Singing "Do, a deer, a female deer", 763 riders and volunteers raised more than $675,000 in the 2019 Hill Country Ride for AIDS outside Austin, Texas. The pit-stop crew The Lonely Goatherds led us in song, broadcasting Julie Andrews' voice from the highest hill in the 65-mile ride.
After months of fundraising and many hours in the saddle, riders gather before dawn to loosen up and prep their bikes.
I've ridden and photographed this ride, pro-bono, since 2004. It's one of the few times I don't have to tell people to smile. Ten miles down the road the endorphins kick in and everybody is grinning like fools.
Team Captains Paul Scott and Bryan White promised they'd shave their beards and heads if their teams raised more than $50,000. They both got buzzed.
Everyone pitches in to make the ride a success. It's a community of kindness where we all gather to cheer the Last Rider In. The last rider worked harder than all the rest of us.
Over the years it's been a privilege to lead the volunteer Ride marketing team, working with Austin's best ad agencies to produce campaigns that appeared multiple times in the pages of Communication Arts, PRINT, and HOW International Design Annual.
All the while raising more than $10 million to help our friends and neighbors living with HIV/AIDS. I hope you'll join us by making a donation. The Help Desk is easy to find at HillCountryRide.org