2,400 AIDS Ride Cyclists Raise Record Amount to Fight Disease

Fatigued but buoyed by cheering friends, more than 2,400 bicyclists finished the fourth annual AIDS Ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles on Saturday with the satisfaction of raising a record amount in the fight against the deadly disease.

The cyclists raised more than $9 million in pledges for the 525-mile, weeklong ride--the most money ever garnered through a single AIDS-related event, said Jim Key of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. Organizers said 60% of that money will go toward direct treatment of HIV and AIDS patients.

The bicyclists received a rousing welcome from an estimated 7,000 people as they pedaled into a final reception area near the Avenue of the Stars in Century City. Some exultantly lifted their bikes over their heads after they crossed the finish line.

Jeff Brooks of Salinas, who is HIV-positive, and three others guided a riderless bicycle over the last few miles of the trip. Organizers said the empty bike symbolized all the people who have died of AIDS.

Soft winds and mild sunshine provided the perfect weather for the sometimes grueling trip, which started May 31 near Highway 1 in San Francisco. The 2,476 cyclists traveled through Santa Cruz, Paso Robles and Santa Maria before arriving in Ventura on Friday.

On average, they rode 80 to 90 miles a day, before Saturday’s 80-mile trip from Ventura to Santa Monica.

The California AIDS Ride is a fund-raiser for the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Initially, California was the only state with an AIDS Ride. Now there are five others, including one from New York to Boston. Friends and relatives provide monetary sponsorship.

Even for the fittest of the riders who arrived Saturday, the course from Northern California was a challenge.

“The running joke was that [ride organizers] were lying to us each morning,” said a grinning Denise Disalvo of Irvine, who raised $3,000 for the cause. “They were saying that the terrain would be flat, then it turned out to be hilly.”

Many of the riders praised the volunteers, who kept their bodies in good shape during the trek.

“The hardest parts were the hills near Santa Cruz,” said 33-year-old George Romero of San Francisco. “Each day after that, I had aches and pains every morning. Thank goodness for the volunteers. They would give me a 30-minute massage before I hit the road.”

When he arrived at the welcoming area, Romero was greeted with a big smile and a hug from his 36-year-old partner, Richard Ornelas. The riders said they cherished the camaraderie of the event.

New friendships were formed as riders shared stories about themselves, friends or relatives who have been affected by HIV or AIDS. Sleeping side by side in tents and spending time with strangers on long stretches of highway were experiences few will forget.

“This is my home state,” said Brooks. “My sister rode with me. Some friends, even my dentist, also came. There was no way I could quit. . . . None of them would let me.”

Brooks’ sister, Paulette, said she was motivated mainly by the cause, but also by a little sibling rivalry.

“Sometimes the hills seemed very high,” she said. “But if my brother could do it, I knew I could do it too.”

In the ride’s four-year history, the event has raised close to $15 million.