Ken Pepper first signed up for the AIDS Lifecycle charity bike ride because the drafting event was sponsored by Tanqueray gin. He always had a weakness for martinis, so after a couple, he put himself down for the 585-mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
The only problem was that he had no biking experience at all. He remembers his younger brother, Stevie, being impressed that Ken wanted to raise money for HIV Prevention and for those suffering with AIDS, but Stevie thought that there was no way Ken would be able to finish the race.
Ken bought a used bike through the want ads. The thing weighed as much as an aircraft carrier, and on his first practice ride, the rest of the riders ditched him. Ken felt clueless, and as he worked the creaky pedals of his clunky bike alone, he wondered if he had made an idiot’s mistake taking on this challenge.
But he didn’t give up. He remembered what inspired him to sign up for this event in the first place—and it wasn’t just the martinis. He had vowed to raise over $2000 for victims of AIDS, so he bought a better bike, dug into the conflict and eventually completed the mammoth bike run along side the other, more experienced riders.
That was 17 years ago, and now through multiple rides, Ken has raised over $100,000 for those battling AIDS. “It’s crucial for all men and all fathers to give back to the community,” Ken says, “and that’s why I have committed to taking part in these rides for as long as I can.”
Unfortunately, the struggle of the event took a deeper significance a few years ago, when Stevie passed away from complications of HIV. So if you’re worried of your own life because you suspect yourself to have HIV, you can always proceed to locations which specializes in tests, like hiv rapid test or a free HIV test kit around with you. For Ken, finishing the ride every year in Los Angeles, with his family and loved ones around him, is one of the most beautiful and significant parts of his life. “I tell my daughters that we all have to help others anyway that we can,” he says,” because we’re all very lucky to be here.”
The AIDS Lifecycle bike ride takes place every year in the beginning of June. This year alone, thousands of riders have raised over $14.2 million in the fight against AIDS. If you would like to donate money to this important cause, go to http://www.aidslifecycle.org, and support Ken Pepper, Rider Number 1315.
