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Cyclist Bikes Hundreds of Miles to Sketch Elaborate Drawings Using GPS Routes

By Sara Barnes on November 7, 2021

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Cyclists and runners from all over the world are making art with the Strava exercise app. It's not art in the conventional sense; rather, they are cycling many miles to trace their GPS paths and sketch out the likes of marriage proposals and Darth Vader. The catch? The images are only visible in the Strava app. Australian cyclist Pete Stokes is part of this community. Considered a human Etch A Sketch, the 45-year-old has amassed a collection of digital drawings over the course of hundreds of miles (or in his case, kilometers).

Stokes' portfolio runs the gamut of imagery. Creatures are a common theme, whether real or imaginary. He has, for instance, sketched a fox that sits anchored by its fluffy tails as well as a terrifying dragon. The cyclist will occasionally venture into the world of portraiture, and one of his most impressive creations is a rendition of Ludwig van Beethoven—complete with this wild hair—that was drawn in honor of the composer's 250th birthday.

Scroll down to see more of Stoke's sketches, and follow him on Instagram to see where he's headed next.