election sign that I found to be very ironic, creepy and funny. Do people really run for coroner?

Cairo, IL, Buchie for coroner

While in Cairo, I did meet a man that worked for the newspaper, and he told me I should go to "The Lost Cross", which was supposed to be the oldest standing punk house. It was in Carbondale, which was not really out of my way to St. Louis, so I went. It was uneventful. Nothing to shoot, unless I was able to get in, but there were people living there. Under different circumstances it may have been a cool thing to get into.

ONWARD!

I was going to skip St. Louis all together, but my friend Steven convinced me that I should come. There were no longer any ghost bikes there (Such a shame, because that is where it all started in 2003),  but Steven said I could shoot many, many dilapidated buildings, plus I could save a little money on food and hotel. 

Steven said I should try and come up through the River Rd, and I should be able to find plenty of stuff that was falling apart. I tried to find it, but never did. Lots and lots of farm land. Corn, corn, and more corn. Wait, what's that?? Oh, it's just more corn.

I eventually spotted these weird cave like things from the side of the road, and pulled into investigate. It was an area called the Salt Lick Trails. At the head of the trails, it had a really cool building that was falling apart.

Salt Lick Trails, somewhere in Illinois

I also found a graveyard of sorts. A bunch of broken down tractors and other crazy equipment and parts. Here is a picture of some dilapidated Cushman's (you know..the meter maid cars).

tractor graveyard, somewhere in Illinois

I arrived that night in St Louis, and in the morning Steven took me to North St Louis. There were so many buildings with holes and abandon that it looked like a bomb had gone off. Even the neighborhood in Baltimore that was mostly abandon buildings was all boarded up. No Boards here. I shot lots of good stuff, but you will have to wait to see it. Then he took around the rest of St Louis. We had dinner with his parents, and I was off to Chicago in the morning.

On my way out, I found the River Road Steven had told me about. There wasn't much for me to shoot, but I did find a cool building with the roof caved in that I was able to get into in Pearl, IL.

cool Chicago poster that Christine had

I arrived in Chicago to my friends Christine and Michael's house around 7:00pm. They took me out to eat and got me drunk!!

Good times at the Hopleaf with Christine and Mike.

It was lots of fun, but none of us were very excited about our 6am wake up time. I headed out and started shooting the Chicago ghost bikes at dawn. I had 8 to find and shoot, plus a stupid doctors appointment in the middle of the day (UTI--no fun).

Clinton Miceli ghost bike, 900 block of LaSalle, Chicago, IL

I actually took pictures of this bike in March. It was decorated completely differently, both times it you could tell it was done with love. There was also a planter in front of the bike this time.

Clinton Miceli ghost bike, 900 block of LaSalle, Chicago, IL

Next was the one for Patrick Stack

Patrick Thomas Stack ghost bike, Huron at Orleans, Chicago, IL

This one may be the most run down of all the ones I found in Chicago, but it still had soul and impact, even being tucked away under a freeway overpass.

Tyler Fabeck ghost bike, Western at Logan Blvd, Chicago, IL

The next one might be the most elaborately decorated bike I have come across.

Liza Whitacre ghost bike, Wellington at Damen, Chicago, IL

Liza Whitacre ghost bike, Wellington at Damen, Chicago, IL

While shooting this one, my memory card became full, so it was time to go and reload; plus it was almost time for my doctor's appointment, and the light was getting too harsh. I might have been late otherwise.

Mandy Annis ghost bike, W Armitage at N Kedzie, Chicago, IL

The crazy thing about the Mandy ghost bike, is that it was on the diagonal corner of this ghost bike for another person.

Blanca Ocasio ghost bike, W Armitage at N Kedzie, Chicago, IL

I love that they put that he (Jespson Livingston) loved to cook on his sign and attached a spatula to his ghost bike.

Jepson Livingston ghost bike, Diversey at Avers Ave, Chicago, IL

There will also be a new ghost bike for Neil Townsend installed at Wells and Oak. I believe the ceremony for it will be this upcoming Friday, October 19. I am not positive of the time, but will a little internet research, I am sure you could figure it out.

Once I was done shooting, I went to grab some thai food with my little cousin, Lucas and his wife, Sam. We had a great visit. In the morning I grabbed some breakfast with Christine, and was off to Madison, Wisconsin.

Originally, I was not going to trek to Madison, because there was only one ghost bike there, and it was opposite the direction I needed to go for everything else. Unfortunately, just last week 2 cyclists were killed, and a friend of mine was making arrangements to install two ghost bikes for them. I arrived to town and shot the ghost bike for Dave Nieft.

David Nieft ghost bike, Baldwin at Wilson, Madison, WI

I made it to my friend Dave and Athena's house. We went to dinner then added some flowers and signs to the bikes that he had painted. We would install them early in the morning and then I would hit the road.

It was raining in the morning.

 Tyler Knipfer ghost bike, Huxley at Aberg, Madison, WI

Carrie Pete ghost bike, Highway M near Governor Nelson Park, Madison, WI

Placing these bikes was a very intense experience for me. I know how much they have affected me, but to be a part of something that I know will affect others was a little overwhelming. I was honored.

From Madison I headed to South Bend, Indiana. There was a slight possibility that there would be three bikes there. I was only counting on one, because I had read an article about it being there in May of this year. It was not there, and neither were the other two.

ONWARD!!

I spent the night in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and thought for sure I could conquer the entire state in one day!!  Ha ha! I didn't do too bad, but I kept getting sidetracked shooting something that most of you would think is disgusting...road kill. I think maybe I am spending too much time alone...

ghost bike, Bridge at Fremont, Grand Rapids, Michigan

The next bike I looked for was in Ionia, Michigan. I thought for sure it would be there. It was just placed 10 days ago on October 5th. It was gone, and this was all that remained, some flowers, and an angel figurine that I don't think you can see in this photo.

where the ghost bike once was for Kelsie Henning, Washington at Pleasant, Ionia, Michigan

I had a little better luck in Ann Arbor, and Canton, Michigan.

Tim Pincikowski ghost bike, Maple Rd near Elisworth, Ann Arbor, Michigan

ghost bike, Michigan at Haggerty, Canton, Michigan

Tommorow I do Orion Township and Detroit, and make my way as close to Toranto, Canada as I can before I fall asleep!!

Virginia and beyond...

I feel as if I want to update this every day, but as the day begins, I try to get out there as early as possible to catch all of the daylight, and when I arrive at a place to sleep, I am just too exhausted to sit and write. Today, I will start my day a little later in an effort to catch you all up on my adventures since I last posted.

From Virginia Beach, VA, I headed to Richmond, VA, a cute town, that I wouldn't mind spending another day or two in. I first looked for the bike that was to be located on Westover Hills Road. It wasn't there. I did however take a moment to walk onto the bridge to take a better look at the James River, that is until I discovered the 18 million spider webs filled with spiders of all shapes and sizes along the walk way. Those of you that know me well, know that if there are spiders near, they will bite me (I get somewhere around 100 spider bites a year). This bridge was not the place for me. 

Along my way to the next ghost bike possibility, I saw this run down house. Here is where I make the disclaimer that you all should forgive the quality of some of the pictures I post while on this trip. All the ones I am posting are taken with my iPhone. I will not be posting ones taken with the "real" cameras until I get back and can go through everything.

3906 North Ave, Richmond, VA

Next I find the ghost bike placed on the corner of River Road and Bridgeway Road for Anne Riley.

ghost bike for Anne Riley, Richmond, VA

From Richmond, I head to West Virginia. I was going to forgo West Virginia, to save time, but according to google maps, I wouldn't lose too much time if I detoured there, plus I had a good gut feeling that the bikes were there.

on the way to West Virginia

The drive was one of the most magnificently beautiful drives I have ever been on. I drove through the George Washington National Forest. The leaves were changing colors, it was truly breathtaking, this crappy iPhone picture does not even come close to doing it justice.

George Washington National Forest, West Virginia

Light was running out, and I knew that if I were to find the bikes it would be dark. I chose to look for the first one, then I would stay the night and find the second one in the morning. I found the first one, and it was very very dark. I was thinking I would need to do exposures of longer than a minute to get an image at all, and without a cable release, who knew if they would be in focus. After a little trial and error, I used passing cars headlights to help illuminate the bike and was able to make some images. Hopefully, they will be in focus, it was too dark to really tell. Here is an awful photo of the bike taken with my phone.

ghost bike for Daniel Duncan, Buckhannon, West Virginia

My friend had warned me that West Virginia is a weird place...

I stopped into a motel to see how much the rates were. $75. Too much for my blood, but even had it been affordable, I would not have stayed. I have seen some weird things in my life, and have been around many "not savory" situations, but I can honestly say that I have never felt as creeped out and unsafe as I did leaving that motel lobby; like I would end up chained in a basement as the town's sex slave or something.

The second ghost bike would not make it into my project, and it didn't matter that I was extremely tired, I was driving to Pittsburgh that night!!

PITTSBURGH!!

I let myself sleep in and got a bit of a late start, but I knew this town would be easy. I had some email correspondence that let me know there were only 2 ghost bikes in Pittsburgh, and I knew where to find them. 

Here are a couple of things I found that I liked along the way. Under a bridge...

33rd at Spring, Pittsburgh, PA

and a mural next to some boarded up row houses with incredible juxtaposition.

Mural at N Graham and Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA

Here is the ghost bike for James Price on the 7500 block of Penn Ave.

ghost bike for James Price, Pittsburgh, PA

And the ghost bike for Rui Hui Lin located at Meyran and Louisa.

ghost bike for Rui Hui Lin, Pittsburgh, PA

My next stop was to be Columbus, OH. I was too tired on my drive to make it there, so I started pulling over to find a place to stay. Every place I tried was no vacancy, or $100. No dice. I began to think that this would be the night I would end up sleeping in the car. I tried priceline, and found a terrible motel in Zanesville, OH. Definitely the worst place I have stayed...probably in my life. I even checked for bed bugs... But I still had dreams about them. Needless to say, I woke early, went for a run, and was on my way to Columbus, OH.

I believe this was Saturday, October 6. I was not sure what I would find in Columbus. I did not get any confirmations that there were still any ghost bikes there, but it was on the way to the next stop, so I thought I take a chance. I chose to look for the three most recently placed bikes. 

The one at Snouffer Rd at Asheville Pard drive for Michail Sonney was not there. The one at Sawmill Rd at Sawbury Rd for Jeffery Tyler Stevenson, was also gone. But in it's place was a cross made from skateboards.

memorial cross for Jeffery Stevenson where a ghost bike once was, in Columbus, OH

The ghost bike for Elissa Hatfield on the 5400 block of Fisher Road was also not there, but in its place stood not one, but 4 crosses. I find in interesting how people will let a cross stand as a memorial for years, but that a ghost bike memorial seems to have a short shelf life.

Crosses where a ghost bike once stood for Elissa Hatfield, Columbus, OH

From Columbus I headed to Vandalia, OH. I had gotten word that there was a permanent ghost bike at Kenbrook and Perry. When I arrived, I realized that this bike was on someone's lawn, so before I started crawling all over someone's property, I went to the house to seek permission. I spoke with the brother of the woman (Becky Meade) who lost her life, told him about my project, and gave him my card. He told me they had the ghost bike at the crash site, that they had even gotten a permit for it, but the woman that hit her lived right near there and had a fit about the bike being there. Evidently the woman rushed ahead to make the turn instead of letting Becky pass and she hit and killed her. They decided the bike would be better at home, and they made a memorial to Becky in their yard for the world to see. Honestly, this may have been the most touching ghost bike memorial I have seen to date. I felt blessed and honored to be able to photograph it.

ghost bike for Becky Meade, Vandalia, OH

Here is a close up:

ghost bike for Becky Meade, Vandalia, OH

From here I headed just short way over to Philadelphia at Bon Air Dr. in Dayton, OH, where I did not find a ghost bike, but some flowers and a cross. Notice that the sign pole is bent.

crash site of Becky Meade, where a ghost bike stood for just a short time, Dayton, OH

After taking some photos, I sat on the trunk of the car and started looking at my phone. Within a few minutes, the woman that lived on the corner came home. I asked her how long the bike had been gone. She told me that it had only been there for a week or two. The family had asked her permission to put the bike there. I had a suspicion... so I asked her if the person that hit the cyclist lived near by. She pointed across the street and said right over there! At this point, I realized that I was standing at the crash site of Becky Meade, who's ghost bike I had just shot in Vandalia.

Later that night Mary Klinedinst-Laughter sent me a message thanking me for making the stop at Becky's ghost bike. I was touched.

I planned to drive to Cincinnati that evening and shoot the bikes there in the morning, but I arrived with so much daylight left, I shot the two bikes there. I had been in touch with people in Cincinnati, so I knew it would be easy to find them. Unfortunately, they are recent tragedies.

One for Ronald Richardson, 1301 California Ave, in the Oakland neighborhood of Cincinnati. Friends and family had not only left flowers and such at this site, but many left drinks they had in commemoration of his life. I would tell that he will be missed, and toasted on many more occasions.

ghost bike for Ronald Richardson, Cincinnati, OH

The sky was doing wonderous things when I shot the one for Andrew Gast on the 600 block of Wilmer.

ghost bike for Andrew Gast, Cincinnati, OH

That Saturday definitely marks the most successful day I have had so far.

ONWARD TO KENTUCKY...

I had confirmation on the bike for Rick Kerr on Russell Cave Road at Park Place in Lexington, KY.

ghost bike for Rick Kerr, Lexington, KY

I spent half the day driving from Lexington to Louiseville. It should have taken about an hour and a half, but I wanted to see a little bit of Kentucky. I saw many farms, and some raceways. I even made some friends with a couple of horses that wanted to ham it up for the camera (those pics to come later) It was quite beautiful. Here is picture I took that does not justice to what I actually saw.

Kentucky

I finally arrived in Louisville, to find a very cute little town. I would love to come back to Kentucky; between the bourbon, Louisville, the train museum, and the caves, I could find some time to kill here.

I was impressed that the ghost bike for Jennifer Futrell near 1034 Bardstown Rd was still standing. I think it has been there since 2008. It is weathered, but still beautiful.

ghost bike for Jennifer Futrell, Louisville, KY

Today I head to Nashville!

Day 1 of being on the road

This morning I woke up at 6:45a to rainy skies, got my things together and jumped on the train to go pick up the rental car. When I arrived I asked if the car I had reserved had an ipod jack and the woman said no. WoW! Was I really going to have to do this whole trip with just the radio to listen to? She said the compact cars did not come with that feature, but not to fret because I would probably get upgraded, because they did not have enough compact cars.

We all know that rental cars always cost more than we anticipate, no matter how much you think you have everything covered. My car for the whole time cost $440 more than I budgeted for...Insurance. But that is okay, I will make up for it somewhere. My budget is $126/day to cover food, gas, and motel. I should be able to make up for some of it when I can stay with friends instead of motel.

After waiting forever I finally get to go to my car. Space B4 she said. There was a Mustang in B4! I thought well, now that IS an upgrade! There was no ipod jack, I was bummed. It turns out she told me the wrong space, and I ended up with a Doge Avenger with an ipod jack. Yay!! Not as "COOL", but I would be able to listen to my own music.

I make the grueling drive back to Brooklyn, pick up my stuff, have one last real meal before I start living on my "kickstarter budget", and hit the road at 2pm. 

My intention for the day was to look for two ghost bikes in New Jersey. All my efforts in contacting people in the bicycle community in New Jersey had led me to believe that there might be one of the five that once were. One of bikes unlikely to be there was on the way to the one that might be there, so I took a chance and looked for it. It was gone. But the other one was there!! 

Ghost bike for Camille Savoy, 54 years old. On Route 9W near Alpine, New Jersey.

Tomorrow, I will try to hit the potential three bikes in Philly, and head over to a ghost town about an hour outside of Philadelphia. 

The begining of the Ghost Bike Project

This work is currently hanging at Gallery 28  (1228 Grant St @ Columbus, San Francsico, CA)  and will hang until July 28, 2011.  This work looks way better in person, so try to get over there and take a peek.