This past week, I volunteered as a "roadie" for the San Francisco to Los Angeles Aids/Lifecycle bike ride. The ride lasts seven days and the riders cover 545 miles of the central California coast on their journey. This year 2,300 riders and 500 or so "roadies" (aka support staff) were a moving city for a week. The ride raised 11 million dollars for Aids research and support for those living with the disease. Although, I just finished the experience today and have yet to really have it sink in and fully process the experience, it was, if anything, to me a wonder of logistical majesty and beauty.
The riders started from the Cow Palace in San Francisco
I served on one of the two advance teams, which arrived at each site a day early to set up the tent grid (where the bikers would set up their tent) set-up tables and chairs for the dining tent and most glamourously, hang glow sticks in the port-a-potties to provide light in the night for those needing to use the facilities.
The Aids/Lifecycle Advance B team
Advance B unloading the tables and chairs truck. At each of our three sites we set up tables and chairs for 2,000 people.
Because we were on a two-day cycle, unlike the bikers and other roadies who moved to the new camp each day, our group hopscotched the Advance A team. They got to work at the sites on Day 1 (Santa Cruz), Day 3 (Paso Robles) and Day 5 (Lompoc). Our group set up the sites for Day 2 (King City), Day 4 (Santa Maria) and Day 6 (Ventura). Below, I've provided a sequence of shots that show the evolution (and de-evolution if there is such a word) of a site.
The empty tent grid at Preisker Park in Santa Maria, CA
The grid has been set. Notice the white stakes which hold placement cards for riders to find their tent spot.
Then the......
...circus....
...comes to town.
And just as quickly as it comes, it leaves. Note everyone is wearing red because Day 5 (the morning of this picture) is "Red Dress" day. And trust me, all sexes wear red dresses.
The tent grid. Cleaner than we found it. And it was off to Ventura.
Part of me found the work to be drudgery, but that's what I signed up for. Someone has to pick up trash and make sure the details are mapped out. But the most overwhelming feeling I got from this experience is that I REALLY REALLY want to do the ride itself. I want the feeling of elation and success that I saw so many of the riders come in with at the end of the day. So, we'll see if I can get the motivation up to do the training. Another issue is that the ride always occurs during the first week of June which is Finals/Graduation week at school. This year, I didn't proctor my final and had to miss graduation. It's a tough call, but we'll see what happens.
A bunch of us on the Advance B team were talking about doing the ride. One this is for sure, we have our jersey motto already picked out. It will read, "Last year we picked up after your asses. This year, we're watching them!". I might just have to ride next year to get to wear a jersey saying that.
I'll post more in the next couple days about my other thoughts about the ride, but I wanted to give you all a sense of what I did this past week.
I served on one of the two advance teams, which arrived at each site a day early to set up the tent grid (where the bikers would set up their tent) set-up tables and chairs for the dining tent and most glamourously, hang glow sticks in the port-a-potties to provide light in the night for those needing to use the facilities.
Because we were on a two-day cycle, unlike the bikers and other roadies who moved to the new camp each day, our group hopscotched the Advance A team. They got to work at the sites on Day 1 (Santa Cruz), Day 3 (Paso Robles) and Day 5 (Lompoc). Our group set up the sites for Day 2 (King City), Day 4 (Santa Maria) and Day 6 (Ventura). Below, I've provided a sequence of shots that show the evolution (and de-evolution if there is such a word) of a site.
Part of me found the work to be drudgery, but that's what I signed up for. Someone has to pick up trash and make sure the details are mapped out. But the most overwhelming feeling I got from this experience is that I REALLY REALLY want to do the ride itself. I want the feeling of elation and success that I saw so many of the riders come in with at the end of the day. So, we'll see if I can get the motivation up to do the training. Another issue is that the ride always occurs during the first week of June which is Finals/Graduation week at school. This year, I didn't proctor my final and had to miss graduation. It's a tough call, but we'll see what happens.
A bunch of us on the Advance B team were talking about doing the ride. One this is for sure, we have our jersey motto already picked out. It will read, "Last year we picked up after your asses. This year, we're watching them!". I might just have to ride next year to get to wear a jersey saying that.
I'll post more in the next couple days about my other thoughts about the ride, but I wanted to give you all a sense of what I did this past week.
1 comment:
Well you better be joining us on the ride next year. We need that group discount on the jerseys! That's too good a slogan to waste.
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