http://www.aidslifecycle.org/9237 A blog by Bunky Bill Miller, participant number 9237 in AIDS/LifeCycle 7, a 7-day 545-mile cycling event to support HIV/AIDS services at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. en-us Bunky Bill Miller Sat, 07 Jun 2008 20:28:52 PST http://www.aidslifecycle.org/images/alc7/homepages/9237_2_9HPUH.jpg http://www.aidslifecycle.org/9237 http://www.aidslifecycle.org/9237#1 http://www.aidslifecycle.org/9237#1 <p>First, thank you to every one of the 44 wonderfully generouse friends who donated and helped me surpass my goal of $2500. Thanks to you, I raised $2529!!!!!&nbsp; It is Saturday night. I just got home from Closing Ceremonies. I'm tired; no, I'm exhausted, my back aches, the blister on my toe is throbbing, I have a sunburn, my fingernails haven't been this dirty since I was 12, and I feel GREAT! I know, I must be dilerious. LOL&nbsp; </p> <p>I can't thank everyone enough for supporting my efforts in this. I've never done anything like this before in my life. I honestly didn't know if I could make it all week without breaking down, but I did! And I am proud of myself for completing my first AIDS/LifeCycle. I proved to myself that I could do this; I could give up the things I love for strangers... for other human beings who are suffering and need help; who need OUR help.&nbsp; So I am doing the AIDS/LifeCycle again next year. But not as a Roadie; as a Rider. The Riders say that being a Roadie is harder than being a Rider.</p> <p>Do I have a bike? No. So that will be my Christmas gift to myself this year. And I'm going to start training in January and will train on weekend bike trips from January until June. I can do it. I WILL do it. I HAVE to do it. I don't know why, but I know I have to do it. I don't know if my body can handle riding 545 miles; riding a bike for 7 consecutive days. Will my knees give out? Will my feet blister? Will I wreck my bike and injure myself? I don't know. I'll find out.</p> <p>Will you join me and 2500 others next year in making a difference? This is the experience of a lifetime. The ALC is an international event. Riders came from all over; Belgium, Paris, the Virgin Islands, the UK, and from all over North America.</p> <p>I have to shower and go to bed now. I can't wait to take a real shower. I can't wait to sleep on a mattress. I'm so thankful I can go to bed without first having to set up my tent.&nbsp; I will write more later, but I just had to say thank you to everyone who supported me. You made it all worthwhile.</p> <p>Remember, black, white; straight, gay; male, female; positive, negative makes no difference. AIDS does not discriminate. We're all in this together. And together we can end AIDS. Thank you for caring.</p> <p>Big hug,</p> <p>Bunky Bill</p> <P> Sat, 07 Jun 2008 21:30:00 PST