AEGiS-AP: Boston-NY Trip To Help AIDS

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Boston-NY Trip To Help AIDS

The Associated Press - 15 Sep 95

BOSTON (AP) -- Beth Beighlie didn't want to ride. She didn't want to put in the hours of training or to ask for donations. She just wanted to take care of her two best friends, who were dying.

Then, within a month, Bill and Mike succumbed to AIDS, leaving behind a few bicycles and their 35-year-old photographer friend. Before Beighlie had time to grieve, she was signing up for today's inaugural Boston-to-New York AIDS Ride.

"There was never really a time when I decided to ride. It just sort of seemed natural. I had to ride," said Beighlie, who refitted Bill's mountain bike with skinny tires to use in the 261-mile, three-day journey across three states. "It has been incredibly cathartic for me."

Beighlie is one of about 3,500 people pedaling across Massachusetts and through Connecticut to New York City to raise money for AIDS programs. About 175 riders either are HIV-positive or have AIDS.

The riders had clear skies and a chill wind as they left Boston's World Trade Center this morning, cheered on by hundreds of onlookers.

Mayor Thomas Menino, in a pep talk to the riders, said: "Today is a landmark day for the city of Boston. ... The city cares, you care, the corporate sponsors care."

The fund-raiser is expected to generate more than $5 million, with $3 million to be divided among programs in New York City and Boston.

The rest will go toward paying expenses of coordinating, feeding and housing the bicyclists and hundreds of volunteers along the route.

Brian Rosenberg, 30, is one of the riders who is living with HIV.

"There are still a lot of people out there who don't realize there are lots of us living well with HIV and, indeed, AIDS," he said. "That's one of the great things about this bike ride -- we can demonstrate firsthand that people with AIDS can live their lives."

Copyright 1995/The Associated Press. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Permissions Desk, The Associated Press, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020.

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