Day 2, June 6, 2016, 109 Miles, Santa Cruz to King City

Day 2 is the longest day of the ride. We started out with drizzle but the day ended with sun as we headed inland. The winds are always very strong and not always behind us.

This is Herb posing in front of one of the many vineyards we passed.

During the day we were treated to scents of garlic, strawberries, onions and views of cauliflower, kale, artichokes, lettuce and more.

There is a toilet stop at Pezzani Market where cyclists often purchase artichoke delicacies. This is a grilled artichoke with garlic alioli

Jan and Tom, with Coney, the safety mascot, at the lunch stop.

Tom and Emilia finishing their lunch in Salinas. Boudin Bakery makes the lunches fresh each day and drives them to our spots in refrigerated trucks.

During the afternoon we had a nice tail wind and stunning views along highway 1.

Cookie Lady, brings hundreds of home baked cookies to the Otter Pop stop, where cyclists devour both, hosted by "bears" in tutus swirling flags.

This bridge crosses a small river where cyclists sometimes take a dip to cool off.

When someone needs a boost to the next stop, for medical or mechanical reasons, a themed sweep vehicle picks them up. This is the Oz sweep.

We all rode strong. One of our long time team riders completed Day 2 for the first time.

Day One - Cow Palace, Daly City to Santa Cruz.

Day one starts with an opening ceremony at 6:00am at the Cow Palace. The CEOs of the San Franciso AIDS Foundation and LA LGBT Center announce the money raised so far this year. A parade of flags is carried in with a riderless bicycle representing all those lost to AIDS and HIV. Everyone is reminded to take care of each other and be safe. It is a very emotional start to the week.

This year, as of ride out $16,139,537.00 was raised by 2500 cyclists and 600 volunteers.

We always see really strange and odd "stuff".

Some of the fun of the ride is the craziness with cheerleaders along the roads. This was the only one dressed as an actual cheerleader. Some supporters dress in costumes, but many are ordinary people thanking us for what we are doing. This was taken by a lighthouse on highway 1, beautiful scenery all day.

This is camp. Bike parking, tents and port-a-potties in the background. In the forefront, what looks like 3 giant blue cups, are water dispensers, or water monsters. They are located throughout camp and all the rest stops. We are constantly filling our water bottles from them. They are less expensive and more environmentally sound than gallon jugs.

This is the nightly news in the super large dining tent. Lights out is 9:30.

Day Zero at the Cow Palace - 545 miles here we come

(back) Letitia, Emilia, Giancarlo, Herb, Steven
(front) Jan, Larry, David

Today we dropped our bicycles off at the Cow Palace. We waited in our first line of the week, watched the orientation video, think SAFETY, in the biggest way possible. Picked up our wrist bands and ID tags for the week, and tried to gather for a photo. We weren't all there at the same time, so we aren't all in the photo. We are missing, Jim, John, Rick and Tom. You will see photos of them during the week.
Thank you for watching us on our journey.

Short Team Ride before the Long Team Ride

Not all the team could make it, we are spread out throughout the PG&E system, but our group had a fun, 30ish, flattish, ride this hot afternoon. We rode through San Ramon to Livermore and back through Pleasanton and Dublin. Then bonded over food and planning for our big week. It was a nice taper down since most of us have been doing 100 milers the last couple of weekends.

100 mile day - getting ready for Day 2 of AIDS/LifeCycle

Jason, Giancarlo, Jan & David

Todays ride started and ended in Sunnyvale and took us through Gilroy and along the Uvas Reservoir. Head winds were strong all afternoon but we finished smiling and sunburn free.

Jason and Jan climbing

After the 100 miles, so proud of Giancarlo, his farthest ride ever and 1st century.

Gianni's benefit dinner for the PG&E Power Pedalers

Thank you to all the volunteers and Gianni's and especially the generous diners for making our fundraiser such a huge success.

August Training ride to Lineman Rodeo in Livermore

Free lunch and lots of exciting competitions going on all around us.  This was our 1/2 way point on our 40 mile ride Saturday.  The hurt-man rescue involves, a timed competition on energized lines, to rescue an unconcsious body.  It's never to soon to start training for the 2016 AIDS/LifeCycle ride.