A triumphant moment at Mile 97 of 107 on Day 2 of BRAKING AIDS Ride 2016, near Milford, CT:

As of the closing ceremony on Sept. 25, BRAKING AIDS Ride 2016 raised a net total of over $251,000 for Housing Works and its HIV/AIDS services—a number that has continued to increase in the weeks since, as post-ride donations have kept coming in. (I’ll be able to relay a final amount raised sometime around the end of the month. Stay tuned!)

To my amazement, thanks to the big hearts of over 140 individuals and a handful of fabulous corporate matching gift programs—the complete list appears at the bottom of this post—I was able to raise over $23,000. That fundraising total is over 50% more than I’ve raised in my biggest fundraising year doing this ride. From the bottom of my heart, thank you thank you thank you.

I couldn’t have done it without all of you. Some photos from the ride—some of which you may have seen if you’re on Facebook—appear below.

Me, reuniting during orientation with dear friend Tim Fitzpatrick, who I first met on the road in 2008 during my first of these AIDS rides (and no, his beard color isn’t typical; it was part of one of his fundraising campaigns for the ride):

Photo courtesy of Angela Taylor

Sunrise on Day 1 of the ride before opening ceremonies, Dedham, MA:

I always ride every year in memory of two family friends who died of AIDS and in honor of many friends—more than I can count—who live with HIV. This year, I got an unexpected, unsolicited donation from a friend who usually rides but who couldn’t ride this year and served on crew instead—a dollar for every year that she and her family have been without her brother Ira since he died of AIDS in May 1987. So this year I rode in his memory as well and I carried this postcard with me as I rode. His full name and the names of the others for whom I ride appeared on the back:

Me, getting a much-needed squeeze from fellow rider Jamil Wilkins during lunch, Day 1, somewhere in hilly Rhode Island:

My favorite rest stop on the ride is near the end of Day 1, at the First Congregation of Griswold, in Griswold, CT. Every year, these amazing people come out to cheer us on and ply us with homemade pie and soup, as well as cards of encouragement from kids in the congregation. If all religious folks were as open and loving as these people are, the world would be a different, better place. Also, I highly recommend their strawberry-rhubarb pie.

I ate my strawberry-rhubarb slice so quickly, I didn’t even get a photo. This is the blueberry, also a delight:

Mile 97 of 107 on Day 2, near Milford, CT:

Day 2 of the ride is Red Dress Day, so called because everyone is encouraged to don red clothing. The original idea was that from overhead, the riders cycling along the route would look like a red AIDS ribbon. However, AIDS ride cyclists and crew being the drama queens that they are, the Red Dress Day costumes range from the fashion forward to the fantastical to the frightening, and sometimes combine all of the above. This is what my better half Jen, who served on the crew again this year, wore that day. But lest you give her all the credit, I found that fetching squid headdress for her, courtesy of Marine Specialties in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Sorry, folks: This stunning cephalopod is spoken for.

Photo courtesy of Monica Anderson

Scenic vistas from early morning on Day 3, near Southport, CT:

Photo courtesy of Kathryn Leach

Photo courtesy of Ann McCall

Riders gathered together right before closing ceremonies, Day 3, Cylar House, NYC:

Imagine my shock to arrive at closing ceremonies only to be greeted by an giant “Welcome Home” banner of me and my friend and fellow rider Humberto Alers hanging above the Cylar House entrance. Humberto and I have gotten over our modesty and are available for any and all modeling gigs, FYI, should you have an upcoming photo shoot:

Photo courtesy of Jennifer L. Anderson

The check presented to Housing Works during closing ceremonies for over $251,000. Now $251,000 and counting! And yes, if you are kicking yourself because you meant to donate, for the next few weeks you still can!

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL MY AMAZING 2016 BRAKING AIDS RIDE DONORS:

Anonymous (39)
Jessica Abel & Matt Madden
Christopher Anderson & Melissa Stupka
James Anderson & Suzy Turner
Renée Anderson
Leah Bassoff
Charles Baxter
Jaron Benjamin
Jon Bierman
Kristin Bowen & Sam Cohen
Robert Brooks
Light Buggiani
Stephanie & Bill Carpenter
Donna & John Carroll
Stephanie Carroll
Lynne Carstarphen
David Cascia & Elite Fitness
Laura Coaty
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Scott S. Davis
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Zoe DeRoo
Nicole Dewey & Bill Seely
Disney
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Mariamne Eliopoulos
Kory Floyd & Brian Seastone
Dianne Orkin Footlick
David Gifford & Svenja Leggewie
Michael & Nicola Gillespie
Rebecca Gilpin
Goldman Sachs
Google
David Groff
Amanda Guinzburg
Karen Henry
Frank Hopp
Andrew Janke
Abigail Katz
Alison Kliegman
Carolyn Lengel
Becky Lien
Kelsey Louie
Rachel & Jon Lowy
Matt Martin
Mark Matienzo & Chela Weber
Karen McGrane
McGraw-Hill Education
Derek McNally
David Meier
Microsoft
Heather Mirman
Ben & Lorraina Morrison
Elizabeth Murphy
Liz O’Brien & Steve Emrick
Eva & Tom Okada
Jacob Okada & Carylanna Taylor
The gals at Papél New York
Gregg Passin
Anne Paterson
Nancy Perry
Abigail Pogrebin
Eileen Pollack
Josie Raney
David Raper
Felicia Rector
Candace Rivela
Rhona Robbin
Kenneth Robinson
Terri Schiesl
Roger Schwartz
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Samantha Shaber
Beth Shapiro
Virginia Shubert
Jane B. Smith
Frederick Speers & Chase Skipper
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Krishna Stone
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Reed, Anna & Mila Vreeland
Clay Williams
Yu Wong