The 2023 ALC Ride was a true blessing. Throughout, we had so much support from the AIDS/Lifecycle organization, our North Bay Positive Pedalers training group and Training Ride Leaders (including Jerry Huffaker and Mathew Duran!), and the CSLSR Community. Thank you, CSLSR, for all of your support! This was my third ride, and it was the best so far. It’s an obvious physical challenge, as well as a mental one. But, additionally, it’s a spectacular journey where you can lose yourself to the glory of the beautiful, engaged, and hopeful ALC community. I was not a cyclist before joining ALC in 2018 - if you have any desire to join, we welcome you! Thank you, CSLSR, for all of your many gifts. CSLSR AIDS/LifeCycle Team Volunteer
The Ride, for me, has been a multilayered experience. Initially, I was overwhelmed as I came to understand the enormity of the process: the thousands of people who have lost loved ones, many of them standing along the streets of their community holding “Thank You” signs and pictures of their lost sons, brothers, lovers, and friends; the millions of dollars raised to keep the San Francisco and LA clinics serving the community; the rare and welcome feeling to be surrounded by kindness and acceptance instead of constantly fearing rejection, hate, and violence. This was big stuff. Eventually, I came to understand that each rider represented hundreds of people who had put them there. For our team, all the people at the Center who supported the bake sales and otherwise donated help and funding, the bakeries, and all the employees who sent baked goods our way. Family members, friends, and co-workers all represented by that one bike rider. We were all out there. The riders are simply the publ