The Indescribable

The most challenging thing about the Braking AIDS Ride isn't cycling almost 300 miles in 3 days.  It is trying to explain to ourselves and our family and friends what has just happened.  They've supported us, and really want to know how it was, but the event is so deep and vast that words fail to convey the meaning it creates in our lives.  But part of being human is giving voice to our experience, so I want to muse on a few aspects of the ride, even if my words pale in comparison with the real thing.  

The Love

The heart of the ride is love - love for those marginalized by social injustice, love for those lost to HIV/AIDS, love for those living with the disease, and love for those who are HIV-negative who we hope to help stay that way.  I think that this love exists as a seed within each one of us, but when we come together as crew and riders, a reaction takes place.  It reaches critical mass in the cauldron of the event and multiplies, creating a sacred community - the Braking AIDS family - that does our best to address head on the challenges presented by HIV/AIDS. In coming together, we find a deep love for one another.  Returning crew and riders are knitted together by love forged on previous rides, and new riders and crew are swept in and embraced as brothers and sisters.  

The Support

Within "The Bubble" (the three days of being together as riders), what we encounter is the world as it could be.  The concerns that consume much of our day-to-day lives (politics, money, possessions) disappear and we become genuine and supportive of one another.  If someone is off their bike on the side of the road, we stop and check on them.  The amazing crew tends riders with genuine care and concern.  We listen to each other, laugh together (more on that below), and cry together.  We embody the world we would like to live in.  

The Humor

The encounter with the existential issues of life and death are made bearable through humor, and humor is as abundant as love on the ride.  The ride has its own language, where certain small phrases (e.g. "Hey girl hey!") can conjure up people, laughter, and fond memories.  We have our own rituals (red dress day, costumes at the oases) that pour light and levity into a serious situation.  Laughter serves as both fuel and balm, helping us push forward, and soothing aching legs and hearts.  

As I said above, any description of the ride falls short of the reality of the event, so I'll close with a couple of things that I know to be true.  I love the crew and my fellow riders very, very much, and am so grateful for their presence in my life.  The ride changes lives - it has certainly changed mine.  Ride on!

The Final Push

This is it!  We travel to Boston on Thursday, and begin our trek back to NYC on Friday.  I feel somewhat ready, and very excited.  My training hasn't been as consistent as I would like, but my last few rides have been strong.  

My fundraising has been a challenge.  My donors who have given have been incredibly generous, meaning I've raised a lot of money.  However, my "hit rate" with converting personal emails to donations is quite a bit below where it has been in previous years.  I know that times are uncertain economically, but things are even harder for those who have no home and no resources and are dealing with HIV.  The effects of the sequester have made this even more serious, so please give what you can, even if it isn't as much as you would like.  Getting a nice chunk of smaller donations will make a big difference - every dollar counts! 

DONATE HERE! 

I will be tweeting and posting updates during the ride.  I hope you will all join me virtually as I make my journey.  And if you are in the NYC area, please join us at the welcome home party, where the riders will come zooming in and we will have closing ceremonies and a big celebration.  Details are here. 

Real and Dire Need

Funding for spending on both HIV and homeless services was included in the mandatory sequestration.  Estimates are that almost 8,000 households that include people living with HIV/AIDS will lose HOPWA housing assistance, putting them at risk for a return to homelessness.  People simply cannot wait for our gridlocked country to get its act together and help those who are most vulnerable.  I've sent many people personal appeals over the past week, with more to come for some of you.  If you can, please donate to my ride today.  I will continue to push to raise these important funds, as the need is real and urgent.  

DONATE HERE

photo credit: country_boy_shane via photopin cc

Eighteen Days and Counting

DONATE HERE! 

http://photo credit: .mw via photopin cc

The ride is in less than three weeks, and I've had some challenges in training and hit a plateau on fundraising, but I'm not backing down.  My training has been curtailed by a summer cold and work for my new startup (for which I am very grateful!)  But I'm back on the bike and taking spinning classes on the days I can't ride.  

On the fundraising front, I've hit the point where I've reached out to most of the people on my list, but a fraction have responded.  I know this pattern from my own behavior.  I get a request and fully intend to give, setting it aside for later, where it promptly gets buried in the busy-ness of everyday life.  So, I'm about to start my second round of appeals.  If you receive a second note from me, and intend to give, my suggestion is to do it then and there.  It takes less that 2 minutes, and will provide much needed help for people who are need it and don't have the luxury of time.  

DONATE HERE!      

Welcome to Cyclopath

I turned fifty last May.  It is a milestone that I thought I would never reach when I tested positive for HIV in 1991 (if this is news to you, and you want to know the story, read this blog entry.)  It was sometimes scary getting here, but here I am and very healthy to boot!  To celebrate, I've set myself a very big goal: raising $25,000 for the ride this year, $500 for each year I've been alive.  

Although meeting big fundraising goals and doing rides like BRAKING AIDS™ Ride is hard, it's nothing compared to the daily struggle that people living with HIV face each day, especially when they lack a home and adequate support. Your donation will providing housing, medical and mental health services, and advocacy on behalf of people living with HIV/AIDS. It is fully tax-deductible.  So please support my ride and make a donation here.  Thank you!