This will be the 7th AIDS-fundraising ride that I will have done in the course of 19 years. Within that time I have also been surviving living with the virus and consider myself very fortunate to be healthy enough to take on this challenge again.

There are several reasons why I do this ride.

I ride for the memory of friends of mine who are no longer here. Although I have found peace with going on without them, I miss some of them immensely. The hundreds of miles and hours of training for this ride, the exhaustion of the ride itself and the energy put into fundraising are all a small price for preventing the loss of more lives.

I ride for the future of the city and to give back to The Center, the beneficiary of the Braking the Cycle ride. Thirteen years ago when I was waiting through a pre-existing condition clause period of my new employer's insurance provider, I got very ill with HIV-related pneumonia. I turned to services at The Center to get the medical care, medications and hospital stays I needed to survive. I probably wouldn't be here today if not for The Center. I believe in the value of all the work done there: the myriad of services they provide free of charge only helps to create more whole and productive members of our community and I am very glad that they're here for the future health of our city.

Another reason I ride is a bit more selfish. Few things make me feel more alive than physically and emotionally pushing myself through hundreds of miles in the company of all these other caring riders and crew members. I find joy and encouragement in spending time with people committing themselves to doing good for others. I feel safe, humbled and honored to ride with all of them.

Thanks for reading this and thank you so much for thinking to sponsor me on this Braking the Cycle ride!

Peace and aloha,

Thom

Click here to make a donation in support of Thom.

275 miles, 3 days, 1 Destination - THE END OF AIDS