Baby Dragon Day Two Recap

Group photo in Santa Barbara on Day Two (THANKS CHAD!)

Where do I even begin. Day One was such an incredibly moving experience that Day Two was poised to be a bittersweet continuation and a momentary point of departure from an amazing community of people at the same time. Whereas Day One offered the promise of a Day Two, I knew that when Day Two was over it could be months before I saw some of these old and new friends again.

  J.R., Tom, Susan, Scott, Chad, and Larry before the cyclists depart on Day Two

 Sunrise in Santa Barbara
 

I started Day Two riding mostly with Justin and Cesar, two incredible, unique individuals who I have come to respect so much as people and as athletes. Alan was keeping up pretty well through town, too. We were Cyclists # 2, 3, and 4 – interchangeably – for the first part of the day. We rode out from Santa Barbara together, passing through town early enough that even early churchgoers had not yet hit the streets. We arrived at the Pacific Ocean to the sight of a glorious, radiant rising sun taking its place above the palm trees and surf. As we continued along the route, we took in the views of the coastal mountain ranges, beachside parks, and quiet neighborhoods.

 Susan [seriously] makes the best PB&J bagels... I said that before, I know.

At Rest Stop 1 we were met by Susan, Hunter’s mother, who joined us for the weekend as we honored Hunter’s life and fought so hard mile after mile to help ensure that people enduring similar battles like his would have a place to turn for help. What a joy it was to see her again and so early in the day!  I’ll come back to Susan in a moment, after recapping some of the rest of the day.

I started the second leg with Justin, but fell back a bit for some solitude. As we rode along the ocean, I pedaled with a heavy heart – cranking out each mile with the memory of friends and loved ones fueling each pedal stroke. The ocean was beautiful that morning and the sky that opened across the horizon ahead was as clear as I sought to make my mind. What a joy it was to be out there on the open road.

 I didn't know he was capable of it, but we got Leo to goof off at the Water Stop

 J.R. arrives at the Water Stop

Shortly after arriving in Ventura, I arrived at the Water Stop… Bart and Sarah were there with big smiles on. The Water Stop is where I lost all control of my time. As was mentioned in the Day One recap, I like to ride hard and play hard. It’s my custom to take my time at stops and then power through the next stretch, passing most everyone who left the stop before me. I spent a lot of time at the Water Stop, having been rushed out of Rest Stop 1 due to planned route closures.

 Bart and Sarah at lunch

I ended up riding most of the rest of the day – at least until the final rest stop – alone. The stretch into Rest Stop 2 found me catching up with Mark and Cesar, if I remember correctly. Lunch was an oasis! I REALLY took my time at lunch. I ate, talked with friends, got an amazing massage and some great personalized sports medicine tips from Tony (THAT MAN IS A-MAZING!), and hit the road.

The remainder of the day was HOT HOT HOT! Temps topped out around 115’F. I wouldn’t normally ride in that, but I pushed ahead for the cause. Being on a fully supported ride made it a little easier, too, having shaded rest stops for refueling, hydrating, and regulating core temperature by spending some time in the shade.

The thought of climbing Santa Susanna Pass coming out of the final rest stop had me a little crazed, but after a long break, plenty to drink, a little massage, and some encouragement from J.R. and others, I hopped on my bike and joined Tony and Ignacio for the climb – a little under 1,000 feet in a mile. I made easy work of the climb – THANK GOD for all that training I did on South Mountain! It was nice to see the top. From the top we had about 12 miles, mostly downhill, remaining to the finish line.

 The top of Santa Susanna Pass... What a welcome sight!

But for a little detour back up Box Canyon Road with Tony, I really enjoyed the last stretch. The hills were behind me. The heat was out of mind. The end was in sight.

 Jackie crossing the finish line

 Julie at the finish line... She didn't look too upset to not be riding in the heat!

 Larry does his best Mr. Miagi... "Oh Daniel-son!"

Rolling across the finish line, I found Julie, J.R., Larry and other friends assembled. I hydrated, pigged out on some mac and cheese, and EVENTUALLY went to pick up my car. Dustin and I convoyed back to J.R.’s and showered while J.R. and the staff/roadies packed everything up. Afterward we went for dinner and some time hanging out at Chad’s place. I went back and forth from being really full of energy to being absolutely exhausted, but had a great time.

If I can take a brief moment to talk about what this meant to me, I hope you’ll bear with me.

I never had the opportunity to know Hunter, but I have been deeply impacted by the mental illness and addiction of someone very dear to me. The weekend offered so many opportunities to think about how fortunate I am to still have her in my life. I’m not sure things had to turn out the way that they did, but the love of my family brought us through in the end. I participated in this ride for the most part for her, remembering how hard it was for us to find help and praying that my efforts and my dedication to making some sort of difference would make it easier for someone else out there to find some help to survive in the face of addiction.

I rode to breathe fire into the fight.

I know that many of the amazing people I rode with this weekend have faced their own struggles with mental illness, addiction, and homelessness. I am so humbled by their strength and courage. I have heard several of them speak of their experiences. I am so proud to have shared this experience with you. I proudly consider you family. To each of you – all of you – I want to make known how very much I love you.

That love extends to the roadies, staff, and the many generous friends that made this weekend possible. Not the least of which is Hunter’s mother, Susan. Your presence on the route, your honest and inspiring words in Santa Barbara, and even your masterfully created PB&J (which was truly the best on the route) stood as an example of the love I have experienced within this community. I am so glad we met. And I want to give a very special thank you to J.R. I know how much of your soul, your time, and your energy has been invested in making this event happen. But it didn’t just happen. This event is a living thing, supported by each of us. I am so proud of you for helping to give it life. Well done, mister!

With the Baby Dragon 180 Ride, which was REALLY 185 miles, behind me, I have completed 836 miles of training for AIDS LifeCycle 10. And now, the real fundraising push for $11,000 begins. If you didn’t take the opportunity to contribute for the Baby Dragon 180 Ride, I hope you will contribute generously to my AIDS LifeCycle 10 at http://www.danmaxey.com. You can make a HUGE impact by making a recurring monthly gift. $300 can help a lot of people. Broken up into 10 monthly payments of $30, it doesn’t seem so bad. And if your employer matches charitable contributions, you can potentially double the impact of your contribution.

Either way, please give as much as you can. Thirty years have passed since the first diagnosed cases of HIV and AIDS. We must do what needs to be done to bring an end to this horrible disease. Enough is enough.

Peace.