Day 1; San Francisco to Santa Cruz

"Let us give publicity to HIV/AIDS and not hide it, because [that is] the only way to make it appear like a normal illness...." "One of the things destroying people with AIDS is the stigma we attach to it." Nelson Mandela

Day 1; We ride out of San Francisco, destination, Santa Cruz.

Opening ceremonies were fast but great.  I had volunteered to carry a flag in opening ceremonies.  They were flags that people wrote messages about why they ride or dedications to those lost to HIV.  I opted to do this as a gesture to Ricardo, my mentor I lost to HIV.  Down the middle of us, a riderless bicycle.  It's gears and tires ready to go. The mechanics of the bike are fine.  All it lacks is a person to ride it.  The gravity of that meaning is huge.  If you have lost someone to this disease, for which we ride, to see that riderless bike reminds you of those you have lost.  I could not fight back those tears as I thought of Ricardo. It was great though to have that moment of awareness and remembrance.  We raised 12.6 million dollars they announced!!  Woo hoo!!  That was exciting.  They discuss the route and the experiences ahead.  Byron and Sebastian were there to see me off.  It was a wonderful ceremony, and brief. I liked that. 

After it is done, we all get to our bikes and line up for our ride out.  It is windy and chilly but the excitement is huge!  2200 riders all ready to go.  So we do and there are tons of people there to cheer us on!!  So fun to hear cowbells hoots and hollers as we ride out.  I am at the front of the pack.  On the way, so many persons are saying hi, how are you. Where are you from?  What year is this for you?  The friendliness and love is immediate and such an amazing feeling. 

 Me, riding out. Logan my tent mate behind me.

The route to Santa Cruz is beautiful.  We ride through trees and pine that remind me of Colorado.  The smells are wonderful.  But it is wet and damp and also reminds me of the rain forests of Puerto Rico.  So I was getting the best of both worlds.  It was nice to have the wet drops of water hitting me from above as we rode through tree lined streets.  Rest stop 1, Romi and I catch up and start to ride together.  On the way to rest stop two, we stop for some pics!

Rest stop 2 (or was this three??). All the rest stops are themed.  Mardi Gras!  Its as if they know Romi who is a Mardi Gras girl!

Romi and I

I did get just a hair nauseous, maybe it was all the energy and nerves.  But that quickly passed and by lunch, I was feeling better, So.....Lunch!  Sebastian and Byron join us.  It is cool because your friends can meet you along the way. So I heard a lot about the food on the ride.  It was soo amazing I was told.  And they were right!  I really liked it!  All lunches on the route were good.  There were some mini misses, but nothing that wasn't inedible.  And this was the best lunch stop location!  So beautiful!!

 Two action shots when Romi and I left lunch

So how do you ride with 2200 other people.  Very carefully is the answer.  What is great is that everyone has their own pace.  Romi and I rode together since we keep similar pace an enjoy riding with each other.  But the fast ones take off and the slow ones are behind.  So lunch had maybe 500 people there during the 45 minutes we stopped.  And the road is predominately single file, with fast people passing on the left.  So it is rather easy. 

At one point on this day, right before lunch, we took on a bitch of a hill.  I repeat, a bitch of a hill.  Very narrow road, steep, wet, and curvy.  Cars passing very close on your left.  At one point up the hill one biker pulled over in a turn out and sang us a song.  "Moving on up (moving on up). Up this damn hill" etc.  It is cool how other riders just cheer you on and motivate you up a hill.  Did this hill ever end?? NO!!!  It kept on going.  But the crest was upon me and I could see about 50 spectators at the top.  It almost made you cry.  Strangers, random folk, up on the hill waiting for you.  Cheering you on. Music playing. Drag queens dancing. Strawberries, licorice and goodies in hand.  As a rider, you are treated like royalty.  It is so cool to have so many cheering at you and telling you how awesome you are, your a hero, keep going!  So so cool!!  Almost indescribable.

Another amazing view!

Rest stop 2, or was this three. Either way, the guy holding Darth is a Roadie who gets water and food set up, cheers you on, works the rest stop to make you the rider as comfortable as you can be.  See the dog tag he is holding.  They were handing them out.  I still wear that dog tag today so for those rougher moments where there is no love bubble and pissy people abound, I can grab it and remind myself that life is much bigger than I and to not sweat the small stuff. There is good out there and this is how society should be, what this week is on the ride.

On the route, I find out I ride for Michael.  A brother. He died years ago. But Michael's brother is on the side of the street saying thank you.  He holds a picture of him.  He has been out there every year since he lived in this area, holding that picture, saying thank you to us.  I cried.  You belong here.  That is ALC's slogan.  It makes sense now.  There is no other place I could think of being.  Again, a personal feeling and almost indescribable, but I truly belong here, right now. In this moment. 

The scenery was gorgeous!  Took a pic of this farm house on the ocean front to show my father, a farmer himself.

Rest stop 4. The non breeders cup.

Tardis coming in on an empty field. Anyone??

Get to camp. Smooth process, though our tent is furthest away from the dining tent and showers.  So you get there, find your bag, tent, and then set up camp.  After you set up your tent, you can go shower, eat or whatever.  I chose to shower. The showers is a huge trailer, and yes, hot showers!!  So delightful after a long day of riding.  It was not bad at all.  I then go eat, (and check out the food below).  SO GOOD!!!!  I ate seconds almost every day.  They do a closing camp thing each day.  Lori Jean talks, a rider talks about why they ride, others talk.  We find out that from this ride, interns from years past have organized the first AIDS Walk on the Great Wall of China for later this year.  That is pretty amazing. We hear of where our funding goes.  It is fun.  Lori Jean tells us to ride with Satan, not Jesus!!  Basically, she saw a Jersey that said I ride with Jesus.  She said why.  You should ride with Satan.  More fun that way.  With Satan, you cut in lines. With Satan, wife who??  With Satan, that camera you found is now yours, not for lost and found.  She kids of course, but it was hysterical!  I laughed at least. If you have been an active reader, you know that I may have found more spirituality riding lately and so it is funny she brings this up. Lord knows she jinxed us for tomorrow.

I walk away from Day 1 surrounded in a love bubble!  All the riders are so good to each other, helping with flats, stopping those who are pulled over asking if they need help, strangers telling you how awesome you are and you are a hero.  Thank yous abound as porta potty doors are held open for each other, food is handed out, and water is pourn into your bottle. I have great friends and now family surrounding me.  I have friends at home and on facebook cheering me on and liking my posts. Family supporting my ride and cheering me on from afar. Jose and his texts and calls giving his love and support. Best friends and new sisters, reminding me how nervous I was and look where I am at now.  This ride is amazing and it is just getting started!