
Minneapolis to Chicago | AIDS Ride 2001 June Training Report | Mon., July 9 to Sat., July 14 |
Editor's Note: The SJA Website will be providing daily reports from the road as we did last year. Webteam members Edie Kalweit, Michael Reinbold, Vickie Hepler, Ray Tanis and Rick Spaulding are also Team Oz members and will be sending back their accounts and images of the experience. This is assuming we get a reliable internet connection from base camps each evening. We hope to improve on last year's coverage with 4 reporters. Last year, Edie did it all! View her reports from last year's ride.
Thanks Edie, Michael, Vickie, Ray and Rick!
On June 10th, crew and riders met at REI to discuss in detail the six-day
trip ahead. A map of the route was set out for everyone to review, as well
as a description of the trip, each day, in writing. I'll include that
description at the end of this article. A slide show presented previous
year's campsites, facilities and general camp camaraderie. Kay Sailer
injected much humor as she narrated. Many of the more athletic members of
Team Oz have mastered our "Team Stretch!" As you read about Team Oz, (in
the future), see if you can identify what that stretch is!
We are well past the midway point in our training regiment. Of late we have
taken on challenging hills and very long gradual inclines. Our rides get
longer each week until almost the end of June. A few weeks prior to the
actual ride we taper down to allow our muscles to recover and prepare for the
marathon effort needed on the ride.
| There are 4 major AIDS Rides this summer: The Washington DC Ride, the California Ride, the Northeast Ride, and our own Heartland Ride from Minneapolis to Chicago- 500 miles in 6 days. Total participants this summer: over 10,000! |
With added training ride distance we are blessed to have "sag-mobiles"
manned by many loving parishioners. In particular Pat Murphy and Craig
Wilson have been along almost every weekend. Lunch crews have provided us
with homemade bars, Subway sandwiches, homemade drinks, pickles, trail mix
etc.... Many thanks go out to everyone who worked those stops. A special
Thank You to Charlene Kapp for organizing it all. And again we all
appreciate the continual efforts of our ride leaders and mechanics, Paul
Lipetzky and Tom Renner.
The notebook of AIDS Ride Reflections was passed, once again, so that folks
not present at the last meeting would be given a chance to add their thoughts
and prayers. Those reflections follow:
- Still looking for the healthy Land of Oz!
- To challenge my body, heart and spirit.
- To make a statement, to help, to support riders and enjoy community.
- For my friend who has HIV. So we can enjoy Christmas carols around his piano
when we're 75 years old! And the personal challenge and commitment to a
worthy goal. Rick
- My brother died of AIDS and I'm riding in his memory. I'm challenging my
mind and body and I know he's looking down from heaven and shaking his head
saying, "You're my craziest sister but I'm looking out for you." Mary McKenna
- I'm doing this ride, 1st time, as another arm of volunteering-cooking,
singing Xmas carols, giving massage to persons at Grace House, the AIDS Quilt
project, M.A.P., since 1988. I'm committed to this because I lost my HS
friend David Bergin to AIDS in "88", and also my cousin Alan Pat too in "91",
to AIDS. This ride is special to me because of our Catholicism. Alan Pat
was never honored in our family and I never knew about his death until
someone "leaked" out the secret. Alan after his death, has been very helpful
to me in my dreams. Showing me how to care for my Mom through the period
proceeding her death. I'm riding to honor Alan and honor the gift of his
spirituality in my life. Alan is truly an angel and it has proven to me that
being Gay is not morally wrong. Hopefully the ride will boost and support my
life in this way. Maria Karpinski
- I saw the quilt in '96.
It was the last time the quilt will be completely
assembled. It filled the entire mall in D.C. It was more powerful than can
be put in words. There were panels for all kinds and ages of people. AIDS
must be stopped.
- I've listened to Jim talk about it at Sunday masses. I decided I could help
out this cause.
- I just moved to Minneapolis in August, and began my first year teaching. In
October I had my appendix out, and with no family here, I felt pretty alone.
The caretaker of my building, his partner and my coworkers took care of me.
My caretaker has AIDS, and when I heard about the ride, I decided that that
would be the best way to thank him. He is now one of my best friends.
The Daily Schedule
Day 1 Start at Concordia College - Pit 1. Oakdale;
- Pit 2. Burkhardt, WIS;
- Lunch pit. Hammond;
- Pit 3. Wilson, WIS;
- Pit 4. Knapp, WIS;
- Camp. Menominie
HS. Total mileage 82.9
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Day 2 - Pit 1. Dunville;
- Pit 2. Rock Falls;
- Lunch pit. Strum;
- Pit 3.
Cleghorn;
- Pit 4. Whitehall;
- Pit 5 Blair;
- Camp Black River Falls HS. Total
mileage 101.9
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Day 3 - Pit 1. Millston;
- Pit 2. Warrens;
- Pit 3. Sprague;
- Lunch pit. Necedah;
- Pit 4. Friendship;
- Pit 5. Grand Marsh;
- Camp Pioneer Westfield HS. Total
mileage 100.5
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| Click on the each individual days camp to view a more detailed map. |
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Day 4 - Pit 1. Montello;
- Pit 2. Pardeeville;
- Lunch pit. Doylestown;
- Pit 3.
Columbus;
- Pit 4. Waterloo;
- Pit 5. Lake Mills;
- Camp Jefferson Co. Fairgrounds.
Total mileage 101.6
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Day 5 - Pit 1. Fort Atkinson;
- Pit 2. Whitewater;
- Lunch pit. Elkhorn;
- Pit 3.
Lake Geneva;
- Pit 4. Genoa City, WIS;
- Camp Knox Park in McHenry, Illinois.
Total mileage 74.2
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Day 6- Pit 1. Wauconda;
- Pit 2. Libertyville;
- Pit 3. Highland Park;
- Pit 4. Evanston.
- Closing ceremonies will be held at Montrose Harbor, (due to
downtown road construction). Total mileage 57.5
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| Edie Kalweit has been a St. Joan of Arcer for 24 years now. Now that her children are
grown, there is time to participate more fully in activities taking place at
St. Joan's. |
This is the 8th year of the AIDSRide program sponsored by Tanqueray. Since 1994, 64,000 riders have raised a total of 83.9 million dollars.
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