Day One Hundred Fifteen...

It is now 3:30 AM (OMG) and I am up and about to have my cup of coffee. I have to leave here in about an hour to get to the site of the TENTH ANNUAL HILL COUNTRY RIDE FOR AIDS. The ride begins and ends in Spicewood, Texas, and I guess there will be about 600 riders, and combine that with all the crew, volunteers and supporters, there will probably be at least 900 people there. I still have not decided how far I am going to ride, and it does not really matter at this point. I raised almost $2,000 towards my goal of $2,500, and I was a sponsor for the ride, so that is really the important thing. This is not about me or about riding any particular distance, it is about supporting those people in our community that are afflicted with a disease that robs them of their ability to do for themselves. The ride benefits several AIDS support services in and around Austin, and that is the important thing.

I am also feeling kind of sad this morning. Our little black cat (The Princess Kitty) has gone missing. She went outside yesterday morning before I left for work and has not been seen since. She was always kind of an adventurer, but we fear that something got her. Whatever it was, it was really quick, because she went out and that was it...no trace of her. I keep expecting her to pop up, and every time I see a shadow, I think it is her. I am sure I (we) will continue to search for a while, and I hope she shows back up, but I do not think it is a very good sign. She was a really sweet kitty, and I am sad.

Okay, here is the actual-factual. Last year before we (out of the blue) decided to buy this house, I had begun training for the Hill Country Ride for AIDS. Well, then life happened, and along the way, I did something to my knee and 'it just ain't right'. Well, to make a long story short, I decided to do the 'short ride' this morning (not that much different than the 'short bus' if you know what I mean. So, I was just a riding along, and really enjoying the ride, and kind of amazed that I was not having any knee issues. That did not really last too long, so I am glad that I did the short ride. The point is that I raised a combined total of over $9,400 for the ride (my sponsorship and the monies folks donated in my name), and that is really the important thing. Even though I did a short ride, I thought of many of my friends that are no longer here because of AIDS. Chuck, Kirk, Tony, Larry, Abel, my brother Robb, Gregorio, Ronnie...the list goes on-and-on. So it was also a day of remembrance and ponderance for me as well. I remember when I started writing names in my address book so I could erase them when/if they passed. It was a crazy time, and it is not really that much better now. AIDS has become more of a chronic disease and not so much of a death sentence. So, next year, if you get the call from me, dig into your pockets and cough up some cash. And don't worry, I will do the same for you, and I WILL support your cause.

I saw lots of old friends today as well. My first real bike ride was in 1988, and I have done dozens of different rides since then, and I love to ride. What I don't have is the time to train. It takes a lot of time, and I just have other priorities in my life right now (Jody). So, that is why I am not as actively riding as I used to.

I hope you all have had a lovely day, and that you have someone special that you truly love, and that truly loves you in return, with no questions asked. We are all special people, and we need to remember that.