A year+ later...

More than a year has passed. Another ALC has come and gone. So much has changed in the past year, I won't even try to explain it.

You know that bad day you're expecting? The one looming right around the corner? The day when everything hits you like the proverbial ton of bricks?

Today was that day.

It's slowly coming back...

It's funny what you eventually remember.

 

Even when I wanted to remember, tried to remember, made a point to remind myself to remember, all the amazing and funny and touching and special and downright hilarious moments during AIDS/LifeCycle, I just couldn't.  It was complete and total sensory overload.

 

But it's all coming back in flashes and snippets.

-----------------------------------------------------

 

Day 5, in the med tent... After they brought me in, I asked someone if they could please track down Kristen, my tent mate.  I was still wearing my damp, sweaty cycling clothes and I was freezing.  I wanted nothing more than to put on warm sweatpants and my wooly boots.  Kristen was a roadie working for Information Services, so she should have been pretty easy to find.  Plus, because of her assignment, we were allowed to set up camp "off the grid" and pitch our tent behind Info Services instead of out in the main sea of tents.  Some time later, I saw Kristen walking past me and said, "Kristen!  They found you."  She looked a little confused.  Come to find out, she had taken ill in camp around noon the same day.  The whole time, she'd been recuperating 4 beds down from me.  Because we were both so wasted from illness, we didn't see each other.  She was being discharged at that time.  I still had some medicating and napping to do and wouldn't be released for a few more hours. 

 

Kristen made her way back to Info and retrieved our gear.  Our tent had not yet been pitched, and she was in no condition to do it.  A few of her very kind, helpful, awesome work-mates pitched out tent for us, laid out our bed rolls and sleeping bags, and helped her rifle through my bag in search of my desperately-desired warm clothes.  Bless her sick heart - within 1/2 an hour, Kristen was back at the med tent with everything I'd asked for.  I finally changed my clothes, then promptly fell asleep with the IV in my arm.  I was so very grateful to her.  It's a good thing she had brought my clothes because by the time I got back to our tent, I had ZERO energy left and couldn't even change into my jammies.  I ended up sleeping in said sweats.  How awful would it have been to a: sleep in nasty riding clothes, or b: try to find my jammies in the dark while still queasy and slightly mad?

 

Thank you, Kristen.  You were the best tent mate a girl could ask for.

----------------------------------------------------

 

Also on Day 5, in the med tent at camp:  So here's something you probably don't say to often.  Or maybe you do and you just live that sort of life - in which case, that's way more interesting than mine and where can I join you.  Anyway... you may recall from my previous post that Day 5 is Red Dress Day, when everyone - riders, roadies, drivers, medical personnel, EVERYONE - gets decked out in their finest red garb.  So I've been taken back to the medical tent at camp, and I'm half delirious with dehydration and general discomfort when "Dr. Eric" introduces himself.  Nice doctor, treated me kindly, got me all better, but most importantly, wearing the most fabulous red sequin dress.  Lookin' good, Dr. Eric.  So, the good doctor hooks up another I.V., and while I take a little nap, he takes a break - and changes into more "standard" med-tent togs.  Later when I wake up, and he comes to check on me, he says, "Ami, it's Dr. Eric.  How are you feeling?"  I rubbed my eyes, scratched my head, and all I could say was, "Oh.  Dr. Eric.  I didn't recognize you.  You took off your dress."

 

Really - when will I ever get to say that again?

----------------------------------------------------

 

Stay tuned.  I'll continue to update as the memories reveal themselves.

 

-Ami

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post ALC Blues, and Humor

Re-entry into the "real world" has been rough.  Nothing compares to the lovefest that is AIDS/LifeCycle.

 

I daydream of vineyards and farmland and sweeping ocean vistas.  I miss the wind in my hair and the dirt... everywhere. 

 

I find that I get startled now when people pass me in hallway at work and don't call out, "On your left." 

 

I crave grahamwiches.  Sure, I could buy some graham crackers, peanut butter and jelly and make my own, but it's just not the same. 

 

Hands down, the funniest thing I've heard since the ride ended is, "Nobody offered my red vines for getting off the elevator... do people really live like this?" 

 

To everyone who did anything amazing today - have a red vine.  Or two.

10 Things I Learned During ALC:

1.  Waking in a tent at 4:30am and spending 10 hours on my bike really is more fun that going to work.

2.  I'd rather wear cycling cleats than heels.

3.  Work clothes would be more comfortable if they were made of spandex.

4.  Chapstick is much more effective than lipstick.

5.  After not "doing" my hair for a week, I'm not really inclined to "do" it now.

6.  I can totally rock the sunburnt, windburnt, generally deep-fried look.

7.  Having the right tent-mate can make for a most incredible experience.

8.  I'm not too old to make new friends.

9.  If I never drink another PowerAde again, that's fine with me.

10. I miss my bike.

 

 

Invitation to view itsamij's Picasa Web Album - AIDS/LifeCycle 9

You are invited to view itsamij's photo album: AIDS/LifeCycle 9 AIDS/LifeCycle 9 Jun 14, 2010 by itsamij 7 Days, 560 Miles, San Francisco to Los Angeles View Album Play slideshow Message from itsamij: And now, the pictures from the most amazing week ever. Enjoy! Ami If you are having problems viewing this email, copy and paste the following into your browser: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=itsamij&target=ALBUM&id=5482808600140597457&authkey=Gv1sRgCNeAxOGSucy6vQE&feat=email To share your photos or receive notification when your friends share photos, get your own free Picasa Web Albums account.

ALC: The Day After

A hot shower has never felt so goooood. I looked at myself in the mirror last night for the first time since last Sunday, 3:30am... Good lord! I'm sunburnt, windburnt, and generally deep fried. I look like I've spent the past 7 days outside.

Even though I'd been up since 4:30am yesterday, I didn't get to sleep until around midnight. I was just too wired. And I was still up at 6am today... in time for a club ride at 7:30. But I didn't go. The rational part of my brain (yes, I do have one) thought it best to take a day off. In fact, I think I'll take the entire week off. Not to mention I still have to tend to my rear brake.

I feel great. Not tired. Not at all achy. Full of energy. And my only plan for the day (now that cycling clothes, camp clothes and sleeping bag have all been laundered) is to lounge in the sun (trying to even out this funky tan-line) with Jose, music and a cold drink.

Tomorrow - massage and facial. I figured that after seven days on the road, I'd be due for a full rub-down and professional scrubbing. I can't wait.

In the near future, I will be updating the previous daily posts from the ride with more stories and adventures. Pictures will follow soon.

Thanks to all. Have a fabulous day!
Ami

ALC, Day 7: Ventura to Los Angeles

60 beautiful miles of California coastline.

Oh, my.  What a day.  A glorious day.

We rode out of Ventura under overcast skies.  City streets thru Ventura, Oxnard and Port Hueneme (Why-Knee-Me).  From Pt. Mugu Naval Base we picked up Hwy 1 - Pacific Coast Highway.  The next 40 miles we coasted down PCH.  This was, by far, the most beautiful day ever.  There were plenty of picture-moments, but when there's parked cars on the right, high-speed traffic on the left, and not much space between the two, there really is no good place to stop to take a picture.  You'll just have to take my word for it.  SPECTACULAR!

Our first rest stop was at the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area - on the bluffs overlooking the ocean.  Lunch was in Malibu - on the bluffs overlooking the ocean.  There has never been a more perfect day.

I made it in to LA around 1pm - much earlier than I anticipated, and about the same time Jose and Agina were leaving Riverside.  Needless to say, I had to hang around for a while.  I went to the finish and cheered in some riders - what a party!  Then I pulled up a piece of grass under a tree and took a nap.  Oh, wonderful nap.  Jose and Agina arrived just before line-up for closing ceremonies.  They headed over to Wadsworth Theater while I went over to bike parking.  My bike was an absolute workhorse throughout the entire ride and NOW my rear brake starts locking up.  If it was gonna happen, I guess that was the best time.  Back to the shop this week.

All the riders rode in together.  What a sight.  Then the 550 roadies entered.  I think the riders cheered louder for the roadies than everyone cheered for the riders.  We absolutely could not have done this without these wonderful volunteers.  They did everything - set up camp, served food, tore down camp, tended to our medical needs (blessed are the medical personnel!), gave massages and hauled all our crap from one camp to the next.  I think they're job is way harder than riding a bike 500+ miles.

There were some speeches, and I couldn't even tell you what was said.  All I can say is that is was very emotional and there were lots of tears.  I do remember hearing that ALC 9 raised $10 Million!  How awesome is that.

But the day wasn't done yet... back to the gear truck to pick up my bag.  I was so tired of wearing my cycling cleats that I took them off and walked over in my socks.  Big mistake - I burnt the bottoms of my feet on the hot asphalt.  Silver lining - that is the only injury I incurred throughout this event. 

A quick change into clean clothes in the parking lot (thank you, Jose, for bringing them), then off to dinner.  Jose said we could go anywhere and I could have anything I wanted.... What did I want?  A cheeseburger and a margarita.  And so I had both. 

We finally made it home sweet home around 9pm.  A little elf named Mom snuck in to the house and hung a welcome home banner.  Thanks, Ma. 

I have already decided that I will ride AIDS/LifeCycle again.  Perhaps not 2011, but 2012 is looking good.

Thank you all for everything.
Ami