Feeling pretty darn ready!
I just completed my first century (100 miles) on Saturday! It was a great feeling and much easier than I actually thought it would be. I am getting really excited about the ride and getting REALLY close to meeting my 5K fundraising goal!

by Adam Carrico on Mon, Apr 20, 2009 @ 5:14 AM

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I didn't think I had it in me!
I have been doing some intense rides in the past couple weeks. We this amazing 56 mile ride up highway 9 with 2,650 ft of climbing! I went up for 7 miles on a hill to the top without stopping. The next Saturday we did 76 miles through the south bay. I was pretty nervous about making this jump in mileage at first, but in the end it was very do-able!

by Adam Carrico on Tue, Mar 10, 2009 @ 6:07 AM

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A new milestone
So, I did a 56 mile ride this past Saturday! It was very difficult towards the end with a lot of climbing but I made it to the finish line. I came down with a cold shortly afterwards and I'm hoping that's why it felt extra hard. I'm just glad my training continues to stay on target :).

by Adam Carrico on Mon, Feb 09, 2009 @ 8:02 AM

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All Banged Up
Yes, I am seeking sympathy donations! I did what is usually an easy, 20-mile ride from SF to Sausalito yesterday and fell off my bike three times. I scraped up my right knee and left heel, bruised my left shoulder and jammed my left thumb. I guess you can say that i am clumbsy by nature :). Please donate to let me know that all this pain is worthwhile!

by Adam Carrico on Thu, Jan 15, 2009 @ 3:19 PM

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46 Miles Baby!
I did almost a half century today in the south bay. We started in Mountain View, went across the Dumbarton Bridge, and looped around the south bay. It was a lot of fun and feels like a good training accomplishment! Also worked a bit on my fund raising letter...stay tuned!

by Adam Carrico on Sun, Dec 28, 2008 @ 5:41 PM

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First Flat
I did 32 miles yesterday for World AIDS Day! It was a beautiful, sunny day and I can't think of much else I would rather be doing :). I was about to the halfway point when I noticed that my back tire was hissing, and so I pulled to the side of the road. Sure enough, it was flat and I found myself wishing that I had taken the time to go to a flat tire clinic or something. I felt so grateful when one of the training ride leaders (Wilfredo) stopped and showed me how to change it. We pulled out this huge nail and changed the tube. It was actually way easier than I thought it would be and I was back biking in no time.

by Adam Carrico on Mon, Dec 01, 2008 @ 5:48 AM

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Toe Clips!!
We have been blessed with unseasonably warm (and sunny!) weather in SF for the past week or so, and I decided to get "clipped in" to my bike as they say. I did a nice 23 mile ride with the positive pedalers on Sunday and tried out my clips for the first time. It was mostly uneventful and the other riders were all so nice to give me some pointers on how to best use my clips. Things went very well until my toe clip got stuck in my pedal! Apparently, I hadn't tightened the clip enough. So, I fell over right at the entrance to the Presidio (almost at the end of my ride) at a stop sign. However, I was laughing almost immediately after falling because someone offered more than once to give me CPR :). After that I got my toe clips and pedals tightened.

by Adam Carrico on Mon, Nov 17, 2008 @ 5:04 PM

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Yes we can!
It has definitely been a roller coaster of emotions since the election! We witnessed the historic election of Obama and I'm more hopeful than ever about the prospects for getting our country back on the right track. However, I am still so sad and disappointed that Prop 8 passed here in CA. In a lot of ways, it has made me more committed than ever to fighting for equal rights and doing the AIDS Life Cycle. Having 3,000 people ride across CA to promote awareness about HIV/AIDS goes a long way towards educating people. For many who live in the small towns between SF and LA, it could be the first time they meet a gay and lesbian person. Hopefully, that will make a difference...

by Adam Carrico on Sun, Nov 09, 2008 @ 8:07 AM

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Stepping it up a notch
This economic meltdown is a total mess! I can't believe how bad things have gotten over the past few weeks. I know that lots of folks are taking a look at their retirement plans and cringing. But think about what this sort of crisis means for HIV/AIDS prevention. If fewer people are giving, then that will mean cuts for important programs designed to prevent HIV transmission and improve health outcomes for HIV-positive persons. Even if you can spare an extra $10 or $20, it will bring me that much closer to my goal, which I have extended from 3K to 5K now.

by Adam Carrico on Sat, Oct 18, 2008 @ 10:30 AM

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A Lady of Lesiure...
Ok so this whole "blog" thing could be quite addictive. I know, I know some of you are saying, 'Well duh! Welcome to 2000.' I am a bit slow on the uptake with some of these things but I am a mini Mac geek so it all balances out.
I'm so excited because I have actually started riding my bike this week! We have been having such wonderful weather in SF. It has been fun to hit the road and bike from the Castro through GG Park to the ocean. It's great to make it out there and watch the ships coming into the bay :). I have definitely needed the time out from studying for my licensing exam, which I take today (fingers crossed!).

by Adam Carrico on Thu, Oct 09, 2008 @ 5:45 AM

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The Beginning
This whole process is so exciting and scary all at once. I bought a bike yesterday, which is my first bike in at least 15 years! The folks at the American Cyclery were so nice and I really love the Bianchi that I bought. Then, I actually road my bike home from the Haight. It was quite a "crash course" going down some of the hills but I made it in one piece :). And my training at the gym is going well since I have jumped up to about 70 miles a week on the indoor bikes. Ibuprofen is truly a wonder drug!
I also continue to learn more and more about how important this ride is for the SF AIDS Foundation. There are so many great treatment approaches to prevent HIV transmission that cannot be supported by Federal funds. For example, the SF AIDS Foundation runs a large needle exchange program that exchanges over 2.3 MILLION needles annually. I think that goes a long way toward preventing HIV & Hep C transmission but it's something you can NOT do with Federal funding. By helping me reach my goal, you are directly improving the lives of indivdiuals at high risk for HIV infection.

by Adam Carrico on Tue, Oct 07, 2008 @ 5:01 AM

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