28 Years

I can't decide if it seems shorter or longer than 28 years that AIDS has been with us. Sometimes it feels that it has been part of our vocabulary forever; other times I think, how did the time go so quickly?

I was living in Montana when AIDS was first reported. And I never thought it would reach somewhere as seemingly remote as Helena. But Ron and Burt died.

When I moved back to Baltimore, I had several friends who were HIV positive, and it seemed that they succumbed quickly.

I thank medical research for the advances that have been made. On today's 28-mile ride for World AIDS Day, my HIV positive friends were strong and healthy. But I still ask, when will there be a cure? When will there be a vaccine?

I know we are struggling with so many horrible diseases. And I also know that HIV is totally preventable. But a number of my friends were infected before we even knew what the disease was. And others slipped up. I think about the chances I took in the 80s and 90s and I think how lucky I am that I wasn't infected. None of us is immune.
Literally and figuratively.

But prevention, while it is incredibly important, is not my prime concern. I'm concerned for my HIV positive friends. Men I love and don't want to lose.

Aside from fighting a fierce headwind, the ride today was beautiful. Jerry and I were still a bit tired from riding yesterday, but we rode fairly well. Not necessarily strong, but we rode well.

I had sent out a media alert about today's ride and KCBS radio, the SF Chronicle and Univision showed up to cover it. The more we can get a message out-- the more we can educate people, the better off we will all be.