The Journey Begins

[Orientation Day photos are here!]

At 6am today - after an intense six months of preparation and excitement - AIDS/LifeCycle officially put its first wheels to the pavement.

In the deep blue pre-dawn light, cyclists gathered at the University of San Francisco's soccer field, with the campus' signature spires in the background. Since cyclists were eager to begin their journey, organizers kept the opening ceremony short and sweet. Speakers included University President Father Stephen Privett, S.J. and cyclists Rhona Berenstein (an LAGLC Board member) and Russ Testa (SFAF's Board President).

Mark Dunlap, President of the Board for Northern California Positive Pedalers (a.k.a. "Poz Peds"), asked the audience to close their eyes, and reflect upon what AIDS/LifeCycle means to them and why they're here. Some cyclists reached out to hold each other's hand. Others cried.

Volunteers then brought out two "LifeCycle wheels" - bike wheels which stood on the top of columns with a ribbon attached between them. With a ceremonial cutting of the ribbon by a Positive Pedaler, AIDS/LifeCycle officially began. Cyclists left the Ceremony site by passing between the LifeCycle wheels, many of them reaching up and spinning the wheels.

Led by the Poz Peds, waves of cyclists buoyantly mounted their bikes and waited for the signal to begin. Then for the next 20 minutes, a proud line of bikers took to the streets of San Francisco to fight the pandemic and human suffering caused by HIV.

Today's route wasn't easy; at 118 miles it's the longest day of the event. But the adrenaline of the opening ceremonies gave cyclists a big boost. Their pedaling took them through Golden Gate Park and along the Great Highway near the Pacific; into the Peninsula cities of Daly City and San Bruno; and up past a vista point over Crystal Springs Reservoir. Rest stop #2, at the wooded and bucolic Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade and Community Center, seemed a world apart from The City.

At lunch, cyclists rested their weary bones (and butts) at San Gregorio Beach under a clear blue sky. The menu? "Italian Chicken Breast Sandwich, Mushroom & olive 'CLT', Pasta salad with vegetables."

After rest stops at spots such as Costanoa Coastal Lodge and Cabrillo College, cyclists pulled into the campsite at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Watsonville. 118 miles of sweat made the showers a popular option.

Tonight's entertainment is the always-in-demand San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, being breathlessly anticipated as we're going to virtual press. And tomorrow morning, an entire community will continue its fight against AIDS, one mile at a time.

LATE-BREAKING NEWS: An earthquake measuring 5.2 rocked the Santa Cruz Country Fairgrounds Monday night just as camp was settling down for the night, The epicenter of the quake was nearby Gilroy. Luckily no one was injured and after a few minutes of flurried excitement things returned to normal.

-- Jeff Brock
Webmaster, AIDS/LifeCycle
Reporting from the Kinko's in Capitola

And now for a little history lesson about the city we're camping in tonight! Watsonville's colorful history spans many thousands of years, having first been inhabited by the Costanoans, a hunter and gatherer Indian tribe. Remnants of their tribal campsites have been discovered on the Pajaro Dunes and along many coastal valley streambeds. Explorers with the first Portola expedition in 1769 reported seeing a large straw-stuffed bird at one river's mouth and decided to name the river after the Indian symbol: Rio del Pajaro, or River of the Bird.

Watsonville derives its name from Judge John Watson, who came to the valley in 1851.

Today, agriculture and food processing remain the mainstay of the Pajaro Valley economic structure. Watsonville is a rich agricultural community famous for its strawberries, apples, and cut flowers, and for its ethnic diversity. Nearly 70 percent of the population in Watsonville is Latino. It is also a young town, with almost 34 percent of its population under 18 years of age.

-- Joe Fera

Please congratulate first-time cyclist #4111 Charmaine Grays on successfully naming the AIDS/LifeCycle Daily Newsletter, which is distributed to Cyclists every morning. Her submission "Pedals & Pumps" was chosen from over 40 terrific entries.

When she is not training for AIDS/LifeCycle, she is the Human Resources Assistant at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, where she has worked for the last six years. In addition to her work at SFAF, she is also a full-time mom and grandmom.

When asked why she decided to ride, she says, "I saw a Girl Scout poster that said: 'Cleopatra ruled Egypt at 18. What are you doing?'" That's why her colleagues call her "Char-mazing"!

-- Joe Fera