8/25 ~ Famous Places

1995 USAIDS 5,000
(20th Anniversary Pictorial Tour)
Post #66: 
[ Excerpts from AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM STORY accompany each photo, edited to show actual names. ]

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Picture #162a

[ With plans to spend the night with Bill Richards and Jamie Cole, from the Imperial Court of Los Angeles, we found ourselves in the former home of actress Mae West. . . ] (Picture from August 25, 1995)
— with Bill Richards, ICoLA, Lebman Carl and Jamie Cole, ICoLA

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Picture #166

[ . . . While looking for their residence, Carl decided to pay tribute to Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman by going by the murder site on Bundy Drive. We were saddened by the flowers and trash accumulated outside the gate. . . ] (Picture from August 25, 1995)

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Picture #167

[ . . . Wanting to follow the story more, we stopped by the Mezzaluna Restaurant made famous by the famously murdered pair, but opted not to partake after hearing that a single cup of coffee was outrageously priced at seven dollars. . . ] (Picture from August 25, 1995)

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Picture #168

[ Carl's final goal before resting was to locate the OJ Simpson mansion on Brentwood. What’s this? Not only was the main access route (Rockingham Drive) closed off with permanent barriers, but all street signs had been removed. There was no fooling this team, though, so we maneuvered bike and car, street after street, looking for a remote entrance. When I spotted street work barriers and a sign announcing “Local Traffic Only,” I knew it really meant “this way to OJ.” I nailed it with that call, because only a few streets back was the corner of Ashford & Rockingham, the final destination of the now infamous OJ Runaway blitz. Both gates had been covered with molded plywood to offer privacy. That was merely an invitation to “climb the fence if you want a photo, buddy,” another offer I couldn’t refuse. Not much was visible, but I now have great photos of the white Ford Bronco and covered Bentley. ] (Picture from August 25, 1995)

 

8/24 ~ Venice Beach

1995 USAIDS 5,000
(20th Anniversary Special)
Post #65: 
[Excerpts from AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM STORY accompany each photo, edited to show real names.]

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Picture #177

[ With only a planned week left for my excursion, Venice Beach (aka Muscle Beach) was the setting for my bicycle stint on the APLA commercial. We anticipated an all-day event, but the camera crew knew precisely what they wanted, so the shoot took just over an hour and wrapped up after take seven. I bicycled up and down the same segment of pavement over and over. It was not quite like going around the redwood tree, but it was exciting, none the less. ] (Picture from August 24, 1995)

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Picture #178

[ Since there was so much budgeted time left, we resolved to try out rollerblading.  Carl was a wiz on wheels . . . ] (Picture from August 24, 1995)
— with Lebman Carl

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Picture #179

[ . . . but I didn’t find balance long enough to hit the strip. Wouldn’t you expect more from a biker? Embarrassed, I opted instead to cruise the full length of the paved beach trail on the “dream machine” twelve miles north to Malibu, back to Venice Beach, then seven miles south and returning again, of course. Added to commercial miles, I could knock off fifty additional miles from the “make-up” list. There were volleyball tournaments, rollerblading championships, joggers (one of which I swear was Jason Priestley of 90210), jugglers, jet skiers, wind and board surfers, and magicians and musicians of every variety, most showing a serious amount of beautifully bronzed skin! There was also an endless array of shops, vendors, eateries, games, and odd-ball rides with thousands of explorers walking, biking or swimming. It was a sandy beach, carnival, gymnasium, concert, and three-ring circus all rolled into one. There’s nothing like it elsewhere in the world. While cycling Venice Beach, I lapped up endless salty drops of Pacific sights and sun, a kaleidoscope of colors and shades with perfumed and aromatic smells against a backdrop of royal blue, surfers, jet skis, sail boats, and yachts—I was in biker’s heaven. ] (Picture from August 24, 1995)  

8/23 ~ Terri Hatcher

1995 USAIDS 5,000
(20th Anniversary Special)
Post #64: 
[Excerpts from AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM STORY (edited to show real names) accompany each photo.]

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Picture #155

 
[ With eight days to go, we accepted an APLA invitation to be among a select group of volunteer coordinators to promote the APLA Aids Walk. Hosted by Warner Brothers Studios, the APLA director pumped up the crowd during his motivational speech: “Before bringing up the star of our show, I want to introduce you to a man some call Viper. He is bicycling 5,000 miles for our cause. He has AIDS, and he biked here to challenge all of you to walk with us this year, to make a difference. Jim Petretta, stand up; folks, give him a big welcome.” After a round of cheering applause, he continued. . .. ] (Poster and photo from August 23, 1995)

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Picture #156

 [ . . . Now help me welcome your favorite actress, who plays Lois Lane on the now-popular Lois & Clark series. Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Miss Terri Hatcher.” Terri was about to take time from her busy schedule to make a commercial for the 1995 APLA AIDS Walk. . . ] (pictures from August 23, 1995)
— with Actress Teri Hatcher

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Picture #157

 [ . . . Carl Lebman, never shy when it comes to celebrities, wormed his way to the front, both to get her autograph and to convince Miss Hatcher to meet me. Gracious as she was, Terri reportedly told Carl, “I wouldn’t dream of leaving here without meeting that remarkable man. Where is he? Let’s get a picture together. I think he’s scheduled to make a TV promotional spot with me.” Although our scenes were to be filmed separately, I was asked to bike in a short segment of that very same APLA commercial. Now, that is just cool!

(Terri Hatcher was already famous at the time I was lucky enough to meet her, but who knew her stardom would explode with another series which lasted several seasons and is still running today? It, of course, is known as Desperate Housewives. When I tell the story of meeting her, people say, “No Way!”) Although we would not meet again while shooting our segments of the APLA commercial, I did stumble across three gals known as the Venice Angels on Venice Beach, where they were promoting their new cassette. They played harp, flute and, my favorite instrument of all, autoharp. The Venice Angels have been contracted in the past to tour with Yanni as part of his string orchestra. They kindly autographed a cassette for me. Someday, I will pass it on to an angel, but whom? ] (Picture from August 23, 1995)
— with Lebman Carl and Actress Teri Hatcher



   

8/22 ~ APLA

1995 USAIDS 5,000
(20th Anniversary Pictorial Tour)
Post #63:
This was the day Carl Lebman and I went to AIDS Project Los Angeles for a tour and tremendous surprises they had in store for us this week. (Excerpts from AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM STORY accompany each picture.)

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Picture #154

 

APLA (AIDS Project Los Angeles - APLA) was famous, around the country, for their San Francisco to Los Angeles Bicycle Ride for AIDS. I've been told a number of times that the picture they put on their poster (upper left) was taken of me, somewhere between the two cities, when I bicycled.

[ Nine days out, I biked to APLA (AIDS Project Los Angeles) and we toured this one-of-a-kind service agency. Enormous in size, it housed all the standard services you would expect to find, like testing and education, as well as individual advocacy through case management. Further, it hosted a safe meeting place for clients, as well as a recreation area, kitchenette, library, and food pantry. They even held a medical clinic for many uninsured clients on the premises and boasted a dental clinic. I knew the perils of HIV on oral health, but this program was a first to me. . . ]    (Poster courtesy of APLA)

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Picture #158

The article appeared in their October Issue, but the interview and photo (next photo) was taken onAugust 22, 1995.

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Picture #159

[ . . . After interviewing for APLA’s Positive Living Magazine, Carl treated me to a tour of Hollywood; the famous Hollywood sign appeared just as it does on TV. We walked with the stars down Hollywood Boulevard and touched famous hand prints at the Chinese Theater. We window shopped down on Rodeo Drive, unable to afford anything. That evening, a popular night club, Rage, invited me to judge their local singing contest finals. I expected lip sync, not the Star-Search (now, American Idol) quality I discovered, with each act surpassing the last. The talented lad who won by a hair belted a believable version of “Impossible Dream.” His winning was purely coincidental. ]   (Article courtesy of APLA, October 1995)

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Picture #160

  

For those reading details, here is the rest of the story, and it talks about how it came to pass that I met the one talented man who could have possibly managed this trip for me, Mr. Carl Lebman. (Article courtesy of APLA, October, 1995)

 

8/21 ~ San Vicente Inn

1995 USAIDS 5,000
(20th Anniversary Special)
Post #62:
(Note: When you click on to the first picture, you will see an excerpt from AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM STORY, pertaining to our arrival in Los Angeles.) In 1995, the San Vicente Inn was exclusively owned, operated and frequented by the gay community, and once folks were checked in, and escorted to their rooms; it was from that point clothing optional, behind the privacy walls. For that reason, I can only show you more recent photos, and clue you in to an article and the latest websites, where it is now open to the general public.

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Post #153.1

 

[ Ten Days & Counting was how my journal read. After biking until early afternoon, U.S. Highway 1 converted into a major expressway that prohibited bicycles. I hitched a ride with Cal into Los Angeles. He got me to the nearest exit and gave me directions to San Vicente Inn. Me being a Vincent, too, this had to be my kind of transitory abode! Offering suites, a swimming pool, and hot tub, it advertised “everything you would expect of a luxury resort and much, much more.” It was the second much that caught my attention; it seemed customary to lose one’s inhibitions, as well as trunks, before poolside lounging. ]

(Picture courtesy of NY Times, March 14, 2014 Article may be found at 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/16/fashion/a-los-angeles-gay-landmark-buttons-up.html?_r=1)

— at San Vicente Inn.

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Picture #153.2

(Picture from The new San Vicente Bungalows webpage):
http://www.sanvicentebungalows.com/photos

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Picture #153.3

(Picture from The new San Vicente Bungalows webpage):
http://www.sanvicentebungalows.com/photos

8/19 ~ Sarah House

1995 USAIDS 5,000
(20th Anniversary Pictorial Tour)
Post #61: 
The first two pictures are from Sarah House, and the last two are from The Ivanhoe Inn, Santa Barbara. (Starting with excerpts from AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM STORY)

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Picture #149

 

[Having missed Iron Butterfly’s concert by several days, we went right to work when rolling into Santa Barbara. We met Ron and Michael, real people living at Sarah House, a 2nd residential home for persons living with AIDS. Their slogan, “Once an empty lot, now a whole lot more,” speaks volumes to the needs of this community being met. In addition to standard fare (private rooms with combined living areas), Sarah House highlighted several apartment complexes for mates and families wanting more independent living arrangements within a protected and supportive environment. This was where we met Ron and Michael, two of the sweetest, loving young men you’d ever hope to find in a couple. Ron suffered with HIV; Michael had full blown AIDS. Both lost their careers, futures, financial security and, worse, their family support systems due to the disease. To keep active, Michael helped make his own piece of the national AIDS quilt. In a huddle, we prayed for Michael’s comfort and Ron’s strength.] (Picture from August 19,1995)
— with Staffer, Sarah House, Michael Pulizzano, Sarah House and Ron Hart, Sarah House

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Picture #149b

  

While Michael made his own piece of the quilt, his partner, Ron refurbished the chair Michael loved so much. [ (By the time we returned to New York two weeks later, l was informed of Michael’s passing. In mourning, Ron had taken a turn for the worse.) Profound is the only way to describe the loss I witnessed all across America. ] (Picture from August 19, 1995)

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Picture #139

After a day of biking and touring Sarah House, and having an opportunity to meet and tell the stories of Ron and Michael, Carl and I spent a quiet evening at this quaint bed & breakfast, call Ivanhoe Inn, courtesy of the owner. Here is a picture of Carl Lebman, resting on the steps, watching over the Dream Machine. (Picture and pamphlet from August 19,1995)
— with Jim's Dream Machine and Lebman Carl

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Picture #150

With permission, on our way out of Ivanhoe Inn, I stopped to pick an orange from a tree near the garden. I sat on the porch, and dug out (this poem, written down for me, summer of 1995), by another friend made along the way.  
 

8/17 ~ Santa Cruz

1995 USAIDS 5,000 
(20th Anniversary Pictorial Ride) 
Post #60: 
My last post was mostly pictures, no story. Today, is mostly story, and only these two pictures, so enjoy excerpts from AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM STORY, edited, however only Carl's name changed. The story came right from our Pride Ride News, following the bike trek:

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Picture #138

[ Santa Cruz AIDS Project, like so many others, struggled to stay ahead of demand. They serviced all people, but admitted to a large HIV population in the Hispanic community. They wanted so much to put a face on AIDS locally, wanting to draw media attention and, hopefully, social interest and the funding desperately needed, that Carl Lebman diligently organized a press conference directly in front of the Santa Cruz AIDS Project. It was a touchy situation that opened the possibility of client privacy being compromised. Some communities build walls around groups not to protect them, but to block them from sight. I understood the necessity of respecting privacy, but there comes a time when we need to set an example, to show others how to step up and be counted; that was the time. Everywhere we went, I met men, women, and children infected with and affected by HIV and AIDS; until arriving in Santa Cruz, very few persons of color have been among those faces. I almost preached, “These are warm-blooded, live human beings, all with names, faces, families, troubles, needs, goals, hopes, and dreams just like your own; who will tell their stories?” I invited agency spokespersons to join me in the news, but they were largely ignored, and in some cases rudely pushed aside, by the white correspondents and broadcasters wanting the perfect photo of me.

That evening, we accepted an invitation to stay with a humble gay family: George, Sean, and their pup Riddle. We held hands when the late news came on, hoping for some positive press. I couldn’t understand why reporters excluded everything except my own story. We watched whitewashed TV (appealing to white audiences) in this beautiful home and city of color. Somewhere, lost, was the message that my story had become the culmination of each and every act of mercy, each organized agency reaching out with empathy, and each inflicted person finding his or her own way to live with AIDS.

With tears of embarrassment gathered in my eyes, there fell a pause and one final revelation from the journalist—this one made a difference. While showing the picture of a beautiful young man of color, the reporter articulated, “Santa Cruz suffered a great loss today when the intelligence, wit, and talents of this 24-year-old son joined the countless, faceless numbers in becoming part of our lost future.” The volume went silent for about ten seconds, featuring the picture of a Latino boy, titled “Angel, 1971-1995.” We knew the impact of such sensationalism; there was hope. Perhaps a couple corporations will now sponsor this agency of angels for angels. “This mile is for the brave, sole journalist who dared make a difference, and God bless Santa Cruz.” ] (Pictures from August 17, 1995)
— with George Diaz, Santa Cruz, Sean from Santa Cruz and Riddle from Santa Cruz