AIDS/LifeCycle Training Events Get SoCal Participants Ready

Starting in October, new and returning participants of all backgrounds and fitness levels will get a training jumpstart for next summer's AIDS/LifeCycle through a series of special Southern California events, including a Kickoff Ride and a "Day on the Ride."

The seven-day, 545-mile bike journey from San Francisco to Los Angeles scheduled for June 3-9, 2018, marks its 25th year of riding to end AIDS. AIDS/LifeCycle's predecessor, California AIDS Ride, debuted in 1994.

"These events are a great way to get into your AIDS/LifeCycle experience. It's a monumental, life-changing event for everyone who commits to the challenge and crosses the finish line in Los Angeles," said AIDS/LifeCycle Ride Director Tracy Evans. "Not only will you be supporting two organizations that have been at the forefront in the fight against the disease, but you will also discover why we RIDE in the name of LOVE so that many may LIVE. We've made remarkable progress since the disease was first discovered in 1981, but the AIDS epidemic is far from over."

Held on Saturday, October 14, the AIDS/LifeCycle Kickoff Ride is considered the first official training ride of the season with two fully-supported ride options: a 14-mile route or a 43.7-mile route encompassing Lake Balboa Park in the San Fernando Valley.

Participants will have the opportunity to attend a bike skills clinic, obtain discounts with local community partners, and swap gently-used cycling gear. Free lunch will be provided to all registered participants.

Three days after the Kickoff Ride, AIDS/LifeCycle will host an Open House at the Los Angeles LGBT Center's Village at Ed Gould Plaza in Hollywood on Tuesday, October 17, to provide new participants with vital information and resources to help them prepare for the seven-day ride, including tips on how to access free loaner bikes for the season and/or receive discounted bikes from local cycling shops.

On Saturday, April 21, 2018, AIDS/LifeCycle hosts "Day on the Ride" to give all riders the chance to experience a fully-supported sampling of a typical day on AIDS/LifeCycle. Cyclists will be guided by an expert group of Training Ride Leaders through a scenic 70-mile route of Los Angeles, featuring fully-stocked rest stops, lunch, and route support provided entirely by invaluable AIDS/LifeCycle volunteer "roadies."

AIDS/LifeCycle is a fully-supported, seven-day bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. It's a life-changing ride -- not a race -- through some of California's most beautiful countryside. AIDS/LifeCycle is co-produced by the Los Angeles LGBT Center and San Francisco AIDS Foundation and is designed to advance their shared interest to reduce new HIV infections and improve the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS.

AIDS/LifeCycle is co-produced by the Los Angeles LGBT Center and San Francisco AIDS Foundation and is designed to advance their shared interest to reduce new HIV infections and improve the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS. It remains the world's largest annual single event HIV/AIDS fundraiser.