Sweating it out, or at least trying to

Jerry is finally over a cold that has been nagging him, and while I figured it was inevitable that I would get it, I tried my best to avoid it, but to no avail.

Sunday morning I felt the bug creeping up on me, but decided that going out riding might actually help. We joined a group of riders at Mike's Bikes for a not very long ride around Tiburon Loop. It was pretty cold, but I had lots of layers and did pretty well. Of course, that evening the cold announced itself in all its sneezing and runny nose glory, but I'm still convinced the bike ride helped at least a little.

Sunday's ride was organized by the Positive Pedalers, a group of HIV positive men and women who are riders and roadies on the AIDS ride. Talk about walking the walk, or in this case, pedaling the bike. The Pos Peds I know are all male, although there are a few women who are members. And these guys are my heroes, not only because they are HIV positive and are out there putting a very public face on HIV and AIDS, but they are the most generous, kind, fun people I know.

I remember Jerry and my first training ride two years ago. Jerry was in better shape than me, but in reality, neither of us was going to win any strength or endurance prizes. I was a few months out of having knee replacement surgery and I had been inactive for years. That ride took us up what now doesn't seem like a terrible hill, but at the time it was Mt. Everest to us. A guy we didn't know who was a training ride leader hung with us, encouraged us, chatted with us and really made us feel that we could do it. Beau has a habit of doing this with lots of riders. He truly is one of the kindest people I know. He and the other Pos Peds are really a big reason why I keep coming back to do the AIDS ride year after year. There are other charity rides, but as long as I've got friends fighting this disease, I'm there.