A day in the life of AIDS Lifecycle...
9:00pm - Say good night to your tentmate and go to sleep in a sleeping bag on the ground.
12:30am - Go to porta-pottie to pee (will most likely do this another time before I wake).
4:30am-ish - Wake up a little disoriented, stretch and think about why and for whom you're riding.
4:40am - Open the sleeping bag and take out day's bike clothes (socks, shorts, jersey), because they stay warm that way.
4:50am - Get dressed in today's cycling clothes, wear hoodie and sweatpants over. Grab backpack that contains toiletries and your flashlight. Find my way to the porta-potties, then to breakfast.
5:00am - Eat the most amazing breakfast you'll ever have at 5am in a campground. Make a new friend at the breakfast tent, and see the mileage between rest stops and elevation gains.
5:40am - Brush teeth, wash face, contacts in the eyes in the outdoor sinks. Say goodbye to the shower trucks until later that evening.
6:00am - Begin to breakdown tent, roll up sleeping bag, get out cycling shoes, sunglasses, helmet, gloves. Repack suitcase with that day's post-ride clothing change (underwear, t-shirt, pants, socks), plus shower stuff (shampoo, toiletries). Makes it easy to head to the shower trucks after you have ridden 75 - 110 miles.
6:10am - Breakdown tent, check for trash, take tent w/poles and luggage bag to gear trucks. Fawn over the incredible strength of the gear truck roadies. Then at the last possible moment take off sweats, sweatshirt, and shove into luggage bag.
6:20am - Head to bike parking with helmet, gloves, arm warmers, sunglasses in hand, and hopefully remember where I parked my bike - there are 2500 cyclists - all with bikes too...
6:25am - Add air to tires. Wipe down bike seat with cycling glove and fill up water bottles. Stretch before I get on the bike.
6:29am - Close my eyes. Remember why I am riding. Remember all those that I am riding for. Remember all those that have SO GENEROUSLY contributed to this ride in so many ways! Deep breath.
6:30am - The route is open! I ride-out with only 2,499 riders along with me! I call out holes, rocks, glass, grates, stuff that is on the road so that other rides have a heads-up.
3:30pm - 6:00pm (depends on mileage and the amount of headwinds and HILLS!) - arrive a next campground.
Go to bike parking and park bike. Fill up water bottle and drink water and eat a protein bar.
Go to gear truck and get luggage bag and tent.
Set-up tent.
Shower!
6:00pm - Eat dinner! Enjoy camp and the evenings on-stage entertainment. Yes there is that! We are going to Hollywood you know!
9:00pm - return to tent. Get ready for sleeping...
Sleep - and repeat - 7 times.
