One of the great parts about racing my bike all over the country is that I get to meet amazing people. This weekend was particularly awesome. My host family not only had a beautiful home, yard, 5 year old and dog but they are keystones to the local mountain community. They are very involved in local fund raising to get new riders. Kim has put together a team of coaches to put on clinics. She is an ideas person; the one that sees a need and gets people organized and gets stuff done. She also is the Senior Editor at Southern Living. She took me on a tour of the “Southern Progress” building and grounds. They house 4 magazines there (Southern Living, Cooking Light, Health, Coastal Living). I toured the Cooking Light and Southern Living Test Kitchens, prop “closets” and photo shooting areas. There is so much more that goes into a magazine than I ever realized!

Meeting people living similar lives to mine, in great neighborhoods with great bike shops and trails reminds me that you could land anywhere you wanted and find a group of friends. My weekend in Alabama was filled with fun adventures and making new friends, some that will last a life time. I'm so happy I had the chance to travel there, clear my head and be reminded of why I race and chase my dream. It renewed my dedication to racing and training. Thank you Alabama!