Experience AIDS/LifeCycle 3 (2004)

Day by Day Coverage: Day 6 - Lompoc to Ventura

Now that I’ve returned from my investigative sojourn in Lompoc, looking for cyclist diversions, it’s time to sort thru my Post-Its of notes and factoids to bring y’all up to date. If you were all here with us this week, here’s what you might have seen:

You mighta met Diego. Diego, originally from Mexico , is a Carpenteria (home of Hot Dog Guy and other supportive folks for many rides) resident who saw an AIDS Ride go thru town when he was 15. He’s been cheering us on and watching the website since then. And this year he was finally old enough to ride! Thanks for your patience, Diego!

Miriam from Rest Stop 3 signed up for the ride when she learned her niece was cycling. But she didn’t tell her niece! Problem was, with Miz M’s costumes and her niece’s helmet, sunglasses and zinc oxide, they didn’t recognize each other till Day 3! It was a familiar gesture that gave it away. And what a surprise!

Yer Auntie hung out at the Half The Way to LA sign a bit to watch cyclists hoist their bikes after vanquishing the Evil Twins. “Evil?” scoffed one newbie, “they’re just a coupla bad boys!” If you’d had lunch at El Chorro Park, you mighta wandered up to their AIDS Memorial Grove. A small grape arbor overlooked the valley with the names of 30 local angels on plaques set in the ground.

Speaking of the halfway mark, you woulda noticed that after we officially hit Southern California, the porta-potties all had mirrors. Oh, and the lovely folks from the Pismo Beach Visitors Bureau brought candy to the Water Stop there, along with post cards that cyclists could fill out and have mailed by those nice folks.

And yesterday, darlings, you woulda seen our cyclists roadies never looking more FANTABULOUS! It was Red Dress Day, a relatively new tradition on the ride. I haven’t seen that many red dresses since my days in Amsterdam. One Cycle Buddy was even his own Red Light District! The 43-mile fashion runway almost made me wish we’d had last year’s loop-de-loop over Highway 1 so they’d’ve been a giant red ribbon when seen from the air.

The li’l town of Casmalia had a BBQ goin’ on in front of the General Store, and Middle Earth goin’ on in front of the elementary school. Didja know their school year officially ends the week before we pass thru, but they stay open for us? Auntie talked to the school secretary Meg (a blabbalicious get-well to her after her knee surgery). She said the kiddies in the impoverished town don’t have role models of people doing good things for other people. The schoolfolk want them to see us come thru as their annual civics lesson.

My loves, not only have your loved ones pedaled hundreds of miles and raised millions of dollars to fight AIDS - they touch the people we pass in ways we may never know. There are 1270 stories for why folks are doing this ride – there are millions more along our way. I hope y’all are as proud of these ALC participants as I am. Till tomorrow, my dears, when I must bid my new family farewell … for one more year.

Check out today's photos!

Read today's journal entries from:

• Donna
• Gilbert
• Roman
• Tom