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! 

To Anne

“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”  -Martin Luther King Jr.

Hello everyone! I hope this blog post finds you all well. I have had a lot going on in the past couple weeks, some of it very good and some of it very tough. Let's start with the good. As you can see, my bike came in the mail today!!!!! I cannot express how excited I was when I returned home from Crossfit to see my shiny new Defy 3 waiting to be opened. This was actually quite a surprise because UPS had sent me an e-mail saying it would not be here until tomorrow. I walked into my house and saw it sitting right next to my Trek waiting to be opened and put together. Tomorrow the new bike will make the journey to Summit Cycles to be assembled. 

Believe it or not, this was quite a sentimental moment for me. So many memories came rushing back. When I lived in San Jose, Alex and I rode our bikes to work (and pretty much EVERYWHERE) everyday. I was so jealous of her awesome road bike, when all I had was a dinky Schwin. (Long story short, I rode it approximately two miles home with a flat tire one day and it was pretty much finished after that. For some odd reason, I was very proud of this "accomplishment.") When I moved back to Wilmington, I knew it was time to get a "REAL" bike. My dad has been cycling for years, and knows a great deal about bikes. So, the two of us headed to Wilmington's local bike shop and purchased the Trek Hybrid 7.3. I love this bike. I cannot even express my LOVE for this bike. It sounds silly to love a thing, but this bike has carried me through some hard times. The trek has carried me through three different living arrangements, to two different jobs, to Wrightsville Beach over and over again, and has even ventured out in the rain many times. When I felt like I didn't have a home, I had the trek. The trek has seen me on my best days and my worst days. This bike has saved my life a time or two. To some it may seem like I am being dramatic, but to those who know me well, know that this bike was my saving grace. 

Now, I have a new bike. I am beyond excited about this, but I will always love my trek. This bike was my first real bike and I have to give a huge shout out to my father who bought this for me on my twenty-first birthday. It is truly the best gift I have EVER received. Thank you dad for sharing something that you love and value with me. I am forever grateful. And thank you to Alex for showing me that riding a bike is fun. Having a car is not a necessity of life and that the world is better seen with the wind blowing in your face, yelling at your friend, "CAR UP!" (Or on a bad day...I'm going to throw a spoke in your tire....Thanks Jess McCue.) Here's to new adventures and new friends on my new...Giant. 

Training ride on Sunday with my dad.

"Grief starts to become indulgent, and it doesn't serve anyone, and it's painful. But if you transform it into remembrance, then you're magnifying the person you lost and also giving something of that person to other people, so they can experience something of that person." -Patti Smith

I'd like to take a portion of this blog post and dedicate it to Anne Cushman Prettyman. Anne was family friend of ours, and passed away on Sunday. My father and I traveled up to Tennessee on Tuesday for her funeral. On our trip, I did a lot of reflecting. I thought about how we affect those around us and what relationships, meaningful relationships, really mean in our lives...in MY life. Anne was one of the kindest people I've ever met. I don't say that because she's gone, I say it because it's true. My earliest memory of Anne was at Thomas Sumter Academy when I was probably six or seven years old. She was my computer teacher and let me tell you, I HATED computers. (Not much as changed.) I would cry and cry over having to use that computer. I was afraid I was going to break it. (Some of you are laughing because I STILL do this today.) Anne was always patient with me. She never raised or voice or got frustrated.   She was always calm, kind, and collected. As I got older, I went through a lot and it became harder for people to get through to me. Anne was always supportive of me, and never gave up on me. One time she was on her way to Charleston to visit her son, and she made it a point to come to Camden to see me. She believed in me in ways I never could. Not just that, Anne believed in people. She gave so much to those around her and her heart was so full. Anne had a peace about her, I strive to one day have as well. With all that said, her death really got me thinking about WHY I am doing what I am doing. WHY am I riding across the United States on a BICYCLE?!   

I am doing this not just for me, but for other people. There are millions of Americans out there who never grew up in a home like I did. There are people struggling to survive because they can't afford housing. I am biking across the United States because I want to give back. I want to help. I want to be a piece to this puzzle. All the young people serving in any way out there...we do matter and we do make a difference. Anne gave to people everyday. She touched many lives and if I accomplish half of what she did, I will have done something spectacular. I wanted to give remembrance to her and the wonderful person that she was; she touched so many of us throughout the years. I want to close by saying that maybe by giving back this summer through Bike and Build, I can spread some of the love she gave me across the U.S. Just think about that...why do YOU give back? Why do you do what you do? Who has touched YOUR life? 

Until next time...happy cycling :)  

No Dream is too Good to Come True

This photograph is from the opening night of the Before I Die Wall at the Kershaw County Public Library. The idea is that everyone writes one thing they'd like to accomplish before they die. It's a little hard to see, but I wrote at the very top that I want to ride my bike across the country.

Hello and happy Sunday! I wanted to update everyone on my cycling adventures and my bike ordering process. I am eligible to order my Giant road bike and will be doing so next week. On Wednesday I am headed to Summit Cycles in Columbia to get fitted for my Bike and Build bike. As most of you already know, I ride my Trek Hybrid everyday to and from work. I absolutely love it and it's a positive way to start and end my day. I really don't count it as a part of my training though. It's just me having fun. :) However, TODAY I went on my FIRST OFFICIAL training ride. Since I don't have my Giant yet, I took the Trek for a spin around Camden. I learned many things from this experience. First of all, I need proper cycling leggings and gloves. What I wear the Crossfit just is not going to cut it. My poor legs were extremely cold in the forty degree weather. I realize that many people are surrounded by snow and CAN'T even ride their bike. I am grateful that I live in a part of the country where I can get out of my house and start training. I also realize that i have A LONG way to go. I'm super excited to get started, but I've got to kick it into high gear once my road bike gets here. And last, but certainly not least...there are a lot of pit bulls in East Camden. 

Next, I'd like to talk about the title of today's blog post. It comes from a poem Iyanla Vanzant wrote in one of her devotionals called, Faith in the Valley. This week I was thinking about my dreams and all that I want to accomplish not necessarily in this life, but in my twenties. Just like a lot of twenty-somethings, I fear the dreams won't come true or I'll run out of time to accomplish them. Then I ran across this poem and it was so inspiring! She talks about how when you dream a dream, all things are possible. I have a lot of gratitude for the adventure I am about to embark on, the people I'm going to meet, and all the people who have supported me thus far. I am so amazed of how encouraging people have been about my Bike and Build adventure. I cannot thank all of you enough! One of these awesome supporters send me a GREAT gift in the mail the other day... 

  Coffee and bikes...two of my favorite things. Thanks Jake! I have not only been inspired by my friends, family and supporters, but also by one of my teammates. The other day, I was looking at the 2015 riders to see if anyone else had created a blog. I was interested to see what others are doing, especially since I struggled even creating this blog! I stumbled upon Stacy Sprewer's blog and was totally impressed. Not only is her blog AWESOME, she is selling her artwork and other goods/services to raise money for this trip. I have mad respect for artists because quite frankly, it's something I think is so beautiful, but I'm not good at it...at all.  I ask those of you who were planning to donate to my ride, but haven't done so yet, to please donate to Stacy's ride. She has not yet met her fundraising minimum and I have. OR if you are DEAD SET on donating to me, donate a portion of that money to her ride. I have already corresponded with her about this and she is on board! You guys can check out Stacy's blog at http://stacymariesprewer.weebly.com/bike-and-build-store.html. If you'd like to check out her B&B bio page please go to http://bikeandbuild.org/rider/7971. I'm going to end this entry with a quote that sums up how I feel about this Bike and Build experience. 

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” -Mahatma Gandhi

HAPPY CYCLING!