AIDS/LifeCycle pack rolls through

Bicyclists pedal over the Pajaro River Monday morning on their way to Los Angeles from San Francisco during the annual Aids/LifeCycle ride. (Photos by Tarmo Hannula).

WATSONVILLE — About 2,300 bicyclists rolled through Santa Cruz County Sunday and Monday on a 545-mile trek from San Francisco to Los Angeles on the AIDS/LifeCycle ride.

The seven-day journey raises money and awareness for the HIV and AIDS services of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. This marks the 11th year for AIDS/LifeCycle and the nineteenth for the event overall. Participants raised more than $12.6 million this year. Cyclists pledge to raise at least $3,000 each for the cause in advance of the ride, which concludes on Saturday in Los Angeles during that city's annual LGBT Pride festivities.

Tigr Mennett of San Francisco, who is riding for her fifth year in the event, said, “I have been affected in my life by people who have had HIV/Aids. Some of those people have died and some who are still living. But the care and the work that these organizations do for people now today — if it had been there 20 years ago I wouldn’t have lost my friends.”

For the complete article see the 06-05-2012 issue.

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