|
Text created by: Dave Dickson, Sarita Navarro, Joaquin
Feliciano
Photos provided by: Kathryn Palmieri, Dave Dickson,
Sarita Navaaro, Joaquin Feliciano
Day 1 – Sacramento
to Gridley
We were literally and figuratively in the dark at
the start of the 2005 NorCal AIDS challenge because
we were asked to arrive in Discovery Park well before
sunrise and because we had no idea what to expect on
this inaugural ride - what to expect from the each
other, including riders and crew members; what to expect
from the weather; what to expect from the communities
along the way; and most of all, what to expect from
ourselves. Over the 4 days of the ride most of us found
that we got more than expected from everyone, especially
ourselves.
2005 NCAC Riders and Crew Members ready to roll!
After
taking our luggage to the truck, a few announcements,
warm-up stretches, and brief opening ceremonies
we were ready say goodbye to the friends and relatives
who brought us to the rainy start and hit the road.
We left as a group, as we would do every day of
the
challenge, but eventually separated into small
groups of riders based on comfortable traveling speed.
We
rode in intermittent rain showers all day and,
just before the second rest stop, three riders, including
the safety director(!), had startling but minor
crashes
at a set of slippery railroad tracks. At the rest
stop, we were welcomed warmly by members of the
Fairview Church who augmented the rest stop food with
hot
drinks, soup, and camaraderie. This would become
a regular event – every one of the local
churches and groups hosting rest stops would provide
more
than expected.
A wet but happy Rider arriving at the Rest Stop
In the afternoon we were treated to spectacular views
of the Sutter Buttes and the rains showers looked
like they had stopped for good. It was starting to
look like our clothes would be dry by the time we
got to the evening camp. But it was not to be. The
lead riders were about 5 miles from the finish when
the rain started up again. By the time we got to
the fairgrounds we were soaked and so was the field
where we were supposed to camp. However, the sympathetic
fairgrounds manager opened a large building for us
to set up camp in, and we had no fear of getting
wet that night.
After a long day it was great
to be able to shower, rest, eat a great dinner, and
take advantage of the
volunteer massage, chiropractic, and acupuncture
team that showed up after dinner. It was also time
to start getting to know the crew and the riders
we didn’t have a chance to ride with. Somehow
the shared cause and the shared experience of riding
together made it much easier to go up and introduce
ourselves to strangers. It quickly became obvious
that with such a small group everyone would know
each other pretty well by the end of the ride.
Day 2 – Gridley to Red Bluff
A 6:30 A.M. wake-up call feels
the same no matter if you’re in your warm cozy
bed or in a sleeping bag camping inside a metal building.
Early is early,
period! Our bodies were sore, but spirits were high.
After a good breakfast we rode off together, encouraged
by cheers from the volunteers and by some locals honking
their horns and waving as we pedaled by. The morning
was crisp with no sign of rain. In other words, perfect
for a ride! As we were leaving the town of Gridley
behind, the group soon started separating with the
faster cyclists taking the lead.
An easy and flat 20 miles brought
us to our first rest stop where each Rider re-fueled
with snacks and
water and was faced with the major decision of the
Challenge – tackle a difficult 90-mile route
back to camp that included countless rollers OR try
a really difficult 95-mile route that contained almost
as many rollers in addition to a long and steep climb
up and over Table Mountain. About half of the cyclists
took the slightly more direct route, while the rest
dropped it into their easiest gears and started climbing
almost right out of the rest stop. Some pedaled all
the way up, others walked and pedaled, and one finally
called it a day and accepted a car ride to the top
after getting her 4th flat tire of the morning – but
everyone who started at the bottom of Table Mountain
made it to the top! On the way up we were treated to
expansive views of the Central Valley and late spring
waterfalls tumbling off adjacent mesas. After a brief
stop to shake out the legs, snap some pictures, and
sing Happy Birthday to one of the Riders, everyone
zoomed down the other side of the mountain to rejoin
the rest of the group.
Another Rider gets to the top of Table Mountain
At the end of the day the Riders s-l-o-w-l-y trickled
into the campsite at Red Bluff. Even though the last
13 miles were mostly downhill with a tailwind, this
was the longest riding day of the trip (110 or 115
miles) and we were all feeling the miles. Happily,
every Rider was greeted by our camp angels (crew members)
as we pedaled the final few yards to bike parking..
After a very needed shower and dinner, the cyclists
were asked to share, with the group their reasons for
accepting this Challenge. Great stories and feelings
were shared - some that made us laugh and so many others
that made us cry as we remembered and heard about friends
and loved ones lost to HIV/AIDS. The miles and the
evening definitely brought everyone closer together.
And everyone slept really well that night.
Day 3 – Red
Bluff to Colusa
Of course, we all could have
used more sleep time, but even at 6:30an we could
all tell that Day Three
was going to be another perfect spring bike riding
kind of day. This day felt a little bit different.
Perhaps it was because we were starting on our way
back home or were all feeling much more comfortable
around each other. But this morning, instead of greeting
each other with a “Good Morning” people
were just as frequently asked “How’s your
butt feeling today?” and others could be heard
trading ideas on how best to treat saddle sores and
other bike-rlated maladies. Obviously, we were a much
closer group at the start of Day Three! Soon after
breakfast we left Red Bluff with a new song to speed
us on our way: “We are peaceful angry people
and we are riding for our lives.”
Rick and Mark, sitting and stretching.
We rode by walnut orchards, acres and acres of pastures
and fields, a long stretch of fence lined with old
bikes of many styles and colors, and some beautiful
patches of sweet peas that were being collected by
women wearing large brim straw hats. The waterways
were brimming, gushing full of water, from the rain
and melting snow. The scenery and the weather were
perfect.
The Colusa Fairgrounds was
home for the evening. That night it was the Crew
Members’ turn to share
their reasons for volunteering. Again, everyone shared
incredibly touching stories about what brought them
to the Challenge. This was our last evening together
and we spent time thanking our riding partners who
kept us going mile after mile, the SAG team that took
such good care of us, and the Crew Members who cheered
us at every stop. We stayed up a little bit later to
enjoy the company, share stories, give and receive
back rubs, and meet new friends.
Day 4 - Colusa to Sacramento
The morning part of the day’s route from Colusa
to Knight’s Landing followed levee roads along
Butte Slough. Reservoir releases had raised the water
levels so that the muddy water swirled through orchards
on the river side of the levee and we learned that
Discovery Park, our starting point just three days
earlier, was under water. The peaceful ride along quiet
and completely car-less quiet levee roads while surrounded
by the Central Valley at its most spectacular was the
perfect setting for a contemplative ride back into ‘civilization.’
This day had the lowest mileage,
and helped along by a good tailwind, a flat route,
and that energy boost
that always comes on the last leg of a long ride, all
of the riders made it to the rest stop in Davis at
the UCD Cross-Cultural Center pretty easily. Some riders
waited there to hang out with student interns who’d
volunteered to staff the rest stop while others went
ahead to try to finish riding before the hottest part
of the day. Either way, everyone reached the regrouping
site in West Sacramento with plenty of time to rest,
reminisce, and say goodbye before the closing ceremonies.
All of the riders resplendent in their beautiful NCAC
jerseys symbolized how 4 days and 380 miles of riding
had turned this group of individual riders into a cohesive,
loving group.
When it was time for the ceremonies, we rode across
the Tower Bridge and up Capitol Mall, accompanied by
roaring motorcycles, to the west steps of the capitol.
The closing ceremonies were inspiring and it was great
to see all of the Riders, Volunteers, and Crew Members
in one group one last time. Just as inspiring was the
small but energetic and enthusiastic crowd that had
turned out to welcome us back from our trip! In some
ways it was sad to realize that that was the last time
that particular group would be together, but in talking
to others it soon became clear that most of us will
be back next year!
Check
out the Retrospective for the NCAC 2006!
Click here to see more photos from the 2005 NorCal
AIDS Challenge. |
