Diary of an extraordinary 7 days!
The atmosphere is charged with excitement as over 2,500 participants gather at the Cow Palace to check in for AIDS/LifeCycle 9. Cyclists drop off their bikes, Roadies meet their teammates for the first time, and all participants view the Orientat
ion & Safety Video. The journey begins tommorow! All Team Hartshorn had been fundraising for the event in the weeks leading up to today, our goal of $15,000 swelled to $22,540 thanks to all our friends and associates donations. Thanks to all who shared in this unique event by giving to the cause.
Over 2,400 participants have worked so hard for this moment. Cyclists have been out on the roads training of thousands for miles, or enduring grueling spin classes during this very wet spring. Roadies have been dreaming up fabulous themes, creating outlandish costumes, and learning how to drive 24-foot trucks. And together they’ve raised $10 million! Today, the hard work pays off as AIDS/LifeCycle 9 begins!
Lunch on the 1st day, still foggy near San Francisco. Warehouse full of the 2000 or so bikes the evening before the 1st days ride.
At 107 miles, Day Two’s route is the longest of the week, and for many cyclists was their first century ride. The day began in a foggy Santa Cruz and wound through artichoke and strawberry fields of the fertile Salinas Valley. By the afternoon the tailwinds had picked up and were providing a strong push towards camp in King City
At a rest stop. Zink Oxide cream is my friend. Maps displayed the routes at the Information tent every evening always had people were staring at them. Team Hartshorn with the boys who entertained the crowd that night.
Almost every cyclist woke up thinking about Quadbuster, one of AIDS/LifeCycle’s most infamous hills. The challenge arrived and was surpassed early, with a mixture of smiles, sweat and tears.
After summiting the ‘buster, Cyclists proceeded to the tiny town of Bradley, where they were welcomed by smiling school-children who served BBQ lunches to raise money for their school programs. Hot, dusty, tired, but ultimately victorious, Cyclists arrived in Paso Robles to make camp at the Mid-State Fairgrounds.
The backs of all the gear trucks at the overnight stop. Notice the blowup doll hanging in one of them just in case of an emergency. One of the tent cities we slept in each night along the route to LA.
At 97.7 miles, today’s route was the second longest day of the week-long journey to Los Angeles. A favorite of many veteran AIDS/LifeCyclists, the route is incredibly varied in topography and scenery.
Beginning in the wine country outside Paso Robles, cyclists climbed the Evil Twins to astonishingly clear vistas from the “Halfway 2 LA” point. After enjoying a breathtaking descent to Highway 1 and the coast, the route turned inland through the outskirts of San Luis Obispo before proceeding to tonight’s camp in Santa Maria through the Central Coast’s fertile farmland.
At the half way point. waited 5 minutes for my turn to hold up my bike!! All 5 Team Hartshorn Brothers at the half way point.
After four days of riding, and 344 miles behind them, the participants of AIDS/LifeCycle 9 are ready to cut loose and paint the route red! It’s Red Dress Day, which saw cyclists once again winding their way through picturesque wine country to lunch in the town of Solvang. Tonight we made camp in Solvang.
Surrounded by Fairies after the race! Brothers Rob and Peter changing a flat tire. (This photo does no justice to how lovely and shimmery Peters red dress is!! ) Brother Bruce –somewhere!
We rode 85 miles from Lompoc to Ventura. The highlight of the day was our stop at Paradise Pit at Santa Barbara for their famous ice cream and then later that night on the beach for the candlelight vigil to honor those who lost the battle against HIV/AIDS.
Another mass of bikes in the morning before day 4 or 5. Not sure which as I’m already starting to lose my sense of reality and tires are getting a little worn. I personally had a very limited wardrobe thus I did laundry most evenings after my shower or even while showering!
The ride ended in Los Angeles with a sense of euphoria of what we had all acheived and the money we’d raised. $10 million for San Francisco AIDS Foundation and LA Gay & Lesbian Center and a sense of hope for the cause of Aids and for the world wide fight to beat it. Along the way we’d made new friends and shared an extrodinary experience. I’ll never forget it.
I’m about ten feet from the finish line but I’m stopping, coming for hugs and kisses from my wonderful family. Bruce and I with the oldest and youngest of the next generation of Hartshorns. Green Shirts my Mom made right before the ride. There are five of us and as I’m the youngest (obviously) my shirt says “Team Hartshorn 5″ We wore them on the last day as we crossed the finish line as our wives and families cheered us on. Madeline and Cameron riding on my suitcase.