Stephan Nance, a University sophomore, didn’t learn how to ride a bike until he was 13 years old. Now, six years later, he’s making up for lost time and planning to bike from San Francisco to Los Angeles – 545 miles – in seven days for the AIDS/LifeCycle.Cyclists are required to raise $2,500 in order to participate in the race. Nance has been training and working to raise the required money since January. He still has many long bike rides ahead of him and $1,300 more to raise before his June 3 departure, which will begin the longest series of bike rides he has ever taken.
“I think what really got me is the statistics,” Nance said. “In California an estimated 60,000 are living with AIDS and 91,000 with HIV, and a lot of them are under the age of 25.”
As “the official cycling event of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center,” AIDS/LifeCycle “is about HIV/AIDS and raising money to help the beneficiaries continue to provide the critical services and education needed,” according to the organization’s Web site.
Nance said he was stunned by the average cost of treating one person with AIDS for a year, which he said is around $20,000. He wanted to do something to help make it a memorable experience as well.
His friends and family were surprised when he told them his plans, but Nance said they’ve been supportive by donating money and writing messages of support on his personal AIDS/LifeCycle Web site.
“Good luck with everything! Every little bit counts in this fight and what you’re doing shows amazing strength and drive,” a friend wrote on his page on March 17.
“I’m so jealous, I totally admire you. Stephan, you constantly amaze me. This cause is most important. Good luck my friend,” wrote another friend of Nance’s on March 31.
Nance said messages like these bring him encouragement from those who are unable to donate, which is something he’ll need during the 65-85 miles he will be biking each day.
Up until now, the farthest Nance has biked is 45 miles, usually along the McKenzie River. He said he expects to be taking 60- to 70-mile rides by May.
“The rides I’ve been doing have been out in the countryside,” he said. “It’s very relaxing, but it’s also challenging.”
Nance said because he doesn’t have a car, he’s been biking and taking the bus everywhere for the past couple years and was recently inspired by the band, The Ditty Bops, who toured the U.S. on bikes last summer.
“I think it’s important now to use these types of transportation for the environment,” Nance said.
Nance will be back for spring finals, but his training won’t stop when this cycling adventure ends. He plans to participate in the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s LIVESTRONG Challenge in September, in which he will challenge himself to a one-day, 70-mile ride.
To donate to Nance’s $2,500 required fundraising goal, go to www.aidslifecycle.org/5628. Whether it’s $5 or even $1, Nance said it helps, and he is appreciative of whatever people can give.
“I just think (the cause is) really important in general because the scary thing about AIDS is that anybody could get it. It doesn’t discriminate against people,” he said.
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