Ellen Dowd

I lost my brother Rick to AIDS in 1984. Several years later my friend Cynthia Ribiero participated in the San Francisco to LA CA Aids Ride, and I drove up to Century Blvd to welcome the group into Los Angeles. The experience of seeing over 2,000 tired and sweaty people exuding such love and excitement planted the seed in my head that some day, there might be an outside chance that I could possibly think about making the 7-day bicycle trek. Maybe. I did my first AIDS RIDE as a present to myself for my 50th birthday, and fulfilled a 10-year old goal. Training with Team OC enabled me to complete every mile on my very first ride. And beyond the training, thecamaraderie got me up hills, and back on my bike when I was too tired, or too sore, or it was the last thing I wanted to do. As an added bonus, several individuals from Team OC have evolved into full-fledged friends! I'm convinced I would never have done the ride on my own...the fact that I have done the ride three years in a row is a tribute to Jim Toledano and Team OC.

Beverly Oden

I rode my first AIDS/LifeCycle in 2003 at the suggestion of a co-worker. I thought it would be one-time thing, but by the end of The Ride I was hooked on cycling. I ride because AIDS is still spreading at a rapid rate in the African and African American communities and I wanted to bring awareness to that fact. I also ride for the challenge. What a great accomplishment it is to ride a bicycle all the way from San Francisco to Los Angeles. And who knew it would also be such a great time! I now have four AIDS/Lifecycles under my belt and in 2006 I shot a feature documentary on Team OC's experience training for he ride called "Diary of a Rider." This is my second year as a TRL and this year I will serve as Team OC's route coordinator. It is a pleasure for me to help new riders to ready themselves for this amazing experience. See you out there!

James Ferguson

ALC7 will be my second ride with the organization and I don't think it is possible to be more excited. My first experience was exciting for many reasons: I met my wonderful partner David Mershimer during training and grew to love him during the process, I met the most wonderful people on Team OC, and I learned what it means to be on a team who truly cares about one another. I am so happy to be a part of Team OC as a TRL so that I can help others reach their goals as riders. As a Board Member of the Positive Pedalers, I am also able to participate in ALC on another level with other HIV+ members. Check out the PosPeds website at www.pospeds.org for more information about this amazing group of people.

David Mershimer

Hello, my name is David Mershimer and I've been riding with Team OC since December 2005. My partner, James Ferguson, introduced me to Team OC and Aids/LifeCycle. We completed our first ride in June 2006. It was an over-the-top experience. It was so much more than I had imagined, and in a good way. The ride itself was not as difficult as I had imagined and that is only because of the incredible training that's offered by Team OC. I wanted to play a larger role with Team OC and hopefully inspire others to ride and that's how I became a training ride leader (TRL).

Heather Hargis

Hello, I am Heather Hargis, one-time ALC roadie, three-time ALC rider. Ten years ago, my dad introduced me to the California AIDS ride when he rode on a recumbent believing that no one should have to suffer from this disease. Five years ago, my husband signed up and rode. After meeting the amazing Team OC members and ALC riders, I was hooked and began training. My first year, I was a roadie, serving hot meals of breakfast and dinner to my heroes, the riders. The next year, I rode my first ride and have continued riding the past two years. I started out having never been athletic or active. I have lost about fifty pounds and now choose a healthier lifestyle. I have accomplished more than I could have ever imagined. This ride has boosted my self-confidence and improved my ability to navigate my life on and off the bike. I ride for friends I know today, those who have been lost and to raise awareness for future prevention. Welcome to Team OC, we are a diverse group with much knowledge and great memories of being a newbie.

Eric Hargis

When I was 13, Ryan White died. When I was 16, I got my first HIV test. Although HIV/AIDS has not taken a loved one from me, I have felt a personal experience with the disease. I remember when I was in grade school and people thought it was possible to get it from the water fountain. It was scary. I remember the first time I saw the AIDS quilt and I understood the magnitude of our loss. In recent years I have seen HIV/AIDS get less and less media attention. The young adults I meet today do not identify with the disease and do not understand the risks they face. I started doing the AIDS/LifeCycle to help those who need treatment they cannot afford, and to bring as much awareness as possible to those who are not yet infected. I would love to see a cure, but in the meantime, I want to see the new infections stopped. The AIDS/LifeCycle is a beautiful event with wonderful people. When I started I weighed 290 pounds and had bad asthma. If I could do it, anybody can!

Bruce Dennis

I lost my sister Kathy to AIDS in 1994. Ten years later to honor her memory, as well as to repay all those who who helped her, I did my first AIDS LifeCycle in 2004. Like many participants I thought that doing this ride would be a one and done event. I was so wrong. I have now done three ALC rides and I am now in my third year as a training ride leader. Making people believe that they can do this ride is where I get the biggest sense of satisfaction that I get out of the process. One need not look like Lance Armstrong to do this ride, one need only commit to the training. Do this and I promise the memory of a life time.

Eric Ducat

I have been riding for about 7 years and the biggest event I ever did was a few century rides. I was pretty happy about just riding 100 miles in 1 day. I had met some people who had done ALC 1 and I thought I could never do it. Then a friend convinced me to participate. I had not a clue as to how to ride for 7 days straight or that I could raise so much money. After the Kick-Off Ride, I met up with Team OC and some of the members became my closest friends. I never thought I would meet anyone nicer, and then you get to the event. During the event I met so many wonderful people that had come together for a great cause. I had the time of my life, and although I did not want to use a port-a-potty again I did not want the week to end. This is what sold me on signing up again (I hadn’t even completed my first ride). This will now be my third ALC and I cannot wait for it to start. See you on the road.

Corinne Puga

Doing the Aids ride was always something I wanted to do, but did nothingabout it. I did not think I could ever do such a ride, or commit the time or energy.

I started training with Team OC in 2003, for my first ALC ride. I learned with the help of Team OC how to clip in and clip out, learned new words like goo, granny gear, bonk, cadence and CARBON FIBER. I would not have been prepared for the ride had I trained alone. Team OC has been more than just a Team, a circle of friends, a small family who look out for one another.

I learned that I get such a kick out of guiding the "Newbies", helping change a tire of just to be there to see the smiles as they conquer a hill climb and of course the down hill!

I ride for awareness, I ride in tribute to family and friends, and to the voices and faces I do not see, or will not know.