Published in Next Magazine, March 17, 2011.
“Live to Ride. Ride to Live.”
By Jeff Kagan
Graham Weinstein learned he was HIV-positive in 1992. He was 27 years old and thought his days were numbered. He had no job, no money, no partner and very few friends. Having nothing to do, and not wanting to do anything, his days were filled with emptiness. He was depressed. Graham began making mental preparations to die.
To escape from his personal sorrow, Graham would get on his bike and ride over the George Washington Bridge, making sure to ride very fast, to lessen the chance of ending his life during a weak moment. “Many days I would end up in Palisades Park, bawling my eyes out, thinking I've screwed up my life beyond repair.”
However, one bright summer morning, something caught Graham’s eye. He noticed another cyclist, jersey halfway unzipped, with a nipple ring glistening in the sun. He was intrigued. They began to talk and within a few minutes, Graham’s life had switched gears. “Right there, in the time it took to cross the bridge, my life began to transform. We started to ride together almost every weekend and soon met two other gay cyclists that shared our love for riding.”
Graham and his new pedaling pals began training together for a ride called “Escape New York,” a 100-mile ride excursion over the George Washington Bridge, through the West Hudson Highlands of Bergen County, New Jersey and up into Rockland County, New York. This was the trip that truly changed his life. The bonds of friendship formed very quickly. “These are my closest friends today and the people I credit with helping me turn my life around.” He now had close friends, a hobby he loved, and he even found a job as the Communications Manager for New York Road Runners.
In 2009, Graham and his friend Dieter Klemke decided it was time to take their passion for riding to the next level and OutCycling was born! Dieter considers himself to be a good organizer and that shows -- within the first full year, the group had over 100 members, and since, their mailing list has grown to over 300. Dieter happily enjoys the benefits of organizing for an athletic crowd, “I love having lots of hot bodies in tight clothes around me. (BIG SMILE).” He also takes pride in the organization’s diversity and the sense of inclusiveness that is felt all around. “We all love to be together as a group and we take care of each other. We don’t leave anyone behind.”
Thanks to their hard work, and the many friends he has found, Graham is in a much better place these days. On weekend mornings, he rides along the Hudson River on Palisades Park, grateful for the beauty all around him. “I am living proof it gets better.”
Not only is his life better, but he’s meeting new and interesting people every week. “It was fun finding out the sweet-as-pie rider next to me is getting in shape for his next role as a master in an S&M adult movie.”
For more information about OutCycling, go to www.outcycling.org. If you are struggling with HIV and need someone to talk to, call Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) at 1-800-243-7692 (www.gmhc.org).
Scarey Flying Balls: Can someone say total dodgeball domination? After winning Big Apple Dodgeball's 1st Annual Winter Tournament, The Mariah Scareys won their third consecutive championship in the mostly-hetero NYCSSC Dodgeball league. This all-gay dodgeball team is the only team to hold that record in NYCSSC Dodgeball history. That's certainly something to sing about. More at bigappledodgeball.org.
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough: Last weekend, the nice people at CRUX, New York’s LGBT Rock Climbing Club took the kids from Green Chimneys climbing! This was their first foray into working with homeless and underprivileged youth. Rock on!! More at LGBTclimbing.com.
Nice Bat. Wood?: The Big Apple Softball League congratulates several of its teams who placed in the Sin City Shoot Out in Las Vegas in January: The Wings who came in 1st and The Eagles who came in 3rd in the "C" Division. The Dirty Dozen, a traveling Big Apple Softball League team came, in 1st in the Women's Division. Congratulations to all!
Oh, look. There’s A Gay Lion. ROAR. The New York Lions are champions once again as they tamed the Wildmen on Friday, February 11th at Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers in Game 2 of a best-of-3 series. This is the Lions' lucky 13th Championship since the summer of 2001 and they still hold the record for the NYC Gay Hockey Association team with the most wins. Congratulations to Captain Vinny Cericola and his team on their victory!
See Dick Run: Five members of the Front Runners New York men’s team placed on the New York Road Runners honor roll in the Coogan’s Shamrock, Blues, and Salsa 5K race on Sunday, March 6: Josh Korth (age group 20 – 24 years, 10th place), Rich Velazquez (30 – 34, 6th), Assistant Coach Christopher Stoia (40 – 49, 5th), Steve Vizena (50 – 54, 6th), and Dave Pitches (65 – 69, 3rd). Congratulations, gentlemen!
