Saturday, July 24, 2010

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Murphy’s Bike Law #12… or not?!

Chasing dogs only appear when you’re headed up hill. Wait! That’s not a dog! THAT’S A BEAR!!!! 

Not a black bear cub but, precisely as my friend Zummer once described cycling this same area, more like a “teenage bear,” barreling down the hill in our direction, ears laid back, looking over his shoulder at whatever had startled him into a sprint.

Seconds later, he’d gone his way and adrenaline pushed me and my brother, Adam, to the top of that hill with eyes wide for more wildlife signs on our way to Carnation. 

40 miles later, we’d seen several wild rabbits, a tractor show at Jubilee Farm, Camp Korey, a totally cool chicken coop and a large deer (albeit roadkill) before looping back past “Bear Hill” with quite the story to tell.


Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Important is Not Forgotten

Wall Street crash, earth quake. Oil gushes uncontrolled.
Leaders fall from grace as foreign war escalates.
Deficit, heat wave. Do you have a job?

Amid the distraction of urgent, the important is not forgotten.

The Obama Administration could have pointed to flat lining new HIV infection rates, longer and improved quality of life for the infected over the last decade, claimed success and turned back to more urgent matters.

Instead, the Office of National AIDS Policy went on the road to listen to AIDS service providers, activists, faith-based organizations, doctors & researchers, those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Clearly, complacency was not an option. 

Today, the White House unveiled its National HIV/AIDS Strategy to decrease the HIV infection rate, increase & coordinate care options and expand stigma-fighting awareness, with a 5 year vision that
“The United States will become a place where new HIV infections are rare, and when they do occur, every person, regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or socio-economic circumstance will have unfettered access to high-quality, life-extending care, free from stigma and discrimination.”
Every 9 ½ minutes, one person is newly infected by HIV. To that one, HIV is urgent. We know how to prevent HIV infection and can chose to make care available to every affected person without discrimination or qualification if we recognize that right, to all Americans, is extremely important.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Dear Mary,

I cheated. Had my egg sandwich before even leaving the house... but I did put in 25 miles before coffee!

Friday, July 2, 2010

Doing What Counts

"Don’t researchers need funding in the millions to end AIDS? How can the mere thousands we raise make any difference at all?"
Ever wonder the same as you write that $100 check? Maybe you don’t even bother if $10 is all you can afford?

The 2008 NYCDC AIDS Research Ride raised nearly $100,000 for Dr. Yuntao Wu’s innovative HIV research at George Mason University. Your contributions through me and those raised by 23 other cyclists kept Dr. Wu’s lab fully staffed through the next summer, completing important work that ultimately accelerates their research by as much as a year.

The scientific among you will enjoy delving into the details behind each step leading closer to a therapy to stop HIV. But if your eyes glaze over just getting to the end of the title, scroll past the summary to see the ride credited for its generous funding.

Last year’s event nearly doubled our funding, moving Dr. Wu ever closer to delivering a short-term therapy to freeze HIV and end the destruction of human T cells that leads to AIDS. According to Dr. Wu, "We have at least three papers that were supported by the 2009 NYCDC AIDS ride. One paper is now in review and the other two will be submitted by the end of the summer."

With the NIH, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett-size money in the game, my young teammate wasn’t the first to wonder aloud if our impact could matter to an AIDS researcher. Over the last two summers they’ve marked my route, served lunch and cycled beside me 330 miles down the eastern seaboard, and around the nightly campfire, Dr. Yuntao Wu and his lab staff ooze with excitement over the progress they’re making with that $100, $500, $50, $10...

We'll be there again this September. Thanks for making it count!