Hey everyone!! This year I think I am going to continue what i did last year and do AIDS/LifeCycle Timeline.... but on top of that I will continue sharing my story!!
April 1st 2009 was the day I tested positive for HIV. I had lost a lot of weight and been sick for a while but I didn’t have health insurance. I had just moved to Seattle and went to a clinic and they got me set up on a pre-existing condition insurance and charity programs to help pay for everything that came along with the diagnosis. I saw a dietitian, a sexual health and mental health counselor. After finding out, I was told about a medical study so I decided to participate in it. The study was to test the effects of the HIV medications on the body over a 4 year period. Because of programs such as the ones AIDS/LifeCycle funds I was able to see doctors and get and stay on treatment. And now 10 years later I am participating in my 6th ALC to keep programs that kept me alive available to others and to help raise awareness and help with education!!!
2013- I donated to my friend Steve's ALC Ride and signed up to participate in 2014's Ride! I hadn't ridden a bike since high school, roughly 10 years, so I went to Storm Cycles in Park City, Utah and the owner got me all setup on an awesome Cannondale Synapse and got me all geared up!! I started taking a spin class and riding my bike when it wasn't snowing getting myself in shape to ride come June 2014!
2014- I raised over $5000.00 and participated in my first AIDS/LifeCycle ride. The ride was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I have done in my life! I only rode about 250-300 miles of the 545 mile ride, but that's more physical exercise than I have ever done!! I met a lot of great people and learned a lot about myself and others, hearing their stories and kind of sharing mine. After crossing the finish line into LA my first year I was so proud of my self accomplishing what I had, I was ready for the next year!!
2015- I had signed up and began fundraising and raised about $1000.00 but life got in the way and I wasn't able to ride. I lost my job, was unemployed, relapsed into drugs and started spiralling downward. I signed up to participate in 2016's ALC Ride, I became more excited about life, started seeing a psychologist at the University of Utah and picked myself up and dusted myself off!! AIDS/LifeCycle has given me something to strive for and look forward to every year! The community known as the "Love Bubble" really lifts you up and makes you feel like a part of something much bigger. I got rid of my car and peddled my Cannondale to work getting ready for 2016!!
2016- This years ride was absolutely amazing!! I raised $5,282.09 for my ride thanks to friends, family and regular customers from work!! I rode 450 of the 545 miles this year setting a new personal record!! I met a lot of new people and made some new lifelong friends! This year I really learned a lot about myself physically, emotionally and psychologically. I am going to continue participating in this ride for years to come, it's so much more than just a ride, it's a community come together working for a cause.
2017- WOW!!! This year’s ride was amazing and I made a lot of friends and was able to reconnect with others from past rides!! I had a few health issues that made this years ride a little more difficult but I pushed through and rode accross the finish line!!
2018- This year with the help of all my supporters I raised over $12,000.00 to help people living with HIV/AIDS and programs!! I road about half the ride on my bike and got to be a roadie one day, which was another awesome experience! 2019 is going to be my 6th year participating in the ride!! I’m Stoked to still be a part of ALC!!