Final comment's, thoughts and gratitude...

Wow, what an amazing adventure and community!

It has been a pleasure sharing this experience with with so many people.  We have enjoyed adding the pictures and recalling each and every moment of the ride. It has been great hearing feedback from friends and strangers alike.  Because of our blog, people have been able to experience or re-experience the event.  It has been an honor and we appreciate the opportunity that was given to us. 

Thank you to ALC's Erik Ireland for inviting us to participate as bloggers.

We'll see you all on the road next year!  Besos y abrazos mil!!!

Stefen -  

Check out my comments on YouTube: 

Stefen's Final Comments

Gabo - 

Check out my comments on YouTube:

Day 7 - Pacific Coast highway and closing ceremonies

Sniff, sniff, it’s almost over…

Stefen - We woke up dry, warm and well rested since we had spent the night “off the grid” again. Heh, heh, heh...what a treat, again!  I almost feel spoiled...not!

We woke up very early since Gabo wanted to get started as soon as the route opened in the morning.  This was no easy feat for Gabo as he is NOT a morning person, but I was proud to see him bounce out of bed when the alarm went off.

So, off we went to breakfast at 5:30am and then a pat on the behind to send him off at 6:00am. When we got to Gabo's bicycle, we saw that EVERY bicycle saddle had an egg laid it.  This happened overnight by the Chicken Lady.  That chicken was busy! Wow! 

Then I took off for some meditation, prayer and solitude on the beach.  It was fabulous and very centering.  My final comments recorded in the next entry in this blog are immediately following this blissful experience.

Pack, pack, pack again and get ready for the last day on the ride and closing ceremonies as we roll into Los Angeles and the Veteran's Administration.  I was also very excited as my mom was coming to pick us up and watch us in the closing ceremonies.  Boy, was EVERY moment of the day fun as well as bittersweet as it really was the last day.

Gabo – Okay, so here we are on the last day of the ride.  This day is my least favorite day for two reasons.  First because we are finishing our incredible journey.  It is always very sad for me because I will be separated from this wonderful community we just created.  The second reason I don’t like this day is because I consider the route to be the most dangerous since we have to go through Malibu and Santa Monica along Pacific Coast Highway.

The traffic is usually nasty with lots of cars coming up and down and pulling out of garages.  There are hundreds of cars parked along the shoulder leaving us very little room to navigate. This often pushes cyclists into the line of traffic.  Many people have told stories about cyclist being killed by cars along this treacherous route. Car doors can open suddenly with surfers and beach goers heading to the beach.

Cyclists need to be extremely aware of car doors, pedestrians and obstacles in their way.  Also, it can be very stressful since there are literally thousands of cyclist trying to make their way to Closing Ceremonies.

It was worth getting up so early in the morning to be able to leave camp right when they opened the route at 6:00am.  It was still dark when we were eating breakfast and I was a tad anxious about cycling in the dark. But soon the sun came up and the sky cleared up and it ended up being a really beautiful day.

The advantage of being on the road so early, especially on this day, as I said before, was to avoid all the chaos off this particular route during peak weekend hours. Remember, this is Pacific Coast Highway and some of California's most beautiful and most visited beaches.

I cycled so well that I was at Rest Stop 1 at 7:00am and after a 15 minute break I took off to my next stop.  On my way I ran into "Mom and Dad" already cheering.  I wish I had caught a picture, but alas I was really cookin'.

A tad further I ran into Ginger Brewlay in, as usual, superb and sexy drag.

I was feeling strong riding but felt a little odd as there were few cyclist riding with me. The scenery was really breathtaking.  It was a very nice, breezy and quiet morning as I rode through Malibu and Santa Monica without any obstruction.  Because of that I skipped Rest Stop 2 and went directly to lunch.  I arrived at lunch by 9:30am.  OMG!

This lunch stop if spectacular.  The view is elevated and clear.  Just AMAZING!

I went to grab my lunch and as I started to eat I realized I wasn't really hungry or it could have been that turkey sandwich AGAIN at 9:30am is not my idea of a fulfilling meal.  So I didn't stay long and headed out to Closing Ceremonies, the last leg of the ride.

I arrived at Closing Ceremonies at 10:30am.  Again, WOW, and a record for me in all six of my ALC rides.  The disappointing part of arriving so early is there was only a handful of people cheering me across the finish line.  I have to confess the feeling of being cheered by hundreds of people as I arrive after completing such a challenging ride gives me a sense of gratification. I would have loved to have been welcomed that way this time.  Oh well, maybe next year...

Stefen - This year for closing ceremonies I actually got to participate and represent the Positive Peddlers by carrying one of the Dedication Banners.  It was a great treat as I got a bird's eye view of the whole  thing AND got to meet Leslie Jordan in person.  He was just as funny and campy as I've seen on T.V.

His request (bribe) in snapping the picture here was to give him a plug for his gig next month on July 4th weekend at the Hotel Nikko's Raz Room in San Francisco...

I also got to see my face pictured on that huge monitor as I sniffed and cried...  My jury is still out on how I felt about that.  I don't think I look so good with puffy, tear-filled eyes and sniffling.  Oh well, I guess I can't say much about it as I was not behind the camera...

What was so touching for me was the amount of folks and media that came to cheer us on for completing.  It truly felt like an extended family or community.  Just like what we created on the ride.

Now I can hardly wait until next year when I will actually be peddling.  Yes, I finally said it on a public forum so I have witnesses.

It has been a delightful pleasure sharing this experience with you.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did doing this.  Take care and I'll see you on the road...

Gabo - Here we are at closing ceremonies waiting for all the cyclists to gather for the final ride in.  I have to say that its always very emotional to be a part of closing ceremonies.  This year I was given the great honor to carry a dedication banner during closing ceremonies.

Because of being a part of closing ceremonies, we had an incredible view and I got to experience the "ride in" of the cyclist from a much different point of view as compared to my 5 previous rides.  It gives me goosebumps recalling the sight of all the cyclists riding in and the roadies marching in after them.  I think the roadies get the most cheering and applause because they are surrounded by the cyclist AND the cyclists really get to appreciate what the roadies have done for us during this event.

Water is being sprayed, helmets and bicycles held up in the air, hugs, kisses and tears.  Emotions are everywhere.  Some of them are bittersweet sadness for the ending of this event and some of them are in celebration for what we accomplished.

Lori Jean and Mark Cloutier are amazing leaders and eloquent speakers who are able to articulate what the ride's purpose is about and why we keep coming back. 

I hope that our efforts and dedication will bear abundant fruit.  Let's keep sowing the seeds of love!

Day 6 - Rain, rain go away; come back another day...

Unfortunately, or fortunately, the ride was cancelled today by the CHP for safety reasons.  We woke up to rain and it was NOT a fun start to the day...  

Stefen - Almost everything in the tent was wet so there was a lot of yucky and wet stuff to be schlepped to the next camp. Luckily, most of our gear and clothing was dry since it was stored under a tarp last night. Yay! We can't say the same for the remainder of our 2700 friends on the ride with us...

The best news of the day for me was that Gabo took the day off for safety reasons before the ride was even cancelled.

He helped me out on the bus, which was awesome.  I got the pleasure of having him with me all day long again. How wonderful!  It made the day go by as well my Roadie job much easier for me.

Gabo -  I am so happy that I am beginning to listen and pay attention to my intuition. I told Stefen as we went to bed that if it was raining in the morning I was NOT going to ride. I knew how dangerous part of the route could be with rain.  

Right after Rest Stop 1 there is loooonnnnngggg, steep descent that, in the past, I have witnessed some pretty bad accidents in good weather.  

Needless to say I was unwilling to take any chances in such inclement conditions. We woke up to rain, so I had planned on hanging out with Stefen again…

...and guess what happened?  

The CHP cancelled major parts of the route due to the rain and, due to this, the ALC Staff also cancelled the ride for the day.  This was a first in the history of ALC.

Right after we heard that the ride had been cancelled for the day we knew we were facing a logistical nightmare transporting 2,700 people, their gear and bicycles 90 miles down the coast to the next camp in Ventura with only five buses. Eew, guacala!

Thanks to the Ventura, Lompoc and Santa Barbara County schools, the ALC Staff was able to round up over 20 buses to help out with this logistical nightmare.  Even with all this help many people did not make it into camp before 6:00pm.

When we arrived at camp for the first time of the day we tried to find a room at a hotel or motel for the evening.  No room could be found in the inn…  Someone even told us a Ventura hotel was charging over $350 for the night.  Wow!

By the time we made it to camp for the second trip the sun was out and the day turned out to be amazing, warm and beautiful.  Our gear, once pitched, dried out in 30 minutes and then we proceeded to enjoy the weather.

As soon as Stefen was released from his Roadie duties for the day after only two round trips we decided to put on our swimsuits and head to the beach.  The water was absolutely delicious.  We could not resist ourselves and jumped into the Pacific Ocean.  That is NOT something we could have done in San Francisco.  Brrr.  The water is bone chilling in NorCal even in the late summer.  What a treat! So we swam, we played and we bathed in the sun.

The conclusion to the day was the Candlelight Vigil; an ALC tradition on this day. This is a silent candlelight procession to the beach forming a circle to honor and remember those who have gone before us and those who still battle with HIV/AIDS.  What a powerful and intimate moment.

The air was filled with emotions as we watched a sea of light and hope.  And to add to the magic of the moment we enjoyed a full moon on the beach to add to the candlelight and crashing surf.

Day 5 - Dress in Red Day or Red Dress Day???

Today we are going to mainly give you a pictorial blog.

Stefen - Today was all about the red outfits and having fun. The day for Stefen was exceedingly boring as there were hardly any Sagged cyclists to pick up and not much movement in the bus.  I think the theme of the day had something to do with that...

Gabo and I before he headed out of camp.

Bus Liaison Johanna

The infamous Rachel Frasier, Camp Deputy

Gabo - Today was a relatively short day as the ride was 67 miles. Really beautiful scenery going through the wineries and beautiful winding roads.  I could say the day was uneventful when it comes to accidents or other mishaps. But the highlights of the day was the theme and costumes of the day.

The day's route used to be about 40 miles, but there was a new route adding an additional 20 something miles with some surprisingly annoying hills to climb after our lunch in Solvang. A whimsical Dutch-like town. We had lunch under a large awning to shade the riders on this beautiful and very warm day.  I thought that was pretty cool.  One thing that I must say is that I am pretty bored with sandwiches every day.  I would like to see some variety in our lunches.

I made it through the day without any accidents or flat tires and I was pretty happy with myself, but I was very tired at the end of the day.

We have a tradition to have photos taken with the various groups and teams that participate on the ride. Today was the group picture of the Positive Peddlers. I was also very happy to see a large group of new members joining us this year.

New PosPed's Shirt

PosPed's pizza social

Okay, enough said, let's skip to the photos...

Robert and Dyon making a bold statement - Kudos guys!

Superboy Alex.

Firemen at the end of today's ride

Rest Stop 2 with our good friends (L to R - Don, Shawn, Gabo, Mark & Tom)

My cyclist friends David and Mauricio

Our friends Mark and Shawn.  Pucker up boys!!!

 

Lady in Red...Paul

Day 4 - Santa Maria, sun and relaxation...

Today was a short and restful day for us, however, we did get woken up once again to lots of rude cyclist getting up before the roosters do. 

I find it interesting that someone can be amidst a LITERAL sea of tents and think they are alone and can talk as loud as they want and disturb those around them. I've included a picture so you can see how many tents we are speaking of. There was even music being played about 4:30am.  Wow!  I guess it's just one of those things that make you go, "hmmm"...

If I wasn't so calm and serene from being with Gabo all night, I may have gone Psycho on these folks and caused a "situation"...LOL...

Today we passed the halfway mark to Los Angeles.  Wow!  It's REALLY hard to believe this wonderful event and experience is already half over.  I'm not ready to get back to San Francisco darnit!  The weather is relatively nice and it is just getting warmer as we proceed down the coast.

Stefen - Today was a really slow day for me as a roadie.  I shuttled the massage and chiropractic teams from last night's camp to tonight's camp. Then we sat at camp for several hours.  I took the time to set up my tent, played with my flags and got some sun.  The two highlights of my day were a run to In-N-Out Burgers and Rest Stop 3.

I am so sick of sandwiches for lunch that I HAD to get a burger and fries today.  Santa Maria has an In-N-Out Burger joint so we took it on over there for a quick pit stop.  Yum!  I love the fries there...well, actually, I like EVERYTHING there.

Rest Stop 3 was the only run dispatch sent my bus to today. I guess they wanted to keep me from being too bored as I kept calling them to check in every hour.  I'd rather sit around at a rest stop with all that eye candy and entertainment.  The time flies much faster than if we are waiting back at camp.  

Gabo was with me today since he took the day off.  What a treat for me to have a companion on my bus and, more importantly, to spend the day with my honey.  Yay!

He and I were already in my swimsuits from lunch at camp so we simply HAD to get some more sun at the Rest Stop 3 since it was so wonderful and warm.  Well, I wanted to show off a tad as well...Duh!

Gabo and I ran around in our swimsuits for ancillary entertainment and to snap pictures with cuties and fun costumes.  We got to see LOTS of hot eye candy and take a few shots for posterity.  It was a LOT of fun and trust me, I needed it...LOL...

Today we decided to set up our tent 'off the grid' after the last two early morning rude awakenings...ha, ha, ha...  We found a lovely spot under an oak tree way far away from everyone yet still close to all the logistical stuff we need to be near for our comfort.  I am SOOOOOOOO looking forward to a good, QUIET night's sleep and waking up when we want.

Gabo and I galavanting around Rest Stop 3 (Exhibit A)

Gabo - Today I decided to take the day off so I could spend some time together with Stefen and be a part of the Roadie experience.  Unfortunately, there was not much to do.  Still I enjoyed doing something other than peddling all day.  Our most exciting part of the day was Rest Stop 3 when we were able to mingle and greet riders as they arrived at the rest stop.  We now had the opportunity to BE the Eye Candy...  See "Exhibit A" above.

Well I also got the chance to meet Kristine, a massage and chiropractic roadie when we were on our way from camp to camp in the morning. We started sharing our stories and sharing why we participate in ALC8.  We got touched, moved and inspired by each other's stories.  I cannot emphasize enough how this event brings people together from different walks of life.  That is one of the many reasons I LOVE this event.  Every year I get to meet very unique and wonderful people.

Once we arrived in camp and set up our tent this time, we put ourselves outside of the tent grid so we could be away from the snoring and early morning noise.   We spent a lot of time this afternoon sun bathing, playing music and flagging after we had set up out tent.  The rest of the day was pretty much uneventful. We were really tired and we didn't get to shower and eat until late.  Our quite and private camping area was a welcome experience this evening!

Y eso es todo por ahora!

Day 3 - Bradley BBQ fundraiser, quad buster & "TranAm" day

Last night was wonderful.  I was done relatively early, so I got to cheer the cyclists in as they came into camp.  How fun!!!  Unfortunately, I missed the picture opportunity as Gabo came in.  Oops!  I was so busy socializing and meeting new friends I completely missed him.  Bummer!

Camp was so quiet last night you could almost here a pin drop.  I was happy I did not have to use my ear plugs as the snoring campers seemed far away.  We got an amazing night’s sleep and woke up when we wanted to.  What a treat!

The day started out overcast but cleared up to partly cloudy and got pretty warm and beautiful.  Gobo got an early start out of camp as I broke down our tent and gear and hauled it to the bus.

Day 3 Camp is cool.  It’s the county park in Paso Robles so it looks like a cute western town.  We get to eat indoors (yay!) and best of all get to enjoy the “Roadie Fashion Show” in the evening.  It’s a relatively short day for the cyclists so we all get done real early and have a long and restful evening.

Stefen – Being a bus liaison is a lot of fun for the most part.  I get to help sagged cyclists, be friendly, funny and contribute to this amazing community.  I did, however, receive some feedback about my manners yesterday.  It was a bitter pill to swallow at first.  But, thanks to one of my fellow bus liaisons I was able to see there was something for me to see about myself.

I sometimes get so wrapped up asking people about their needs and directing them on my bus I get a tad brusque and rub people the wrong way.  Oops!  Normally, I don’t care what others think. I know where my heart is and what I am trying to accomplish, but this community is very dear to me and I took it hard this morning.  I quickly got over it and went on with my day.

That is one of the things I really like about being on this ride.  I am in an amazingly supportive environment AND if I open my mind I can learn things about myself and evolve.  For me, that is what this life is about.  Evolving and living a life I love.  I’ve learned to not take things too personally most of the time, however, I do prefer to be awesome.  So, this means looking at myself sometimes in the mirror at a reflection I don’t like and dealing with it and evolving.

One of my favorite sites along the way is our own Los Angeles' Ginger Brewlay.  Ginger has been dressing up in different costumes to cheer on the cyclist and, of course, entertain them and hopefully bring a smile to their faces.  Today at the top of the infamous Quad Buster, a 1.5 mile steep incline, I insisted the bus stop as I don't usually get to see Ginger.  She is along the cyclist's route and the bus usually takes the larger roads and highways.

Gabo – Today's route was marked as a 66 mile ride. Not too bad after yesterday's ride. We had a pretty flat route with the exception of the infamous Quad Buster.   It's a rather long climb at approximately 1.5 miles and a steep grade. At the top of the hill you see people cheering you on as you struggle (or not ). There are some of extremely fit cyclists going up and then down and then up the hill again for moral support. Some of them do it in memory and honor of those who have passed away from HIV/AIDS.

When I find my self struggling, having a though day or feel tired, I try to remember where I was ten years ago when I was so sick in a hospital bed. Then, I remember what real pain is. Nothing can be compared to the idea of being alone, finding yourself in a foreign country, a language and culture far away from family and friends and having no idea if you will make it through the night.

I look around me and see that I am not alone anymore. I am among many who have gone through a similar situation, or have lost someone to this disease. This is what ALC is all about; coming together as family, a collective force who is looking for a better world  a world with out AIDS. 

Speaking of family, I feel extremely blessed to have someone next to me as my companion. Someone who understands me and supports me. Stefen has become not only my partner but my best friend and supporter. Every day at the end of the day he has taken the time to make me feel special...he goes out of his way to make a note in spanish and make decorations for the tent so by the time when I arrive to camp I get to receive a very sweet surprise.

After our climb to quadbuster the route was pretty flat and uneventful until we came to the town of Bradley.  A tiny town in the middle of nowhere "central valley", but, for one day out of the year this town comes alive. Here we find the Bradley School and what the ride has created for the town.

I don't know how the story began, but what I know is that they have created an oasis for the riders adn have taken the opp to do something, not only for the Ride but for the town and specifically the school. They have created a fundraiser for the school in which the kids are the beneficiaries and hosts of the event.  They grill burgers for ALL the cyclists to enjoy and as well you can see the kids going around carrying pins they created with ALC themes.  Some of them are about ALC riders, cheers and some of them portray same sex couples.

What is amazing about this town is the ride has exposed these kids to sensitivity to cultural and diversity issues, such as HIV/AIDS and same sex couples.  The whole town is very exicited and looks for to seeing us each year. The money they raise is the schools largest fundraiser of the year funding arts, field trips, grants and pays for their graduation ceremony each year.  Its amazing that the 8k they raise if ample to fund all the things mentioned above.  That amount doesn't even make a dent in the annual cost of my HIV meds which are around 30k.

Once we left Bradley and continue on our route to camp we head towards our final Rest stop.  The infamous Rest Stop 4.  I was so curious about what they would come up with this year as this is the most creative and fun ride of the day.  This stop is at the 200 year old "Old Mission San Miguel Arcangel".  This year the rest stop crew was asking for donations to assist in the renovation of this beautiful mission.  Wow!  

Oh yeah, back to Rest Stop 4...

The theme this year took us high in the sky.  It was "Tran Am".  These guys come up with some of the most creative and inventive themes.  They create a skit about a simulation of a flight with flight attendants and a pilot.  But it doesn't end there, they often choreographed musical numbers complete with costumes, music and makeup.  They also like to put spice into their choreography, attitude and performance.  This is definitely a rest stop for adults only...LOL..

Watch it now: TranAm Skit

And to finish out our day we enjoyed two delicious dinners as we get to eat all we want...especially me as I'm peddling 565 miles to L.A.

Today was also PosPed day where all the HIV positive participants identify themselves openly to the community and along the ride.  This gives HIV Positive participants the opportunity to disclose their status in a safe and non-judgemental environment. It can be a VERY powerful and liberating experience freeing one from the shackles of stigma we all have experienced at one time or another.   

The positive peddlers recognize the efforts and outstanding contribution of individuals with an award called the "Stand Up" award.  This year the recipient of this award was deservedly given to my good friend Bob Katz.  Congratulations Bob!  You are an inspiration to all of us.

I would like to conclude my comments of the day with the lyrics from one of my favorite songs by the group M People.  This song sums up what the spirit of the ride is all about and what the world could be like.  The title of the song is Fantasy Island.

Fantasy Island Lyrics

Songwriters: Small, Heather Marguerita; Heard, Paul; Pickering, Michael

---------------

Gather round people I just dreamt of this song

About all the World gettin' along.

Human rights, no shallow graves

Politician's speak the truth, no one's got Aids.

I look at a Muslim embracing a Jew

Everyone's eating everyone's food.

Free from diseases, ain't no Third World

Love is the message, love is the word.

[Chorus]

This is my island (island),

My fantasy (my fantasy),

My fantasy (fantasy).

There's a welcome mat at the centre of the earth.

No sign of hate, a four-letter word.

The children are playing in air you can breathe

People got dreams, people achieve.

Everywhere's music, sunshine and laughter

We still feel the same the morning after

Words in the air, love in the heart.

This is my dream, a brand new start

[Chorus]

This is my fantasy

Believe in me baby.

[Chorus 2]

Say what have we got

We got the power (we got the power).

Got sixty seconds, got every hour (every hour).

Say what have we got

We got the power (we got the power).

We are the spark to light the fire (light the fire).

Got one blood, got one skin

Got one soul deep within.

Got a heart beating fast

Got a dream got no past.

Say what have we got.

This is my, this is my, this is my fantasy.

[Chorus]

This is my fantasy

Day 2 - Wow, what a loooooooonnnnnnnnnggggggg day...

Day 2 – June 1

Today we woke up to riders getting up before 4am.  They were having a ball ball breaking down their tents and gear seemingly oblivious of the fact there were at least 2500 other folks sleeping around them.  Grrrrr!  It’s so interesting to see how the excitement shows up during this ride.

So we, once again, hit the ground running as today was a looooong day; 107 miles for the Cyclists to peddle and 7 stops along the way for the support vehicles to keep manage and pick up Sagged cyclists.  It really was a long day.

Stefen – I got the distinct pleasure of shuttling the food service folks this morning from camp 1 to camp 2.  I like hob-knobbing with them because they are the ones that dish out the delicious food at breakfast and dinner.  I know who to be nice to…heh, heh, heh…

Thanks to my roadie assignment I get into camp pretty early every day.  I LOVE getting to camp early.  I get to set up our tent and gear before Gabo gets in so he has a space to crash and change when he’s done for the day. I Love that.  Not many riders have it that good if I do say so myself…  Yesterday, I even made a sign for the tent to welcome him home and tell him I love him.

Today’s bus ride took us up the Central Valley from Santa Cruz to King City.  Very flat, very boring, a tad chilly with partly cloudy skys.  Not much to look at on the way so, we watched movies for entertainment when I had cyclists on board my bus.

In the morning the folks we are shuttling are usually napping as they get up at what I call “Oh my God O’Clock” to serve us breakfast that begins at 5:00am.  I really love their dedication so I try to create a tranquil space for them to relax and get some shut eye.  I also get to enjoy some quiet time myself and either read or meditate or just look at the incredible rolling hills of California.  Relaxing to be sure!!!

Gabo –  Que dia tan largo!!! What a long day...

There is nothing like having a 107 mile ride ahead of you with very little sleep when our tent neighbors decide to "cock a doodle do" at us at 4:00 in the morning...  Thank god this is a weapon and drug free event!  Especially since I don't consider myself a morning person!

Once having my breakfast and gathering my gear and everything I need I realized there was a huge amount of cyclists ahead of me. I was in the back of the pack as I left camp and 7:30am. The traffic going through Santa Cruz and the amount of riders was beyond belief.  I think it was 12 miles from camp to rest stop 1 and it took me two hours.  OMG!!

Today I was reminded of how fragile life can be since there were several accidents.  Some of them quite severe.  I, myself had a very close call.  It was very scary as it only takes a second to find yourself in a accident.  Unfortunately, a reckless cyclist cut in front of me without calling out. As he merged in front of me the cyclist in front of him had to stop abruptly causing him to stop suddenly, but instead he skidded and fell off his bike immediately in front of me.  Miraculously, he unclipped from his peddles and separated from his bike and out of my path leaving me with his bike in front of me which I dragged for a couple feet.  Thank goodness nothing happened to the reckless cyclist or anyone else in the vicinity.  Of course I was pissed, but I made sure he was okay and then after that I lectured him about the importance of safety on these kinds of events.

A few miles after this incident another accident occurred where a cyclist went down on his cycle and struck the side of his face and body on the road knocking out a few of his teeth. There was a lot of blood all over the accident scene. Thank goodness the ambulance and paramedics arrived at the scene very quickly and nothing life-threatening happened to him.  Yes, once again, I must say this is a dangerous sport!

Thank god the rest of the long day was uneventful and I was able to take out of my mind what had happened earlier, so I was able to enjoy the rest of the day's ride. Although it was a rather flat route the mileage and the attachment that some riders have to ride each and every mile of this event can make it very stressful for some of the participants which contributes to chaos and moodiness.

Having done this ride many times I have learned that it is not about the miles I ride it is about the involvement, the community and commitment to the cause in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

This event touches people wherever we go.  Many of them want to be a part in one way or another. Some of them are cheering us along the route and others like to contribute.  I want to make a special mention about the "The Cookie Lady". She cooks thousands of cookies all year long just so she can give a cookie to each and every cyclist.  She is not a participant, but she has become a part of our community.  I always look forward to stopping and having the most delicious cookie I've ever had.  She not only cooks, but she takes the time to create a theme and costume and bring along helpers to greet us all and pass out her delicious cookies.  Now that is what I call love, support and appreciation.

Here is the Cookie Lady as Bavarian Beer Maiden - We love you Cookie Lady!

Another stop that is always fun is a water stop hosted by "the dancing bears".  They are always wearing wonderful pink tutus, streamers and playing fabulous dance music.  So, we get to take a moment to dance with the bears and, of course take lots of pictures..

Here are "The Dancing Bears" posing with my good friend Shawn. Grrrrrrrrrrrr....

Day 1 - here we go again........

Oh my god it's was early when we got up at 4:30am feet hitting the ground running. Shoot, we hardly slept a wink.  Pitter pat, pitter pat as Gabo runs back and forth on the hardwood floors in his cycling shoes.  I ran to the kitchen to zap the burritos I prepared last night and boom we were out the door with our coffee in hand.  What a great start!

Here we are at opening ceremonies.

Thanks to the AMAZING generosity and love of our friend Bill for getting up early we got there on time. He not only shuttled us to the Cow Palace this morning at 5:00am, he did this yesterday for Orientation as well.  WOW!!!!!  This event brings out the best in people; whether they participate or not.

Orientation was a blur of activity, last minute logistics and lots and lots of hugs, tears and laughs reconnecting with some friends we hadn't seen all year.  Family is so wonderful and ALC truly is a family for us.

Oh yeah, let's get back to Day 1...

Opening ceremonies about to begin.

Gabo - It was amazing to be present at the Cow Palace for opening ceremonies as I am watching the place getting busier and busier.  I personally love to see the excitement of people who haven't seen each other for a long time. Those who are first time participants, or as Lory Jean said today at the opening ceremonies, "the newbies" who are so nervous you can smell the excitement and sometimes the disbelief that they are about to put themselves into such a challenge.  And, of course, all those teams of friends, groups and organizations flashing their designed jerseys and indeed it could be compared to a fashion show!

As soon as we started riding out of the Cow Palace, just before 7:00am there was a light, chilly drizzle coming down and immediately, I started to wonder what the weather for the rest of the day was going to be like...actually, I was praying for NO RAIN.  And my prayer was heard because we had a beautiful day, a tad on the cold side but perfect for the kind of ride that we had do today.

After climbing up HWY 92 in dense fog I was impressed and happy with the cyclists attention to safety. It was a very long climb, there are literally thousands of cyclists back to back with about 12-15 feet visibility and nerves can get frayed.  For the most part everyone was amazing.

Once we come down to the coast things changed for the better.  No more fog, the scenery was just remarkable and it wasn't too cold.  There is something about riding along the coast that makes you feel all of a sudden much better.  It may the openness or the fresh breeze or just the freedom that you can experience while riding your bicycle in such beautiful and pristine scenery.

I have to say that through the multiple times I have done the ride veterans have learned how to enjoy and be grateful for the rest stops. The Roadies (or volunteers) create themes at each rest stop.  They dress up, create skits, songs and entertain us when we are pulling in for a rest stop to get water, snacks, etc.  

I must say, I, personally, like Rest Stop 4 the best.  They are the most anticipated stop.  Why do you ask?  Their originality and creativity in their themes and productions. And, of course, the eye candy...  Today's theme was "2009 Wrestling Championships".

Rest Stop 4 - Day 1

Stefen -  I loved being reunited with all my SAG Bus Liason cronies and drivers.  It's like I woke up from a year long nap and we are just hitting our second week on the ride like we didn't even miss a beat.  Well, let me correct myself here, the bus decorations and themes are quite different so maybe I'm exaggerating a tad...LOL

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about I'll give you a tad of training.  Ok, so we have just over 2,200 riders and they need to be watched on the cycling route as well as supported, fed, bathed and entertained every evening.  This is done by the crew of over 500 committed and dedicated "Roadies". It is hard work, but someone has to do it...

A SAG Bus is a road support and transportation vehicle.  We shuttle teams to and from camps each day and go out along the route to pick up cyclist that have been SAGGED for the day for either medical or mechanical reasons.  We coordinate the driver, act as navigator, entertainer and sometimes counselor to upset and bummed out riders that end up on our bus for some reason.

I love being a bus liaison because it is social, I get to decorate my bus and I get to know fellow roadies as we usually converse and hob nob in my bus.  My bus this year is the Magical, Mystical Bus.  I'll take some pics tomorrow.

Anyway, I'm tired, I had a fabulous day and now I want to eat a second dinner and snuggle up with my honey and then go to bed early.  It's going to be freakin' cold tonight and lord knows I got to get up pretty early...

Friday...packing, packing, packing...

We are busy packing, relaxing and making last minute preparations for Day 1.  We are so excited and ready to join with our ALC friends and family.

Stefen - I am busy creating decor for my SAG bus.  It's so hard to create a decor as a gay man with no budget...  My theme this year is the Magical Mystical Bus complete with Shamanic inspired decor and entertainment.

Gabo - It's amazing that after five years of doing this I still get nervous and butterflies in the stomach.  I can't wait to be reunited with my fellow PosPeds riders and numerous other friends. I am still shooting for my $5,000 goal as I want my ALC8 Special Jersey...

Stefen & Gabo

Some of the numerous reasons we are involved with AIDS Lifecycle and continue to come back to experience the event is because it is a place where people can come together from different places and points of view and unite for a cause.  The ride also provides a perfect place and positive setting to have the space to be seen and perceived outside the context of being "sick" as our society can do.   It is an environment where we can be open and honest about our health and our lives and to influence and educate alternative perspectives regardless of individual backgrounds or beliefs. AIDS Lifecycle also gives people not affected by HIV a face, a story and a cause that connects all of us.  This is why we keep coming back and soliciting our friends and families for contributions year after year.

Stefen: I met Gabo in 2007 when he was a training ride leader for ALC6.  I became intrigued by watching ALC6 and from Gabo's sharing so I signed up as a roadie for ALC7, ALC8 and plan on riding for ALC9.  I love being a roadie because everyone is so wonderful and grateful for what I do.  I get to be myself, support others doing something amazing and making people laugh.

Gabo: After six years of participating with AIDS Lifecycle I have accumulated uncountable memories and experiences.  I have ridden thousands of miles along the beautiful coast of California and have met some of the most amazing people in the world.  But more than anything the ride has become a gathering, a celebration of life and a tribute to those who are battling and have joined the fight against HIV/AIDS.  I am humbled and honored to be able to be here for another ride.