Colorful and enthusiastic supporters greeted AIDS/LifeCycle riders arriving Wednesday in Santa Barbara County, where they will spend the next two days.
“Welcome to Santa Maria,” roadies shouted at riders before directing them to bike parking at Preisker Park in the northern section of the city.
Wednesday’s leg of the 545-mile trek had launched hours earlier in Paso Robles.
Cyclists will spend the night at Santa Maria’s Preisker Park — or local hotels and homes — before they head out Thursday morning for Lompoc’s River Bend Park.
Typically, the event’s Thursday segment leads to colorful displays as riders don red dresses, including tutus, while making the trek to Lompoc.
On Friday, the more than 2,000 riders, several with ties to Santa Barbara County, will leave Lompoc, pass through the Santa Barbara area and head for Friday night’s overnight stop at Ventura’s San Buenaventura State Beach.
In addition to the cyclists, the event has hundreds of “roadies” who help with various logistics while serving as cheerleaders and greeters.
The ride began Sunday in San Francisco and ends Saturday in Santa Monica for the first time. A finish line festival will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Santa Monica Beach, Lot 4 South in Santa Monica.
The annual ride aimed at fighting to end HIV and AIDS also raises millions of dollars to support the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the HIV-related services of the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
This year’s participants raised more than $11.7 million for the organizations, adding to the $300 million raised since its start.
The event debuted in 1994 as the California AIDS Ride before it was reconfigured to what is known today as AIDS/LifeCycle, touted as the world’s largest annual HIV and AIDS fundraiser.