And, a grand day it was . . . the wise, the pretty, the glamorous, the fat, the thin, the not so thin, and people of all sexual orientations gathered for “a Race, Bar Crawl, Costume Extravaganza, Raffle and Fundraiser benefiting AIDSLifecycle Bike Riders in need of donations to reach the minimum on registration day – Tour De Castro.

Each team was given a tricycle with the opportunity to win “best dressed Trike”. And then, at five minute intervals, they proceeded on a bar crawl.

Here’s the route:

• 1. Start at 16th & Noe Streets.
  2. Go to The Metro and receive bar sticker from non.
  3. Leave The Metro and cross 15th Street continuing allong Market St. Go one block to Castro St.
  4. Cross Castro Str. Turn Left. Cross Market St. continue along Castro.
  5. Stop at 440 Castro and receive drink sticker from Nun.
  6. Leave 440 and continue south on Castro towards 18th St.
  7. Cross 18th Str. Enter Harvey’s and get that drink sticker. Get back o the trike.
  8. Continue east along 18th and cross Castro St. Turn left. Cross 18th St.
  9. Turn right on 18th and continue east to The Mix. Get your drink sticker.
  10. Continue east on 18th Str. to Hartford. Turn right and cross 18th.
  11. Take and immediate left and cross Hartford. Enter Moby Dick’s for another drink sticker.
  12. Back in the saddle, you will continue east along 18th St. and cross Noe St.
  13. Turn left and cross 18th St. continuing north along Noe Str. Cross 17th St.
  14. Continue on orth along Noe St. to 16th Str. Cross 16th St. then turn left and cross Market St.
  15. Enter Cafe Flore and receive your final Drink sticker. Get back on the trike.
  16. Hurry to the finish line!
  17. Return your numbers and completed verification card to the registration table.
  18. Now have a cocktail and wait to see who wins!

Here’s the “Best of Show:“

After leaving the Tour De Castro, I went for bike ride through Golden Gate Park. And, as I road through the park, I witnessed the very tail end of the American Cancer Society’s – “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” – Breast Cancer Walk. And I reflected on my experiences during the AIDSLifeCycle Events.

I remembered: the sense of completion, the feeling of exhaustion, the questions of “where do I go from here,” and the thoughts of “how to explain what one has experience physically, and emotionally” after completing a charity event. . . .

And then, I remembered the importance of letting someone know that you understand and support what they are doing. So. . I approached an American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Walk Participant and offered a hug.

I told her, “I understand what you’ve been through. And, I appreciate what you’re doing.”
She told me, “You’ve brightened my day.”

And I told her, “No – you have brightened ‘my’ day . . “

And a wonderful day it was …

Related AIDSLifecycle Links:

• New – San Francisco speaks about AIDSLifecycle
• An Invitation to Oprah Winfrey
• Iyengar yoga Teacher cycles 575 miles – AIDSLifecycle 2009
• Ivengar Yoga Teacher cycles 575 miles – AIDSLifecycle 2008
• Ivengar Yoga Teacher cycles 575 miles – AIDSLifecycle 2007
• Ivengar Yoga Teacher cycles 575 miles – AIDSLifecycle 2006
• Ivengar Yoga Teacher cycles 575 miles – AIDSLifecycle 2005