With just a few weeks left to train for AIDS LifeCycle, a 545 mile ride from SF to LA, June 2-8, 2019, I’ve been riding to work and back over San Bruno Mountain foothills quite a bit. It’s about 21 miles round trip, most of it up or down hill. There are many beautiful views, which I would love to share with my followers and especially the sponsors and supporters of my participation in AIDS LifeCycle (click here to learn more about that and to possibly support). Some days though I just want to keep going.
A couple of weeks ago, the morning was so gorgeous that I made a point to stop and take pictures. This training day is dedicated to an anonymous sponsor with whom I worked at some point and still stay in touch with now and then. (Read about the idea behind these Thank You Rides here)
Here is what it looked like… Bright, sunny, colorful on San Jose Ave, followed by the beautiful panoramic views of the City from Alemany Ave.
I am very familiar with these palm trees! There is a short steep hill here, so it takes a looong time to ride past them 
The dust is still settled in the morning, so on a sunny day there is a clear view of the Ocean from the hill crest in Daly City:
Pacific Ocean from Daly City 
Pacific Ocean and Lake Merced seen from Daly City
After a brief glance at the Ocean, I ride away from it and around San Bruno Mountain, until it’s time to take a dive downhill and into South San Francisco.
This being a ride to work and one dedicated to a former colleague, I thought how fascinating and somewhat unpredictable it is with whom one would stay in touch and connect beyond actual co-working.
Part of it, I end up staying in touch with the people who are good at staying in touch. Some of it is also that over the years, I maybe got a little bit better at not expecting the worst. For instance, during the first few conversations this person and I had, he asked me some tricky questions, and I thought I was being tested. Which probably wasn’t the case. Most likely, he simply thought I might know the answers. Same situation, much easier situation to be in, a note to self to ask more questions.
All in all, I am grateful to have so many people who see me and support me, whom I met in all sorts of circumstances, and who continue to encourage and inspire me. Thank you!
Elevation profile of this ride, return trip 
The map of the ride, return trip
AIDS LifeCycle is starting on June 2. If any of my readers want to join me in helping fight AIDS and the stigma that is associated with HIV diagnosis, consider donating to AIDS LifeCycle via my fundraising page.
Love letters understated 