Saturday, the last day, was a mad dash from McHenry, IL. into Chicago. The closing ceremony drew tears again, and then suddenly the ride was over. My friends James & Ingrid and Raul & Carolyn had planned on being there, but a mishap prevent them from coming, so I rode my bike home with a few other riders and collapsed. It was a few days until I felt normal again and I didn't get on my bike again for a month. A couple of weeks later the Tour de France took place and I had a whole new respect for the cyclists competing it it.

I won't be riding my bike 100 miles in a day again any time soon, but I know I can. I won't be raising $4,500 for a good cause again in the near future either, but I know I can. I came away from the ride with lots of things: good memories, fun photos, a couple of souvenirs, and even a stronger relationship with Lisa. But the most important thing I came away from the ride with was this: I now know that with enough determination, I can do just about anything. It's a pretty good feeling.

If you want to know more about the AIDS Rides, go to their web site. (UPDATE 3/15/04: This link appears to be broken, and the organization running this particular ride is no longer doing so. There are other rides to raise money for AIDS and other worthy causes. A quick google search should take you to their sites.)

[Previous] [Page 6 of 6] [Back to Ray Koltys]