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The following is an email I sent to the friends and family who supported me in doing the Ride.

To: Friends...
Date: 5/9/99
Subject: AIDS Ride Update: 7 weeks and counting!

Seven weeks from now, the 1999 AIDS Ride will be OVER! I can't believe it's coming up so fast!

Yesterday and today I rode a total of 110 miles. This is about what our first day will be like on the Ride. It's starting to sink in for me just how hard this is going to be. I had the thought about 50 miles into today's ride that this could turn out to be the hardest thing I've ever done.

But, it's nothing compared to living with HIV. Yesterday, I went on an "official" training ride (that is, one coordinated by the AIDS Ride office.) We rode through beautiful countryside in northern Maryland and southern Pennsylvania (around Thurmont and Emmitsville if you care to get out the map.)

At the 28 mile mark, we stopped to regroup at a little corner store. I had on my AIDS Ride t-shirt. Not being gay and not having HIV I don't tend to think every day about the stigma attached to a person with either of these characteristics. But, the man who owned this little country store clearly did not want to touch my hand as we exchanged money. His son also stared at me like I was a living ghost.

This was a galvanizing moment for me. How fortunate I am that I don't have to live with HIV and don't have to live day-to-day with people's ignorance and fear. How sad it makes me to think that millions of people in our country do. How proud and humbled I am to be doing something to help them!

I'm officially over $1000 now! I also have another $290 to turn in and several people have told me they still intend to pledge on my behalf. It's going to be close, but I think I'm just going to make the $1900 minimum needed to ride.

If you want to pledge and haven't yet done so, you now have another, easy option! You can pledge ONLINE using a major credit card. The online pledge form uses all of the industry standard encryption technologies so it's safe!

To pledge online, go to the following page:

http://www.foodandfriends.org/fftest1/AidsForm1.htm

NOTE: The pledge deadline is June 1. This means any checks need to be at the AIDS Ride office by that date! Thank you everyone for your support!

Take care and wish me luck during the next 7 short weeks!

Much love,
-Andrew
---
Andrew Hedges, andrew@efficacy.net
http://www.efficacy.net/
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
-Mahatma Gandhi

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