Day On The Ride (April 23, 2011)

500 AIDS Life/Cycle riders arrive a Mike’s Bikes in San Rafael at 6:30am on Saturday to ride 65 miles in a training ride that will be very like a typical day on the journey from SF to LA in June. I register, get my number (519, my daughter Zoe’s birthday I note), and meet up with Sarana amidst the throng of helmeted, suited up cyclists that fill the interior of the bike store. We are led through some stretches, a safety speech (darn, we have to stop at ALL stop signs) and a touching welcome speech by the ED of the Foundation who reminds us why we’re riding. He invites us to think of those we’ve lost or those for whom we are riding and he lets us know that the ride coincides with the 30^th anniversary of the discovery of the AIDS.  The crowd is quiet and contemplative.

I’m struck by the fact that the people are gathered here to create change. Change in the science of modern medicine, change in the politics of discrimination, change in themselves by taking on a physical challenge. While I’ve always considered myself an activist, I don’t think I’ve ever taken on activism at this level before. My activism has mainly been through my art as a theatre-maker. But I am reminded of a powerful statement that Tony Kushner made about the fact that art does not replace activism. We have to do both. Art can help shift public consciousness and Kushner says, exercise our ability to engage with complexity. But activism is direct action: raise money to fund  programs and research that fight AIDS and supports people living with HIV.

Bumping up against each other as we all squat to stretch our IT Band, I can’t help but see the range of capability in the group. And the range of shape and style! Big burly bald biker men and small muscular women and men with big bellies and women with wide hips and quite a few older folks and plenty of young ‘uns and lots and lots of bunny ears. Fertility was in the air. That or just sex.

It’s 8am by the time we head out on the ride amidst clanking cowbells (yes friends, cowbells at 8 o’clock in the morning) and spirit is high. It’ll take more than half an hour in single file slow pedaling just to get beyond the streets of San Rafael. But once we do, the rolling hills of Marin County invite us into their glory. We’re riding out towards Petaluma/Pt. Reyes Highway and up through the back roads of Petaluma and back. And the air is fresh, the cloud cover protects us from the sun, there is no wind and we’re cruising.

The first rest stop is at mile 18 or so. At every rest stop there are snacks, bathrooms, a bike mechanic and a very festive atmosphere. This early in the ride, not much fatigue.

Sarana finds the legendary Rabbi Sydney Mintz who we’re riding with. They’ve done the ride twice together. While I might have asked the Rabbi for a blessing as we embark on this significant journey, I somehow only asked her to explain the use of “butt butter.” Little packets of the stuff are piled high in bowls by the porto potties. The Rabbi gave me instruction on the application, which I was a little confused about because it’s not actually for your butt. I will not repeat her precise instructions here. But I did learn that the “butter” is intended to keep from chafing, which can be an issue on long rides. (I still haven’t used the stuff).

Sarana introduces me to Gabriel who was giving out fresh fruit. Gabriel is HIV positive and says the ride literally saved his life. A few years ago he had come up from Mexico, where treatment for AIDS is not what it is here in the States. Getting involved with the AIDS Life/Cycle ride gave him hope and evidently led to the medical attention he needed to fight the disease. He was incredibly gracious and poised and grateful to the riders for inspiring him.

Back on the road we were deep into the pastures of Northern California. The riders all thinned out now, I was able to find a good pace for myself and stretch out on the wide open highway. Nothing but grazing cows and open sky. A few hills provided some challenge but my training thus far allowed me to power up those hills with vigor. The payoff of course is a fast, smooth descent. So fun.

Lunch was in a park in Petaluma at mile 35. I was splayed out on the grass, chowing down a peanut butter sandwich chatting with other riders. Sun peaked out a bit. Sarana and Sidney rolled in and I was back on the bike with another 30 miles to go. I hit a groove with a pack of 3 or 4 guys who were riding at my pace and we rode a good part of it together. Yellow arrows dotted the route to keep us heading in the right direction and anywhere there might be confusion or an issue with traffic they had a volunteer posted there to steer us in the right direction.

This is an incredibly well organized operation.

Back in San Rafael the same cow bells that sent us off in the morning welcomed us home in the afternoon. It was around 3pm. A huge pasta feast was waiting. I didn’t realize how ravenous I had become . I devoured a heaping helping. And then got in line for a massage by one of the team of volunteers.  I had to work out a little shoulder tightness and the lactic acid build up in my calfs. Oh. My. Goodness. Hello calfs. (Calves?)

Home and hot bath and stretching. It was a good day on the ride.