This June will be my second year participating in the AIDS/Lifecycle. Two years ago, I completed the first 4 days of the event and then my dad passed away suddenly. I left the ALC to be with my family. I am riding again this year because I really want to complete all 545 miles. But there’s so much more…
I have learned that riding long distances is a very personal experience; even if you are surrounded by hundreds of people, you are alone. No one can do it for you. At times it is terrifying and more than a little lonely.
I imagine that is how someone who is HIV positive feels… scared and lonely. Maybe not all the time but probably some of the time. I can’t pretend to understand how my friends who are positive feel. I only know what they do.
I know that they must keep up a regime of medication daily to stay well, essentially being on chemo every day. I know that they experience and fear side effects from this medication and that their lives will probably be shortened by the same drugs keeping them alive. I know that I feel helpless and so I choose to do something by riding in the AIDS/Lifecycle.
Please support me in this ride. No donation is too small. The money raised in this event does good work in the world. I like to think that your support and my ride will results in some extraordinary and wonderful people feeling a little less scared and lonely.