Goodbyes & Thank Yous

"As I was standing there, I had a premonition; and in my heart, I felt something coming, and I knew it was going to be big. And obviously, this is what it was. It was John, Christine, Mick, and Lindsey-it was Fleetwood Mac. I felt it that day. When I left the Velvet Underground, I was a different woman. I really was. Got in my car, drove back, got ready for practice, and realized something MAGNIFICENT was at the end of this road. The reason I'm telling you this is because everyone has their Velvet Underground moment. And when you have it, DON'T walk away from it. Always reach into the stars and take it. Don't let anybody get in your way because you'll be sorry later. You'll regret it because life is short, and on the other side of that, life is long. So you need to be doing something that you love. Never let anybody tell you that you shouldn't do what you love--what you want. You go to the Velvet Underground and stay there. Live there. And do what is good for your soul. So I'm back to the Velvet Underground. Back to the floor that I love. Back to a room with some lace and paper flowers...Back to the gypsy that I was..."-Stevie Nicks  

Needless to say, I've been a little stressed with work ending and packing for Bike and Build AND moving to Wilmington. This morning I went to Lisa Riente's yoga class. Lisa talked a lot about letting out of burdens and carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders. I felt like I was definitely in the right place at the right time! I have a lot going on, but I feel like instead of spending me last couple days here stressed out, I should spend them enjoying my time here with friends and family. Right now, it may seems like everything might not get done, but it will. This has been a process from the start and i have to finish out that process; it can't be rushed. After class, I was doing some reflecting and I wanted to thank everybody who has been a part of my process here. If I leave any of you out...I'm sorry! I've def been a little all over the place recently. Okay so here we go...

HELEN PARTIN 

Oh boy. Helen...I am your gypsy friend, and you've never questioned me or lectured me. You know that I have my own process and sometimes I walk through that process alone. That's what I need to grow, to heal, and to learn. Every time I come out on the other side, you're always there waiting for me. We've made so many mistakes together, but we've become better on the other side because of it. Helen, you are more than just a "best friend." You are my sister and my soul mate. Thank you for never leaving my side no matter what. Here's to the next chapter. Love you. 

THE BOOKMOBILE 

The bookmobile was the first experience I ever had that REALLY taught me what giving back was. I had done other volunteer work, but this really clicked with me. The bookmobile is a magical vehicle that travels to schools and parts of Kershaw County that can't easily access the regular library. I'm not sure whether it was the ice cream, the robot named Molly, or the kids, but I woke up one day and I realized that I ACTUALLY like giving back. The bookmobile gave me purpose. Volunteering on the bookmobile made me feel connected the the community where I live and it gave me a sense of direction. I think everybody should try to give back in some way, shape, or form. You never know who you are going to touch and how it will effect you. Thank you Amy, Jennifer, Jennifer, Debbie, Lori, Steve, and the rest of my library family. What you guys do changes lives and it's real. Not only that, ya'll have fun doing it. Ya'll taught me the meaning of loving what you do. It's important to have passion. It is the source that drives us forward. Thank you all for this opportunity. 

BOOKS ON BROAD 

As I look back, I realize I've had so many memories in this place. So much comes rushing back to me: the Mary and Dr. Bill show, Vincent Sheheen's campaign, the time Bill made coffee and it spilt everywhere, the time I busted 45237836 diet coke cans. I've been attacked my bagels here. How many people can say that? I've made friends here. Regular customers have seen me cry and held my hand through the hard days. I learned the difference between a latte and a cappuccino. I had the BEST birthday yet in this store with an oreo cake, flowers, and random friends. I actually FELT love on that day. That's an amazing experience when you know without a shadow of a doubt that all you did was be who you are and people love you for it. You don't have to put on a different face to have friends or "be accepted." I saw people come in day after day and I saw how good customer service and a good cup of coffee could change their day. Maybe that one extra smile CAN make all the difference. What I take away from this experience more than anything else is that we are all in this together. I try to remember that maybe it's not all about me, it's about the next person too. We are all trying to make our way in this world and I need to be more patient with people and definitely with myself. Thank you Books on Broad, Laurie, Bill, Kim, Zack, Gail, Murshay, and even the mean ghost...Bob. This has been a learning experience for me and I walk away from it better than I was before. Thank ya'll for being a part of my growth. It's been beautiful.

"You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself."-Alan Alda

MY FAMILY 

Truth be told, this would not even be happening without ya'll. So many of you donated to my Bike and Build ride and I am so thankful. You guys have been there for me and believed in me no matter what. Living back in Camden this past year, I have really learned what it means to be a part of a family. Family means yes, sometimes things get messed up, but you keep going. You keep standing beside that person because they're blood and because you love them. Because you believe in them. You guys believed in me enough to help me raise almost $11,000 for Affordable housing! That's so amazing and such an awesome cause. Thanks and love you guys. 

MY CROSSFIT FAMILY 

A big shout out goes to my dear friend, Christina Brockington. She introduced me to Crossfit and I was intimidated, scared, and nervous. That first night in the box I felt like...hmmm maybe this really could be something. Also, thank you to Rachel Wamsley, who was coaching that night. You made me feel welcome and you made me feel like I belonged. You're awesome girl. As time when on, and I started getting faster, lifting heavier weights, I gained confidence in myself. I also gained many friendships. Like I've said before, I've laughed, cried, hurt myself, and even almost thrown up with these people. We're tough and competitive with each other, but we love each other. I want to be better and I want the person next to me to be better too. I feel like Crossfit is really empowering (and humbling.) Thank you guys for being a part of my fitness journey, for pushing me, and for making me better. Don't miss me too much and WOD with ya'll in August... 

SUMMIT CYCLES 

YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!! Thanks so much for putting my bike together, tuning it, and answering 43567823678 questions. I DEFINITELY could not have done this without you guys. Ya'll have made this journey MUCH more enjoyable. Thank you again. 

Thank you of course to ALL my donors. I appreciate everyone of you, from the 10$ donations to the really big donations. This wouldn't be happening without you guys. Also, thanks to Habitat of Kershaw County for letting me get my sweat equity hours in with you guys. I feel like I am better prepared because of everything ya'll helped me with. Thanks to all my friends who have supported me and lifted me up in my adventures. AND to my Wilmington friends...see ya'll in August. 

TO MY TEAM--AHHH!!!!!! GET PUMPED!!!!!! 

"You know you are not bound to stay the same person, to live the same life you lived yesterday over and over again...life is about growing adapting, changing, learning, and moving forward-sometimes you'll try something on, and it just might not fit, it might not suit you or it might not be exactly what you are looking for. And you know what, that's okay...it's completely okay to close the door to something and open another. Just tread gently wherever you go and in whatever you choose to do, respect that everyone is just trying to find their way just as you are, though some may not be as brave as many, many are burdened by knowing in their hearts they chose the wrong door, but still sty confined...paralysed by fear. So remember to stay humble, be kind and generous with your love and if it doesn't work out...It's going to be okay. Because, you were born to change. Adapt. Learn & Grow." 

Tour De Camden

"I have always struggled to achieve excellence. One thing cycling has taught me is that if you can achieve something without a struggle it's not going to be satisfying." 

-Greg LeMond

My dad and I after finishing the Tour de Camden this weekend in Camden, SC. 

On May 14th I will leave my cute little hometown of Camden, South Carolina for Nags Head, where I will dip Big Blue's tire in Atlantic Ocean and start my bicycle trek across the United States. Since February, I have been training for this adventure. Not only that, but I have been fundraising, participating in online discussions about Affordable Housing, putting in sweat equity hours at my local Habitat for Humanity, learning about cycling, buying gear, and living my every day life on top of all that. Needless to say, I've had my hands full.

A couple months ago, my dad told me we were going to ride in the Tour de Camden as a part of my training. The Tour de Camden is a charity bike ride that benefits the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and United Way of Kershaw County. They have a metric century ride, a fifty mile, and a thirty mile ride. As time was quickly approaching, I asked my dad if he was SURE I should ride the 62 mile ride. I seriously had my doubts. Before this weekend, I had done one ride over sixty miles with my friend Summer and we took it easy on ourselves. Anyways, Saturday came. I put my headphones in, listened to my cycling inspiration video and got in the Mary Reames "zone." The ride takes off from Historic Camden, so we drove down there and got ourselves ready for the ride. 

Cycling has been an extremely mental sport for me. I've always been a great runner, and naturally a good endurance athlete, but something about cycling really challenges me. When I started that ride on Saturday, I really had to focus and just believe in myself. I had put in all this hard work, over 1,000 training miles...of course I could do this. My donors have donated over 10,000$ towards my ride. SO MANY people believe in me! I am humbled by this and sometimes I am SO focused on getting better, being better, training harder, and faster that I don't even take time to look at where I started and how far I have come. When we got to mile thirty, I ate another GU, kicked it into high gear, climbed some rolling hills, and knew that if I made it HALF way, I could make it the whole way. 

I am my own worst enemy. It is never the person next to me, behind, or in front of me I need to worry about. It is that still small voice inside my head that can be my biggest ally or my biggest enemy. When I'm on that bike, I am in a world of my own and I can be as free as I want to be. 

As my dad and I passed the 35 mile marker, we made a friend! (big surprise, right?) We rode with our new found friend, Tom, the rest of the way. That's another thing I really love about my cycling journey...I've met the coolest people along the way. Sure, some rides are lonely and it's just me, big blue, and the pavement. But I've crossed paths with so many people in this adventure and I'm so thankful for all of them. 

When my dad and I returned safe and sound to Historic Camden, I looked at Strava (cycling app) to see what kind of progress I had made. I was SHOCKED when I looked at the screen on my phone. I had ridden the metric century in less than four hours at an average pace of almost 16 mph. To many, this is not very fast, but to ME it is a HUGE DEAL. I took that moment to do something I never do...i congratulated myself. Throughout this whole process, I have not taken the time to love myself, to say...great job today Mary. I finish a task and then I'm on to tomorrow or next week's long ride, or how I could have been better. I am really hard on myself, but on Saturday I was proud of myself. I took that day to reflect on all the progress I've made not just since February when I started riding my road bike, but my athletic progress in this WHOLE year.

Last June I started Crossfit because I didn't like my body and I wasn't happy. I wanted to change, but I was intimidated by the barbells, box jumps, and buff members of 1732. I walked into that box (yes "box" not gym) completely terrified and unaware of what I was about to get myself into. I am so glad because it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. The people I workout with are now some of my best friends. A lot of people make fun of us crossfitters, but I have laughed with these people, cried with them, sweated with them, and almost puked on Broad Street with them. They have seen me at my best and my worst. I LOVE THEM! When I first started I could barely lift a barbell. I've made so many gains since last June...I've deadlifted 1.5 times my body weight, I've run a seven minute mile (would have been faster if i didn't almost get run over), and I've gained confidence in myself. 

I'm not saying all of this to brag, but I think we should all take pride in the things we do, especially things we put our HEART and SOUL into. I've put A LOT into Bike and Build. With all that said, I feel empowered being a female athlete and riding my awesome bike across the country for something greater than myself. If I help one person this summer, I will have accomplished something worthwhile. 

This week is my last week at work and for those who don't know, my last full week as a resident of Camden, SC. After my trip, I will be returning to Wilmington, North Carolina. Words cannot even express how thankful I am to all those who have in some way touched my life these past 18 months. Because of my time here I am a better, stronger version of myself. I have grown...but not alone. Thank you friends, family, fellow crossfitters, co-workers, and cyclists. I am super excited about my future and what all that entails, but it would not be possible without all the love and support I have received over the past eighteen months. I want to especially thank my father, for always loving me and supporting me no matter what. Thank you for pushing me when I needed it and loving me when I couldn't love myself. You are the best role model I could possibly have. Thank you. To the rest of you...I am better and stronger because of all of you. Never forget it. 

"You never know what's around the corner. It could be everything. Or it could be nothing. You keep putting one foot in front of the other, and then one day you look back and you've climbed a mountain..." 

One Stranger Helping Another

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend." -Melody Beattie 

My Bike and Build trip is quickly approaching, and I am getting SUPER excited! Training has gotten real, fundraising is going great, and I'm learning a lot about the affordable housing cause. ONLY 22 MORE DAYS until I start orientation and 20 days until I leave Camden. This will definitely be a bittersweet goodbye, but more on that later. Monday I did my first ride over 65 miles! That ride definitely had it's challenges, but I'm glad I did it and I'm feeling more prepared for what's ahead. I am really thankful for my friend, Summer, who rode with me. Here are a couple snap shots of our 67 mile adventure: 

                             

     

"Just seize every opportunity you have, embrace every experience. Make a mark, for all the right reasons." -Chrissie Wellington 

Today I had an interview with James and Pam Holiday, who are about to move into their new home, provided by Habitat for Humanity. I met James last time I was on the Habitat for Humanity build site here in Kershaw County. James has put in many hours not just on his house, but on other habitat houses on Gordon Street. When I saw him, I could immediately tell he was a hard worker and genuine person. That big smile never left his face. James has been out at that house come rain or shine, and his hard work has paid off because their house is finished! They will be moving in between May 14th-21st after all the paperwork has gone through. Their fourteen year old son, Jaylen, will also be moving in with them. This was actually their first time applying for a habitat house and it was kinda on a whim! Pam and James have been living in their same apartment for fifteen years and they wanted something that was THEIR OWN. So, they applied to habitat and they were chosen based on their need and several other factors. Pam told me that they were extremely blessed to have this house because you can pay rent all you want, but it will never truly be yours. This is something that they can be proud of. This is not just a house to the Holidays, it is a home. 

I asked Pam what she was most excited about when she moves in and she told me that she couldn't wait to sit on her front porch and drink a cup of coffee in the morning. Being a Barista, I really appreciate this about her! I LOOOVEEEEEE coffee! This statement also made me think about the small things in life and how I need to be more appreciative of what I have. When was the last time I sat on MY front porch and drank a cup of coffee? I don't even remember. Pam's face lit up when she talked about her new carpet. She said one of the first things she did was roll around without her shoes on on her new carpet. When she was telling me about this, she had tears in her eyes. She is so truly grateful, even for the small stuff. 

What the Holidays enjoyed most about working on their own home was the spirit of people. They told me that they met so many giving people on this journey. It was "one stranger helping another." What a truly beautiful thing. This experience has given them a new outlook on life. James absolutely loves Habitat and wants to continue helping with other houses. He wants to give back what was given to him. He has learned so much building his house from the ground up. That is one aspect of Habitat that I really love. If something breaks, James will more likely than not, know how to fix it. Habitat for Humanity does an excellent job of getting homeowners involved in their own homes by requiring them to complete 200 or more sweat equity hours. Jaylen also got to help on the house. Pam and James are excited to leave a legacy for their family, to have people over for BBQs, and to just simply have a place of their own. 

I really enjoyed my interview with the Holidays. These people reminded me of WHY I'm doing what I'm doing this summer. I'm riding across the United States because of people like Pam and James. Their positive energy and happiness is contagious and if I meet one family like them out there this summer, I will be truly blessed, as Pam said. I am inspired by the small things in my life on this day...carpet, coffee, and something as simple as a smile. Thank you Pam and James for sharing that with me. I wish you both much happiness and many memories in your new HOME. God bless. 

James & Pam Holiday at their new home! 

Watering the plants 

"From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that we are here for the sake of each other-above all for those upon whose smile and well-being our own happiness depends, and also for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received." -Albert Einstein 

Let's Talk Affordable Housing

"Success is waking up in the morning, whoever you are, wherever you are, however old or young, and bounding out of bed because there's something out there you love to do, that you believe in, that you're good at-something that's bigger than you are, and you can hardly wait to get at it again today." -Whit Hobbs

Before I leave for Nags Head in May, I am required to complete at least ten sweat equity hours with an affordable housing charity of my choice. I chose to do my hours with the local Habitat for Humanity here in Kershaw County. This past weekend I finished up the rest of my hours on Gordon Street, helping with a house Habitat hopes to have finished by June. I was fortunate enough to meet one of the family members, who will be moving in this house upon its completion. One of my jobs for the day was painting the trim and the door of the shed in the back yard. Yes!!! painting...I can definitely handle that. I was really inspired by the atmosphere at the build site Saturday. There were volunteers planting flowers, people putting up doors, and family members putting in their hours toward their house. I even got to see Mr. Richard Hagins at work. Who is Richard, you ask? 

Another part of my affordable housing curriculum is interviewing someone from a local affordable housing charity. To be honest, I didn't have my person picked out last week and I kinda started to freak out. Those who know me well, know I like to be on top of my game, I'm extremely organized (to the point of almost being a perfectionist), and I'm a tad ocd. I can't help it. When I told my boss about my predicament, she gladly helped me reach out to Richard. Richard assists with the Kershaw County Salkehatchie summer camp. What is Salkehatchie? GREAT QUESTION! Salkehatchie was formed in South Carolina in 1987 as a way to renovate homes for people. It is a week long project hosted by the Methodist church, where teenagers volunteer to help renovate a house for one week of their glorious summers. South Carolina has fifty camps and each one as a director, who is in charge of all the administration and logistics. The Kershaw County camp started in 1991, and Richard was in deed a part of this. This year the camp will have 65 volunteers working on five houses. Something the Salkehatchie leaders do (that I thought was pretty neat) is they let the volunteers choose which house that they want to work on. Richard informed me that most people get their first or second choice. The camps get most of their funding through the $230 application fee people pay to be a part of the camp. This covers food, lodging, etc. This is a great way for teenagers to meet other kids their age around the state and to learn that they can make difference in the world.

Before Salkehatchie begins each summer, Richard and several other people, go around Kershaw County to select houses to work on. Marie Sheheen, who works for United Way, will pass along several different houses for them to look at. Richard told me that they are quite flexible in their selection of families and of houses. Some reasons why a house might not be chosen is because there is not enough work, too much work (RARE), or someone is not actually living in the house. (For example, it is "air property," which means someone owned it, they didn't have a will, they passed away, and now ALL their kids own it together and don't know what to do with it.) Richard also works with an organization called, WARM (Weatherization & Repairs Ministry.) Some houses that Salkehatchie can't take on, get passed down to WARM. What I really liked about Richard was how he talked about not judging people. It's important to be tolerant of others. You never know what someone else is going through. This is a lesson we all could learn.

Richard also told me that it's about MORE than just the house. It's also about the personality of the homeowner. They want someone who is going to engage and encourage the teenagers. The main reason that Richard does Salkehatchie is to teach teens that they CAN make a difference in the world. If he did this all alone, it wouldn't be worthwhile, but he has something he can pass on. If he helps just one person it was all worth it because that person will pas it on and so on and so forth. I think about this and I think about Bike and Build. This experience won't just change the homeowners we help, but maybe it will change us as well. I asked him WHY he thought it was important to engage young people in civic service? He stopped and very seriously he said, "because they are the FUTURE of our world." I can tell Richard is very passionate about what he does with this organization and just by speaking with him, I can tell that yes...he has made a difference. Sometimes I wonder if I am absolutely crazy to believe in the world and to believe that there is so much light out there. When I talk to someone like Richard, I see that I am not crazy. At his age he not only believes in the good out there, but he has seen it and he KNOWS it exists. Talking with Richard gave me a lot of hope, not just for myself, but for the world around me. What we see is what we choose to see and we can make any experience a positive or negative one. My experiences are what I choose to make of them.

Richard's favorite homeowner story is about a run down house in Bethune. One day, they were out in Bethune looking for houses to renovate for the Salkehatchie summer camp. They stopped at a house where the roof was falling in and a sweet older black lady answered the door. Behind her, stood a little girl. When she saw Richard she said, "Granny, that's Jesus." That summer they worked on her house and that family was so incredibly grateful to them.

There is SO much more from my interview that I could say. Thank you Richard for not only providing me with a plethora of information, but for giving me hope. It's not everyday that you get to see people so passionate about what they do. And also thank you to Ray at Habitat for Humanity for not only putting up with me, but for teaching me things that will be useful this summer. You guys do a great job!

                                        It may be such                                           

a fairy-tale secret, 

this much

I know:

The road leads

wherever

you need to go.    

You need to go

wherever

the road leads-

I know

this much. 

A fairy-tale secret?

It may be such. 

-"The Road"

by Marilyn Singer 

Don't forget....Happy Poetry Month! 

It's been a whole year

"It can be found in the most unlikely places, as I discovered that day in convocation. Love can catch you aware, appearing to you as a pleasant surprise. When we're open & willing, the unexpected can happen, because that's the nature of love: It's the most astonishing and powerful bond of all, and it's certainly the greatest source of joy. People come in and out of our lives, and each of them helps form who we are and who we are to become. There are different kinds and different degrees of love, and they change over time, ripening and deepening and changing us in the process."

-Cassandra King   

I love Sundays. I love sleeping in, having a large breakfast, going for a long bike ride, and basically knowing I have no responsibilities until the next week. This Sunday was a little different though. When I woke up, I had a long text from my Aunt Elaine. It occurred to me while reading her text, that my grandmother passed away a year ago. My grandmother, Jane, was one of the sweetest ladies I've ever met. I'm not just saying that because she was my grandma, I'm saying that because it is true. JJ (as I called her) never stopped believing in me. Whenever anything was going wrong, I could go over to her house and she knew just what to say, or not to say. Sometimes silence is more powerful. 

It also got me thinking, WHY am I doing this? Riding a bicycle across the country is crazy. I wanted to be challenged physically, but I also wanted my journey to have MEANING. I wanted my journey to be about more than just ME. As most of you already know, I'm cycling for affordable housing. HUD (The Department of Housing & Urban Development) considers housing to be affordable to low-income families as long as the cost of housing, including rent, utilities, etc, doesn't exceed 30% before taxes. Did you know that A THIRD of U.S. families and individuals paid excessive shares of income for housing in 2012. This ends up being around 40 million households. This number is up 9 million since 2012 and even more alarming...5.8 million of this gain was among severely burdened households. This means, they are paying more than 50% of their income on housing. This is absolutely crazy to me! 

Seven of my teammates and I have been discussing several different articles about the AH crisis twice a week. This is the article I chose this week: http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/22/opinion/hickey-affordable-housing/index.html. (Yes, of course I chose a CNN article. Don't laugh...typical. I know.) There has been a lot of discussion about what we can do about this crisis. What would help? The statistics that keep popping up are nothing but baffling. This cause really needs our help and I'm excited to be a part of something so meaningful. We may only be a small piece of the puzzle, but EVERY little bit helps. 

How does this tie in with my grandmother? JJ was always giving to others, especially all of us grandchildren. She's an inspiration to me and a reason why I ride. JJ loved me unconditionally, despite all the mistakes I made throughout the years. She never judged me. A couple months ago, I wrote about my dear friend, Anne Prettyman. JJ had that same kind of unfailing love that Anne had. I believe that when people like this touch our lives, we must reach out and spread that same kind of love to others. 

As I was braiding my hair in the mirror before my ride this morning, I took a good  hard look at myself. The person I saw is not the same person I was a year ago, two years ago, etc. I truly believe the people we interact with help change us and shape us, just like Cassandra King said in her commencement speech to The University of Montevallo. I think it's a really beautiful thing...thirty-three young adults cycling from Nags Head ALL THE WAY to  San Diego for something bigger and than themselves. JJ would be proud. In this life, in any adventure, I hope to change adversity into strength, I hope gain new perspectives and mold despair into hope. The girl who looked back at me this morning, will most likely be gone come August. Or maybe I will just be a different version of myself. I cannot say I am sad about this in any way. I am ready for the next chapter and the end of this era in my life. I think my Bike & Build trip will only shape me to become a better person. Will it be challenging? Um...OF COURSE. That's how we grow. 

To my teammates, I am SUPER STOKED to meet all of you in May. Less than fifty days now...

To JJ, thank you for keeping it real. Thank you for your words of wisdom, sincerity, and kindness. Thank you for reaching out and touching me in an irreversible way. You will remain a light of inspiration in the hearts of many. 

Happy cycling friends....

Me:"My legs hurt."

Dad: "Well...Welcome to the world of cycling." 

New Dreams...New Goals

"The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of Novelists and Poets."-Christopher Morley

I have not blogged about my Bike & Build progress in a month! Even though I have not started my trip, I still have some things to say about my progress. First of all, THANK YOU to all of my donors. So far, I have raised ALMOST $8,000. This journey truly would not be possible without all of you. I am overjoyed about all the love, support, and kindness that I have received so far. Since I still have until May before I leave, I am going to keep fundraising! At the end of the summer, we get to give a $500 grant to the affordable housing charity of our choice. Depending on how much I raise, I could increase that number to $1,000. VERY EXCITING! If anyone out there is reading and would like to donate, please visit my rider page at bikeandbuild.org/rider/7818. I also have teammates who have not reached their goals. Please check them out too! We can use all the help we can get!

As a part of getting prepared for Bike and Build, each rider must volunteer ten sweat equity hours with an affordable housing charity. I have chosen to do my hours with Kershaw County's Habitat for Humanity chapter. I had a meeting with Charlotte Rankin, the executive director of the Habitat for Humanity here in Kershaw County. I was so pleased to learn more about Kershaw County's Habitat and what exactly they do for people with housing needs. Every year they choose three families to build houses for based on their needs. Something I was really impressed with (and that I didn't know) is that each family does 200 sweat equity hours on their own house. I think this is really wonderful because not only will the families appreciate their homes more, but they get to be a part of the process. They even get to customize parts of their house on the inside! We also have a Habitat Re-Store here that carries many items such as, sofas, beds, washing machines, and much more. I will be volunteering with Habitat in March to put in my ten sweat equity hours. I'm excited to gain some more insight on the affordable housing cause and learn to ehh...be a tad more handy... 

It is March 1st. Time is quickly ticking away and I've got lots of training to do before I ride seventy miles on May 15th with my team! With the help of my dad and a couple Crossfit coaches, I have put together a training schedule for March. It consists of 3-4 short rides during the week and 1-2 longer rides on the weekend. Yesterday I rode 20 miles and today it was rainy so I hopped on a stationary bike. I will say, I did do my FIRST ride in the rain last week. Luckily, it was not as bad as I had anticipated. I'm hoping the weather breaks soon so I can get more time on Big Blue ( and well....because I hate winter.)  

It is all hitting me at once that I will be riding a BICYCLE across the United States. I am very excited and nervous about my future adventures. I am also so thankful for everyone who has encouraged me when I have been nervous and when I have thought that I couldn't do it. I am learning to be more patient with myself and that anything is possible with hard work and determination. My friend Mandie and I like to watch motivational videos when we feel like we don't want to work out or like we can't push ourselves any further. (I actually had to do that today and it worked!) So...I am going to post my favorite cycling video that keeps me going/encourages me to do more. Video DORK I know! Can't help it! 

Also, for all the cycling ladies out there, Cycle Like A Girl is a GREAT one to follow in Instagram for motivation. 

Thanks and HAPPY CYCLING! I'll be posting more progress soon..... 

It's February!

“You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great”-Zig Ziglar 

Hello Everyone! I cannot believe it is already February. Time is really flying by! Since I last posted on my blog, I have put my bike together, purchased new gear, and rode a twenty mile route. I picked my bike up from a local bike shop here called, Summit Cycles. For a small fee, they were kind enough to put my bike together and do a fitting. At first, I was very nervous about my new clip-ins (I even took a couple tumbles) but now I am getting used to them and very excited about biking adventures!!!!

On Sunday, my dad took me on what they call, "The P-Loop." Apparently, it's shaped like a P. (Go figure.) I had a lot of fun with my dad, learning how to shift on Big Blue (yes, my bike already has  a name), going up and down hills, and learning bike lingo. I also rode Thursday and Saturday, putting in a total of forty miles this week. I have also still been training at Crossfit. I am totally addicted...what can I say? 

I have been putting together my schedule for the Spring, and it is really starting to hit me that I am BIKING ACROSS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. A part of me is definitely nervous, but I've always been one to love a good adventure. It is freeing to leave everything behind and just...GO. Ever since I was in high school, I've had a wandering spirit. Those who are close to me, laugh at this because I've never been able to sit still for very long. I will definitely be ready when May comes to spread my wings and fly. 

On another note, I've been in contact with some of my team members who really need help fundraising! Please feel free to check out their Bike and Build bios and if you see something you like, by all means...DONATE! 

Benjamin Hefner

Luisa Costa

and many more

My friend, Katie Judge, who I met in California is participating in the Maine to Santa Barbara route! Check her out too! Katie is super positive, fun, and out going. I'm so glad she is doing Bike and Build this year. 

Katie Judge

HAPPY CYCLING YA'LL!