Hi!
It's been over two months since the closing ceremonies of California AIDS
Ride 3. As a way to share the ride experience with you, I have finally
written an AIDS Ride newsletter. Hope you enjoy it!
-- Dan
Although I only knew Bob Buker for about six years, he had a remarkable influence on my life. Bob was instrumental in founding both Spokesmen (now Different Spokes) in L.A. and Rainbow Cyclists in San Diego. These two bike clubs have molded me into the cyclist I am today.
In addition to being a great person to bike with (okay, he did ride kinda slow), Dr. Bob and I spent a lot of time talking about almost everything. Bob was always a good sounding board to test my ideas on. When I was agonizing over whether to quit my job of seven years in Orange County to go to a somewhat unknown city, Bob told me, "Dan, the biggest mistake I ever made in my life was to leave San Diego". I weighed Bob's comment heavily, and decided to take the job and relocate to San Diego. Jack and I really enjoy ourselves here in paradise, we have enjoyed much growth and prosperity here. And I doubt I would have made the decision to move without Bob's input.
A ride that Bob had always encouraged me to do with him was a coastal tour of California, traveling from San Fransisco to Los Angeles or San Diego. Most of the time I knew Bob, I either didn't have the vacation time or the training level to do the long ride. By the time I was ready and able, it was too late. AIDS claimed Bob in the Summer of 1994.
So, Bob, I dedicated the ride to you. I know the route wasn't quite what you would have planned, but I'm sure you'd have had as wonderful time as I did.
So much happened on the ride that I can't ever relate it all in writing. All I can say is that spending 24 hours a day for seven days involved in such an endeavor is an awesome experience. Below are excerpts from my travel journal.
This would have been more aptly named Day Zoo. I flew from Carlsbad to LAX, where I encountered my first mob scene of the day. But it was a friendly mob. There were all over the United Shuttle terminal wearing their California AIDS Ride shirts (will of IRON, legs of STEEL, heart of GOLD). I spent the rest of the week surrounded by plenty of those shirts.
Registration was at Fort Mason on San Francisco Bay. This consisted of waiting in lines to verify pledges, get a tent mate, assemble the bike and watch the safety video. Most memorable quote from the video: "BOOM, you're dead!" By the time I had completed registration, all I wanted to do was sleep. Guess what? I didn't sleep much. And 4:00AM came awfully early.
The day began at 5:00AM at Fort Mason. I ate breakfast at a table looking across the dark bay at Alcatraz. As I ate, I was lucky enough to have the spiritual guidance of Sister Sock-it-to-me, one of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Sister Phyllis Stein the Fragrant also rode, by the way, but she skipped breakfast.
After an impressive opening ceremony, we all waited...and waited...and waited to be called to start the ride. It is no small task to getting 2275 riders out on the streets safely. To make matters worse, I was in the last group scheduled to leave.
FINALLY, we got started to a cheering crowd of hundreds (this was 7AM on a Sunday). All through San Francisco and out into the suburbs, people were scattered on the sidewalks, some sitting in lawn chairs with their Sunday paper, some with banners, all cheering us on.
After getting down the penninsula, we turned west and traversed the Coast Range on our way to Half Moon Bay. The coastal scenery was wonderful and the weather was warm. We were propelled by tailwinds all the way down the coast to Santa Cruz, to the amazing tent city that would be home for a week.
High point of the day: The church ladies at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Burlingame--not an official Pit Stop--serving cookies and punch to riders.
Left about 7:00AM to beat the hot weather predicted for the day. We first rode along a cool, foggy Monterey Bay. Eventually, the route led inland along the relatively flat roads of the Salinas Valley. Miles of strawberries, artichokes, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, grapes, cabbage, lettuce, lettuce and lettuce. As we traveled further east, the temperature and the tailwinds increased steadily until we reached Greenfield, the Broccoli Capital of the World. Weather report: 105 degrees with 20-30mph winds. The wind, along with the rock-hard soccer field at treeless Patriot Park made tent assembly an adventure.
High point of the day: The strip mall in Aptos landscaped with large stands of 6 ft. tall--and very fragrant--matilija poppies.
Low points: That poor bee that got trapped in my jersey. Dehydrated riders having to get intravenous fluids at Greenfield to counteract dehydration.
I escaped Greenfield as early as they would let us (6:30AM) to ride through more acres of broccoli and grapes. The temperature was unbelievably in the mid-50's. The almost-deserted road began to climb and continued through miles of golden fields dotted with oak trees. We all thought yesterday was hot. Day 3 was even hotter, with no wind to moderate the heat. As the ride neared its end for the day, we were treated to a pit stop at the cool and shady Mission San Miguel and a few miles of cool, green hay and alfalfa fields. The tent city was at the Mid-State Fairgrounds, which fortunately had an abundance of trees.
High point of the day: After dinner entertainment provided by Paula Poundstone.
Low point: It was 108 degrees when I pulled into the fairgrounds at 12:30PM. We had had more heat/dehydration problems: some people were not drinking enough water as instructed. Several riders were hospitalized for heat-related problems.
Left early--temperature was back down in the 50's. Rolling hills, thick with oak trees, down to the coast and foggy Morro Bay. We then followed Highway 1 through San Luis Obispo and back out to the coast and Pismo Beach. Further down the coast, the resort cities turned in to fields of strawberries, broccoli, lettuce and spinach. I was so taken with the farmland and my high average speed that I missed a turn and ended up in the hamlet of Orcutt. The attendant at the gas station directed me back to Santa Maria. She also mentioned that another rider had just stopped by and asked for the same directions. It seems I missed a turn 8 miles back because the sign blew down. The Santa Barbara County Fairgrounds was a nice site for Tent City. At 80o, it seemed heavenly compared to the previous two days.
High points of the day: Grammar school students, banners in hand, cheering us on in San Luis Obispo and Guadalupe. The local merchants of Pismo Beach who got together and supplemented the Pit Stop 4 supplies with lots of extra food and drink.
Low point: Wasn't really one. After all, I'd always wanted to see Orcutt!
We left a cool Santa Maria to follow a portion of the famous Solvang Century bike ride. Two new vegetables identified today: corn and carrots. Our path led through beautiful Foxen Canyon. Although the grass was brown, rather than the green we see during the Solvang Century, the landscape was breathtaking. Foxen Canyon Road was flanked by tall stands of thistles in full bloom. Fairly easy ride into Cachuma Lake. We got there before the baggage crew. Shoulda done The Wall a couple of times.
High point of the day: Cachuma Lake was spectacular. Our tent city was on a mesa which gave a commanding view of the lake. The turkey vultures hanging out in the trees were pretty cool, too.
Low point: Heartbreak Hill and The Wall. These were billed as terrible climbs. I'm sorry, but this was a case of false advertising.
Morning at Cachuma was beautiful and relatively warm. As we rode toward Solvang, the fog began creeping up the canyons. We eventually made the climb up the spectacular Gaviota Pass, followed by a great 4-mile downhill to the coast. While riding through Gaviota Pass I thought, "I could do another week or so of this kind of riding". Then I thought about the camping part..."Nope!"
The ride along Highway 101 was a little rough, but very scenic. After lunch at UCSB, I made a side trip to visit my Aunt Donna in Carpinteria, then cruised down the coast to Ventura. At this point Mayor Richard Riordan joined us for dinner and to ride Day 7 with us into L.A.
High points of the day: Just outside of UCSB, we were greeted by hundreds of encouraging posters and banners on the road, on fences and just about anything else that didn't move. There were also red AIDS ribbons tied to telephone poles and lampposts along the way. Residents of Carpinteria set up an unofficial Pit Stop, handing out locally-grown oranges and home-baked cookies. Oh, and it was nice to spend some time with Aunt Donna.
Low point: None.
Started out early as usual. Mostly flat to rolling coastal roads. Another new crop sighted in Camarillo: sod. Neatly-cut lawn as far as the eye could see. Most of the way today there were people rooting us on with banners and cheers. I had several carloads of people stop and ask if we were the AIDS ride and congratulate us. We rode through a portion of Malibu between Mulholland Highway and Latigo Canyon, where I did my first ride with Spokesmen back in 1988.
The ride inland was uneventful, if not trafficky. We eventually ended up in a staging area behind the Tail o' the Pup. There was plenty of food and drink supplied by local merchants and corporate sponsors. The massages weren't too bad either.
While waiting for the rest of the riders to arrive a few hundred of us got together and "visited" Kevin Platt, who was paralyzed in an accident while training for AIDS Ride 3. Actually, we grouped together and held up a large greeting banner. Kevin just happened to be staying at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, which overlooked the staging area.
After what seemed like an eternity, we donned the rainbow colors of our victory shirts and rode together, all 2275 of us, to the closing ceremonies with its 15,000 spectators.
I wasn't all that impressed with the ceremonies. By that time, I JUST WANTED TO GO HOME! Fortunately, my parents had braved the crowds and were there to rescue me. It was nice to use a vehicle that moved using something other than leg power. For that matter, it was very nice to get back to toilets that actually flush! Jack met us later and safely ferried me back to Carlsbad.
High point of the day: The great food (including masses of fresh blueberries and raspberries) and atmosphere at Pit Stop 2, which just happened to be the MTV Beach House, perched high on a cliff in Malibu.
Low point: Waiting forever for the closing ceremonies to begin.
California AIDS Ride 3 was, as advertised, The Adventure of a Lifetime. The level of organization, both on the road and in the tent city, was simply amazing.
The variety of participants was similarly remarkable. There were riders and crew who came specifically for the event from 17 countries and states from Hawaii to Massachusetts. The riders, crew and staff were all so friendly, helpful and supportive. I have never seen such a wonderful combination of people before.
You can do this ride, too! I have a reputation for doing challenging rides. Some people are thinking "Dan's possesed. He's nuts enough to ride anywhere". But guess what? The ride is geared so that almost anyone determined to complete the ride...can complete the ride! The organizers provide a training plan and organize training rides to get you prepared for the main event. They also provide advice and moral support for the fundraising portion of the ride.
Once the ride is under way, everyone--the staff, the crew and even the other riders--are there to make sure you finish, alive and in good health. With the possible exception of pitching your tent, all you have to worry about is riding. The routes are well-marked and the maps are excellent. Along the route, at 15-mile intervals are pit stops, staffed by volunteer crews who supply food, water, medical care, mechanical assistance, sports massage, encouragement and entertainment.
Next year's ride is scheduled for June 1-7. So if the thought has ever crossed your mind to do the ride...don't think about it, DO IT. You'll never be sorry you did!
To all my sponsors: I want to thank you for your support. Your sponsorship allowed me to do the ride. But whether you realized it or not, you were part of an event that I can only describe as magical. Together, you and the other participants and sponsors raised over $8 million to help people with AIDS through care, research and prevention. You also showed the world (you wouldn't believe the news coverage we got!) that you are willing to help others who are affected by what could be viewed as an unpopular condition.
And a special thanks to Jack for putting up with my bicycling obsession, tolerating my grumpiness when I've overtrained, nursing me back to health when I hit Highway 79 and for cooking mounds of pasta with tomatoes and fresh basil. I couldn't have done it without you!