Her name is Betsy!!! : AIDS Ride 2010, Mexico City to Vienna

Her name is Betsy!
Buying in US and riding from Mexico;
Betsy was discovered on Craigslist priced for 900 dollars! We made it for 580 US dollars, up on negotiations!! Natasha, a white girl was considerable enough for our cause to buy a car!!! Apart from guys Jose, Subash and other, it was very importantly a great contribution from a gentleman, our friend Sravan who helped us at that time. Betsy is a 14 years old Chrysler Concord LX make. GK is the main driver who runs Betsy. It was a great opportunity for Betsy to adventure in North American roads covering Central and North America to and fro. We bought Betsy in Canton OH with a titled for- B'Care platted ETV -7808. Betsy is basically very beautiful long sleek and reflects burgundy on her. Maria liked Betsy. Maria is the owner of Arcadia Grill who also supports an NGO that works for Cancer. Maria supported AIDS Ride 2010 and took Betsy to a mech-hospital and spend couple of hurdred dollars to change its tyres, tightened screws, added new bolts changed oils. Thus, we made Betsy to confront AIDS Ride 2010. Thanks to Maria. Her BIG heart says, "Honey, I want you both to be safe on the road", to us! Mc Donalds supported our food for today. GK was the main driver. He is expertised in driving and it is very first for him to ride a car in North America.
On 25th June 2010
evening after fixing the car to the potential, we started our journey from Canton, OH heading to Mexico City. Our route was on 77 interstate highway to Akron 71 to Interstate Highway to Columbus, OH. It is very first time for GK to drive a car in USA or North America after brushing up Canton for a day. He has pretty good experience in India only. Whatsoever, he was bit nervous to drive but then he got habbituated for the same as he kept on driving. The Churches helped our food after we talk about HIV/AIDS.
26th June 2010
We started from Columbus continued on route 71 heading towards Cincinnatti, OH, Louisville, KY deviated to 65 Nashville, TN slept at a Rest Area, Wendys helped our food.
27th June 2010
Started from Nashville our route towards Memphis, TN by 40 Interstate touching Little Rock, AR, Texarkana, AR, connected to 30 towards Dallas, TX, took 45 to Buffallow, Houston, took 59 to Victoria took rest in a motel. Miles covered: 344 Burger King donated our food. We also talk about HIV/AIDS and distributed condoms all the way we drove.
28th July 2010
Started our journey from Victria then 77 Carpus Christi and 44 Alice down hitting Lorado at the US-Mexico boarder. We reason we changed our route towards Brownsville because of Alex Harricane. Although, a couple of hours away and we are running away from the heavy pouring. Our windsheild wiper was inactive but manages to drive in rain for over couple of hundreds miles and then we got it fixed. It was cloudy all the evening and raining at Crossing US- Mexico Boarder and the Mexican Highways was very challenging and the permits at the toll were expensive. There was a great problem with the Mexican Cops who wanted us to stand out of public so that they can loot us at the boarder. They were squeezing our pockets but then I showed an old ID from United Nation ID Card from the Sustainable meeting that was in NYC. They just left then. We had to get permit for our Betsy and us too. Mc Donalds helped our food after we talk about HIV/AIDS and give condoms for safe sex. Many times we stoped at gas stations to promote AIDS awareness.
We spend about 150 USD for the tolls gates but we happen to opt that becuase of Time management-we did an emergency drive and due to the only reason of safety and urgency to reach by 1st July in Mexico City. It was not that much good because of heavy traffic and road repairs. 29th June 2010, Passed the Nova Lorado to continue hitting Monterrey, On 30 th drove from St Loui Potosi, Matahaula, Quetero slept at a gas station. It was raining and saw our tire punctured at the gas station. We fixed it and started 6 am on 1st morning heading to Ciudad De Mexico. We were able to reach Mexico City by afternoon and the event preperations were on. There was a great delay in our schedule due to few problems we faced in Mexico City. We had caught with a Tourist Guide who was recommended by a cop at the Toll. It was the same time when we asked the Cop about how to go "Juanacatalan" He was innocent too but due to lack of communication of language barrier we had to face problem soon after entering Mexico City with the unknow stranger who is actually a cop motivated Guide to new commers. That has forced the Guide to ask money to us and we were arguing that we helped him bring in to the city, which was how we thought. Lots of misunderstanding due to trusting a cop asking a direction at the boarder. These cops actually have links with the guide and willhave commission percentage with the guide and which is a cop's side business. Well, this delayed us and cops were at the home close to Betsy. Mom Eva gave us money to pay it.
Well, then called to Erika to say that we will hurry up to see her. She is Erika, the Coordinator, AIDS Ride 2010 took care of organising the local bike event. Many local restaurants helped our food after we talk and spread the message of HIV/AIDS.
We took bath in the afternoon and Mom Eva Araunda helped as usual for staying in her home for couple of days.
Kickstarting AIDS Ride 2010,
The opening ceremony of AIDS Ride 2010 was a great kick start in Mexico City on July 1st 2010, gathered at the Angel of Independance along with the Ecobici the Government's project and other organisation called Presidentia de Mexico. Around 50 Bikers from Ecobici joined with other 20 from the Presidencia de Mexico and local bikers together biked to Zocolo and back to the Angel of Independance, Mexico City. We started the event at 7 pm and ended by 10 pm.
There was a good coverage from Reforma, La Journada, and other 8 news media for the mass madia collaboration. Most of them were published and aired on 3rd and later.
Starting from Mexico City,
3rd July 2010, 650 Miles (Mexico) + 1800 Miles (Loredo, TX to Canton, OH)+ 480 Miles (Canton to New York City) total 3000 Miles approx. to be covered; Started from Mexico. Got to cover 1200 Km to complete the Mexican distance and enter USA. Morning we started Mexico City to Queretero to Matahaula outs cuts we took rest. We have chosen Freeway for the route so that we can get rid of the Toll pass fee.
4th July 2010
we started from Matahuala, Monterry and Lorado to boarder of Mexico-USA and it took us 9pm, continued our journey to Freer and rest at a gas station. Mostly we covered in Freeway except at the Mexico City toll.
Loredo to Victoria 186 miles- Victoria to Pine Bluff-293 Miles, Pinebluff to Nashville, TN-684 Miles, Nashville,TN to Cincinnatti OH-275 Miles, Cincinnatti OH to Canton OH 240 Miles, Canton, OH to New York City, NY- 457 Miles
5th July 2010
from Freer we took 59 and directed to Victoria to George west, Goliad, Victoria, edna, elcampo, Houston, Livingston, lufkin, Nachadoches
6th July 2010,
59 Nachadochas to Mansfield, 171 to Shreveport, 20 to Minden, 79 to eldarado and we took rest there.
7th July 2010
, we hit 79 Eldorado -fordyce and reached Pine Bluff night halt
8th July 2010
, we hit 79 PineBluff to Stuttgart, Marianna, to Memphis, TN on 40 Nashville
9th July 2010
we hit Nashville 65 to Louiville, Louisville 71 to Cincinatti out cuts to rest at a Rest Area.
10th July 2010
we started from Cincinnatti we hit-71 Columbus- 71 Akron 30 to Wooster
11th July 2010
Wooster to Canton we 8 miles although we started at 11am heading to Canton. GK or Giri was thinking about the money and he happened to crossed the red light at a rail track interiors to the Wooster. He was absent minded and blind. Otherwise, he only did minor mistakes in the US traffic. I was though shocked by his absent mindedness!
12th and 13th July 2010
in Canton, OH organised Global Peace Tiles Project in collaboration with HeArtsComingTogether, Canton merging with Ulster project involving Irish kids in planting and making Global Peace tiles production for the 18th International AIDS Conference global village.
13th July 2010 Miles to covered 480 miles:
Started at 9 pm from Canton 77 to Akron, caught 80 turnpike to NY in the night after the event in Nimisula Park covered 250 miles, slept for a while at a gas station for 4 hrs and again started passing Akron, at Cleaveland we missed our direction while we turned back from Turnpikes 80 and got down to 80 Interstate.
14th July 2010
Wepassed Bloomsburg and Stroudsburg, New Jersy and New York.
Total Distance covered by Betsy is 2450 (Canton to Mexico City)+ 3000 Mexico City to Canton and to NY City) =
5450 Miles for AIDS Ride 2010
US Cops:
Police frisked us in Texas and abused Betsy.: He took a screw driver and pulled all the fibre cover of Betsy. It was an experience against the principles of Human Rights. searched for an hr and they were nothing found by them. I was bit scared about the previous owner who tried usually smokes or may have
Cops in Mexico
: the cops tried to loot us. But narrowly escaped the cops after showing UN ID Card that I got from UN. Just then the owerneessthey stoppen
The Climate:
We have had much pouring in many cities and towns in different states. There was also huge rains in XIRIWA s waiand arrou Mexico Queroto according pay
The ""Alex Harriacan
"" I was in the car called my friend heading to Brownsville and then Mexico while I was suggested to deviate from Brownsville and and avoid the coastal Texas or Mexico. Thus we deviated knowingly that Alex is couple of hrs behind. It was heavily raining in Texas. It was too dark covered by thick clouds and noticed some Ternodos too. It was only less than two hrs to hit Brownsville heavily.
In addition to Texas, there was heavy rains in otherstates too. Arkasas, Tennesse, Philadelphia, New York etc that made us to cancel few HIV preventional activities. But then we are hanging now in New York City. Hope to reach Vienna. Betsy got to take rest now!
"Thank you betsy
for saving us and protecting us all the across the USA and Mexico and getting us here to the New York City. You have done a major contribution by playing a key role as a means of transport for the AIDS Ride 2010, which is a symbolic connections between the Mexico City and Vienna. You took care of us and everyone in the absence of Hot Air Balloon sponsors. Thank you once again!

Event Director,
Bapuji Center for AIDS Research & Education, (B'Care)
Steering Committee Member,
AIDS RIDE 2010, 4264, Katcham St, NY 11373
Cell +1 3478706770
secretariat@bcareindia.org,
secretariat@aidsride2010.org,
www.bcareindia.org,
www.aidsride2010.org
(www.aidsride2008.org is expired)