Last November, University freshman Nina Sobotka received an email from a friend, asking her to cycle across America to raise money and awareness for HIV/AIDS. Sobotka didn’t think twice. She filled out an application, went through an interview and the next thing she knew, she was on the team. There’s only one problem: She had never cycled before.

“To be honest, I think I’m kind of crazy for spontaneously doing this,” Sobotka said, “but I think part of it is an altruistic sense of knowing that my actions and the sacrifices I make in both time and energy in the next few months will have a really positive impact on other people’s lives. That really motivated me to join the ride.”
On June 18, she and 19 other riders will depart from Ocean Beach, Calif., and head east to arrive in Boston, Mass., on Aug. 23. The ride is organized by FACE AIDS,@@http://www.faceaids.org/mission.html@@ a nonprofit organization working through young leaders to fight HIV/AIDS.

During the ride, she and her teammates will stop in towns across the country, fundraising and giving presentations for the nonprofit. All of the proceeds from the ride will be sent directly to FACE AIDS programs in Rwanda.
“I am inspired to help people, but I was also inspired by the thought of having a really great adventure over the summer and trying something new,” Sobotka said. “It’s scary, but I think you learn the most when you are scared of something and then you achieve it.”
She has been training since the beginning of spring term. She bought her bike during Spring Break at a bike store in her hometown of Corvallis and since then has accomplished a few of her goals, such as her first 50-mile ride.
She said it was hard at first to tell other cyclists she was biking across the country, despite the fact that she had never actually cycled before. But, she said, her biggest obstacle to overcome is self doubt.
“I think self doubt is one of the most crippling things that someone can do, but if I think I can do it, then I know I can do it,” Sobotka said.
Her roommate and friend Alison Walt is excited for her.@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Alison+Walt@@
“Nina definitely seems passionate enough to do the ride, and I think that is a big part of it,” Walt said. “Especially with her putting in all of the hard work.”
In order to become more acquainted with the team before the ride begins, each cyclist is paired up with a teammate for support and guidance. Sobotka was paired up with Gabi Greenberg,@@http://stanfordwho.stanford.edu/SWApp/lookup?search=Gabi%20Greenberg&submit=Search@@ a freshman at Stanford University. Like Sobotka, Greenberg had never cycled before either.
“Nina has so much determination and passion,” Greenberg said. “I give her so much credit, and I am really glad that she is doing this. I know she is going to accomplish it, and I am so proud of her.”
Sobotka maintains a blog to document her training and adventures on the road. She is trying to reach her fundraising goal of $5,000 before the ride.