Aids Ride June 1 to June 7

[ACG]

I am riding my third Aids ride. This year no on I personally know is going and I'm looking for a tent mate. So if any of you are please contact me, or maybe you have a friend who is going. Thanks to all!

[Trek420]

ACG, there're are quite a few TE'ers this year. I hope we can have a TE tent section.

[Zen]

You guys need an AV flag to fly over the TE tent city

And when you're done, let the Mid-Atlantic contingent borrow it for our canal ride

[Trek420]

Is there a TE flag? I looked, we don't really even have a TE jersey. UK and I wore AV jerseys on day 1 last year.

If I can find my tent decor pink stuffed flamingos ....

[Trek420]

Especially for our 1st time ALC'ers, let everyone in your circle know that they can send a message of support to you and any or all riders and crew during the ride. Starting on Day 1 ALC will webcast live from their site with pictures, maybe they will have podcasts again, rider blogs.

There will be a link to send a message to a rider. These are printed out and downloaded daily by your amazing crew. After long day in the saddle trust me, these messages of support kept me going. Especially last year when I was struggling with injury it was very helpful.

You won't be able to reply, it's not e'mail but we will be able to send a greeting to you!! So let's get a list of your rider numbers together (if you want) that way we'll be able to cheer you on.

[sadiethompson]

Totally brand spanking new to biking and I am bicycling in AIDS/LifeCycle, which if you don't already know is 7-days, 545-miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles on June 1-7, 2008. DONATE: http://www.aidslifecycle.org/1613.

Went on my first bike ride in over 7 years back in Jan 2008, so this will be a huge challenge for me. Any tips, tricks, suggestions, etc. would be so welcomed!

I also need a tent-mate for the ALC, if anyone else is looking (ACG, are you still needing one?). I am a really slow rider, btw!

Trek420 - Thanks for the tip on "send messages of support" during the ride. I am going to tell everyone I know about that, especially my donors.

[Trek420]

1st, welcome to TE. You're all in for an awesome ride. One of the motivators each day is getting to see this crew; the fabulous roadies of rest stop 4. Sometimes that was what got me up hills "I just gotta see what the theme is at rest stop 4"

www.reststop4.com

[KnottedYet]

So, by my count this year we have 6 TE'ers doing ALC, and one crewing.

Anybody lurking who should just jump in and introduce yourself? C'mon, lurkers, don't be shy! We don't bite! much...

[Trek420]

Well, we have an even number so you could tent together even have a TE section. I will be there on Day 0. I know, I know....never volunteer but I signed up for afternoon shift on Bike Parking. I'll be in the lugged steel bike section (just kidding, they don't have one).

When you get to registration that's probably the first thing you do is park your bike, see ya there!!

I'll be the one in the Volunteer t-shirt. Snapdragen is usually at tent assignment. Right, Snap? So you'll see a TE'er first thing and then last thing you do.

Trek tip of the day-get to Day 0 early. The earlier the better, there's usually even a top secret showing of the safety video about 15 min to a half hour earlier than the earliest advertised showing . Get in, get out .... go somewhere and eat, try to relax and get to bed early. Don't leave registration to the last minute.

[MM_QFC!]

This last of the mega-AIDS rides closed registration in March and will kick off their 7-day journey from San Francisco with a record 3000 participants this Sunday.
http://www.aidslifecycle.org/press/alc7_main.html

Kudos to all of the AIDS Lifecycle volunteer cyclists and roadies, expected to bring in $11million dollars to care for thousands of Californians affected by HIV/AIDS.

No doubt, Lifecycle will continue until there's a cure, so let's stop HIV now! Then we can ride down the spectacularly beautiful California coast just for the fun of it.

I'm still heading to New York in August, as co-captain for our team: the ARI Breakthrough Riders, as our beneficiary is the west coast-based AIDS Research Institute at UCSF, even though I was (oh so rudely and painfully ) sidelined from riding recently, so...on behalf of the east coast's Empire State AIDS Ride, I send a heartfelt thank you for joining the road trip to end AIDS and best wishes for a safe and successful journey.
You'll be amazed at the lives you will touch from the saddle of your bicycle!
Ride strong. Angels will give you wings when you need them.
Mary

[Trek420]

I'm volunteering in bike parking this year, afternoon shift. I'm going to commit to wearing a blue/grey Recycled Cycles bike beanie for ease of recognition. Any TE'ers c'mon over and say hi.

A little last minute but if we can get a list of Rider #'s, the website will go live with a webcast of the ride. There's a way folks can send a message of support to all or any riders and crew.

Thanks for riding and here's to MM_QFC's recovery and that she does not need to ride next year. Let's go find a cure and ride for somethin' else or just for the fun of it.

[ACG]

Good morning all.

Trek my number is 5845. This is my third year. I am very excited. This is the one ride where I live in total euphoria the entire time! I can ride up any hill, conquer and amount of wind and make great friends while I'm there. Thanks for he support.

[Trek420]

I went to Day 0, registration on the ride and helped in bike parking. It was great to see the riders, whether you're new or a grizzled vet you can feel the nerves and excitement in the air.

This Orbea rider has a unique way of warning others "don't touch the bike"

[Trek420]

I got a text message from ACG, she is doing fine. I don't know if she's in touch with any other TE'ers. Ya' know we've never really got that coordinated on the ride.

Yesterday, day 2 was a century day, my favorite. Relatively flat (except the end) and often huge headwinds. Tomorrow is day 3 and riders climb what's called Quadbuster. They'll have BBQ lunch served by kids in the tiny town of Bradley.

You can follow pictures, podcasts of the ride on

http://aidslifecycle.typepad.com

[maillotpois]

This was on my friend David's blog, about roadies at the ride. Watched it yesterday and it made me cry:

http://video.google.com/videosearch?...1&sa=N&tab=wv#