8/6 ~ Oregon Coast

1995 USAIDS 5,000
(20th Anniversary Pictorial Ride)
Post #51:
//For Patrick~Don't miss his story attached to the final picture! It's what this trip was all about.//
I had been blessed in my life, through childhood vacations, a decade in the U.S. Army, and 15 years of corporate life, all adding to my travel experiences. I had stepped foot in 49 of the 50 states, at some point in my life, but I had NEVER been to Oregon. Trust me, it's not a state you want to miss, but it really is not a state one would normally travel through, to get anywhere else--unless you happen to be riding North to South, along the coast, and preferably on a bicycle. The Oregon Coast is as mighty and breathtaking and lush and beautiful as any land of one's imagination. So, rolling into the big O was a big time deal to me! (Each picture has more stories from Oregon.)

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Picture #117

Part of our plan was to visit Cascade AIDS Project, headed by Susan Stoltenberg, in Portland. We had visited a number of AIDS organizations, by this time, but Cascade stood out, for all the right reasons. It didn't have a visible banner or store front. It didn't occupy a large building. It didn't have many staff workers, either, but lots of volunteers, instead.  And, we found some of the biggest hearts doing work with some of the slimmest budgets, imaginable.   Serving more than 1,500 clients directly, and ten times that number, indirectly, through education and prevention, their goal was to make sure no duplication of services existed.  Susan said, "We are proud to keep our limited funds where they are needed most--for our clients, providing them with housing, food and medical assistance, as much as possible."  Carl Lebman and I hopefully used the media to get them added funding, through corporate challenges, and by keeping AIDS and Cascade AIDS Project in the news. (Picture--not a postcard--from early August, 1995; Article courtesy of The Oregonian, August 4, 1995)

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Picture #118

Working my way inland from the Oregon Coast, toward Portland, I was caught up by The Oregonian News. It was perhaps my only newspaper photo and interview conducted roadside.  One didn't have to look far to get a beautiful view. And, this is one of my favorite pictures of the entire 3-month journey, because it showed me doing what I love to do most--bicycling. I even chose to use it in the video trailer for my book, "An Impossible Dream Story".  You can almost make out the injury on my right shin, far from healed, and you can tell that I was not using my right shoulder as much, with a torn rotator cuff. But I continued bicycling, in rain and shine, and often times with this same smile on my face. When I was hurting too much, Carl Lebman put up with some nasty bitching from me. It was one more reason why his job was difficult, too.  Nevertheless, he stuck with me, looking forward to crossing into our final state, in just a few days.   There is no way we could imagine to have seen and done all we already experienced; yet the wildest part of our trip was still to come.   (Picture courtesy of The Oregonian, August 4, 1995)

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Picture #119

Just for fun, we stopped by a Sea Lion exhibition on the Oregon Coast, each taking a photo of the other on the statue.  Even more fun, were the baby sea lions, learning to fend for themselves, in one of the caves.   Unfortunately, photos were restricted to this.   (Pictures from early August, 1995)
— with Lebman Carl

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Picture #120

Excerpt from Pride Ride News, Vol. 1, No. 4, Oct. 12, 1995: [PATRICK: Some days were long. One might think that a visit to Cascade AIDS project was enough, but we headed back to the Oregon Coast, several hours. By dusk, we were settled in our "home" (the tent), courtesy of Coyote Rock Camp, and were looking forward to a campfire with wood donated by Josh (from yesterday's story), after learning of our mission. Before crashing, we traveled to Lincoln City for a meal donated by The Hilltop Inn, where Mae was working her first shift, in this, her new job. I had not yet seen today's newspaper,The Oregonian, with a picture of me on the cover--Until Mae came to our table with a copy in her hand. "You're that biker, I knew it, and of all days, today, being my first shift."  I didn't yet see the coincidence. Mae had recently relocated from Portland, to be closer to her sister and nephew, Patrick, a boy only 14 years old, terminally ill with AIDS.   Mae had spent the day caring for him, and planned to do it daily, to help her sister. Patrick contracted HIV at age 5, from a transfusion.  The tears in Mae's eyes said it all. There wasn't much time left, she said, "but maybe, if he hears about me meeting the biker with AIDS, he will hang in long enough for some new drugs. Will you please autograph a copy of this for him?" There are autographs, and there are written messages of hope with a special prayer; I was honored to do both for Patrick--one of our children I may never get to meet. The campfire was quiet, that night. It had been a long day.] Note: It has also been twenty years, since signing a copy of my picture for Patrick and Mae, but when I ran across this journal note, my own tears came back.   Here, I am 64 years old, and writing about having seen all 50 states, thanks to a bicycle trip, and writing about a 14 year old boy that likely only saw Oregon, and perhaps didn't make it to September, that year.   I remember praying for Patrick, with all my heart, for a very long time.  Look at the gorgeous Oregon Coast photo.  Somewhere out there is an angel named Patrick.   Let's not forget.   (Picture from early August, 1995)