Yosemite in Winter??

For several years I had a tradition of visiting Yosemite during my days off following Christmas. With the availability of a family cabin near Lassen, I that tradition went by the wayside. But this year I got the Yosemite bug, and decided that it would be a good time to go again. Usually, a December visit to Yosemite would center around winter activities… skiing, snowshoeing, etc. However, with the unseasonably dry weather we’ve experienced in California this year, it was more like spring than winter. In fact, the Tioga Road, which usually has about twenty feet of snow on it this time of year, is still open all the way up to Tioga Pass.

My daughter Abbey expressed an interest in going with me, so a couple of days after Christmas, we threw our camping gear into the Subaru, and headed for the mountains. Abbey had never seen the Hetch-Hetchy area of Yosemite before, so we decided to swing out there on the way to the valley. Alas, when we got to Hetch-Hetchy Road, the gate was locked, and a sign indicated that it was closed for that day due to maintenance (contrary to the information on the park website and entrance station signage). We were a little irritated, but drove back and continued on into the valley.

It was a sunny and beautiful day, and we got settled into our campsite at Upper Pines, and then headed over to the visitors center to figure out a hike for the next day. After conferring with a ranger about conditions on the Tioga Road, we decided we would hike the North Dome trail up to Indian Rock. After a yummy dinner of pasta and pesto, we crawled into our sleeping bags for a chilly night’s sleep.

Indian Rock

Next morning, we headed up to the Tioga Road. Normally, you wouldn’t be able to drive past Crane Flat in December. But this is no ordinary year, and the Tioga Road was open all the way to Lee Vining. Road conditions were excellent, and we easily made it to the Porcupine Creek trailhead to begin our hike. In general, trail conditions are pretty good. Occasional patches of hard snow and ice provided the odd challenge, but mostly the hiking is on dirt. there were two frozen creek crossings, but they were frozen deep enough to hold even my weight! We had a great day hiking, and after a steep climb on a lateral trail, reached Indian Rock, our destination for the day. We had a tasty picnic lunch, and relaxed a bit, before heading back to the car for a total of six miles or so of hiking.

Abbey had never been on the Tioga before, so we drove further east to check out Olmstead Point and completely frozen-over Tenaya Lake. With this super cold but dry winter, Tenaya Lake has become the most popular ice skating destination in the Easter Sierra! It was getting dark and cold, so we headed back to the valley, witnessing a stunning sunset during the drive back. We both crawled into our sleeping bags for a great night’s sleep.

Friday… and it’s time to head home from our too-short holiday. We’d been assured that the Hetch-Hetchy Road was open, so we swung out there to check it out on the way back to Sacramento. All in all, a great trip, with some awesome scenery and time spent with my daughter.

Hetch-Hetchy

Click here for full photo slideshow!

Did you see it??

One of the great New Year’s Day traditions is the Rose Parade in Pasadena. It’s quite a spectacle, with beautiful floats and marching bands. I have great memories of seeing the parade in person as a child, having grown up in Southern California.

Over the years, organizations such as the American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society, and American Heart Association have had floats in the parade, many of them winning awards for their beauty and message. But this year, for the first time, a float raising awareness of the AIDS epidemic was a part of the Tournament of Roses Parade. Sponsored by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the float paid tribute to the late Dame Elizabeth Taylor, for her efforts to educate the public about HIV/AIDS. It seemed especially appropriate in that it was just thirty years ago that the AIDS virus was first identified.

And really, more than ever, education about AIDS is sorely needed. People have become lax about it, and infections are on the rise once again. And unfortunately, funding for education, prevention, and treatment has seen a significant decrease.

This is why I have committed for a second year, to participate in the NorCal AIDS Cycle, a 330 mile, four day bike ride to raise funds for local agencies engaged in the fight against AIDS. I have made a goal of raising $5,000 this year, and though I have gotten off to a good start, I have a long way to go before the ride happens in May.

Won’t you join the team and show your support?? Click the link below to be taken to my fundraising page to make a donation. And remember, no contribution is too small, and every little bit helps!

Click here to donate to NorCal AIDS Cycle 2012!

World AIDS Day

About twenty years ago, a man by the name of Ken, showed up at a choir rehearsal I was conducting, and asked to join the Cathedral Choir. He’d had experience singing in other choirs, including at St Paul’s Cathedral in San Diego. He also thought that it was important for me to know that he was HIV+. I have to admit, I was a little taken aback by this… I’d never actually met someone with it before. But his positive energy and warmth took the day, and he soon became a good friend.

Ken was the primary impetus for my decision to participate in the 2011 NorCal AIDS Cycle. His courage, grace, and positive attitude, combined with the excellent care he received, prolonged his life longer than anyone expected. Ken finally succumbed to the disease, just two weeks prior to the ride.

The truth is, that funding for AIDS services, education, and medical care is significantly less than it was ten years ago. And along with this drop in funding, the number of new infections is on the rise, especially among young gay men, and women of color. Now, more than ever, additional funding is needed to reverse the trend. Education is certainly a big key to stemming this tide of new infections, and Ken was very big on education. He help to start the Interfaith AIDS Network in Northern California, and spent countless hours educating people in faith communities about the disease.

So once again, I’ve decided to participate in the NorCAL AIDS Cycle for 2012. As a group, we raised a quarter-of-a-million dollars in 2011, and I think this coming year we can do even better. This money goes directly to service agencies right here in Northern California. Beneficiaries in 2011 included CARES. Golden Rule Services, Caring Choices, and the Sierra Foothills AIDS foundation, among others.

I invite you, on this World AIDS Day, to support NorCal AIDS Cycle for 2012. Click the link below to contribute, and together, we can fight this pandemic, and defeat it once and for all!!

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO NORCAL AIDS CYCLE 2012!!

I’m kinda Fondo you, Santa Rosa

One of my favorite events of the year, is Levi Leipheimer’s King Ridge Gran Fondo. It’s always a great day on the bike, riding in some beautiful country, with a lot of awesome riders, including some well-known pros including Levi, of course.

As I have in previous years, I signed up for the “Medio” route, which is about 100k distance with about 4000′ feet of climbing, including the infamous Coleman Valley Road, which connects the coast to the town of Occidental. This hill is always a challenge, but at the same exhilarating. One of those “love-hate” things.

A couple of months before the ride, I was contacted by a friend who was being ordained to the priesthood, and he asked if I would be the organist for the service. I immediately said yes, and asked the date. October 1… same day as the Fondo. At that point, I thought I would have to bag the Fondo completely. I was disappointed, but he is a good friend, and I wanted to play for the service.

After several unsuccessful attempts to sell my Fondo registration, I decided that I could still do both. The ordination was in the evening, and at the very least I could ride the “Piccolo” (32 miles) version of the Fondo, and still have time to shower and get to Davis for the service.

Those who know my recent history, know that I seem to have a penchant for winning contests. Notably, the Specialized Tarmac S-works bicycle I have dubbed “The Red Baron,” is a Saxo-Bank team bike which I won during the Amgen Tour of California in 2010. So, I continue to enter contests, and encourage my friends to do the same. A couple of weeks before the Fondo, it was announced that SRAM would be giving away a dozen “Wi-Fli” (wider/faster/lighter) gearing upgrades. All one had to do was to answer a fairly simple quiz, and those answering all correctly would be entered in a drawing. Two days before the Fondo, I got an email notifying me that I had won one of the upgrades to be installed by a SRAM technician the day before the ride during registration.

Back to my love-hate relationship with Coleman Valley Road… Being a big guy, I am not a good climber. In fact, I’m a sucky climber, and hills are a real struggle for me. A while ago, I realized that part of the problem had to do with the gearing proportions on “The Red Baron,” which are designed for a pro tour rider… some one like say… Levi Leipheimer. Not for a large 55 year old guy. The new “Wi-Fli” technology uses a wider range of gear possibilities in the back, with a extra-long derailleur cage, which is supposed to give one more options for steep climbs. Needless to say, I was anxious to try it out.

SRAM technician installing the new Wi-Fli

Friday morning I packed up my camping gear and cycling stuff, and headed over to Santa Rosa. I had a campsite reserved at Spring Lake County Park on the east side of Santa Rosa, about seven miles from Finley Center, Fondo headquarters. I got my tent set up, and then rode my bike over to register and get the new gearing installed. I found the SRAM “neutral support” vehicles out front, and handed the Baron over while I went inside and checked in for the ride. After I picked up my swag-bag, I wandered back over to the SRAM area, and watched the tech finishing my installation.

After SRAM was finished doing their thing, I waited to meet up with my friend Chris (@velopriest) who I’d corresponded with but never met. After dinner we headed over to the Russian River Brewing Company, to do some carbo-loading via their fine brews. However, we didn’t stay out too late, as it was going to be a early morning on Saturday.

When I got back to the campground, a large group of families with small/loud children had taken over one entire side of the campground, with me right in the middle. In addition, some of them had parked their vehicles in my campsite, so I couldn’t even get into it, and found myself getting highly irritated. I soon found a ranger who put things right, and I headed off to bed, for a hopeful good night’s sleep. Sleep??? Who am I kidding???

The alarm went of at 5:30 am, about ten minutes after I finally got to sleep. I stumbled out of my tent and made a pot of Peets Major Dickasons (yeah), ate some brekfast, and got dressed and ready to go. A little before 7:00 I rolled out and rode my bike to the start. The seven mile ride is actually a pretty nice warmup ride, so I got to Finley Center and lined up with 7500 of my new friends, including several pro-riders and other celebrities: Jason McCartney (Radio Shack), “Fast Freddie” Rodriguez (Exergy), Alison Tetrick-Starnes (PB & Comp twenty12), Gavin Chilcott (manager BMC cycling team), Axel Merckx (son of the legendary Eddie Merckx), Ed Wimmer (owner of Road ID), Patrick “Dr McDreamy” Dempsey, the always lovely Odessa Gunn (aka Mrs Leipheimer), and of course Levi himself.

Start time was supposed to be “8:00 am sharp,” but the start takes awhile, with a lot of standing around… then the slow shuffle… then finally at about 8:28 I was able to clip in and the clock started. It was a perfect morning at the start, cool but with some clouds looming. One of the most amazing things about this ride, is the distance some folks travel to be a part of it. For me, it’s a easy two-hour drive from Sacramento. But there were people who’d come from all over the United States, Europe, and beyond to be here for a day of riding.

As we rode through the streets of Santa Rosa headed west towards Occidental, dozens of locals lined the streets and corners and cheering us on. The local support for this ride is really something. As the route headed west, we rode through vineyards and redwood forests, with our first rest-stop at the old Gilliam Cemetery (there was something a bit odd about this, I have to say).

I knew, because of my shortened day, that the only chance I’d really have to test the new “Wi-Fli” gearing, would be the first climb on Graton Road leading into Occidental. This isn’t really that steep (only 4-5% at the most), but I was surprised at how much easier it was over last year’s ride. My only real worry was getting stuck behind someone climbing slower than me (which has never been the case before). Just at the top of the hill, course marshals had us get off of our bikes and walk partway down. Two riders had crashed on the descent, and were being tended to by emergency crews. Then a speedy coast took us into the rest stop in Occidental.

I had decided that I would have a pre-determined “turn around time,” as I didn’t want to risk being late for the event in Davis. I figured I would make it to the first rest-stop in Occidental, and maybe a little further before heading back. After the Occidental rest stop, I continued down the Bohemian Highway towards Monte Rio. I was hoping to make it there before I hit that pre-determined turn-around time, which I did. A quick pit-stop in Monte Rio, and I was heading back up the Bohemian Highway towards Occidental. I made it back to Finley Center in Santa Rosa fifteen minutes ahead of my intended time, so was pretty happy about that.

I had a really tasty Chicken Tikka Masala lunch, enjoyed a cold one from New Belgium, and walked around the Fondo Fest before heading back to the campground for a shower and drive to Davis. I made it in plenty of time, and the ordination was great. I returned to Sacramento about 9 pm, exhausted, but having had a great day.

Two quick reviews: 1) I was very happy with the new SRAM Wi-Fli gearing system. It made the hills much easier to deal with, and I’m looking forward to next year’s Fondo, to try it out on Coleman Valley Road! 2) Levi’s Gran Fondo is an awesome event… whether you do the 32 mile Piccolo route, or go for the full-monty, it’s a great day on the bike with riders of every ability. One thing that please me was to see the number of young people on the ride, some of them tackling those hills like old pros!

See complete photo album here.

Pine Creek backpack

Pine Lake

All summer long I had been craving a real High Sierra backpack trip. With things busy at work, and with the heavy snow year, I wasn’t sure if it was going to happen or not. Finally, I was able to schedule five days in mid-August, and the hike was on. A friend had recommended the Pine Creek area, which is off of highway 395 just a few miles north of Bishop. Fortunately, it’s not a super busy trailhead, and I was able to reserve a last-minute wilderness permit without any problem.

It’s my usual practice, when doing a Eastern Sierra backpack trip, to drive through Yosemite and do some day hiking and spend a night camped out above 8000′. It’s great for acclimatization, and heck, it’s Yosemite. I managed to snag a campsite at White Wolf, which is a beautiful spot between the Tioga Road and the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne. There’s a terrific loop hike of about eight miles which starts right at the campground. It starts out on the old Great Sierra wagon road out to Harden Lake, then drops down and runs on the rim of the GCotT, and then back up towards Lukens Lake and White Wolf. There was a large fire here last year, and most of this hike was through the burned area. But nature heals quickly, and wildflowers abounded through the entire hike. Back at the campground a yummy dinner and ice cold brew capped off a great first day.

I wanted to make sure that I made it to Bishop in time to pick up my wilderness permit the next day, but also wanted to squeeze in a little more hiking before leaving Yosemite. I decided to do a part of the Mono Pass trail, which is a great acclimatization hike since it pushes up towards 10,000′, and allowed myself three hours, which meant I wouldn’t be able to do all of the ten miles of this hike, but it was a still great walk with gorgeous scenery.

I drove down through Lee Vining Canyon, and made the requisite stop at the famous Woah Nellie Deli, a gourmet gnosh-pit cleverly disguised as a Mobil gas station. If you haven’t experienced this place, you should add it to your “must-do” list. Suffice it to say, you would never expect to find food like this at a gas station. I made good time to Bishop, picked up my wilderness permit, and then headed over to the home of my friends Wayne, Kim, and Robin to crash for the night.

The Pine Creek trail has a reputation for being hot, dry, and uncomfortable for the first few miles, so I wanted to get an early start to beat the heat. I managed to get out and on the trail by 7:30 am, so was happy about that. One of the interesting things in this area, is the Pine Creek tungsten mine/mill. During the second world war, this was the largest tungsten mining operation in the country. Now, with the coming demise of incandescent light bulbs, the place has shut down, and it appears that it is being dismantled.

Pine Creek Tungsten Mine

The hardest part of this trail is actually an old mining road. It’s very rocky and is sometimes akin to walking on ball bearings. Once in a while you get a little shade from a Sierra Juniper or two, but for the most part it’s pretty warm. In this section there are the remnants of an old abandoned brownstone mining operation. After a couple of miles, the route leaves the road and hits a real trail. The trail walks next to Pine Creek falls, which was really spectacular with the heavier than usual snow melt this year. With the late snow melt also came mosquitos, and they were out in droves.

Pine Creek

After four-and-a-half miles of hiking with 2500 vertical feet gain, one arrives at Pine Lake, a gorgeous spot surrounded by granite cliffs and peaks, fed by two spectacular waterfalls. I decided that this would be a great place to spend a couple of days, so spent an hour or so searching for a good campsite. I found an sweet site on top of a rocky bluff jutting out into the lake, and claimed it for my own. I spent the rest of the day lounging around and listening to music, and generally doing nothing. It was a perfect mountain day. I would have Pine Lake to myself for my entire time there.

I had decided to stay at Pine Lake, but thought I’d day-hike further up the Pine Creek drainage to Honeymoon Lake. I hit the trail with nothing more than a water bottle, some snacks, and a hiking pole, and went for a walk. I arrived at Upper Pine Lake, which is a bit smaller than the lower lake. I noticed as I got past 10,000′ that the mosquitoes were becoming thicker and thicker. And the fact that I had DEET all over me didn’t seem to concern them at all. But the time I got to Honeymoon Lake, they were so thick I had to stop taking photos and just keep moving! I would love to explore this area further when I have more time. It was really stunningly beautiful, and not really as crowded as many areas of the Eastern Sierra I’ve visited. I returned to spend the rest of the day being lazy and generally doing nothing.

Awesome campsite

I needed to get back to Sacramento, so had to cut my trip short by a day. I hiked back down to the trailhead in the heat of the afternoon sun, and headed back to Bishop for a shower and cold brew.

All in all, a great trip, and I’ll return to Pine Creek another time for more exploring.

Gear list, for all you gearheads out there:

Osprey Aether 60 backpack
Marmot Mesh Bivy tent
MontBell UL Super-stretch down sleeping bag
Big Agnes insulated Air Core mattress
Z-rest sit pad
Feathered Friends Geoduck down pillow
Bear Vault food storage canister
MSR Superfly stove/primus kettle
Black Diamond Alpine carbon fiber poles
Vasque Breeze LT GTX boots
Ibex merino wool t-shirt
Smartwool l/s zip-T
Mountain Hardwear hiking shorts
ArcTeryx Rampart pants
Cloudveil wind shell
MontBell UL Down Inner Jacket
Cloudveil Four Shadow beanie
Outdoor Research Helios hat
Point 6 mid-cut hiking socks
Smartwool merino-blend lightweight gloves

Click here for complete photos

NorCal AIDS Cycle 2011

After months of training and fund-raising, crashing, ice packs, and planning, the NorCal AIDS Cycle was here!

My with my bff's Julie & Jane Anne

Day 1 – Thursday, May 12 (Folsom Lake to Gridley/97 miles) I’d set my alarm for 5:00 am, as we had to gather at Beals Point for the start of the ride at 6:15 am. Truth is, I didn’t need the alarm. I’d been awake for sometime before that, so hauled myself out of bed, pulled on my cycling kit, and stumbled into the kitchen to get the coffee on. As I got everything packed into the car, JoAnn and Justine got up too, and we drove out to Beals for the start of the ride.

When we arrived, it was a beehive of activity. Trucks being loaded… cyclists nervously chatting away and trying to stay warm… photos being taken… and television crews taking it all in. Though I had met a few of the people before, most were new to me, but would become friends as the days went on.

Finally at 7 am, we clipped into our pedals and were off. Starting with a chilly and hilly ride through Granite Bay, we made our way to the first rest stop at the old Fruitvale Schoolhouse in Lincoln. 22 miles down, 308 to go! We continued north past the Camp Far West reservoir, skirted the southern end of Beale AFB, and on through to Marysville for our lunch stop. I haven’t been to Marysville in quite a few years, and it has become a very weary looking town. After lunch we continued to travel north towards the towns of Live Oak and Gridley. That was where the first flat tire happened. I had a spare tube in my seat bag, and a couple of other riders stopped to keep me company as I changed the tire. I was a little concerned about the spare though… it already had a patch on it, and its adhesion looked a little dubious, but it seemed to hold air, so I continued on.

We stopped at the Live Oak Community center for our final rest stop of the day… hydrating with cold drinks, and taking in precious carbs for the last 18 miles of the day. When I came out to my bike, I noticed that the rear tire was flat, and it was obvious that patch wasn’t holding. A SAG driver called for the bike tech to come and bring me a new tube, which he did, but it was about a 45 minute wait. Whit changed the tire in a flash, and I was off, the last rider on the road.

I tore it up for that last segment, “time-trialing” the last 18 miles in a little over an hour. I was leapfrogged all the way back by one of our SAG vehicles (big thanks to Michael and Luis for watching out for me), and arrived at the Butte County Fairgrounds to thunderous cheers. I was told that I got the “caboose” award for the day. In the Tour de France, they call it the “Lantern Rouge,” the red jersey given to the last rider who perseveres to the end, knowing he’s in last place.

A (cold) shower and tasty dinner awaited… and sleep came quickly.

Sierracanon and The Red Baron

Day 2 – Friday the 13th (Gridley to Colusa/93 miles) With a 7:00 am start time each day, there was no sleeping in. My alarm went off at 5:30, and I got up and dressed, had coffee/breakfast, and finished packing. From Gridley we headed further north towards our first rest stop in Oroville. Early in the ride, a female rider pulled up behind me… “I don’t know who you are ahead of me, but you have the most beautiful calves….” It was the highlight of my day. Today was also Hawaiian Day… people were dressed up in all kinds of whacky outfits in remembrance of those we’ve lost to AIDS.

I had a minor fall, trying to clip into my pedals on a hill leaving Oroville, and twisted my back in the process. It bothered me a bit during the rest of the day (but came back with a vengeance after the ride was over).

The rest of the morning was great, scenic riding (the Sutter Buttes were close by throughout the day) as we headed north then east to our lunch stop at the Durham Community Park. I have to say… the meals on this trip were really excellent, and the salads we had for lunches were outstanding. After lunch, the route switched southwards as we made our way to Colusa. This was the most difficult part of the ride, as there was a stiff headwind coming from the south throughout the afternoon. The roads were pancake flat and arrow straight, and there was little relief from the relentless headwinds. The big toe on my left foot was having a lot of pain, and I realized that I had been unconsciously clenching my toes in an effort to fight the wind. That toe pain would continue to bother me the rest of the afternoon.

At this point I started thinking “what the heck am I doing out here??” All the self-doubt started to creep in. I was thinking “I’m not having a good time right now… I could just wave down a SAG vehicle and get a lift the rest of the way” (several riders had already done that). Then another little voice started whispering in my ear… “Go, Dewi, Go.” Ken was urging me on, and I remembered why I was doing this.

That evening as we relaxed at Colusa High School, I thought about the challenges I had on the ride that day, and I started to see it as a (very)small scale metaphor for the struggle someone with HIV/AIDS faces every day. Some days are better than others. Some days life is beautiful, and some days it’s a struggle to just get through. But life is worth living and sometimes you have to keep pedaling through the pain and difficulty to see those beautiful moments. I crawled into my sleeping bag that night with a renewed respect for those who struggle with this disease every day.

Day 3 – Saturday, May 14 (Colusa to Woodland/88 miles) Word on the street was that day 3 was by far, the most beautiful part of the ride. But the “seven-mile hill” was talked about in hushed tones… something we had to surmount before the beautiful part started. From Colusa we rode through Williams to the first rest stop. A number of riders were opting not to do “the hill,” but taking SAG down to the junction with highway 16. But I have no common sense so continued forward.

“The hill” wasn’t particularly steep, but the first section was narrow and winding, and there was a fair amount of traffic on a Saturday morning. And of course, that lovely headwind was blowing right down the hill, which made it seem much harder than it would’ve been. Climb it, I did… but I had stop to catch my breath several times. Once at the top, a exciting/scary/speedy downhill takes one to the junction with highway 16. Riding through this section was exceedingly enjoyable. It was mostly downhill, with some rollers… gorgeous scenery… much cooler than the previous days… and the best day of riding for me.

We pulled into Pioneer High School in Woodland for our last evening. What a fabulous campus. We had another tasty dinner… and a fabulous drag-queen show for entertainment. The prediction was for rain that evening, and the forecast was not left lacking.

Day 4 – Sunday, May 15 (Woodland-Winters-Davis-Sacramento/50 miles) Though it had rained during the night, it was fairly dry when we got up in the morning. Our real hope was that the weather would hold until our ride finished at the state capitol. Little did we know.,,

Since we were on a schedule for our finish at the Capitol at noon, the first group of us got an early start. As we headed towards Winters, a large rainbow appeared on the horizon. Ken was saying hello and urging me on to the finish. The weather was damp but not bad for our first rest stop with a little coffee from Steady Eddies in Winters. It rained a bit between Winters and Davis, then the fun began…

Riders on the storm

Literally as I pulled out of the Davis rest stop, the hail started falling. By the time our little group got to Mace Boulevard, the hail/lightning/thunder had reached biblical proportions. As I approached the Yolo Causeway, I was soaked through and cold, visibility was almost nil, and I couldn’t see the pavement. When a SAG vehicle pulled up next to me and offered a ride, I eagerly accepted.

The gracious folks at the Crocker Art Museum gave us a warm, dry room to gather and have some coffee and food, before we began the last stage of our ride. The weather started to clear as we lined up for our procession to the State Capitol, our moto crew leading the way. This was the most emotional part for me as we approached the Capitol building together, we lined up on the steps, and the sun came out. We’d done it together as a team, and raised a lot of money in the process.

Closing ceremony at the State Capitol

Thank yous: I have many many people to thank. First of all, to all of the people who supported me financially in this endeavor. As of this date I raised $4440, and all of the riders and crew raised a record total in excess of a quarter-of-a-million dollars. Thanks also to the awesome moto crew for keeping us on track… the SAG crew… medical crew… and everyone who kept an eye out for us. To my fellow riders for your companionship, encouragement, and friendship over 330 miles, which I’ll never forget. To my friends Julie and Jane Anne who talked me into doing it. And to Ken, in whose memory I rode. And especially to my wife JoAnn and my family for their loving support.

Complete updated photo album here!

Down to the wire

Down to the wire

It’s hard to believe that the NorCal AIDS Cycle challenge is right around the corner. It seems like it wasn’t that long ago that I decided to do the ride, and suddenly it’s here! Monday will be my last opportunity for a real training ride, and then I have to start thinking about packing for the four day event.

There have been a number of very rewarding things about this challenge already. My fund-raising has exceeded my expectations, having surpassed my ultimate goal of reaching $4,000. And even more exciting, all of the riders combined have broken the $200,000 mark, which makes this the best year since the ride was started seven years ago. The support I have received from my family and friends has been truly gratifying, and I’ve made some awesome new friends in preparing for this endeavor.

On Thursday morning, the riders and support crew will gather at Beals Point on Folsom Lake, to begin our journey. The first day we’ll travel through the foothills through Loomis, and Lincoln, spending our first night camped at the Butte County fairgrounds in Gridley. The second day takes us up through Durham and Oroville, before finishing the day in Colusa. The third day takes us out of the valley and along Cache Creek, finishing up in Woodland. And we finish with the shortest day of the ride as we cruise into the State Capitol… happy and exhausted, I’m sure! I hope many of you will be able to attend the closing ceremony at the State Capitol on Sunday at 12:30 pm.

For daily updates on the ride, you can follow me on Twitter… @sierracanon

To ALL of you who have given your financial support in this adventure, I give a unreserved “thank you.” Raising money for this great cause is what it’s all about. For those of you who have intended to donate, but haven’t gotten around to it… it’s not too late, but the time is now!

Finally, I would ask you to keep all of us in your prayers, for safe travel, and for the strength to face each challenge.

As you all know, I am riding in memory of our friend Ken Piercy. Ken was well loved by so many, and I would guess that half of the financial support I received was in honor, support, or memory of him. Ken always used to call me by my Welsh name… and I’m sure when I’m getting tired and thinking I want to quit, I’ll hear his voice in my ear… “Go, Dewi, go…”

To make a donation to my NCAC fund, click here!

Ken

Those of you who’ve been following my preparations for the NorCal AIDS Cycle, have heard me talk about my friend Ken, who’d been HIV+ for twenty years. Ken finally succumbed to AIDS just a couple of weeks ago.

Ken showed up at Trinity Cathedral around fifteen years ago. He’d been a member of the choir at St Pauls Cathedral in San Diego, and had starting attending Trinity Cathedral. He was interested in joining our Cathedral Choir… he auditioned for me, and was welcomed into the choir.

Ken thought it very important right from the first, that I and the members of the choir know that he was HIV+. I was a little taken aback… he was the first person I’d met who had it, and there was still a lot of misinformation about AIDS out there. But his genuineness and warmth won members of the choir over. He was always unapologetic about who he was, but was never obnoxious about it.

He was a active participant in the Trinity Cathedral Choir for over ten years, and traveled to England with us three times to sing in England’s great Cathedrals including Canterbury Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.

Jill with her "Fairy Godfather," Ken at Westminster Abbey

Ken always said “I am the face of AIDS,” and the contributions he made to education and awareness of HIV/AIDS were exceptional. He helped to start the AIDS Interfaith Network, which provided support to faith communities grappling with this issue. In particular, he was active in the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California through the HIV/AIDS commission, and travelled all over the North state educating folks about HIV, and the challenges faced by those who suffer from it.

His warm and loving personality put a “face” on the disease, and changed the attitudes and preconceptions of many people.

His own personal health gave him challenges through the years. The meds would stop working… he’d get sick… and then something new would come up, and he would rally and be back with us. Late last year, Ken became sick again. He seemed to have decided not to fight the disease any more, and had stopped taking his meds. After having spent a lot of time at the VA hospital in Martinez, he was moved back to Sacramento, where he could be surrounded by the many friends he had here. The countless people who visited him during his last few weeks, are a testament to how deeply he was cared about and loved by so many people. On April 10, 2011, Ken joined a new choir as he passed into new life.

Ken’s grace and deep Christian faith, shone through every day of his life… in his good days and bad days. His memorial service will be held at Trinity Cathedral on May 18th, and I have no doubt that there will be a packed house to say farewell to him.

Early this year, as I was trying to decide if I could do the NorCal AIDS Cycle, it was my friendship with Ken that finally convinced me to do the ride. I had decided that I would ride in his honor. But now, I ride in his memory. I have been overwhelmed with the countless people who have sponsored my participation in the AIDS Cycle in Ken’s honor and memory. My friend, I’ll be thinking of you every day that I ride.

To donate to the NorCal AIDS Cycle in memory of Ken Piercy, click here. Thank you.

There is a green hill, far away

Most days, I consider myself to be a reasonably fit cyclist. But I find myself increasingly going out of my way to avoid steep climbs. And I know that one of the reasons that climbing is so hard for me, is that I am twenty-five pounds heavier than I ought to be. So even with a carbon über-bike, it’s still hard climbing those hills.

But with the NorCal AIDS Cycle just five weeks away, I knew I was going to have to work to overcome that problem. With that in mind, last Saturday I drove out to Winters, to do a loop ride which takes in the steep Cantelow Road climb, famous amongst Solano County riders.

I arrived at the awesome Steady Eddies coffee house in Winters, and things were humming. It’s a definite cyclist hangout. It was a gorgeous morning, and and everything is very green. The route runs alongside I-505 for a bit, then heads up into the hills for the climbing part. This is called the “Three Hills Loop,” and the first hill was Gibson Canyon Road, a fairly gentle climb to get the heart rate going. The biggest climb though is Cantelow Road, well known among the cycling locals. It was steep, but fairly manageable, and just the right amount of conditioning that I needed at this point. Once you head over the top, it’s a steep/thrilling/scary descent to Pleasants Valley Road. The ride finishes with a pleasant cruise back to Winters on Putah Creek Road.

This is a great ride, and I’m happy to send the map/route sheet for anyone who wants to try it. Most of the roads are fairly traffic free, and the motorists who are there, are used to cyclists and give us a wide berth for the most part. And a tasty panini sandwich at Steady Eddies is the perfect end to a great ride.

Most of you know that I have been riding in honor of my friend Ken, who has lived with HIV for over twenty years. Last night, Ken finally succumbed to the disease, and joined the angels in heaven. Ken was quite a guy… unapologetic about who he was, but never obnoxious about it. He helped to form a Diocesan HIV/AIDS commission, and traveled the diocese educating folks about this disease. His contribution was very significant. He had also been a member of the Cathedral Choir for many years, and was a part of our last tour of England. Several years ago, he gave me a piece of paper with all of the music for his memorial service on it. I expect his memorial service will be in mid-May.

Monday bad-news update: While out on my training ride today, I took a significant spill right outside the CSUS Aquatic Center. I have a little road rash… my helmet did its job… but I landed on my right hip/buttock, and am having a lot of pain. Went out to Kaiser for x-rays, but my doctor thinks that there is nothing broken, since I insisted on riding the last fifteen miles back to my car. This won’t help my training, OR my work during Holy Week at the Cathedral. Pray for quick healing!

Please support me in my quest to raise funds for AIDS related services in Northern California!

NorCal AIDS cycle weekly update

The sun is out, and The Red Baron and I are seriously into training mode! After weeks of soggy weather, I’ve managed to make it out of the gym and onto the bike. This is great news… with only six weeks until the ride, I still have lots of work to do.

Monday I rode out from Freeport through Clarksburg, and then onto some back road through the vineyards. It was a stunningly beautiful day, and virtually no traffic once you get off of River Road. It was a great re-start to my training.

On the fund-raising front, I just passed my fund raising goal of $3,000!! This is great news, and a huge thank you to all who have shown your support. I’m happy to continue to accept donations however, the goal being to raise as much money as possible to support these worthy agencies.

Now maybe spending four days travelling through Northern California raising funds for HIV/AIDS related services has some appeal to you. But spending it on a bicycle doesn’t. The NCAC is always looking for volunteers to help with SAG, camping, and more during the ride. If that sounds like something you’d be interested in doing, and have four days available from May 12-15, contact Heather Rowan at NCAC for more details. heatherforncac@gmail.com

For those who have followed my friend Ken, to whom I am dedicating this ride… he is now very sick, and hospice care is to start soon. I have the feeling I’ll be doing this ride in his memory.

Ok… back to my training!