AIDS/LifeCycle 8 Web Coverage - May 31 - June 6

Beginning on Sunday, May 31st, we'll have web coverage of AIDS/LifeCycle 8 right here at experience.aidslifecycle.com. Bloggers will tell their stories of our seven-day trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise money for HIV/AIDS services at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the LA Gay & Lesbian Center. Photographers will be posting photos each evening on the ride and you can follow along all day with our ALC twitterers by going to our Twitter page. If you'd like to join the conversation or follow all the tweets from participants and staff, use #alc8 in your tweets. We'll see you in San Francisco for Day One on May 31!

Complete galleries of ALC7 photos

The complete galleries of almost 2,000 ALC7 photos taken by AIDS/LifeCycle photographer Jeff Brock are now posted. The high-resolution galleries, which cover Days 1-7, include many photos that were not in the daily uploads.

Positive Pedaler Co-Chair Peter Lavoie on the San Francisco AIDS Foundation Podcast

Peter Lavoie, a Co-Chair of the Positive Pedalers, talks about how AIDS/LifeCycle fights HIV by creating awareness and health on the San Francisco AIDS Foundation Podcast. Visit the SFAF.org podcast site to listen online or download the podcast.

Day Seven (Route & Closing Ceremony) Photos

On Day 7, participants left Ventura and traveled along the stunning Pacific Coast Highway to Los Angeles, where friends and family cheered their arrival. We shot so many photos that day, we've sorted the highlights into two photo albums -- one for the route and ride-in, and another for Closing Ceremonies. Enjoy, and welcome home!

Route sheets

Here are PDFs of the routesheets given to cyclists each morning at ride-out, detailing the day's route.

• Days 1-7
• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Day 4
• Day 5
• Day 6
• Day 7

Day Six (Thursday) photos

As cyclists travel from Lompoc to Ventura, photo highlights include Paradise Pit and the Candlelight Vigil.

AIDS/LifeCycle 7 Video Podcast - Day Six

Video of the Roadies and Cyclists shown in camp the evening Day 6 of AIDS/LifeCycle 7, including interviews and footage from the ride. You can download the video (4 min, 30 MB, .m4v) or watch it in the ALC7 video player on YouTube.

(Please note that the YouTube videos may take a while to process on the YouTube servers before they are available. The downloadable version is available immediately.)

Video of the Roadies and Cyclists shown in camp the evening Day 6 of AIDS/LifeCycle 7, including interviews and footage from the ride. You can download the video (4 min, 30 MB, .m4v) or watch it in the ALC7 video player on YouTube.

(Please note that the YouTube videos may take a while to process on the YouTube servers before they are available. The downloadable version is available immediately.)

AIDS/LifeCycle 7 Video Podcast - All Seven Days

Video of the Roadies and Cyclists shown in Los Angeles at the end of Closing Ceremonies for AIDS/LifeCycle 7, including interviews and footage from the ride. You can download the video (4 min, 30 MB, .m4v) or watch it in the ALC7 video player on YouTube.

(Please note that the YouTube videos may take a while to process on the YouTube servers before they are available. The downloadable version is available immediately.)

Video of the Roadies and Cyclists shown in Los Angeles at the end of Closing Ceremonies for AIDS/LifeCycle 7, including interviews and footage from the ride. You can download the video (4 min, 30 MB, .m4v) or watch it in the ALC7 video player on YouTube.

(Please note that the YouTube videos may take a while to process on the YouTube servers before they are available. The downloadable version is available immediately.)

Day Five (Wednesday) Photos

We guarantee that you'll be seeing red in our photos from Day 5, a.k.a. AIDS/LifeCycle's "Red Dress Day"!

Closing Ceremonies

Here's the time and location of the AIDS/LifeCycle 7 Closing Ceremonies. There's nothing quite like welcoming 3000 heroes as they reach the end of their 7 day, 545 mile journey. We hope you can join us.

Saturday, June 7, 2008 at 4 pm

VA Center
11301 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA    90025 [map]

The celebration should last about an hour, after which participants will pick up their gear bag, ship their bike if need be, and head home.

• Cyclists will line up and ride into the ceremonies together where they will be joined by the Roadies.
• Spectators: The ceremony is open to the public and spectators are welcome.  Spectator parking is available for $8 per vehicle. (View a detailed map of the Closing Ceremonies site [332K, 2-page PDF].) Please be advised that pets are not allowed on the grounds of the Closing Ceremonies Venue.

The Daily Spin - Issue Six

The Day 6 Daily Spin opened with a feature about one of AIDS/LifeCycle’s more endearing cyclists: a 23 year old named Val. She is riding from San Francisco to Los Angeles on a mountain bike while wearing Elvis brand hi-tops – no small accomplishment. She also has a compelling story.

The second page is filled with advertisement relevant to the mission of AIDS/LifeCycle, including one about a new international exhibit currently housed at UCLA’s Fowler Museum: Make Art/Stop AIDS.

Other important features of the first edition include statistics, information on routes, weather, safety tips, upcoming events, and an outline of the evening’s stage activities.

Download ALC7 Daily Spin - Issue 6 (.pdf, 196 kb)

[Get more information about the Daily Spin.]

Day 5 Blogs

Shirley & Matt, Shawnet and Shawn all posted their thoughts on (and some photos of) Red Dress Day. Find out why the shortest day of the ride is also one of the hardest and most fun.

Day Four (Wednesday) Photos

The photos from Day 4 follow the cyclists as they conquer the Evil Twins, ascend to the Half Way to L.A. point, and roll into camp in Santa Maria.

Day Four Blogs

Scott shares his thoughts and feelings about how the "ride is a joyous, energetic, bawdy celebration of life. It’s also our compassionate response to loss as wide as an ocean." He's also posted pictures from the massage tent. And a really cute one of his boyfriend in a lovely red dress.

Shirley spoke to all the participants after dinner on Tuesday as a representative of the Positive Pedalers. You can read the transcript of her speech and find out how she got a new appreciation for how hard Matt and the other Roadies work.

Shawnet writes about two hills called the "Evil Twins" and the conversation she had with them as they fought hard to see who would vanquish whom. She talks about the strange feeling of arriving early to an empty camp and posted a bunch of pictures.

Shawn had a hard day that was nearly over after the Evil Twins and his "evil attitude." Read about how his friend Craig helped him pull it together and find out if he finally made it to camp on his bike.

AIDS/LifeCycle 7 Video Podcast - Day Four

Video of the Roadies and Cyclists on Day Four of AIDS/LifeCycle 7. See footage from the road and interviews with Roadies and Cyclists. You can download the video (4 min, 25 MB, .m4v) or watch it in the ALC7 video player on YouTube.

Subscribe to the videos in iTunes (free download) to have updates to this video podcast download automatically to your computer. You can even sync them with your ipod or iphone and watch them on the go.

(Please note that the YouTube videos may take a while to process on the YouTube servers before they are available. The downloadable version is available immediately.)

The Daily Spin - Issue Five

Issue 5 began by highlighting the fundraising efforts of two multi-year roadies. Roadies are the volunteers who make AIDS/LifeCycle run smoothly. They are not required to raise money. The subjects of the article are two women – spouses who work together year after year, raising money for the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The back page article introduced one of AIDS/LifeCycle’s new teams: Cops4Causes. This is the first year that police officers have ridden together as a team on ALC.

Other important features of the first edition include statistics, information on routes, weather, safety tips, upcoming events, and an outline of the evening’s stage activities.

Download ALC7 Daily Spin - Issue 4 (.pdf, 180 kb)

[Get more information about the Daily Spin.]

Day Three (Tuesday) photos

Check out photos from Day 3 (Tuesday), which saw cyclists pedal from King City to Paso Robles, by way of the infamous Quadbuster hill.

Day Two Blogs

Shawnet, on of our newbie Cyclists who is also a renaissance chalk artist and self-described "opera geek," tells the story of finally meeting Quadbuster for the first time and how she was introduced to "Kitty Therapy" back in camp.

Find out how Shirley faired on Quadbuster and get her thoughts on the lunch stop in Bradley that benefits the local schoolchildren. Matt had a great day working at the PosPeds tent, but Shirley's wasn't quite as good. She found out what can happen when you have "too much electrolyte."

Scott sat down to blog about a couple of other folks on the ride during a break from his long day in the massage tent. Find out how The Wizard of Oz helps him remember one of the guys' names and how a city boy reacts to all the nature surrounding the AIDS/LifeCycle route.

Shawn continues his "quote of the day" feature and, along with his take on Quadbuster, tells the story of a woman he met on the ride and how HIV can be a vehicle for hope.

The Daily Spin - Issue Four

Issue 4 opened with photos and pithy quotes reflecting why people decorate their bike helmets. It is a tradition on AIDS/LifeCycle for cyclists to decorate their helmets. Often, the decoration has significant meaning.

The second page’s feature story highlighted the contributions of Team FedEx and the corporation of FedEx Kinko’s. This is the first year the FedEx Kinko’s is a Presenting Sponsor for AIDS/LifeCycle. Not only did they give both money and in-kind donations to support the event, but they also donated much needed supplies to schools in small towns along the route.

Other important features of the first edition include statistics, information on routes, weather, safety tips, upcoming events, and an outline of the evening’s stage activities.

Download ALC7 Daily Spin - Issue 4 (.pdf, 244 kb)

[Get more information about the Daily Spin.]

AIDS/LifeCycle 7 Video Podcast - Day Three

Video of the Roadies and Cyclists on Day Three of AIDS/LifeCycle 7. Along with footage from the route, you'll hear the reasons that the Cyclists and Roadies come back to AIDS/LifeCycle year after year. You can download the video (4 min, 25 MB, .m4v) or watch it in the ALC7 video player on YouTube.

Subscribe to the videos in iTunes (free download) to have updates to this video podcast download automatically to your computer. You can even sync them with your ipod or iphone and watch them on the go.

(Please note that the YouTube videos may take a while to process on the YouTube servers before they are available. The downloadable version is available immediately.)

AIDS/LifeCycle 7 Video Podcast - Day Two

Video of the Roadies and Cyclists on Day Two of AIDS/LifeCycle 7, including interviews with and footage from the road. You can download the video (4 min, 25 MB, .m4v) or watch it in the ALC7 video player on YouTube.

(Please note that the YouTube videos may take a while to process on the YouTube servers before they are available. The downloadable version is available immediately.)

Day Two (Monday) photos

We've posted photos from Day 2 (Monday), which saw cyclists noshing at the Deep Fried Artichokes stand, passing fields and vineyards, experiencing contemplative moments in Mission Soledad, and achieving their first century (100-mile) day.

Day Three stories from Cyclist Joe Goldberg's gabcast

Joe Goldberg (Cyclist 2295) tells all about Day Three, from Quadbuster to lunch in Bradley, in his gabcast today. You can hear it at his ALC Participant Homepage. Gabcasts are being phoned in daily by many of our Cyclists & Roadies. You can listen to them at their homepages on aidslifecycle.org or search for them at gabcast.com.

The Daily Spin - Issue Three

The third issue of the Daily Spin featured one of the newest additions to the AIDS/LifeCycle family: the H.E.R.O. squad. H.E.R.O. stands for HIV Endeavor for Reaching Out. They educate cyclists and roadies to ensure that we never forget the true meaning of the ride: to raise money for programs and services of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation who are leaders in HIV prevention.

The second feature highlighted one of the most enduring experiences of the ride. Each year, cyclists ride through a small town in Monterey County: Bradley. The town is so small that they only have 36 students in Kindergarten through 8^th grade. Each year, most of those students, and the community that supports them, come together to produce a BBQ as a fundraiser. But, it is also for the cyclists.

Other important features of the first edition include statistics, information on routes, weather, safety tips, and an outline of the evening’s stage activities.

Download ALC7 Daily Spin - Issue 3 (.pdf, 4 MB)

[Get more information about the Daily Spin.]

Day One (Sunday) Photos

After an exhilarating and exhausting first day, our Cyclists and Roadies made it into their first campsite, at Santa Cruz. Check out our AIDS/LifeCycle 7 Photo Gallery and click on Day One.

The Daily Spin - Issue Two

The second issue of the Daily Spin continued with our tradition of featuring the most important people on AIDS/LifeCycle: our participants.

The issue opened with a feature about Alisa Curry, a roadie Deputy overseeing all medical volunteer personnel. Alisa is one of many volunteers and cyclists who have been participating in endurance fundraising for HIV/AIDS since the California AIDS Ride, the predecessor to AIDS/LifeCycle. Her position this year has her enjoying the coordination of medical services and helping thousands of cyclists and roadies travel from San Francisco to Los Angeles safely and with some of the best medical care available in the world.

The second feature highlighted the contributions of Team Schwab. This is the first year that Charles Schwab, a financial services company in San Francisco, has been an official sponsor. They have given their treasure to benefit the event before, both money and manpower, but they were excited to increase their support this year. Charles Schwab’s corporate culture emphasizes charitable giving.

Other important features of the first edition include statistics, information on routes, weather, safety tips, and an outline of the evening’s stage activities.

Download ALC7 Daily Spin - Issue 2 (.pdf, 3.8 MB)

[Get more information about the Daily Spin.]

AIDS/LifeCycle 7 Video Podcast - Day One

Video of the Roadies and Cyclists on Day One of AIDS/LifeCycle 7, including interviews with and footage from the road. You can download the video (4 min, 25 MB, .m4v) or watch it in the ALC7 video player on YouTube. Subscribe to the videos in iTunes (free download) to have updates to this video podcast download automatically to your computer. You can even sync them with your ipod or iphone and watch them on the go.

Day One Blogs

Day One was a big day for the Roadies and Cyclists. Our bloggers gathered together last night in our multimedia team tent to write about it for you.

Scott, a multi-year Roadie who switched from the Motorcycle Safety team to the Massage Team this year, talks about the importance of change and what it's been like to see the ride from a new vantage point.

Shawn, a Roadie last year who is cycling this year, marvels at the beauty of the Northern California coast.

Shawnet, a newbie (first-time) Cyclist, rode out of the Cow Palace with a chain of hearts around her neck. Its meaning made the day all the more special for her.

Shirley and Matt share their tales of their first day and the emotional stories of some of the other participants they met on Day One.

Tonight, and every night on AIDS/LifeCycle 7, the bloggers will be back here in the multimedia tent writing about the day, the stories, the people and the experience of AIDS/LifeCycle 7.

The Daily Spin - Issue One

Issue 1 of the Daily Spin was distributed to cyclists and roadies at the event’s orientation day, which takes place the day before we first ride out. This year, it took place at Cow Palace in Daly City, CA. The first edition is the only one that covers more than one day, encompassing both orientation day and day one of the ride.

The first issue carries a thank you from the CEOs of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, thanking cyclists and roadies who give so much for one week each year to help fund the programs of the two beneficiary organizations.

On the second page, one of AIDS/LifeCycle’s most enduring teams, Team Bear, is featured. Team Bear is a collection of men and women of all backgrounds. One thing unites them: a desire for community.

Other important features of the first edition include statistics, information on routes, weather, safety tips, and an outline of the evening’s stage activities.

Download ALC7 Daily Spin - Issue 1 (.pdf, 328 KB)

[Get more information about the Daily Spin.]

Over 300 Roadies and Cyclists 'gabcasting'

You can listen to phone updates from the road from our Roadies and Cyclists who are using gabcast.com to post messages to their participant homepages. Cyclist Christen Penny talks about riding down the coast today at her participant homepage.

AIDS/LifeCycle 7 Video Podcast - Registration Day

Video of the Roadies and Cyclists at registration day of AIDS/LifeCycle 7, including interviews with bloggers Shawn Dulaney and Shirley and Matt Jaglowski. You can download the video (4 min, 30 MB, .m4v) or watch it in the ALC7 video player on YouTube.

(Please note that the YouTube videos may take a while to process on the YouTube servers before they are available. The downloadable version is available immediately.)

AIDS/LifeCycle Raises a Record $11.6 Million to Fight AIDS

More than 2,500 cyclists from all over the world rode exuberantly from San Francisco this morning, beginning a 7-day, 545-mile bike ride to Los Angeles as participants in the annual AIDS/LifeCycle. This year's riders and 500 volunteer roadies raised a record $11.6 million, more than any other annual HIV/AIDS fundraising event.

Read the complete news release.

Opening & Closing Ceremonies Information

Opening Ceremonies

Sunday, June 1, 2008
Cow Palace
2600 Geneva Ave, Gate 5
Daly City, CA 94014 [map]

AIDS/LifeCycle 7 Opening Ceremonies will take place on Sunday June 1st beginning at 6am to be immediately followed by Rideout. 

• Cyclists should arrive between 5am and 5:30am.
• Roadie arrival times will vary depending on assignment and each Roadie should speak with their captain before arriving for Opening Ceremonies.
• Spectators are welcome and should arrive by 5:30am to observe opening ceremonies and the ride out. Parking is available for $8 per vehicle. (View a detailed map of the Opening Ceremonies site [72K, 1-page PDF].) Spectator viewing for rideout will be available on Geneva Avenue. 
• NO vehicles will be able to access the main gate after 6:30am.

If you are taking a taxi to Opening Ceremonies, it's critical that you book one the previous night. A list of San Francisco cab companies can be found in the Important Contact Information section.

Closing Ceremonies

Saturday, June 7, 2008
VA Center
11301   Wilshire Blvd.
Los   Angeles, CA    90025 [map]

The Closing Ceremonies for AIDS/LifeCycle 7 will take place on Saturday, June 7th and are scheduled to begin at 4pm. The celebration should last about an hour, after which participants will pick up their gear bag, ship their bike if need be, and head home.

• Cyclists will line up and ride into the ceremonies together where they will be joined by the Roadies.
• Spectators: The ceremony is open to the public and spectators are welcome.  Spectator parking is available for $8 per vehicle. (View a detailed map of the Closing Ceremonies site [332K, 2-page PDF].) Please be advised that pets are not allowed on the grounds of the Closing Ceremonies Venue.

AIDS/LifeCycle 7 starts on June 1, 2008!

AIDS/LifeCycle ...

... will take place June 1-7, 2008, as cyclists and volunteers will travel 545 miles through beautiful California from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

... is the official cycling event of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center.

... is about HIV/AIDS and raising money to help the beneficiaries continue to provide the critical services and education needed to meet the growing needs of our community.

... increases awareness and knowledge about HIV/AIDS among participants, their donors and the general public.

... addresses the widespread misperception that HIV and AIDS are no longer a problem -- in fact more people are living with HIV & AIDS today than ever before, which means a much greater need for services.

... provides a reminder that the rate of HIV infection is increasing, particularly in communities of color and in individuals under the age of 25. In California alone there are 60,000 people living with AIDS, and another estimated 91,000 living with HIV, many unaware of their infection.

... requires each cyclist to raise a minimum of $2,500. Each cyclist is assigned to a personal "Cycle Buddy" for assistance with training, fundraising, and emotional & practical support from the moment they register through the event's completion.

Join us here from June 1st through 7th to follow along as we bring you web coverage of the "experience of a lifetime."

AIDS/LifeCycle 7 Video

This year, we'll have a video podcast with interviews and footage from the road during AIDS/LifeCycle 7. For a preview of what you'll be seeing in upcoming videos, take a look at this video from last year's AIDS/LifeCycle. (8 MB, 4 min, .mov)

You can view the videos in the YouTube video player in the sidebar of every page of the Experience the Event site or view them in a larger player.

Past AIDS/LifeCycle Web Coverage

This year marks our seventh AIDS/LifeCycle. Each year, we've followed the Roadies, Cyclists and Volunteers from San Francisco to Los Angeles to record the event for the family, friends and donors who have so generously supported them. Here is the archive of our past web coverage.

• AIDS/LifeCycle 1 (2002)
• AIDS/LifeCycle 2 (2003)
• AIDS/LifeCycle 3 (2004)
• AIDS/LifeCycle 4 (2005)
• AIDS/LifeCycle 5 (2006)
• AIDS/LifeCycle 6 (2007)