We’re Not Done Yet
Because we still have to say thank you.
To all of our donors, we can’t tell you how much we appreciate you joining us in funding the battle to fight AIDS. We are deeply grateful for your generosity.
To our families and friends who supported us along the route – if you took a photo, made a sign, commented on a blog post, called, texted, sent an email, created Strap On Barbies, said a prayer, liked us on facebook, made awesome mix CDs for the Crew Chief, provided technical support, met us at a rest stop, spent hours waiting for the riders to pass by your viewing spot – WE LOVE YOU. We could not have done it without you. We might have made it to Day 3, but definitely not beyond that.
To Marty, who works at the SF AIDS Foundation and convinced Jimmie and A.B. to do the ride in the first place. It’s a good thing you were such an invaluable resource during the week or we might have killed you. Your hotel suggestions, restaurant recommendations and generally great advice about how to survive were incredibly helpful. That, plus the fact that on Day 5 you made it to Lompoc in time to get a manicure before dinner still just slays me. You have been officially crowned an Honorary Nut Princess.
Left to right: Clyde, A.B., Jim, Michael, Marty
For a complete retrospective of the ride, our Photo Gallery is now complete. Click here to view thumbnails. Just click on an image if you want to see a larger version.
It seems so appropriate to end our journey and our blog with the gift of the Chicken Lady, a long-standing AIDS/Lifecycle rider and cheerleader who, on the morning of the last day of the ride, puts a plastic egg on every single riders’ bicycle.
Inside each egg is this note:
This week you were a resident of the road. A conqueror of fear. A master of hills. An owner of love. A lover of life. A dream maker. A pursuer of dreams. A hero of the world. An angel on earth.
TNN Talks About Their AIDS/Lifecycle Experience
Jimmie, what will you remember most about the ride?
The candlelight vigil on the beach in Ventura. Over 2,000 people on the beach with candles remembering why we ride and why we ask people to support our ride. Personally it brought back fond memories of friends I lost to AIDS in the late ’80s.
What did you experience that you could have never expected?
I did not expect that I would be able to ride my bicycle more than 500 miles in a week. It took physical, emotional, and mental strength that I did not know I had – even though I did burst into tears one day.
What will you miss?
Getting up at 5:00 a.m. and sitting on a hard surface for 10-12 hours a day. NOT. I will miss Team Numb Nuts and the wonderful experience we had together.
Michael, what will you remember most about the ride?
Getting dirty and oily, feeling pain, but mostly having fun with our team and most of the participants during the ride.
What did you experience that you could have never expected?
It’s hard and seems to be impossible to ride more than 80 miles a day, seven days in a row. But with a team approach you can make it.
What will you miss?
A week with just one thing in mind!
A.B. what will you remember most about the ride?
I will definitely remember… the crazy rest stops with hundreds of volunteers trying to make us laugh and stay motivated; the friends and family along the way who did the same by cheering for us; Michael posing with the shirtless construction crew at Rest Stop 4; the image of Clyde on his bike trying so hard to catch up with 3 drag queens in Dolly Parton outfits; Missy cracking up as we described the butt clinic to her; and most of all, Jim’s beaming smile when he would reach the top of a hill and see me waiting there for him.
What did you experience that you could have never expected?
Two things: First, I never expected that having long conversations every evening about butts and nuts would be so entertaining and hilarious. Second, I never thought I would be able to conquer the big hill at Quadbuster and the hills at Evil Twins, but when I did, I cried!
What will you miss?
Being part of a team was so moving and so inspiring. Team Numb Nuts really looked out for each other, and I know I couldn’t have finished the ride if it wasn’t for their support and encouragement. I will miss all of the Nutz!
Clyde, what will you remember most about ride?
The unbelievable support that all of the volunteers provided for the riders: the bike mechanic who fixed my bike after my crash, the medics who I had to convince to let me get back on my bike, everyone who helped at all of the rest stops, and all of the people along the route every day cheering us on.
What did you experience that you could have never expected?
That the AIDS/Lifecycle event is like a carnival on wheels that moves from town to town every day. The first two days I watched it all happen. By the third day I realized I was part of it.
What will you miss?
The strong team spirit, and our dinner conversations where I got to hear about what each team member experienced during their ride that day.
Crew Chief, what will you remember most about the ride?
I don’t understand why everyone insisted on riding their bikes. I just carried mine.
An Interview with the Crew Chief
What was the highlight of your role as Crew Chief for TNN?
Driving from San Francisco to LA in 20 mile increments.
Did you ever get lonely on the road?
The Crew Chief had the four Strap On Barbies in the car with her the entire time.
What was your favorite part of AIDS/Lifecycle 9?
The gay community is absolutely hilarious. Gay men can make any situation funny. A large hairy man in a dress will always make the Crew Chief laugh.
What won’t you miss?
Lengthy dinner conversations about scrotums. And because the Crew Chief had no time for primping, most of the drag queens were prettier.
Where and when did you have time to write?
The Crew Chief set up Team Numb Nuts Global Field Operations Headquarters in her hotel room every night and either wrote after dinner to the sound of a TNN member snoring in the background…
Crew Chief: Clyde, you are snoring.
Clyde: No I am not. I’m awake.
…or in the early morning while a TNN member was getting his gear together…
Clyde: Have you seen my sunscreen?
Crew Chief: It’s by your helmet.
Clyde: Have you seen my bike shorts?
Crew Chief: You’re wearing them.
Clyde: Where’s my Barbie?
Crew Chief: She’s in the car.
How did you ever get anything done?
It was hard.
Do you think TNN will do the AIDS/Lifecycle ride next year?
TNN members now frequently start sentences with “If we ever do this again…which we’re not…”
When are you going to stop referring to yourself in the third person?
The Crew Chief is pretty sure this interview will be the last time.
Where Rodeo Drive Meets Wilshire Blvd
This is the lobby the five grimy, sweaty, bedraggled members of Team Numb Nuts walked in to.
It was so gracious of the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire to welcome AIDS/Lifecycle 9 riders. We are spectacularly under dressed.
This is the first hotel we’ve been to that has a doorman and ceiling molding. But it doesn’t have two things the Crew Chief needs to make her life complete: free wireless internet and a full length mirror. Who knew these would be better achieved at a Holiday Inn than a Four Seasons?
Day 7: The Big Finish
I asked all of the Nutz and they all said the same thing: getting on a bike every frigging day for seven days in a row and riding more than 545 miles from San Franciso to Los Angeles was the hardest thing they have ever done. In their lives.
I saw firsthand how grueling the ride was, how much pain they endured, and how determined they were to not give up. Even when Clyde got a flat tire 2 miles before the finish line.
Here’s our boys just moments after they arrived in LA.
It was great to have Abraham’s mom Coco on hand to welcome the team.
Happy Nutz celebrating in their AIDS/Lifecycle 9 Victory shirts.
Michael – holding his drug of choice – shows us the only part of his body that isn’t sore.
So even though the boys reached the end of their long and winding road, the Crew Chief’s job isn’t done yet. A few more blogs and photos will be posted tomorrow. After I get home and do some laundry.
Only 60 Miles to the Four Seasons
Day 6 ended at the Ventura Beach Marriott. Despite the name, the hotel is not on the beach. Instead, it is built like a maze and I had to walk each of my Nutz to their room so they would not get lost.
My choice was either go out to dinner or work on this blog, which is why I can tell you that the room service is excellent. For non-vegetarians there is an In-N-Out Burger across the street from the hotel where you can wait in line with about 900 Lifecycle riders who are also dying for a hamburger.
Clyde said he is accustomed to watching out for hazards in the road. But this is the first time he had to deal with one in his hotel room.
Meet Team Pastries and Pasties
Not everyone waits until Red Dress Day to show off their creativity. Team Pastries and Pasties shows up every morning in a themed ensemble.
TPP members (Emily, Greg, Justin, Claire and Jim) have done the ride before (this is Emily’s 9th year) but this is their first time riding as a team. They told me their costumes keep them motivated and help inspire the other riders.
Me: Where do you get your outfits?
Emily: We make them all by hand.
Me: You do??
Emily: Yes, it’s like a gay sweatshop.
They kicked off the ride in San Francisco dressed as Dolly Parton. That’s Clyde following them.
Over the week, they also channeled their inner Esther Williams.
Little Bo Peep looked for her lost sheep at rest stop on the way to Paso Robles.
Pink Flamingos rode down to Santa Maria.
And of course TPP had matching outfits for Red Dress Day.
Can you guess this day’s theme?
Fish and CHiPs.
A Vision in Blue
Ginger Brewlay is one of the more flamboyant cheerleaders you’ll see on the route. In her high heels, she waits at the top of the hardest hills to encourage and flirt with the riders.
I first met Ginger on Day 3 after she greeted everyone as they came up Quadbuster.
Me: You look fabulous! Are you going to be in drag tomorrow too?
Ginger: Honey, I am always in drag.
(Ginger raises her had hand to wave to a rider.)
Me: I love armpit hair with a cocktail dress.
Ginger: It’s very European, don’t you think?
Day 6: Thankfully There Were Cupcakes
Not to whine about the wind, but Oh My God, it is has been windy. It’s challenging enough to ride your bike over 80 miles a day without having to fight the wind too. After Day 4, Clyde said “I didn’t think wind could blow any harder.” But then on Day 5, it did.
After six hard days on the road, TNN’s bikes and bodies are stressed to the max. Yesterday was full of troubles – we had treacherous road conditions, mechanical issues, a blown tire, and one of Clyde’s cleats came unclipped when he was pedaling down hill and he got thrown off his bike.
This is where I am going to insert a reminder that you must never, ever, ever ride your bike without a helmet. Other than some scrapes and bruises, Clyde is just fine, but only because HE WAS WEARING A HELMET.
The one bright spot in our day was when we arrived at the lunch stop in Santa Barbara and had friends there to greet us.
The Crew Chief got a much-needed hug from Dorothea.
And Carol and her daughter Claire brought cupcakes for the team!! YAY!
From Santa Barbara the route took the riders down 40 miles of coastline to Ventura. Michael made us stop and enjoy the view for a few moments because he appreciates the opportunity to look at the Pacific Ocean more than we do.
It was another long afternoon of cycling. Have I mentioned the wind?
Friday News Flash
If you want to cheer Team Numb Nuts when they cross the finish line in Los Angeles today, be at the Veterans Wadsworth Theater by 3:00 pm.
The boys have worked incredibly hard this week and we are just $1654 away from achieving our goal of raising $20,000 to fight AIDS. If you haven’t had a chance to donate yet, just click here. If you have donated already, THANK YOU!!
More photos and stories from the road will be posted later today and tomorrow!
