AIDS/Lifecycle 12 - An Unforgettable Journey - Day 2

I peddled 110 miles and climbed 2,875 vertical feet.

What a long and exhausting day!  They told us this route today was relatively flat, but we still climbed over 2,800 verticle feet.  Wow!

It was still a gorgeous route going down the Central Valley past artichoke, lettuce, strawberry fields, fruit tree groves and grape vineyards.  It was pretty flat during those segments, and with some occasional tail winds I was able to get up to some speeds past 25 miles per hour.  It was quite a rush to say the least!

I had to stop for a bathroom break at a deep fried artichoke vendor and one of my friends talked me into staying and purchasing some.  YUMMY!  I'm glad I listened.

Some of the best fun on the ride, besides the community and scenery is the Rest and lunch stops.  As you saw from my previous blog post, they have a daily theme and dress and get campy.  It makes a potentially boring pit stop fun AND sometimes causes delays as I was soooo busy snapping pictures of as much as I could...lol.

My favorite stop on Day 2 was the Otter Pop Bear pit stop.  There were bears in tutus passing out Otter Pops. For those of you who don't know, in the Gay community a "bear" is a rather burly and large man that can be hairy or not.  You can clearly see this in the pics I've included here.

Rey Rey was getting to meet sooo many people and colorful characters.  He made taking the pictures a lot more fun for sure.

All in all it was a looooong day!  I started early and ended rather late for my pace, but I was still far ahead of the crowd so I got set up and showered without too much difficulty.

All this busy-ness did make writing daily blog posts rather challenging though.  I didn't seem to have a minute to myself between eating, drinking, peeing, cycling, eating, drinking, peeing, cycling some more, showering, eating dinner and watching the evening program.

Every night I made sure to set up my morning "stuff" so I could get dressed and pack up my tent efficiently and get on the road as early as possible.  Even with getting up at 4:30am and doing all of that some days it was a real challenge to get started when the route opened at 6:30am.

Oh, and I forgot, I got to experience the amazing medical team as I had to check in with them every morning and evening.  My nether region has little body fat so I was sore and raw.  I had to go to a "butt clinic" every morning to get stuff put on down there to make 8 or more hours in the saddle as safe and comfortable as possible.  I got over bending over in front of a female stranger to look at my arse and see how things were...

I also got a flat 2 miles before rolling into camp darn it!  I ran over something that ripped a hole in my tread.  I thought I was hosed about peddling into camp, but this HOT fellow cyclists stopped to help out and patched up the whole, threw a tube in it and got me rolling again.

Then I had to check in with Bike Tech to look at my tire.  They said to change it.  Thank goodness I brought spares.  I brought them the tire and they told me to head to the showers and they'd have it changed by the time I was done.  It was AND they didn't charge me a dime!  Wow!

What I experienced by these challenges is the AMAZING support this event provides the cyclists and volunteers.  I didn't have to worry about a thing.  Medically or mechanically!

Cycling diva at Rest Stop 1.

Rey Rey hitching a ride with me.

Crop fields as far as the eye can see.

I LOVED Team Popular's Jersey's.

Artichoke store and stand

Rey Rey photo bombing a shot of the vendor truck

Rey Rey enjoying deep fried artichoke hearts. Mmmmm!

Rest Stop Character

Rest Stop Character Garrison.  I hadn't seen him since I moved from San Diego in 1994.  Wow!

Cyclists taking advantage of the decor at a rest stop

Rest Stop Characters

Rest Stop Characters

Porta Potty lines were usually LONG

Rest stop characters

Even Porta Potties got decorat

Rest stop characters

Rey Rey hitching a ride

Otter Pop Stop.  My Fave!!!

Bears in Tutus.  That's CONFIDENCE!

Pups passing out Otter Pops

Rest stop characters

Rey Rey, I and some Bears

More fields of the Central Valley

Peddling through the Central Valley

More fields of the Central Valley

Cool bridge that cyclists were skinny dipping under.

Last rest stop of the day about 12 miles from camp!  I figured a victory picture was in order...

AIDS/Lifecycle 12 - An Unforgettable Journey - Day 1

Opening Ceremonies, 2,200 cyclist and 500 volunteers at Cow Palace.

I peddled 86 miles and climbed 6,156 verticle feet today.

What an amazing journey I got to partake of to say the least.  Opening Ceremonies were a beautiful and moving tribute to what this ride is all about.  We ride because others can't and the money raised goes directly to those that need it most.

I got to connect and see folks I haven't seen since 2008.  I got to reconnect with my ex and thank him for introducing me to this amazing community and event.  Truly if it weren't for him and his advice early on in my HIV experience, I would not be where I am today.  Thank you Gabo!!!

Me waiting at the starting line.

We rode out of Cow Palace to heavy fog that dripped off the cypress trees like rain.  I was concerned that it was actually rain and that they would call off the day. Silly me!

There was a delicious long climb up HWY 92 and I was surprised as I crested the hill to find a cheering squad of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence handing out Strawberries.  I greedly stuffed three in my mouth and chewed and swallowed them on the descent.  I love the descent on hills like that because I get to cool off from the wind whipping through me as I descend.

The whole day was foggy and heavy with the marine layer, but we still proceeded past beautiful Northern California beaches, bluffs and cliffs.  Truly amazing scenery!

Finally after peddling 86 miles we rolled into Santa Cruz and set up our tent city. I got there kind of early since I have a good, strong pace and don't doddle too much at the rest and lunch stops. This afforded more time in camp to hobnob with old friends and make new ones.

Desert Roadrunner friends at Rest Stop 1

I really missed being a part of this community. There is a brother/sisterhood of love, acceptance, assistance and camaraderie  that spans cultures, gender and sexual orientation. It is like NOTHING I've experienced before. They call it the "Love Bubble".  

Luckily, in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley we have a similar culture.

Oh, and it's official, we, you and I, helped raise OVER 14.2 million dollars for HIV/AIDS.  Wow!

Please enjoy the rest of my pics from Day 1!!!

Camping it up at Rest Stop 2.

Little Rey Rey enjoying lunch with me.

The lunch venue.  Gorgeous, but foggy.

Cycling friends Karen and Jose.

Some of the characters at Rest Stop 3 (notice little Rey Rey)

Another Rest Stop character with Rey Rey.

A gorgeous view I had to stop and capture!

Rest Stop character with Rey Rey.

Rest Stop characters with Rey Rey.

Rest Stop 3 scenery.

Rest Stop character with me and Rey Rey.

The beautiful setting for Rest Stop 4.

One of MANY stunning vistas I got to experience!

Rest Stop 4 characters. 

Rey Rey helping me set up our tent.

Dining hall.  It actually sat about 1000... This is a tiny portion.

Tent city. About 1000 tents nightly...

Rey Rey admiring my decor of our tent.

Home for a week...

AIDS/Lifecycle 12 - An Unforgettable Journey - Day 0 aka Orientation

Today was a very moving day. I saw so many people I haven't seen in several years and met new people I'll be riding with all week long.

We got there really early and had to wait for about 40 minutes to drop off the bike and bike parking, then proceeded to orientation and safety video. The movie they played was very moving and had many testimonials about HIV and why people do the ride that was very inspiring and renew my faith in this event. Of course I couldn't help to get choked up several times.

I spent most of orientation day with my friend Dave Van Wess Since we didn't want to get separated. We're rooming together right now. We did a lot of training rides in Palm Springs so we're pretty chummy. It was nice to go through Orientation with someone instead of being alone.

We picked up our orientation materials which included luggage tags and participant number to put on my bike and helmet. Rey Rey spent the whole day with me. No one noticed or commented about him since it seems VERY common for people to Camp it up and show their individuality. I'll take pics of some of that tomorrow and provide a lot more pics in future blogs.

Today was really low key, however, the weather is GORGEOUS right now. A beautiful sunny day in the 70's with no winds or fog. It's VERY unusual for this time of year. I guess it's going to be 7 days of gorgeous early California summer weather. I'm soooo stoked about that.

EVERYONE has been amazing, helpful, flirty and fun. That's the culture of the Ride. safety first and watch out for each other. You can feel the energy and excitement in the air. It's palpable and very obvious.

What about me you ask? I can't wait to get up at 4:30am, eat, gear up and go! I've trained long and hard for this and I expect it to pay off with effortless performance over the next 7 days.

Check back tomorrow! Ta Ta for now...

Xoxo
Stefen

AIDS/Lifecycle 12 - An Unforgettable Journey

Still More Pre-Ride Thoughts...

I can't believe that in less than 24 hours I will begin my journey to San Francisco to begin this long anticipated and well prepared for journey. I am at a point now where all the business of getting ready is complete. ALL preparations whether they be physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and of course the mundane chores of packing and logistics.

• My bike has been dropped off for shipping to the Bay Area.  
• My bags are organized and packed.
• I dropped off the big bag with a friend driving up so I don't have to schlepp it from the airport to my Hotel.
• Boarding pass printed.

I am now in a place of hurry up and wait! That is all I have left to do besides getting to the airport tomorrow.  Wow! All this time of training and preparation it feels so anti-climactic.

I had a really interesting realization yesterday on my drive to and from San Diego to drop off my bike.  I put the same amount of miles (240) that I rode on my bike in my last week of training.  Geez, that was a lot of miles. It hit me on the way back up to Palm Springs and warped my mind when I pondered that distance. Wow!  It put it into perspective since it took me four hours to drive it by car.  We'll travel that much in the first three days of the ride alone...

Now, I have to spend time with my honey, be present for the journey and relax.  There is nothing left but enjoy the journey!

AIDS/Lifecycle 12 - An Unforgettable Journey

More Pre-Ride Thoughts and Updates

T minus 5 days and counting.  I fly out Friday evening to San Francisco to meet up with my beloved Desert Roadrunners for a pizza dinner and carb load.  Mmmmmm, pasta and pizza, what a delicious way to prepare for this event.  I can hardly wait.

I realize that I have a LOOOOONNNNNNGGGGG road ahead of me coming up soon, but I know that I've prepared myself well for it.  I'm ready and I'm so excited and stoked I could pee my pants.

The buzz on Facebook is mind-boggling.  People are posting pictures of their luggage packing, bicycles at bike shipping and even posting YouTube videos of previous rides.  I watched one of these videos (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bgye5LQB0I) and got so teary eyed remembering my experience as a roadie in 2008 and 2009.

I am about to experience a life-changing journey with 2,500 cyclists and about 750 roadies.  We are a family as we proceed down the coast of California looking out for and supporting each other every step of the way. It is a family like I've never experienced! People from all over the world and from EVERY walk of life accepting, loving and supporting each other with a distinct lack of judgement or prejudice.  It is such an amazing experience!

I can't believe I'm almost done packing and I've cleaned and lubed up my bike.  Wow, I sure got A LOT done today without much effort!

I had a friend ask me if I had anything to do for the rest of the week because I'm just going to drive myself crazy with excitement.  Well, the answer is not too much.  I have a little bit of work to do and I have a lot of cleaning up to do around the house, but I really want to relax as much as possible. We'll see how that goes.

Anyway, that's all for today.  Check back soon to see how things are going on the ride.

xoxoxo
Stefen

AIDS/Lifecycle 12 - An Unforgettable Journey

Thoughts before beginning...

As I get to the last week before the ride, I sit back a bit to ponder the last 8 months that I have been working up to this point. What a journey and certainly a lot of "stuff" that needed to be completed.

I have spent countless hours in the saddle toughening up my legs and butt in order to handle seven days and 545 miles.  Wow!  In the last 4 weeks I have peddled over 800 miles and have climbed over 18,000 vertical feet.  This year, 2013, I have peddled over 1,800 miles and climbed over 44,000 vertical feet. OH MY GOD! Last week alone I cycled over 240 miles; that's almost half the distance of the Ride itself.  The statistics of this training regimin really brings home these accomplishments.  I am proud of what I have done to condition my body.  Now I have to work on my mind...

I have held numerous fundraising events and sent out over 50 emails to friends and family requesting support for this event. I have received donations ranging from $10  to $750.  I have had friends donate twice.  Some by "accident", some on purpose.  I have received support from High School mates and friends I haven't seen in years.  I am deeply touched by the outpouring of love and support I have received and continue to receive.  It warms my heart and brings tears to my eyes when I think about it.

As of today I have raised over $7500 for HIV/AIDS services in California. That, in itself, is a huge accomplishment that I am once again very proud of. And, and, and, the contributions continue to come in... Thank you everyone for your support!!!

I have spent the last 8 weeks getting up at "Buttcrack O'Clock" to avoid the desert heat.  Let me tell you, it's not fun riding in temperatures over 90 degrees.  We get that a lot here!  A LOT! I can honestly say I am glad that is coming to a close because I feel like my whole life revolves around cycling right now.  I feel ready and my legs feel ready.

Finally, I come to the teary part of this article.  Why in the heck I do this ride and choose to ride 545 miles over 7 days.

What you probably don't know about me is that I was diagnosed with HIV in 2005 as the result of a Methamphetamine addiction. I took health risks that put my life in jeopardy and directly caused my seroconversion. Since that time I have dealt with numerous HIV related health issues and have directly benefitted from the HIV/AIDS Service organizations that benefit from this ride.  This is one way I can give back for what I've received.

I dedicate this ride to my amazing miracle of a life-partner, Rey Thayne Jr., who has unselfishly supported me every step of the way.  He has endured countless mornings and afternoons alone while I rode my bicycle.  He has provided support for some of our rides and has gone on several road trips for training rides.  He has even assisted me with numerous fundraisers and been a FIERCE advocate for AIDS/Lifecycle without EVER experiencing the ride.  Wow! He truly is my champion and hero!  Without his support, I know I could not have done all that I have. Thank you Rey you cute little cheerleading miracle!!!

I am riding on behalf of:

• My departed friends Greg Morgan, Mark Moore & Brian Krone
• Those out there still in the grips of methamphetamine and drug addiction
• My brothers and sisters in recovery from addiction
• My HIV positive brothers and sisters who can't ride

I want to thank the AIDS/Lifecycle community and the Positive Peddlers. Thanks to Gabriel Rocha, I was introduced to these amazing organizations in 2007 when I was coming out of my addiction. I was blessed to have participated as a Roadie in 2008 and 2009.  AIDS/Lifecycle and the Positive Peddlers changed my life and taught me to live again without shame or fear. Without the support of these communities I know I would not have survived addiction or HIV!

And finally a shout out to my peops the Desert Roadrunners with whom I have grown extremely fond. We have ridden countless miles, partied and supported each other. With your help I have created yet another family to hold me up when I don't have the strength to hold myself up.

Now let's ride ya'll!  Yee Ha!!!