God, Please Save These Troubled States

Hey guys! I have decided to do the AIDS/LifeCyle again this year. (If you recall, last year Rich and I did the ride. It was, honestly, one of the best weeks of my life and I plan to make it even better this year.

NOTE: FLICKR LINK TO PHOTO PRINTS IS NOW DOWN BELOW!

If you have no clue what I'm talking about, allow me to explain. The AIDS/LifeCycle is bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The route is usually around 545 miles. (Though this year, due to construction, it might be 20-30 miles longer.) There are three main reasons for having this ride:

1) The physical challenge. I mean, seriously, 545 miles in one week. HOLY GOD. Also, this year, Rich and I will be doing the entire ride on FIXED GEAR BICYCLES because we cannot resist the temptation to be RIDICULOUS HIPSTERS AT ALL TIMES. (Actually, it's for the challenge, but let's not kid ourselves. I need the cool points.)

2) Fundraising! This year, we're required to raise $3,000. About a 1/3rd of that goes towards funding the ride: providing camping, food, showers, etc while I'm riding. The rest? It goes to the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center to provide funds for their HIV/AIDS healthcare services and work towards HIV prevention. This is INCREDIBLY important this year, as California has essentially stripped The Center of all of their government funding. I've been to the Center myself and the amount of help and medical care they provide to the community of Los Angeles is without parallel. Trust me when I say that this is one organization that needs and deserves any help you can give this year!

3) Awareness! A lot of people ask why this event is not just a fundraiser and why there's cycling attached. First of all, it's hard to get anyone to give to a charity, but if you feel as if you're "sponsoring" a friend or a relative, it's a bit easier to convince someone to help out. But I was shocked and pleasantly surprised how much direct activism and awareness goes into the ride itself. I had so many conversations with strangers while I biked down from Northern California. Obviously, people want to know where there are 3,000 cyclists coming through their city. And when you tell them you had to raise $3,000 each in order to ride, that you care so deeply about ending the plight of AIDS, and that you want others to know how they can help, it creates the kind of lasting impressions most activist organizations fail at.

So here's the deal! I am about $2000 short of my goal this year; with the economy in the toilet like it is right now, it's been really hard to make my minimum amount. (I think it took me less than a month last year to make all $2,500.) So, this year, I'll be offering SHAMELESS GIFTS in exchange for any donations you can give me!

If you donate $20 or more to my fund: I will HAND DELIVER you an "I Bike LA" shirt if you live in Los Angeles or any surrounding cities withing 20-30 miles. Otherwise, I'll mail it out to you!

Here's what it looks like:

If you donate $50 or more to my fund: I will HAND DELIVER you a print of one of my photographs if you live in Los Angeles/surrounding cities! Or...well yeah, I'll mail you the print if you don't live close.

LINK TO MY FLICKR SET. There are 18 photos in the set!

IN ORDER TO DONATE, PLEASE VISIT MY DONATION PAGE TO GIVE MONEY! The site takes credit cards and you will also be given a receipt for your taxes! (It will arrive in the mail a few weeks later.)

This is also important: Please provide your email address when you donate so I can contact you to give you the shirt or the photo print. YAY!

Anything helps, even if it's not $20. If you can't donate, please forward this journal on to other people so that they can possibly help! Send it to your parents, your friends, to teachers and counselors...more exposure helps the cause!

Thanks a million, guys. This really means a lot to me.