AIDS/LifeCycle 2008

[Steven_Draker]

Anyone familiar with the AIDS/LifeCycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles? A close friend of mine who has inscribed himself for the first time next year is trying to motivate me and join. I've never done it before either, but I love cycling and the cause is good. Anyone have first-hand information or have done it in the past?

 

Steven Draker ~

http://www.hotsexystud.com

[+ purplekow]

I have been intrigued by this ride since seeing a several part series on Logo about the ride. I believe it is called The Ride if you care to check it out. I would be interested in hearing any first hand accounts. Now if I was sure that Mr. Draker would be riding in front of me for the full ride, I think libidinous energy alone would let me follow close on his ass. Hmmm Draker in Spandex bicycle shorts....

[+ deej]

No first-hand experience. The most I use my bike is moving it around when I clean the front porch. ;-)

 

But I've sponsored a number of friends who have done the ride in past years, and they all said it was a fantastic experience. You'd certainly see parts of California you wouldn't see otherwise, and that alone would make the ride worth it. (The rural scenery between LA and SF varies from ho-hum to WOW! but it's all pretty unique.)

 

I've been considering taking that week off and volunteering as a roadie. I know I'd end up working my ass off, losing my voice, and be completely exhausted -- and I know I'd have a total blast!

 

http://www.aidslifecycle.org/

[Karl-G]

Beginning on June 18, someone who participated in this year's ride kept a digital diary and posted it in a series of reports on MER.

http://www.maleescortreview.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1516

It is very interesting reading and filled with useful information.

 

In practical terms, you can learn from what he did not do and what he did. Get your bike far in advance, do lots of riding in preparation to build up muscles and stamina and experience. Be sure and test bike's seat, get padded shorts, be sure and stay hydrated during the days. He has lots of very good advice on small practical things.

 

It sounds like a worthwhile and great adventure.

[Steven_Draker]

Karl-G,

Thanks for link. It's indeed a very interesting read and almost convinced me to join (thank you, TotallyOz).

 

I'll talk to my friend tonight and will make the final decision. It looks like a big adventure, but again, I love challenges ...

 

Steven Draker ~

[a href=http://www.hotsexystud.com/uk]website[/a] [a href=http://www.daddysreviews.com/review.php?who=steven_draker_brussels]reviews[/a]

[Orson Kane]

>Karl-G,

>Thanks for link. It's indeed a very interesting read and

>almost convinced me to join (thank you, TotallyOz).

>

>I'll talk to my friend tonight and will make the final

>decision. It looks like a big adventure, but again, I love

>challenges ...

>

>Steven Draker ~

>[a href=http://www.hotsexystud.com/uk]website[/a] [a

>href=http://www.daddysreviews.com/review.php?who=steven_draker_brussels]reviews[/a]

 

Steven -- I am sure you will find plenty of supporters who would be glad to help you with your fundraising if you do indeed do this. One question I have is whether you will/can ride as Steven Draker (assuming this is a stage name only) or will need to use your real name. I got an email request from an escort I knew seeking support for the ride and when I went the the fundraising site, realized he was rasing funds under what I assumed was his real name. Not a big deal for me, but wonder what your options are.

[Steven_Draker]

>Steven -- I am sure you will find plenty of supporters who

>would be glad to help you with your fundraising if you do

>indeed do this. One question I have is whether you will/can

>ride as Steven Draker (assuming this is a stage name only) or

>will need to use your real name. I got an email request from

>an escort I knew seeking support for the ride and when I went

>the the fundraising site, realized he was rasing funds under

>what I assumed was his real name. Not a big deal for me, but

>wonder what your options are.

 

Hi Dan,

Thanks for asking, I'll be riding under the name of Steven Draker.

The homepage for the fundraising site will be under the same name. If anyone is interested please email me directly at [email protected]

 

Best, SD ~

[a href=http://www.hotsexystud.com/uk]website[/a] [a href=http://www.daddysreviews.com/review.php?who=steven_draker_brussels]reviews[/a]

[Steven_Draker]

Hi all,

On November 1st I started my training program for next year's AIDS/Life Cycle 7 from San Francisco to Los Angeles which will take place from June 1-7 2008. I'm hitting the gym once a day with an intensive cardio-vascular program for one hour.

 

I'm also starting my fundraising campaign. My goal is to raise $2500 in donations. All donations go directly to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation to help provide services to people living with HIV/AIDS. Let me clarify that I sponsor the trip myself, but all cyclists are required to raise a minimum of $2,500 in donations in order to participate.

 

If you're willing to help me contributing money for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation please visit my official AidsLife Cycle homepage http://www.aidslifecycle.org/1554/

 

I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have here or privately at [email protected]

 

http://www.aidslifecycle.org/images/alc5_logo.gif

 

Steven Draker ~

[a href=http://www.hotsexystud.com/uk]website[/a] [a href=http://www.daddysreviews.com/review.php?who=steven_draker_brussels]reviews[/a]

[+ deej]

Hooboy would be incredibly proud of you and supportive of this, Steven.

 

So here's a little BUMP, in his memory.

[Steven_Draker]

>Hooboy would be incredibly proud of you and supportive of

>this, Steven.

>

>So here's a little BUMP, in his memory.

 

Thank you, Deej for the "bump". Your help and contribution are greatly appreciated.

 

Wow! 24 hours after I posted this I already raised $1000. This is a very nice surprise.

Thank you, guys, for your private messages of support.

 

Steven ~

http://www.aidslifecycle.org/1554

 

http://www.aidslifecycle.org/images/alc5_logo.gif

[foxy]

A lot of bike rides, walks, etc, are run by professional fund raisers for which they charge a fee. That's fine but you may want to check to find out how much of the money you raise actually goes towards the cause you are riding for. Friends of mine who have given their time and effort have been disappointed that a lot of the money they raised never got to where they had intended. Good luck!

[+ deej]

::bump::

[Steven_Draker]

>A lot of bike rides, walks, etc, are run by professional fund

>raisers for which they charge a fee. That's fine but you may

>want to check to find out how much of the money you raise

>actually goes towards the cause you are riding for. Friends of

>mine who have given their time and effort have been

>disappointed that a lot of the money they raised never got to

>where they had intended. Good luck!

 

Foxy,

I checked with the organizers of the event and here is the answer I received:

 

"That's a great question!

 

I can start by letting you know that the two beneficiaries of

AIDS/LifeCycle, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles

Gay & Lesbian Center are also the producers of the event. They decided

to produce it themselves specifically so they could have control over

the costs involved and make sure that the most possible $ comes back to

their services.

 

That being said, I can direct you to the link on our website that gives

you the cost of fundraising from AIDS/LifeCycle 1-5. We have not gotten

the numbers back from ALC 6 (this past June) because we hire an outside

company to evaluate it and have yet to get them back.

 

Each year the cost of fundraising has gone down significantly and we

work very hard to get donations, underwriting, sponsors, etc. Most of

the work done on the event itself is done by Roadies, who volunteer

their time for the week.

 

The ride still does cost us though. It's a 7 day event that moves 3000

participants down the coast.

The money that does go into the ride itself still is not "wasted". The

ride itself generates national media attention, and is an education and

prevention tool. We create awareness and educate people who live in the

towns we ride through. We become a mobilized community of acceptance

and love committed to fighting HIV/AIDS. The phenomenon of the event itself

is, in my opinion, worth the cost of it."

 

Here's the link:

http://www.aidslifecycle.org/beneficiaries/measures.html

 

Steven Draker ~

[a href=http://www.hotsexystud.com/uk]website[/a] [a href=http://www.daddysreviews.com/review.php?who=steven_draker_brussels]reviews[/a]

http://www.aidslifecycle.org/1554

 

http://www.aidslifecycle.org/images/alc5_logo.gif

[seaboy4hire]

I thought that this thread was pinned. If it wasn't my bad and it should be.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[email protected]

http://seaboy4hire.tripod.com http://www.daddysreviews.com/newest.php?who=greg_seattle

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/6707/lebec084a9ad147f620acd5ps8.jpg

[+ deej]

>I thought that this thread was pinned. If it wasn't my bad

>and it should be.

 

It was pinned and I agree that it should be. That's why I pinned it in the first place and said that Hooboy would be proud. He would be.

 

Daddys sez: Moderator actions are discussed in the Moderators forum.

 

Sorry! (Sorry Steven, and sorry Hooboy!)

 

However, this remains a charity I support (morally and financially) so please join me in adding a bump to this thread every day or so!

[+ Lucky]

Daddy sez: Moderators actions are discussed in the moderators forum. Lucky: Happy to discuss offline. Send email as I'm out of office and would need to give you my cellphone number.

 

As it is, we all have our favorite causes. This particular event does not necesssarily deserve sainthood...as you can see how evasive the answer above is about how much of the money actually goes to the cause itself.

 

The AIDS Foundation may have taken over from the sponsor, but they themselves have become a bloated bureaucracy with huge salaries being paid. So the rider may think he is helping someone with AIDS when in fact he is funding a big salary or a junket for several staff to yet another conference where nothing is done.

[EXPAT]

Steven

 

I agree that the cause is good, but I'm also very cautious about this organization. I have had friends ride in this in the past and we have found out that less than 60% of the funds raised are going to charity.

 

I strongly recommend you go back and press for a specific % from last year's take that actually goes to the charity. You can also request a financial statement and see for yourself.

 

I have started to give directly to charities versus using "aggregators" because of their overhead. I understand that in most cases people wouldn't give to charities if it weren't for these aggregators (like United Way), but if you do any research at all, you see the bloated excesses that they have in their organization and I just don't like contributing to it. So I give directly to charities that I support.

 

But I don't want to take anything away from what you are doing. It is a good cause and the event is a good community event. I just wish that the organizers would cut the admin costs which are ever increasingly getting bloated.

[+ Lucky]

RE: Daddy Responds

 

Nothing for me to discuss, I was simply pointing the same out to deej. But, Daddy, if you want me to call you, just say so! hehehe

 

Say, btw, you didn't answer my last email. Maybe I will call...

[Guy Fawkes]

RE: Daddy Responds

 

Sorry...Very Busy...Penciled In...

[Steven_Draker]

A special "Thank You" to the very generous gentleman who donated yesterday $2500 for the cause. You made my day.

 

http://www.aidslifecycle.org/1554

 

 

Steven Draker ~

[a href=http://www.hotsexystud.com/uk]website[/a] [a href=http://www.daddysreviews.com/review.php?who=steven_draker_brussels]reviews[/a]

http://www.aidslifecycle.org/1554

 

http://www.aidslifecycle.org/images/alc5_logo.gif

[+ Lucky]

Wouldn't it be better if you directed your thank you to the individual in question instead of posting it here?

[+ deej]

Why? And what makes you think he didn't?

 

http://www.dfapam.com/bump.jpg

[bartleby]

Lucky,

 

I suspect that you know the answer to your own question.

 

To send a note to the donor without mentioning it here would not allow Steven to take public credit for the good work that the donor is doing.

[Steven_Draker]

Hey guys,

I just got back home from a week of intensive training in Provence, France in preparation for the AIDS LifeCycle in June. I spent a very nice week in Provence riding through the beautiful countryside of Vaucluse. My body is in pain, everything is hurting - my lower back and my legs, however I'm very happy with the progress I make. I've got a brand new Monoc carbon bike with Shimano 105 - 9 speed component package which shall be excellent for the California Ride.

 

My homepage http://www.aidslifecycle.org/1554

 

Steven D. ~

[a href=http://www.hotsexystud.com/uk]website[/a] [a href=http://www.daddysreviews.com/review.php?who=steven_draker_brussels]reviews[/a]

[raulgmanzo]

Wow is your Monoc a Quattro Pro road frame? What kind of wheels?

Very nice. Please tell me that you'll use it lots more than the Lifecycle ride. A bike like that likes to be raced. For anyone whos never tried bike racing it is very tough physically and mentally. A criterium can be like playing chess except your also pushing your body to it's limits as you pedal around corners at 30 mph centimeters away (or often in contact with) from other racers who are trying to outwit you. Never have I done anything that required such millisecond focus and nerves of steel.

 

A bicycle is also a darn good way of just getting around town.

 

Anyway Steven I'm glad your doing the Lifecycle, I'm sure you'll have a great time.

 

Raul