Why am I doing this ride? Well, back in the early 80's, I came out to my family just as AIDS was making the news and young men around the country and the world were dying of this strange disease. It was a scary time to be young and gay and coming into a new world. I was very young, and brave. I was new into my drinking and drug use and didn't really care what happened to me. I figured this new thing would find me one day and take me, so I went head strong into my new life with abandon.

From those days to current, I witnessed more death and destruction in my community. I watched friends, neighbors and co-workers die of simple things like a cold, cut on the hand into an infection, rare cancers, dementia and more. To say times were stressful is an understatement. I always wondered when my day would come that I caught this disease and would have a little 2x2 square in the local gay magazine with details of my life. 

Jump ahead to 1991, sobriety finds me and concern about my life became real. In 1993, I met Tim, who would eventually become my husband and life mate of 25 years. One early summer we were approached on the beach in Laguna by two guys carrying clipboards and asking folks to sign up for information about a new AIDS fundraiser. Tim said "NO" and said to me, they are going to ask you for money. Well, that planted a seed of curiosity and when I went for my very first HIV test in 1993, I asked my counselor about the ride, he gave me a pamphlet to read. When my test came back Negative, I asked if it was correct, because I was certain it was going to be Positive knowing my history. He told me to come back in 90 days. So I did for five years. All negative.

I took the little book my counselor gave me and I read every single word on it, several times to make sure it was real and to understand this new fundraiser. I told Tim about it and said I was going to sign up. I didn't even own a bike. That day was the beginning of my new life and life with Tim making a difference in the fight against AIDS. In 1994 we participated in the first California AIDS Ride, we raised a record breaking $1.5 million dollars. The largest of it's kind in fundraising history.

Jumping ahead to current day, I am widowed, Tim died of cancer in 2017, the ride suffered a two year loss due to Covid and the shutdown of the world. The ride has been changed and grown into AIDS Life/Cycle and raised millions and millions of much needed funds for HIV/AIDS and much more in the way of improving life for aging LGBT members and todays youth. This year will be my 21st ride from California to Texas, The Heartland, Minnesota and Wisconsin. It will also be my 12th time riding from SF to LA on my bike, the other times were in a Sweep capacity.

This year i am riding again, and have set a goal of $5900 for my 59th year alive and still HIV negative. I am not sure why, and for many years I lived with survivors guilt until I realized I was just lucky and decided to live my life for my friends that didn't get the chance. So I celebrate each year alive for them.

So there you have it, Why I ride! The money raised today, will one day help me with housing and other needs when I have to rely on the Center for a place to live and medical care. Click on the link, and make a donation today to make sure people like me have a safe place to be in the future and for the next generation of young people who will hopefully never have to go through those dark days we did and to have to ride a bike for 7 days to raise money for this disease and cause. 

Thanks to all of you who have donated already, you are all HERO's in my book!

With love,

Andy