AIDS/LifeCycle riders arrive Thursday in Santa Maria, the overnight stop for the fourth leg of the ride. 
Singing a couple of lines from “Stop! In the Name of Love,” AIDS/LifeCycle volunteer roadie Andre Segura Smith reminds riders about a four-way stop as they near Preisker Park in Santa Maria on Wednesday. 
An AIDS/LifeCycle rider sporting a jersey that reads “Hello Riders, Hello Roadies,” waves as he arrives in Santa Maria on Wednesday. 
An AIDS/LifeCycle bicyclist waves upon arriving in Santa Maria. 
Cyclists roll by volunteers celebrating their arrival at Santa Maria’s Preisker Park in various ways, including with a hula hoop. 
An AIDS/LifeCycle rider gives the peace sign upon entering Santa Maria on Wednesday afternoon. 
AIDS/LifeCycle riders roll into Santa Maria on Wednesday afternoon. 
AIDS LifeCycle riders roll into Santa Maria on Wednesday afternoon.
Riders for AIDS/LifeCycle arrived in Santa Maria on Wednesday, the fourth day of the 545-mile trek that will keep them in Santa Barbara County through most of Friday.
About 3,000 riders, roadies and others traveled from Paso Robles to Santa Maria, where they spent the night at Preisker Park, welcoming the mild coastal weather after dealing with temperatures in the 90s the day before.
Upon arriving in Santa Maria, the cyclists were greeted by volunteer roadie Andrea Segura Smith holding a stop sign and singing a few lines from “Stop! In the Name of Love,” to remind riders to observe the four-way stop at a busy intersection near the park.
Other volunteers greeted riders while using a hula hoop or waving pompoms.
On Thursday, approximately 2,300 cyclists will travel to Lompoc’s Riverbend Park, with riders creating a color sight while sporting a variety of creative outfits for the Red Dress Day while traveling Highway 1.
Friday’s leg of the journey will take riders along Highways 1 and 101 from Lompoc through southern Santa Barbara County en route to San Buenaventura State Beach in Ventura for the overnight stop.
The fundraising event involving the Los Angeles LGBT Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation aims to improve the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS and raise awareness.
The ride, which has raised nearly $17.8 million this year, kicked off on Sunday in San Francisco and ends Saturday in Los Angeles.
Participants range in age from 18 to 81, representing 47 states and 14 countries.
The purpose of the ride is to raise critically needed funds for HIV/AIDS-related services provided by the Los Angeles LGBT Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and to raise awareness that AIDS is still devastating the society, particularly the LGBT community and communities of color in San Francisco, Los Angeles and throughout California.
A Finish Line Festival will start at 11 a.m. Saturday at Fairfax High School, 7850 Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles.
The ride events began in 1994 and were rebranded in 2002, with early sign-ups already starting for next year's event, which is scheduled for June 4-10.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.