By RealJock staff

On Sunday, June 4, 2006, 1839 cyclists met in San Francisco to begin a tough seven-day, 585-mile bicycling journey down the coast of California. They were participants in the AIDS LifeCycle ride, an endurance cycling charity event that raises millions of dollars each year for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center's AIDS and HIV work. This year, the 1839 cyclists and nearly 400 roadie volunteers who accompanied them down the coast raised more than $8 million dollars in the fight against AIDS and HIV.

While not exclusively a gay event—a great many straight people participate in the AIDS LifeCycle rides—AIDS LifeCycle is one of the biggest annual gatherings of gay and bisexual men participating together in sport. This shouldn't surprise anyone; after all, while the disease has taken a much broader toll in recent years and is affecting countless millions of people all over the world, in the U.S. gay and bisexual men are still among the most at risk individuals for contracting HIV.

This year Jeff Titterton, founder and president of RealJock.com, participated in his first AIDS LifeCycle ride, cycling all day, then writing in a log each night from his Palm Treo 650 phone. For those who missed it last week, we have compiled the daily logs below for easy viewing. We hope to see some of you at the AIDS LifeCycle next year, or at another charity sporting event, fighting the good fight.

AIDS LifeCycle day one: Inspiration starts early

AIDS LifeCycle day two: Buffet on wheels

AIDS LifeCycle day three: Short, bumpy day

AIDS LifeCycle day four: The risks of the road

AIDS LifeCycle day five: Red Dress Day

AIDS LifeCycle day six: I'm a kitty, you're a kitty

AIDS LifeCycle day seven: Ode to roadies

READY TO RIDE?
Learn more about the AIDS LifeCycle, view coverage from this year's AIDS LifeCycle 5 ride, or register for AIDS LifeCycle 6 at aidslifecycle.org.