Red Dress Day
Yes I said Red Dress.
It started out as dress “red” day, but well, you know queens, it became “Red Dress Day”
There is this hill, that at the top if you look down, when you see the riders working their way up the hill it looks like a ribbon, so we thought if we all dressed red it would look like a red ribbon. So it was born.
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Now, go to bed, sleep and in the morning, everyone in camp coming out of their tents in red dresses, you laugh to see what outrageous items people are wearing. Some people have grouped together and have themes, like cheerleaders or the Minnie Mouse’s (Mice), some have long evening gowns. Even the roadies at the trucks and breakfast have red on. Even Ben, who only wears black, wears red this day, but he has not worn a dress yet.
The first year I just put on red tutu over a red tank top, but after awhile I felt like I was missing out on some fun, so the second year I actually went to Cross Dress for Less ((Ross)) and bought a dress. I tell you, that they only make the pretty dresses for the thin girls, and though I can fit into size 30 Levis, I do not fit into some of those pretty dresses.
It took me awhile to get over the fact that I was dress shopping and actually trying them on in the store right there in the aisle. The most embarrassing moment was when I was trying this dress on and this little old lady came up to me and asked if she could zip up the back for me, I had to tell her “Honey, this thing is not going to zip up” She laughed and said “And it is so pretty”.
So whatever dress you wear, you have to ride your bike in it, and Santa Maria is a small city, the first year, the Director of the LA Center told us this story; while she was in getting some coffee, she overheard a guy to say to another guy “Bill, you are not going to believe me, but I just saw a guy wearing a tutu, ride by on a bike”
So we ride out almost the same way we came into Santa Maria, our first rest stop is not even out of town yet, just a park on the outskirts, I guess we need time to check our dresses and make sure we can ride in them. But we all stop and take pictures of each other before we get going to far.
Then we head out of town and over hill and dale, to Casmalia, rest stop 2, and another fundraiser for their school, except this one they throw a dance party right there in the street. It is a hoot, and yes, even I danced last year.
After this rest stop, it is up a hill, and though it is relatively short it a bugger of a climb, but at the top, we are actually in Vandenburg Airforce Base (a back entrance), so sometimes, there are airman looking at all the guys in dresses riding their bikes.
At the top of this hill like the top of many hills, is a rider that brings an iPod, and a loud speaker, that rides up ahead, stops and dances for hours, to encourage you up that hill.
Ginger Brewlay is there too, and well as Mom & Dad, not my Mom & Dad, but a couple that lost their son to AIDS many years ago, and has been at every ride, every hill top and just express their love and gratefulness that people are doing something to spread awareness and stop the spread of AIDS. They like many others are a cherished part of the AIDS Lifecycle Community.
Anyway up that hill and down the other side, then it is up red ribbon hill, a long windy road. At the top, stop and look back – see you’re not the last. Laugh and ride on, soon it is time to stop for lunch, and then off again, it is short day only 43 miles so we are pretty much grouped together.
The ride this day is a relatively short day, 43 miles, so we get into camp early, and we relax, last year Cowboy and his Son showed up then, so we go out to our motel and then out to dinner. Then we go back to camp, to get pictures taken and see the talent show.
The talent show is not to be missed, these people have real talent, singers and dancers, however the highlight of this show is the people who have prepared a simple song or poem about someone that they have lost – the pain they still feel, and the closure that the ride has given them, the sense that they are no longer alone…
that this community understands and welcomes their grief with open arms.
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