The Cycle of Life

By Barbara Chance

They say that once you learn to ride a bicycle, you never forget. That's good news for Michael Boterman, a staff member in Independent Study (IS)/@access who, until recently, hadn't been on a bike since he was a kid. That's all changed since he found himself signing up for not one, but two fund-raising bicycle rides this summer.

It all started when a colleague in IS suggested that her officemates form a team and participate in a 75-kilometre ride for multiple sclerosis in Niagara Falls at the end of August. Although horses have been Boterman's preferred mode of recreational riding for many years, he agreed to join the team, figuring there'd be plenty of time to get back in the bicycle saddle again in time for the MS ride.

The stakes got a little higher, however, when a friend of Boterman's who rides in the annual Friends for Life Bike Rally, a 660-km trip from Toronto to Montreal to raise funds for the Toronto People With AIDS (PWA) Foundation, suggested he participate in that ride as well. The six-day rally begins July 29, so before he knew it, Boterman, who doesn't even own a bicycle, was hitting the road on borrowed wheels, in serious training for the gruelling ride that lies ahead.

His current regimen includes riding 40 kilometres every other day, biking to the University from his home in Rockwood a couple of times a week and making longer-distance treks on weekends. He also works out twice a week with weights, under the guidance of a personal trainer. Over the next few weeks, he'll be picking up the pace until he's eventually riding up to 50 or 60 km a day.

Needless to say, Boterman has had to abandon his horseback riding for awhile. But he still manages to squeeze in some time for his dog and for the occasional part-time work he does at a restaurant in Milton and as a cater waiter in Kitchener.

His determination to go the distance for the Friends for Life Bike Rally reflects not only his love of a challenge but also a personal interest in the cause it supports. Seventeen years ago, he was diagnosed with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Today, he shows no symptoms of the virus, thanks to a daily cocktail of three drugs, complementary therapies such as Vitamin C and ginseng, exercise, and regular visits to a massage therapist and chiropractor.

In a way, says Boterman, his participation in the bike rally is an investment in his own future. "There may come a time someday when I have to draw on the resources this ride supports."

Since 1987, PWA Toronto has been promoting the dignity and self-sufficiency of men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS. The organization provides services such as advocacy, medication coverage, financial aid, assistance with affordable housing, treatment resources and outreach programs in schools, agencies, media, hospitals and community groups.

PWA Toronto raised more than $162,000 through the bike rally last year and hopes to raise more than $500,000 this year, half through corporate sponsorships and half through individual donations.

About 130 riders will make the trek to Montreal, pedalling about 110 km a day along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River and camping overnight along the way. A crew of volunteers will accompany the riders, providing meals, carrying equipment between camping spots and organizing activities and entertainment.

Participants will arrive in Montreal in time to join in the city's Divers-Cité gay pride celebrations.

To participate in the rally, each rider is asked to generate a minimum of $2,000 in donations. So far, Boterman has raised about half that amount. Anyone interested in making a contribution to his effort can cal him at Ext. 3913 or send e-mail to mboterma@access.uoguelph.ca.

For more information about the Friends for Life Bike Rally, visit the Web site www.bikerally.org.