With thousands of eye-catching cyclists drawing even more attention than usual on day two of the AIDS/LifeCycle that took place from June 3 – 9, the supporters of the cause drew even more awareness to it with the donning of orange as they blazed down the coast of California. Co-produced by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the event aims, each year, to shed light on the disease and improve the quality of life for those living with the condition that still has a long way to go in being fully understood.
To honor these goals, the race sees thousands of participants joining in on the ride from NorCal to SoCal, whether in the form of cyclists, roadies, volunteers or virtual cyclists – each serving their own unique purpose in the recognition of HIV/AIDS and the continued need to remain vigilant about the condition and its cure. With the multi-pronged intent to fund the work of both the SF AIDS Foundation and the LA LGBT center, honor those who have died from the disease, increase the number of participants in the community and create a positive experience for those involved in the race suffering from HIV/AIDS, Orange Safety Day is of particular note for its colorful bombast.
Other highlights from the day included a pit stop at Mission Soledad, alternately referred to as “Otter Pop Stop,” where plenty of participants were able to express themselves with more than just one colorful pop besides orange. Because, you know, like Madonna said, “Express yourself, don’t repress yourself,” even if you do it through the sartorial.
