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Hi. If you look at my timeline, you’ll see I do a lot of diaries about the Hill Country Ride for AIDS. I haven’t done as many of these this year as I’d like, I’ve been a bit distracted. But I have a commitment to raise at least $2,000 for the Ride. If you want to cut to the chase, here’s my Hill Country Ride for AIDS page, but I hope you’ll come with me below the fold for a good story. And of course music.
Oh – and a picture. Here’s a picture from the year I was top fundraiser, with the amazingly wonderful David Smith, who was the director that year :
A word about David. His 50th birthday was yesterday, and his FB timeline was filled with greetings, as it should be. But they were different than the usual “happy birthday”. Almost to a person, we all posted messages about what a blessing David is, how lucky we are to have him in our lives, and how the wold is so, so much better because he is here.
The Hill Country Ride for AIDS has been going on for a while now & I’ve been at every one. Never ridden every mile of every one, but I’m there every year. David was the executive director for several years, and he is the sweetest, kindest person I have ever met. No, seriously. When David looks at you, he sees the best possible you – I don’t know how to describe what a joy it is to know someone like him. Sixteen (omg, how can it possibly have been that long) years ago, I was a mid-30s, substantially overweight woman who was all worn out from just crossing the finish line at the annual AIDS Walk, held in October. Just a 5K stroll, not a race, and not any great distance. David is standing past the finish, walks up to me with a flyer, looks my 200+ lb self in the eye & says “You can do this”. I look at the flyer & it is for a 2 day, 125 mile bike ride. “You can do this” – is he kidding? I’m worn out from walking a 5K. But he looked right at me & said that. I was so in & have been ever since. I’m telling you this story so you know what this ride is about, and the kind of people who participate. Even when he wasn’t in charge, that kind spirit of David’s permeates this event & organization.
Having someone like that at the heart has made this a very special community. I have never experienced anything but kindness, generosity & warmth from any HCRA function – from the kick off party through the training rides, to the day itself. So I’m an old, fat lady who can barely ride up even the smallest hill – no one cares, no one says I don’t belong with all these real bike riders. Everyone is helpful, everyone is kind. We’re all raising money and riding for a great cause, to help people with HIV & AIDS. Which brings me to the music. I know you thought there was going to be a U2 video. But I had to use this, because even though it was written decades before the Ride started & they knew nothing about it, this song is exactly about the Hill Country Ride:
Everyone is lucky, everyone is kind
On the road to Shambala
Everyone is happy, everyone is so kind
On the road to Shambala
Yes, I know it is corny & goofy, but I’m trying to tell you this is really (no, really) what this ride is like. The Ride is one day of the way you wish the world was. This is why I really need to be the top fundraiser. Not because I get anything, because I don’t – except recognition – and I want to use that to tell people about how fantastic this ride is. Please, please help me do this – if I’m top fundraiser, I really want to pay tribute to my friend David. Here’s my Hill Country Ride for AIDS page.
Here’s a Ride video from a previous year, it has people talking about why they do the Ride – and some adorable kids who rode. It has David speaking at the dinner, about what the Ride is like (and a glimpse of me around 4:15, I wave at the camera). Anyway, I want everyone to know how important this cause is, and how wonderful this community is:
And one more time, here’s my Hill Country Ride for AIDS page – please donate if you can.
and I can’t post a diary without my boys, so here is my favorite song from the new album, I really love the words – there’s no end to grief, that’s why we need to know there’s no end to love
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