Experience AIDS/LifeCycle 3 (2004)

Day by Day Coverage: Day 3 - King City to Paso Robles

Yesterday we chatted a bit about life in camp (or as camp) and about safety and etiquette issues. But there’s been lotsa stuff on the route I’ve been hearing - and I’m ready for some DISH! Are you?

Where to start tho? There were the quick riders who passed up lunch in favor of Mexican food and found themselves in the middle of nowhere. And hungry! Relying on the kindness of strangers, an elderly volunteer from Mission Soledad called her friends, who showed up with sandwiches. Then there were the AMR EMTs who saved a cow’s life after she delivered a stillborn calf. No word on whether it was the same cow that was hit by a cyclist last year.

Even a lot of cyclists never heard about the massive broccoli spill the other day resulted in no injuries? It would probably still be there if passing riders didn’t stop to help the driver out. Or that this is the fifth anniversary out of twenty-one that two of our cyclists have celebrated by taking a bike trip to LA to raise money to fight HIV?

But what you really should know is that going up Quadbuster (one of the toughest hills of the route) today, many stronger riders rode back down the hill a time or three to accompany cyclists who were having a rough time. Some were physically pushing another person up by the butt while still on their bikes. When cyclists would stop on the slope for a breath, they’d stand and clap and yell encouragement to the people still pushing past. They helped each other with flat tires. They returned to camp to find that the Gear Roadies had pulled their luggage to their tentsites and set many of the tents up.

I’ve seen so many examples of folks helping folks today. And I wish the world would look like this when we get back. Today, my dears, I declare these 1270 folks a Family. I’m proud to be related to them.

Check out today's photos!

Read today's journal entries from:

• Donna
• Gilbert
• Harper
• Roman
• Tom