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July 12, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels July 1, 2004 Gearing up By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings Driving a revamped motorcycle in the shape of a bright red stiletto heel is sure to draw a crowd at Ashland's Fourth of July Parade on Sunday. Alyson Kleveno, 3, shows off the wave she 'll be using while riding in Ashland's July 4th Parade. Denise Baratta | Ashland Daily Tidings The high heel vehicle, owned by David Crow of Seattle, as well as 15 other art vehicles from as far away as Texas and British Columbia will participate in the parade with the Wild Art Car Klub of Oregon. This is the second year WACKO has participated in the parade, said local coordinator Konnie May of Ashland, who drives a Volkswagen painted like a butterfly. Last year, four cars participated. "Having an art car, I get to talk to people about the car everyday who are so curious," she said. "It's an amazing experience. I like bringing art to the street and make it accessible to everyone." May said the high heel vehicle was built when a girlfriend of Crow's complained he spent too much time working on his motorcycles. Because the girlfriend owned a number of high heel shoes, he decided to combine the two together. "I'd ridden on it before in a parade, and it's in a special class," May said. The group also will have viewings in Ashland during the weekend and will be selling art work and designing an art car across the street from Lithia Park after Sunday's parade. The art cars folks are one of about 100 participants who will partake in the parade, Parade Organizer Jim Kidd said. This is slightly more than last year, he said. For Mary Margret Modesitt, of Ashland, the parade is a family affair. Her daughter, Zana, has trekked up here from Southern California for the last eight years and brought her husband and four kids. Zana's family has helped Modesitt create a float with help from Modesitt's husband, Bill. This year, they are creating a small airplane float to go with this year's parade theme "Soar and Roar in 2004." "We have such fun building the float and being in the parade," Modesitt said. "It's about having fun and doing something together as a family," To save money to build their floats, the family recycles most of the materials they have used in previous floats, Modesitt said. An average float usually costs them about $150. For Modesitt and her family, she said the best way to celebrate the Fourth of July parade is to be in it. "Everyone's so happy to see you," she said. "It's like being a star." One group that plans to express their viewpoints at the parade is the Progressive Coalition, which is made up of a number of local groups such as the Green Party, said Pam Vera, one of the progressive coalition organizers. "It's a great way to get our messages out to the public," she said. "The Fourth of July is the most patriotic day of the year and dissent is patriotic. It's a way to express our concerns. ... That's why I moved to Ashland - because of the diversity and acceptance of all viewpoints." There will be two different floats this year, one will be those favoring preserving old growth in forest and one with people opposed to the wall separating Palestine and Israeli, Vera said. The coalition "Billionaires for Bush," which is a satire group voicing opposition to the current administration, will have a float entry, Vera said. They will be holding signs such as "Corporations are People, Too," and "Make War, It's Good for Business." "It's a way to use satire to express frustration with the current administration," Vera said. Kidd said that what makes Ashland's parade distinct is the variety of participants. "They can express at the parade what our founding fathers fought for," he said. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams