Meet the people behind ICT, Inc., a team passionate about the Cultural Trail, downtown, bicycles, popsicles and doughnuts. Our intrepid bike mechanic, father to Isa and theatre lover Joshua Tharp answers a few questions.
What is your position at Indianapolis Cultural Trail?
Servicing the Indiana Pacers Bikeshare bicycles and balancing the 26 stations are my primary responsibilities at ICT. I have a tremendous passion for cycling as transportation, be it in an urban environment or cross country touring. My mornings at the Cultural Trail involve assessing the Bikeshare system for overdue bicycles and imbalanced stations. The core of downtown has the most movement during the day: I remove bikes from the core after the morning commute, leaving enough for the lunch rush, and then ensure plenty of bicycles remain for the evening commute, which pulls bikes out of downtown into the surrounding neighborhoods. When I am not balancing, I perform deep maintenance on the bicycles. We take them completely apart, clean and lubricate, then reassemble. I have been with ICT/Bikeshare for a little over a year now, and every day is a joy.
What do you find most fulfilling about working at ICT?
My great mission in life is about One People/One Planet/One Cosmos, or the notion that we are all one. That success for one is success for all and that all people can work together for the upliftment of Humankind. It is my belief that trails (urban and otherwise) and cycling (bikeshare especially) unite communities and people in useful, intelligent and fun ways. The development and expansion of programs like the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and Indiana Pacers Bikeshare serve to bring us together as one human family, an idea which I feel is at the core of where we are growing as a species. I could go on and on about what I love about working at ICT, but it all comes back to why I am here in this life.
Where is your favorite spot along the Trail?
The stretch just west of the canal where the trail winds along the ridge through pines and flowers really gets me every time. I also love the rose scented grate and alley by the Metro off of Massachusetts.
What do you do in your spare time?
Ride my bike! Spending time with my beautiful daughter Isa (and riding bikes together). I also love reading and studying about magic, religion, and philosophy. Science fiction and fantasy are my entertainment books. Dancing to electronic music (and music generally) is amazing, too. I also teach Technical Theatre/Stagecraft at Young Actors Theatre (YAT) based at the Athenaeum where we inspire youth to be confident, creative, and disciplined through the art of theatre. Our motto for this semester is to be “Model Citizens in the Capital City.” A mission and message which I could not be more excited about.
What’s your ride?
My street whip is a Trek Triton all stickered up which might be my favorite bike ever. My mountain ride is a Surly Troll which, with tons of help and gifts from my friends, I built from scratch, including the wheels. I mostly commute to work, my daughter’s school, and my girlfriend’s house. Some of my friends dig on the urban mountain bike scene where I can be found when I can find time. Exploring the undersides of the city along the in between places is wonderful. I love alleys and side streets.
Tell us more about your hair.
Lol. I aspire to James Dean, sometimes Cosmo Kramer (so much bounce!), and sometimes the immortal Kid from the 90’s hip/hop duo Kid ‘n Play. It’s really about volume.
Popsicles or Doughnuts?
Doughnuts. Long’s is the only doughnut that matters. Lots of yeast doughnuts, preferably hot, but let’s be real, it is Long’s. They only make good.