Perseverance

Regardless of political affiliation, you had to be moved by the historic significance of this week's Democratic National Convention. In this, my daughter's first chance to vote for President, she saw the nation's first female Speaker of the House call roll, suspended by the first woman to not only win a major party's presidential primary but narrowly miss the nomination, 88 years since passage of the 19th Amendment.

As the spotlight fell on the nominee we were reminded that only 40 years earlier a black man couldn't drink from the same water fountain as a white man, yet here was a black man accepting the nomination for President of the United States.

One speaker who put it in perspective so well was Sen. Ted Kennedy. His presence alone spoke to the significance of the days ahead for all who struggled and persevered for decades and could now bear witness. Straddling time between two AIDS rides, I remember the Senator's words at another convention, decades ago.

"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."

- Senator Edward Kennedy's 1980 concession speech

I long for the day our perseverance to end AIDS pays off and for every researcher who goes back to the drawing board one more time, every mile I ride and every dollar you give, I'm reminded of how we bring hope to the journey.

What A Team!

Perhaps you navigated to our ARI Breakthrough Riders team page in the past and noticed the picture didn't quite match the names listed to the right. There's a good reason for that.

Being the most geographically diverse team on the Empire State AIDS Ride, our members typically don't have an opportunity to meet in one place until we gather at Niagara Falls. Even then, the hustle and bustle of ride out and various crew responsibilities make it somewhat challenging to herd the cats so to speak causing it to take a little while for us to put faces to the names.

To keep the archives in order, our first ESAR team (the Puget Sound Riders) chose "Washington Wednesday" as our team picture day and we've kept that tradition now for 3 ESARs running. Unfortunately, my camera didn't show up to the event so I had to rely on others for a web-worthy shot. That photo is now finally posted to our ARI Breakthrough Rider team page.

I'm incredibly proud of the team we put together this year. We had 5 new riders to ESAR, 2 more that endured a very scary bike/car accident this spring but stuck it out to join us on the crew which included a large cast of returnees including all 5 second generation ESAR teammates (Mike, Liz, Kyle, Caitlin & Carson)! Our riders were in the front, middle and back of the pack but always made sure no rider was left alone or behind. Our crew is the envy of ESAR and begged to come back year after year. The returnees OWN their jobs and take pride in giving their best effort.

Of the fully participating beneficiary teams, ours was the smallest at 18 members. While only the 7 riders are required to fundraise ($3500 minimum), our entire team considers ending AIDS as its most vital ESAR job and the numbers prove it. The ARI Breakthrough Riders brought in more money per member OR rider than any other team. None were afraid to ask and YOU generously responded. Thanks to that commitment, persistence and generosity, we will deliver approximately $75,000 to the Breakthrough Fund, generating seed grants for the innovative work of researchers of the AIDS Research Institute at UCSF. What a team!

ESAR Epilogue

The next day, Cait & I took Kyle on a 5hr whirlwind tour of NYC before heading to the airport for our red-eye flight home to Seattle. Tired as I was, I couldn't sleep so closed my eyes and allowed my mind to flash through prominent images of the week that will linger in my memory, providing motivation, inspiration, consolation and joy for years to come...

- sharing Day 5 memories with Dan
- embracing momentum and learning the true definition of "rolling hills"
- Tuesday night's Reflection ceremony - something so simple that had been so missing
- birthday cake with Shane
- Diane's endless energy and magic in the kitchen
- hard rain, soft rain, every day a little rain
- Linda's special birthday treats - lattes, hot shower,massage
- two nights in BEDS with indoor toilets
- I will not mix drugs, I will not mix drugs, I will not mix drugs...
- your notes of encouragement carried and read throughout the week
- I still don't remember those 3 hills
- the middle of the night thunder BOMB!
- friends at the finish line
- impromptu disco party at Calhoun Center
- ride chats with Michael and Barry
- Woodstock!
- surely you know Barry Manilow

Though the dog did bite and the bee sting, these are but a few of my favorite memories of the 6th Empire State AIDS Ride. Thanks to YOU, the ARI Breakthrough Riders raised nearly $73,000 to fund cutting edge science at the AIDS Research Institute. A day without HIV/AIDS will be my favorite memory of all.

Special thanks to my husband, Steve, for making sure all my mobile postings were published for your daily reading pleasure.

Day 7 - One Last Hill

72.39mi. 6.5hrs. approx. 4200 vertical ft.

We had to walk down a large portion of the long hill into camp this morning and the ridden part was a little scary for how steep it was. Many heads shook in disbelief at how we'd possibly climbed it the night before. But wait! There was more cllimbing ahead! Storm King Mt, the edge of Bear Mt where we camped last year, Tor Hill - the views were phenomenal but my legs were long done. Seemed we were told each hill was the last but they just kept coming. Or perhaps at this stage of the game, any gradual incline felt like a mountain!

20mi were added to this last ride day so we had to hustle to arrive on time. We took the traditional ESAR pic on the steps of St.John the Devine then immediately left single file for the tip of Manhattan, down the west side bike trail.

What a sight to see so many supporters at the finish line (pictured)! I was especially thrilled to see donors & past teammates - Annie, Cindy, Lucy, Liz & Allen. Thank you for making the time to come cheer us to the finish line! Correction: Liz was out of town. It was really her look-a-like, Alison. My bad for continuing to think they are one in the same person! Liz & Alison will both join me on the NYC-DC ride so maybe I'll finally learn to tell them apart. Sorry, Alison!

Closing ceremonies were brief and moving, followed by triumphant pix in front of the Statue of Liberty, tearful farewells and one last unloading of baggage onto the curb by Cait, Kyle and the camp crew.

The 70 members of the 6th annual Empire State AIDS Ride put a lot of heart into climbing every hill and hurdle this week & raised nearly $300,000 to chip a little further away at that mountain of an AIDS pandemic. Thank you for being such an important part of that journey.

ESAR Day 7: Black Rock Forest - Robert Wagner Park, NYC

Day 6 -Extremely ESAR

79mi. 6.5hrs. 37mph max. 3.1mph min.

The first 3/4 of today were stunning in every way. We rode through some spectacular countryside, past a huge horse farm, down quiet rural lanes and even directly thru the grounds of a correctional facility.

In the mix was a trip 6miles up and thru the "Gunks", pictured here behind me on the way down at 973' and the view from the bottom.

Should have known it'd get ugly when we were held back at the afternoon stop while checking the direction of a passing thunderstorm. 20min later we were riding in the rain. It rained hard and was a sloppy mess thru the afternoon hills and when the lightning kicked up again 7mi from camp, we were pulled off the road to wait a while longer on the steps of an old church - with a quite clean port-a-potty no less!

Back on the road in the rain again and trying to gear up for the last 1.75mi hill into camp but without much energy left to do it. This hill was like none I've ever climbed. Teammate Scotty noted a 23% grade at one point and it was never less than 17-19%. Jon noted that our switchback approach easily turned it into a 3mi hill and when you throw in the pouring rain and slick streets, well it's no wonder that the last 15 riders came into camp with eyes wide, mouths gaping, stripped off the wet gear and headed straight for a hot shower, grateful again for a night indoors on a soft mattress.

This was indeed the most extreme day on the ESAR and pulls a very close 2nd to my Alaska Ride Day 2 experience. But at the very toughest moments I have only to think of how much worse it could be for someone with an AIDS diagnosis and the pedals keep turning.

ESAR Day 6: Sullivan Community College - Black Rock Forest