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2500 riders, 500 roadies, 545 miles, 7 days, 1 goal, we made it, together we raised over $11.6 million to help end AIDS! (this record breaking number making ALC the largest amount money raised event for HIV/AIDS) That's right, I just completed AIDS/LifeCycle 7, my third ride. Despite 2 flats over the 7-day period, I rode every single mile from San Francisco to Los Angeles, with my own power (and your support of course). Personally I've risen over $6000 this year (you still can make online donation via my homepage). I could have not done this without your financially and emotionally supports. I want to share this success with all of you. THANK YOU.This year 2500 cyclists from 12 countries, 42 states participated in ALC 7, the youngest ride was 18 and the oldest was 81, so if you think you were too young or too old to ride, think again. 500 people already registered in camp for ALC 8, which will be held May 31-June 6, 2009. Please check out www.aidslifecycle.org for more details, if you're interested in participating, either as cyclist or roadie, please let me know.Just thought you like to know some fun facts, we rode through 55 towns/jurisdictions in 8 counties; drank 420 gallons of coffee, 660 gallons of milk, 16,800 gallons of water; ate 125 cases of bananas, 44,600 eggs, 1,200 lbs. of pasta, 4,400 lbs. of chicken, 6,200 lbs. of vegetables; used 1,055 portable toilets, 1,640 sleeping tents, 18,000 packages of "butt balm."
25 miles on the 25th. That's my final organize training ride and I felt great.
After a nearly 18-hour flight and a nice 7-hour sleep, I woke up at 5a.m. Sunday morning. While dealing with jet lag and adjusting to "new" time, I managed to finish the 25 miles ride from the Rose Bowl. Co-TRLs Pedro and Eric were there to lead the group of seven; Tommy who was unable to ride showed up with donuts and coffee to cheer us up; Fiona was out town for the long weekend.
AIDS/LifeCycle 7 is now only a week away, can you believe it? I have not been doing any serious training ride while I was gone for 3 weeks, I wasn't sure if I am ready for the Ride, but after this 25-mile ride, I felt great at the end. I will be shipping
Dragon (to San Francisco) on either Tuesday or Wednesday. I will fly to SF on Friday (30th) and all of us have to attend Orientation Day (known as Day-0) on Saturday (31st).
A few notes for all:
Fundraising
To date I've raised over $5000, still $3000 short from my goal. The deadline to mail in checks has passed, unless you can give me the check in person where I will bring it to orientation day on May 30th. However, online donation can be made through May 28th, so please sponsor me by donating any amount you can. My homepage is www.aidslifecycle.org/2602. (Thanks everyone who have donated and supported this great cause.)
Message of support
Beginning June 1st you can send your message of support via
http://experience.aidslifecycle.org/2008/support, I will be able to check them in the evening once I get into camp.
Gabcast
Want to hear the latest news from the road? While I'm riding down the California coast, I will try to record voice messages every day and you can hear them on my homepage (www.aidslifecycle.org/2602).
Closing ceremony
Everyone is invited! The closing ceremony for ALC 7 is scheduled for 4pm on June 7th (Saturday) at the Veteran's Administrative Center (11301 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025, near UCLA). Parking available on site, $8 per vehicle. Please car-pool (financially and environmental friendly) and come welcome home 2500 riders and 500 roadies.
Apa Khabar? (what's new in Malay)
That's right, I'm writing to you from an internet cafe at my hometown.
It has been 5 years since I last visited my family and friends. It's nice to be home again, many things have changed, in a good way. I'm still trying to get use to the hot and humid weather, and driving on the left hand side!! I spent most of my time with my parents, besides that also making time for old friends, old colleagues, so many gatherings in town.
I visited Taipei for 2 days before coming back to Malaysia. My ex-colleague showed me around town and I loved their night markets. Foods are amazing, the only regret was I didn't have a bigger stomach for all the food.
The journey for food continue in Malaysia. A lot of local food, such as the coconut milk rice Nasi Lemak, Fish Head Rice Noodles, Fried Noodles, and our national fruit Durian! (Just to name a few)
Will meet more friends and family members in the next 2 weeks before I head back to LA. I will try to post photos whenever I have a chance.
While the training is temporary suspended, I hope that doesn't stop you from sponsoring my ride, which is only 3 weeks away!! Any amount is greatly appreciated. Please visit my homepage www.aidslifecycle.org/2602 for online updates and donation.
Greeting From Malaysia!
It’s the end of training season and I lost 10 lbs after riding 74 miles under nearly hundred degree heat wave on Saturday! Oh yea, by the time you read this email, it’s my birthday!
I think the hot weather on this past weekend was beyond words can describe, you wouldn't know it unless you were under the sun for 7 hours like us. While most of you staying indoor with ac on, I continue riding my bike, hoping to put in more miles before the end of training season.
Saturday and Sunday was this year’s popular Santa Barbara ride, a lot of riders and training ride leaders participated in that event. I did it for the last two years but decided not to this year. So I end up leading a ride from the Rose Bowl, together with co-TRLs Pedro, Fiona and Alan, Steve, Mark & Alison who were also in town. To my surprised, we were the ONLY training ride in LA on that day, so I got over 30 RSVPs for the ride, the biggest ever turn out in our area.
We rode from Rose Bowl to the Claremont with 2 water stops at Goldstein’s Bagels and San Dimas Canyon Park before lunch in Claremont. It was really hot. By the time we made it to the half point, everyone was exhausted. No one could stand the heat. The fast riders turn around to complete the ride without stopping long, while I stayed with the slower rides at the back.
Third water stop was at Sierra Madre’s. That was when we came across all the fire engines rushing to the Santa Anita Canyon brush fire. We saw heavy smoke from the north. Our common goal was: get back to the Rose Bowl as soon as possible. However, our legs and bodies didn’t move as fast as we wish for.
About 10 of us at the last group decided to cut the ride short, skipping Altadena Drive climb, instead we took Orange Grove, the flat road. I was really tired because of the heat. After sending all the riders home, I drove home with empty-stomach, I was starved to dead.
When I got home, I weighted myself. I lost 10 lbs from this heat-ride. While it seems like the “biggest loser” I was more worried about my body. I kept eating and drinking and decided to take a quit nap. I woke up later, probably around 8pm, and ate more. By the end of the day, I gained back 5 lbs.
Never had such an experience. It was tough, it was hot. Together with the 50-mile ride I did with Fiona on Friday, I put on 124 miles this past weekend. Oh yea, ALC 7 is 4 weeks away, why my training ends so early? That’s because I will be out of the country visiting my family in Malaysia for 3 weeks. I will be back a week before the Ride. I will not have access to road bike while I am abroad, however, will try to stay fit and try not to eat too much food that I dearly missed (I know it will be very hard).
Last but not least, I turn 32 today (Monday). I hope everyone is happy and healthy, I pray for world peace, and I look forward for your sponsorship. I will have limited computer access in the next 3 weeks, but will try to send out updates whenever I can. Take good care of yourself.
2 minimum goals met, the real challenge is still up.
Saturday was our “Day on The Ride” event, more than 400 riders showed up on the cloudy-overcast morning. DOTR let the riders, especially the newbies, experienced how the actual Ride would be, with fully support teams of pit stops, SAG vehicles, road signage and massage crews.
There were two routes to choose from, 40 miles and 80 miles. I chose 80 because I need the long distance training that I lacked so far in this training season. I rode with Suzann and George, another buddy Khoa is vacationing in South America (lucky him!). This was my 3rd DOTR and the route remained the same as previous years, from San Monica, we went down to PV and San Pedro.
I didn’t train as much compare with two previous years, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy and I was right. I was doing well for the first 40 miles, where we stopped for lunch. CLICK HERE to see my happy face.
I wasn’t sure if it was the food or just my body, the next 20 miles was a disaster. A simple climb seemed like a mission impossible, the rolling hills seemed like endless. Thank to the support from Suzann and George, I was able to hang on. I kept telling my “ride on your own pace…this is a ride not a race…take one mile at a time…” I was really glad to make it to the 4th pit stops. How hard was it for me? CLICK HERE to see my painful face.
After some rest and stretches, some food, I told myself it was not a time to quit, so we hit the road to complete the last 20 miles. Luckily this part of the route is mostly flat, about 8 miles on the bike path along the beach. With the help of tailwind, I paddled as fast as I could, overcoming the pain, both physically and mentally. We finished the ride before 4pm. Our event sponsor Bike Attack hosted after ride party at the parking lot, pizza and energy drinks never tasted so good before.
This was the longest distance training ride of this season. I did a 40 miles ride with co-TRLs Eric and Fiona on Friday. We were supposed to meet at 8am at the Arcadia Park, but I overslept! I was late for 45 minutes and so we had to cut the ride short.
On the fundraising part, it’s getting a little better, donations are coming in, thanks to those who made their contribution. I’m now officially meet the minimum goal which is $2500 for all riders, but still a distance behind my $8080.80 actual goal. I hope you, your family and friends will sponsor me, any amount welcome, and if you donate at least $100, you will get a donor t-shirt. I’ve ordered 50 of them, I love the new design and hope you will be one of the new owners to wear them.
So, 2 goals met: minimum fundraising goal, long distance ride goal. Yet the real challenge is riding 7 days in a row, plus raising more money to help fight AIDS.
Oh yea, some of you have been sending best wishes for Richard, our rider who fell of his bike last week. He had a C1 vertebrae fracture, plus 3-4 fractured ribs, however no head or spinal injury. He’s in good spirit and will get daily home therapy. We all wish him speed recovery.
