The AIDS Lifecycle finished in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday afternoon after traveling south from San Francisco for seven days. As many of you know this was my second year volunteering on the Sports Medicine Roadie team. Last year, I had no clue what I was getting myself into and was kind of nervous about everything, but by the end of the ride I had fully embraced what the ride is all about. I came back to Santa Barbara following my experience on the ride a changed man with a stronger sense of confidence in who I am as a person and in what I do with my life. The AIDS Lifecycle is by far one of the most rewarding experiences of my life thus far.
So, you are probably wondering how year two went. Well, let me tell you. Year two was just as an amazing an experience for me as year one was. After being away from the ALC community for a year one almost forgets how much love and acceptance there is on the ride for everyone. My friend Jason asked me when we were in camp in Santa Maria on day 4 whether I had a moment on the ride yet. I told him I was not sure if I had. He then asked me about last year and whether I had a moment on that ride. Last years moment was the Candlelight vigil on the beach in Ventura on day 6. The vigil is a hard thing to explain and is better experienced in person, but it is extremely moving and is an emotional evening. The vigil was just as emotional and moving for me this year as well.
My moment this year? Well, there was definitely a special connection made with a particular rider, but that's a story for another time, and in reality is yet to be written. This is a hard one to answer because I feel that my experience as a Roadie is very different from that of a rider, but I would say that getting to know each every rider who ended up on my treatment table looking for help to complete the ride was my moment. I am so amazed each and every year by the riders who make this trek from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise money and awareness about HIV and AIDS. I feel honored and privileged to be able to use my skills as a medical professional to help them along this journey. The relationships that have been built on the past two ALC rides is purely magical and ones that I will always treasure.
To all my ALC friends and the people who have touched my life so profoundly I love you all and miss you so very much! I'm looking forward to sharing this experience with all of you again next year! This week on the Lifecycle continues to be the most rewarding and enriching experience of my life.
Whenever I write about the Lifecycle, it is so difficult to put all the thoughts in my head into coherent sentences and to convey just how powerful the event is. So, I guess I should leave it at this; the AIDS Lifecycle is something that is better experienced than explained!
To see photos and videos check out the Link on the Left of the page to AIDS Lifecycle.
Much love,
Greg
3 comments:
Oh, yeah I almost forgot. I will post pictures on the blog when I get back to Portland and them uploaded on my computer.
Greg,
I'm happy to hear it went well again this year.
Cannot wait to see the photos. I'm looking forward to hearing all about it when I talk to you hopefully soon.
Greg,
I'll try this again I made a comment last night, but it didn't print it. I'm glad you had a good time again this year. I was wondering if or when you might try to do the bike ride. Just wondering out loud. Can't wait to here from you.
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