Colorado, School, and Agriculture Future of America

I know, I know. It has been a while since I have posted! A lot has happened since October 23rd.

The rest of the Colorado trip was amazing. We went to the Red Rocks Amphitheatre and raced up the stairs.

I ran on some trails that surrounded the area. It reminded me of Arizona because the dirt was bright red and the rocks were massive (hence the name “red rocks”.) I love being outside and exercising in new places. Every sense-hearing, smelling, feeling, seeing, and tasting- is engaged and immersed in the new environment. You not only see, but experience the area. Anyways, the next day we went up to Boulder, Colorado.

Jesse and I wandered around downtown during the morning and then borrowed Amy and a friend’s bike to do some real exploring. After climbing a solid 17 miles, we ended up in a small town north of Boulder called “Nederland”. Say it out loud. Sounds weird right? It almost sounds like you are trying to say “Netherland” but have a speech impediment. For that reason alone, I do not think I could live there. The town gave me another reason though. As soon as I got there, I sought out a small gas station where I could fill up my water bottle. I imagine I looked pretty pathetic as I slowly opened up the door with my ice-cold fingers and walked in with stiff legs and a cherry-red face. I put on sweet smile and kindly ask the young guy at the register if I could fill my water bottle up. Now, during past experiences, the guy running the register would recognize my sorry state and jump to get water as fast as his legs could carry him. Well not this guy, no sireee. He turns to me with a sour face and goes, “uh, that’s gonna cost you 75 cents”… “oh but, I (teeth chattering) I don’t have any money”. He replies, “well too bad. We charge for water”. I meekly swallow the few grams of moisture in my mouth and proceed to ask, “well… uh… how clean is the bathroom water”. I mean hey, when you need water, you really need it. “Oh, that’s going to be 75 cents too”. My chin about hit the floor. Who charges money for 8 oz of bathroom water? Geez.

Saying goodbye to Amy was the worst part about the trip. Some friends don’t stay in touch when they move halfway across the country, but not Amy.

Besides being a great friend, she is fun, adventurous, and has a great sense of humor.







Once I got back from Colorado, I had only a few school days before I was off to Kansas City for another meeting. The trip went well and we got a lot accomplished. I could tell that everyone was a little antsy because the conference was in less than a month.

During the next couple of weeks, I spent a lot of time training and studying.
In fact, I can honestly say that I became quite boring.

The week before the AFA conference, Ispent 12 hours in class, 16 hours on the bike, and the rest of my time either sleeping or studying.
The Saturday before the conference, Jesse and I went up to Greenville for the Hincapie warehouse sale to buy some winter cycling clothing. Now I don't have an excuse for not riding in the cold.

The AFA conference will forever stand out in my memory as one of the best experiences of my college career. My teammates on the leadership team- Ana, Bryce, Wayne, Katelyn, Lance, Cary, Blake, and Amanda- have each impacted and inspired me. You can listen to professional speakers all day, but in the end, it is friendships that really make the difference. I miss these guys.

After a group opening session, all of the students were divided based on year in college. Bryce, Ana, and I were in charge of the freshman group. Basically, we took turns introducing speakers, facilitating games, conducting group meetings, and answering a boatload of questions. During orientation, we divided the group of 120 freshman into 3 groups and made them each form a line. Then we gave everyone a toothpick and gave each person at the front of the line a lifesaver. The goal was to transfer one lifesaver (with a toothpick sticking out of your mouth) from one end of the line to the other end. Whoever got the lifesaver to the end of the line quickest won. Take a moment to imagine the scenario. It was hilarious. Let me tell you, the 2011 AFA freshman were incredible. During the games, they were wild, fun, and interactive. It got quite loud more than a few times. When we had speakers come in, they were respectful, attentive, and asked good questions. At one point, one of the speakers had three students come up on stage and act as panelist while discussing their future career plans. If I didn't know any better, I would've thought these students were conference speakers themselves. The best part about our particular group of students was their genuine passion for agriculture and the future of our industry.


I learned two things about myself during this experience. First, I love public speaking. Yes, I do get nervous, but it is a positive feeling that energizes me. A few times during the conference, people came up and asked if I had taken public speaking classes.

I told them no, but when you grow up in a family of ten, you learn to appreciate any kind of audience. Not only that, but I was the middle child... so obviously it was my job to make sure that others heard me. Getting the chance to speak in front of 700 people is a privilege and an honor. Second, I love talking. Now hold on, hold on. I know what you are thinking... "Molly, it's pretty obvious that you love to talk". Yes, yes, but I love talking in the sense that I love conversation and learning about other people. During the career fair, it hit me that this was not an intimidating or strict procedure, but a chance to talk and learn about other people and their companies. Sometimes it can be so easy to fall into a negative pattern of thinking instead of appreciating the positive side of things. I know I am preaching here, but trust me. Shifting your attitude really does work.

During the entire conference, I could feel God’s presence with me. With the amount of sleep and responsibilities, I should have been exhausted. In fact, sheer exhaustion was my number one fear going into the conference. Halfway through the conference, He brought a short piece of scripture to my mind, “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). God granted me the ability to pour passion and enthusiasm into everything I did… and enjoy every minute of it. He is so good.

On the way home, my connecting flight from Charlotte to Greenville got cancelled. U.S. Airways gave me a voucher for a sketchy motel nearby and put me on the next flight out in the morning. Word of advice, don’t fly U.S Airways unless you enjoy spending the night in a run-down motel with beds that are flatter than a pancake and harder than your concrete driveway. Fortunately, I made it back home the next morning ten minutes before my first class. I parked, hopped out of the car with my backpack, and ran to class looking a little… ehem... rough. After class I made sure to tell my professor about my unfortunate travels and the dedication it took to make it to his class in time. Hopefully he will remember that small piece of information when he grades my next test…

PHEW! I am running over 1,000 words here so I’m going to stop.

Adios Muchachos!

Getting high.

Last week, Jesse and I flew to Denver, Colorado to visit our dear friend Amy. We bought our plane tickets nearly a month early so by the time we actually flew out there, we were more than excited. Now, I have loved the Appalachian mountains as long as I can remember. My dad used to take me hiking and camping up there since before I could walk. The rolling, misty, mountains have always intrigued me.

One minute they are shrouded in fog, and the next minute they are bright and vibrant. However, the Rocky mountains are a completely different beast.
Their daunting peaks and sheer cliffs have challenged and attracted people from all over the world to conquer them. Along with the lure of the mountains, Denver is known for it’s health, vitality, and “granola” culture.

Friday morning, Jesse and I rode the bus into town and wandered up and down the streets of downtown Denver. One of the first things we noticed was a protest going on in Civic Center Park in front of the Capital building called “Occupy Denver”. We asked a small, shriveled old man what the protest was about and he responded, “well, it is just a bunch of kids with nothing better to do than complain about the government!”. The next question I had was, “well then why are you a part of it?”. He answered right back, “I have nothing better to do than complain about the government!”.


Downtown Denver was unlike any city I’ve ever been too. Every time you turned around there was someone riding a bike, running, or walking their dog. Parks and natural food grocery stores were as common as gas stations. People in the shops, buildings, and on the street would greet you every chance they got. In fact, I don’t think I ran into a single rude person in all of Denver.

This was rather shocking... sometimes people give me a dirty looks when I order an extra-hot-grande-café-misto-with-protein-and-sugar-free-caramel-and-vanilla-syrup from Starbucks.


One of the highlights of our trip was climbing the Red Cone Mountain. Our original intention was to climb the fourteener “Grays and Torries”. However, a native of Colorado advised us to steer clear. The crowds were thick and the pathway was paved. Lame, right? He recommended and gave us directions to a secluded 13,000ft mountain called St. Edwards. We thanked him and headed out the next morning at 8 am to begin our adventure(ignoring his advice to buy a map of the area). Real adventures don’t start with maps anyways. Three hours later… we ended up in the middle of nowhere. Literally. We did not know where we were. We spotted a dirt road and followed another car to a small clearing filled with other cars and hikers.

After asking a fellow hiker where we should go, we selected a pathway that would supposedly lead us to “Beaver Gorge?”. Who knows. The pathway took us through woods, creeks, snow, fields, and rocks before we reached the tree line and caught sight of the tip of the mountain. As I climbed, I felt an intense pressure on the center of the top of my head. My ears started ringing. I even started seeing spots at one point. Maybe running wasn’t such a good idea… it was as if the mountain was trying to discourage me from climbing it. The peak right front of me was so close I could almost touch it.

Once I got to the top, the view took over. Literally. The pressure on my head, the ringing, and the spots disappeared. The overwhelming beauty of what God has made never fails to astound me.

More to come!

Dynamite, bikes, and coloring books

The wind is blowing. You know what that means. Cold weather is right around the corner. Or if you are anything like me, it is already here. Yesterday I went on a bike ride out to Six Mile. As I was rode directly into the wind, every push of the pedal required a little extra force to battle the invisible force of nature. I silently complained to myself, “why does riding have to be so hard today? This hurts. I am tired. Maybe I need a break…”

Once I got out to Six Mile, I turned onto a road called “Belle Shoals”. By now the wind was to my back. The difference was night and day. I went from struggling with every push of the pedal, to effortlessly gliding through the beautiful countryside. To my right, the view consisted of bright green pastures and houses. To my left, rolling green farmland was framed by the breathtaking backdrop of the Appalachian mountains. The bright sun and crisp air made the colors so bold that I could practically taste them. It was simply invigorating. I drew a deep breath of air and sped up to 30 mph. As the speed picked up beneath me, I realized that it is moments like these that I feel alive and closest to my Father in heaven. Eric Liddell put it well when he said:

“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure”

Heaven is going to be awesome.

After my bike ride, I met up with my dad for coffee and conversation. We talked about his work, family, my plans for next fall, and our faith. It was so nice to finally get a chance to catch up with him. Every time I go home, there is so much going on and so many family members to catch up with. It is not often that I get to have long conversations with my dad during the school year.

Before I knew it, an hour and half had passed by and I was going to be late for a “Melo-Velo” meeting. I drove over to Excel and sat down with a group of ten or so people to discuss cycling in the community. Watch out people. Big things are about to happen in Clemson.


After the meeting, I came back to my apartment to find it lit up with lights, crafts, girls, and colors. My lovely roommate Kristen Kelly hosted an RUF girls craft night. Everyone brought as many crayons, markers, thread, paper, tape, glue, and whatever else they could think of, to make crafts with. The whole place was an explosion of color. Of course, any time girls plan something fun, the boys think it is necessary to join in as well. It was not long before several guys from RUF showed up on their bicycles. One by one, they lined the bikes up on the railing outside of the apartment. I must say, it was a sight to see.

Later on in the evening, my other roommate Audrey and I left to go rent the movie Bridesmaids. It just so happens that we are both suckers for chick flicks... especially ones that are wedding-related. On our way, her car gave out. Fortunately we were not far from my apartment so I ran back, got my car, and drove to the gas station. While at the gas station, I somehow ran into about fifteen old friends. Have you ever had a dream where random friends pop up in the most unlikely places? That’s kind of how it felt. Anyways. Using my highly polished ehem persuasion skills, I managed to convince the gas attendant to let me take the convenience store’s gas can… for free. The rescue was successful and Audrey and I eventually made it back to the apartment. Later on, we found out that her car's battery had died. Oh well.


The next morning, I came down to find Disney Princess pictures posted on the walls. It was easy to distinguish the guy’s pictures from the girls. Cinderella had laser beams coming out of her eyes, was stepping in a plate of spaghetti, and there was dynamite hooked up to a bunny rabbit.

I know.

Bears or humans?

A couple of weeks ago, I went to the Dick Lane Velodrome in Atlanta to watch Jesse race track. This kind of track racing consist of riding a fixed gear bike around a short 300 meter track. Some of the races can be as short as one lap, while others may be sixty laps. Race weekends are long and consist of 15 or so races. The variety in length is refreshing for the riders and viewers.

This particular race lasted for the entire weekend and hosted elite and pro riders. One of the riders was a Russian Olympian. Track racing is not easy. Each athlete has to fight for a good position, put out an enormous amount of power, and try not to crash- all while going 35 mph on a banked track. Yes, my knuckles went white a few times as I gripped the side rails and cheered the riders on. It was exhilarating.


That was not the only new experience I had during this particular trip.

During a race intermission, I took Jesse’s truck and drove to get a snack from a nearby store. Very quickly I realized that we were not on the edge, but smack dab in the middle of the ghetto of South Atlanta. After about thirty minutes of driving, I could not tell if I had gone further into the ghetto… or if I was about to come out of it. Regardless, I was about to miss Jesse’s next race and I was getting impatient.

Against my better judgment, I decided to stop at a gas station and grab a granola bar. No big deal, right? Wrong. I walked in, selected a granola bar, and walked up to the cash register. On the way, I saw piles of nasty videos titled “white, African American, and Latino”- among other items. It didn’t help that there were sketchy looking dudes meandering around the store. The environment creeped me out so much that I clumsily dropped the Jesse’s keys in between some bags of chips, located behind the cash register.

I paid and then proceeded to bolt to the truck, eager to flee to safety. As I reached the truck, my stomach sunk and my heart got caught in my throat. Where were the keys? My mind raced as I recalled everything that I had done. I ran back to the store and frantically examined every isle of the store. Next, I enlisted the cashier’s help. He looked pretty reluctant to leave his little cashier's cage that probably protected him from all the shootouts that go on there.

Long story short, I found my keys. The whole experience terrified me, and yes, I cried. I am a big baby when it comes to things like this. Maybe it is the small-town girl coming out of me. I would rather face 5 bears than 1 human. As a friend put it, “animals are rational, people are not”.

Fortunately I have a God that is bigger than bears, bigger than humans, and more powerful that anything I can imagine. After all, what could possible limit a God who created the universe?

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord".

Romans 8:38-39

Relief washed over me when I finally arrived back at the track.

God is good.

Colorado

Right now, I am sitting outside at the Clemson Starbucks sipping a hot cup of coffee while everyone rushes to work and school. One of the main advantages of sitting outside is that I get to see the occasional driver not just hit, but run over the curb. I know what your thinking, “Molly! That’s not very nice!”. Yes, yes, I know. It is unfortunate that they should accidently hit the curb. Let me tell you though, it can be hilarious. Especially if they are bouncing and bumping to the music like the last girl was. Her first reaction upon hitting the curb was to immediately scope the area to see if anyone saw. Second, music went off. Third, sheepish grin appeared.

Happens every time.

The past couple weeks of school have gone by quickly as I have been adjusting to a new schedule. I have not just been adjusting to school, but also exercising. Three weeks ago, I discovered while racing that I was very burnt out. Solution? Time off. No matter what type of athlete you are, breaks are absolutely necessary for mental and physical rejuvenation. Of course, I haven’t just been sitting on my rear this whole time. I’ve been going to fike, running hills, doing ab work, and running at Issaqueena forest with none other than Abby Gentry. Although all of these activities are good sources of exercise, I have genuinely missed cycling. Cycling is more than exercise. Cycling is a way to explore God’s creation using the gifts that he has given me. Thank goodness, my three-week sabbatical ended the yesterday. I am now ready to tackle training head-on and get ready for next season with weights (agh!), long-distance rides, and more cross training (ehem… running at Issaqueena with Abby).

School. Whoah boy. I’m just gonna go ahead and put it out there. I don’t know what I’m doing! I took my first accounting test a little bit ago and lets just say that I am NOT happy with my grade. I absolutely hate the sinking feeling that I get when I see a test grade that is not an A. Perhaps I should be studying rather than writing right now.

Life. During fall break, Jesse and I are heading out to COLORADO! Can you tell I’m excited? I talked with my friend Amy, who we will be visiting out there, yesterday.

The plan is to go camping, hiking, cycling, and possibly white water kayaking. The active and healthy lifestyle that she described out there seems ideal. Jesse and I are rather certain that we are going to want to stay out there… for good. Endless trails, challenging mountains, roaring rivers, terrifying gorges, vibrant blue skies, and fascinating wildlife.



God made this. He made all this. Let me ask you a question, is it possible for the creator of all this to be even more beautiful? Honestly, I cannot imagine anything more beautiful than the creation he breathed into being. I hold fast to the truth that he is. There will never be anything more satisfying than the day I am united with my Savior.

“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple”
Psalm 27:4

Muscadine Jelly

Have you ever had Muscadine jelly? Let me tell you, it is quite an experience! The unique taste of the muscadines is brought to life by the sugar and smooth texture of the jelly. Yum!

This stuff could make a piece of bark taste delicious, (although not recommended).

Why muscadine jelly? Well, last weekend I went down to Bamburg, South Carolina to visit my boyfriend Jesse’s family for the first time. This was no typical weekend. Of course, I had a hunch that it wouldn’t be. Jesse’s dad is a watermelon researcher for Clemson and his mom is a botany expert. Both graduated from Clemson.

When I arrived, I was welcomed by a beautiful house, garden, greenhouse, pond house, treehouse, pets, and open arms. The sandy pathways, cotton fields, Cyprus trees, and green flora all created an inviting atmosphere that is not forgotten easily.

On the other side of the house, there was a small vineyard with ripe muscadines.

The muscadines were delicious and were quite addicting. Even the dog "Athena" thought so!

That was not the only surprise I was in for. It wasn't long until I found out that we were going to be making muscadine jelly.

The first step in the process was to mash the muscadines and "pop" them in order to make sure they wouldn't burst when cooking. Eventually the juicy insides were separated from the muscadine skins.

After mixing and cooking 7 cups cups of sugar and pectin with the strained muscadine juice, we carefully ladled the jelly into mason jars.

You see, this is where I have to add a disclaimer. You see, Jesse's mom is a wonderful cook. It just so happens that her son is a great cook as well. His girlfriend? Not so much. I watched and learned and jumped in to help *coughforpicturescough* every once in a while. It is not often that I am trusted in the kitchen.

The next step was to carefully lower the jars into a pot of hot water.

This picture speaks for itself of the end result!

YUM

Old

I tell you what, it is WEIRD to be a junior! Why? Well, during my freshman and sophomore years, I was still in the process of finding my niche. Everything seemed new. I would bounce from activity to activity and explore anything and everything that seemed interesting to me. Now that I have aged a bit, (ehem) I have settled down a bit to devote my time to things that I love and am passionate about. Yes, agriculture happens to be one of them.

So the real question is, are there any more surprises during your third year of college? Crazy teachers= check, postponed exam=check, harder-class-than-I-ever-imagined=check, midnight extravaganzas=check, nonstressful exam-week=check... etc. The list could go on and on. I'm not gonna lie, the past couple of years have been filled with every kind of adventure and surprise imaginable. Bottom line is, life had a little bit of a challenge when I asked whether it had any more surprises in store for me.

Here are a few things that have surprised during the past couple of days:

-a cookie can be an excellent motivator when you have to walk a mile and climb three flights of stairs. The joy of eating it right after you sit down is unreal.

-even people who are in their third year of college still show up for the wrong class sometimes (and happen to look like an idiot when they figure out their mistake)... ehem

-some teachers are so excited about teaching that they use the word "outstanding" 22 times in a single class

-flip flops will never go out of style

-be careful, guys who grow beards over the summer can be harder to recognize than you might think

-Golf-management majors have to take some of the most failed classes on campus aka accounting 201 and 202

-75% of honors students who are taking law 322 really like water sports

Thats all for today. Don't forget... "It may be little, it may be big, but surprises happen when you least expect it. Take what life gives you...delight in it and enjoy it".

Live this way and you will never get old.

Can you believe school starts next week? Where did the summer go? Blows my mind.

Last week I flew to Indianapolis to give a presentation at Dow AgroSciences corporate headquarters. Talk about a great audience! The corporate group that I spoke to listened intently and even managed to laugh at all my corny jokes. Win.

Flying back home was a nightmare. I ended up waiting in an airplane with a drunk lady and a mess of impatient people (including myself) for over an hour which caused me to miss my connecting flight out of Chicago. Have I ever told you how much I love South Carolina? It is truly God's country.

After Indianapolis, Jesse and I drove down to Folly Beach to join my family at our yearly vacation spot. Fifteen minutes after we arrived, my mother informed Jesse about a curse associated with boyfriends coming on our family beach vacation. We call it "the Folly curse". Why? Well, two previous boyfriends that my sisters brought didn't last. We hope the curse is broken though. Laura's boyfriend proposed on the beach last year.


While we were at the beach, I spilled a cup of coffee on my butt. Before you die laughing, let me explain myself. When I walked into the kitched I discovered that my dad made a delicious pot of coffee. How could I resist? So I added some milk and decided to heat it up in the microwave. To say that I left it too long in the microwave would be an understatement. That stuff was hot! So after I got my delicious beverage out of the microwave, I crawled into bed with Charity to sip it while we watched tv. Big mistake. A tiny drop pilled on my butt, I jumped, and the stuff ended up all over the place. So there you go! Second degree burn with a small area in the center that is third degree.

After we drove back from Charleston, I had to get up at the lovely time of 3:45 to make a 6am flight out of Greenville. To say that coffee saved the day would be an understatement. I think this means we're friends again.

My travels took my to St. Louis for our monthly AFA meeting. Our first business visit was to ADM's headquarters in Decatur, Illinois where we gave a presentation about AFA and got to learn about their company. As I was looking around the room it struck me that there was something distinctly similar about the eleven or twelve guys standing around the room. All of the sudden it hit me. They were all unusually or fairly tall. Every single one. I guess that would explain why my neck felt a little strained later on in the day.
Our meeting also took us to Champaign (IL), and concluded in St. Louis where we visited Monsanto's headquarters.
The real adventure began when I tried to fly home. First, my flight was delayed due to late aircraft arrival. Then, it was delayed due to mechanical issues. Finally, hours later, it was delayed even longer because the pilot had reach his maximum number of hours. In the end, I think it was all just a ploy to get us to spend more money in the airport. Mission accomplished.

What else have I done? Well, I moved in to my lovely new apartment with Audrey, Courtney, and Kristen. This is going to be a great year. Slightly crazy... but great.

I wrapped up my internship by going down to Columbia to give (yet another) presentation about my internship. This time it consisted of a SWOT analysis of the business along with a few recommendations. This time the bold, confident, side of me seemed to disappear and the conservative, reserved side of my surfaced. Yes, I was a little intimidated. Thankfully, I started to loosen up about halfway through.

Today I got up at 4 am along with some friends and went to the J. Crew warehouse sale in Asheville, NC. Everything there is so cheap it is practically a steal. It was like Black Friday on steriods.

GUESS WHAT?! I got a camera. This means that I will be posting pictures in the near future. Woohoo! Life is too good not to at least attempt to capture a moment of it.

got joy?

It’s been a while since I’ve posted. The past couple of weeks have been pretty busy and have consisted of a lot of driving. Ole Clyde has been a faithful companion as I've traveled to Asheville, Dillsboro, Sylva, Shelby, Cashiers, Waynesville, Hickory, Raleigh, Orangeburg, Beaufort, John's Island, Summerville, Charleston, and Hilton Head Island. The NC area was a lot of fun because I got to ride my bike on the Blue Ridge parkway. As far as my GPS “Bonnie” goes… well… lets just say that she has her days..


I went to Raleigh, NC to join my AFA Student Advisory Teammates to work on conference planning and visit businesses that sponsor us in the Research Triangle Park. One of my favorite places was John Deere.

Did I mention that they gave us authentic "John Deere" hats? Trust me, they're awesome. I already feel more in touch with my southern roots.





Back to my internship...
You might be wondering what exactly it is that I do at the places I travel too(besides AFA meetings, of course). First, the regional manager and I set up meetings at each of the branch offices. Once dates and times are all figured out, I show up at each office and deliver a hour and fifteen minute presentation about Dow’s new product “Recruit HD”. Sounds pretty official right? I love creative product names. I start out by showing two short training videos to my audience and then spend the rest of the time talking about customer communication, research, and answering questions. As the summer has worn on, I’ve adjusted my spiel to emphasize sales and customer relations. One of the things I have learned is that how you say things is oftentimes more important than what you are saying. Some of the people that I work with seem to just “get it”- they relate to people easily and adapt new products with a positive outlook. I love teaching these kinds of people because they see everything as an opportunity. You know, the “half-full” kind of people who make lemonade out of lemons.
Of course, every group has a downer. The kinds of people who will do everything they can to pull out the negative aspects of the situation. Alas. I finally understand some of teacher’s frustrations.

So what do I do when I get off work? You guessed it! Bike! Ten minutes into my ride this afternoon, a torrential downpour decided to accompany my ride. Two hours later as I rolled up to my truck, the sun decided to show it’s face, and the world became beautiful again. Agh! Bleh.
During the past few weeks I have been racing the Georgia games, French Broad, and POA crit series in Greenville with my teammates. This Friday I will be heading up to Gaffney with Jesse to race the “Friday Night Fight’s”. They don’t have a women’s race so I’ll be joining the guys. Dude. I will most likely get my tail whipped, but it is going to be epic.

Have you ever wondered what it looks like when someone actually glows with the joy of the Lord? I met one of those people this week. These are some of the characteristics that this person had:

• He consistently went above and beyond to make everyone’s day
• He looked for opportunities to encourage and build others up
• He smiled… a lot!
• He demonstrated humility by serving others first
• He spoke about his love for his wife, family, co-workers, and his love for God

One of the greatest things about this particular fellow was that I noticed the joy of the Lord in him before he said anything about his faith.

The Bible says “ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” Matthew 7:7

I’m going to ask for those characteristics.

Dramatic?

To say that U23 Nationals was brutal would be an understatement. None of my collegiate track races or workouts ever hurt so bad. Why, you ask? One word. Heat. I felt like an sea turtle in the middle of a scorching desert. It was miserable. Miraculously, God gave me the strength to finish the race along with girl from Fl who was a great riding companion. When it is 105 degrees outside in a 72 mile race, competitors become friends as you fight to put one foot in front the other. I know, I know, I sound really dramatic here. That’s one of the reasons why I love racing so much though.

Moving on to my job, so far I have completed training presentations in the Piedmont, S. Central, Metro, and Pee Dee region. It has been interesting to see that each region reflects the personality and opinions of the regional manager. The company I work with has done a great job of hiring exceptional regional managers and each one has taught me something different about the Pest Management business. I have found that I am most effective in my presentations when I seek to understand the regional manager’s outlook and strategies first. For example, one manager has passion for “selling yourself” instead of simply selling a product. Another manager, however, has a greater appreciation for the scientific research that has been done on Recruit HD. He prefers for his guys to deliver specific scientific facts to make sales. I have been delivering the same information to each region- but adjusting the spin and emphasis based on the regional manager’s preferences and ultimately my audience. So far this job has been a blast and I have learned a lot.

You know what’s crazy? Half of the summer has already flown by. Ah! They say that the longer you live, the faster time flies. I have found this to be true in my life. I was listening to a sermon this past week by Tim Keller and he raised the point that we were created for intervals of work and rest. Are you intentional about rest? It sounds silly, but sometimes I subconsciously view rest as weak. That’s right. I have caught myself “trying to live life to the fullest” by rushing from activity to activity until I absolutely wear myself out! The truth is… when I am rested and living the way I was created too… I achieve my ultimate goal in life. That simple? Yes, as a matter of fact it is. My goal is to bring glory to God. Check this out, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”. Paul says this in 1 Corinthians 10:31 because we were created for His glory! “Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed even whom I have made". –Isaiah 43:7. God’s love for a sinner like me is real and incomprehensible. To give Him the glory is a like returning a molecule of water for an ocean. Doesn’t even compare. Dramatic? Nope. Absolutely real.

oh my...

I am in a state of total shock right now.

I received an email yesterday informing me that I had been upgraded to cat 2 in cycling which means that I have the opportunity to compete in the U23 National Championship Road Race on June 26th.

Let's rewind a little here. I have been blessed to ride with an awesome collegiate team here at Clemson. The guys on my team have motivated, inspired, and pretty much taught me how to train and race. With their help, I qualified for Collegiate Nationals and had a decent finish as 27th. After nationals, I planned on doing a few races but focused my physical and mental energy almost entirely on my internship. I didn't think that I had a shot at even qualifying at U23 Nationals. My training suffered due to other time commitments and lack of a training plan.

After talking with a few people... including an ex pro cyclist from Canada, I realized that cycling is a huge part of me and that I had nothing to lose by applying for an upgrade so that I could register for U23 Nationals. I had zero expectations for actually getting any response.

So here I am... 20 years old, with a racing experience of approximately 3 months, preparing to race 120 km (72 miles) against America's top cyclist. Oh, and did I mention that the women's U23 race is combined with the Elite women's road race? Yea, it's going to be intense.

One last crazy factor goes into this race. Last year it was in Oregon. It could have been anywhere this year, but it is Georgia this year. Coincidence? I think not. Only my all-powerful, all-knowing God could have facilitated this. His strength is the only thing that will sustain me during this race.

Termites.

Right now I'm sitting in a coffee shop on a corner street in Asheville, NC. If I could get a penny for every hippie i see walk past I would be rich.

Over the past two weeks I have been learning so much about termites I feel like they are crawling out of my ears. Why, you say? My internship is with the urban pest management division of Dow AgroSciences and I have been blessed with the wonderful assignment of working with a new termite protection product that we are launching. Thats right. I am pretty much a termite expert now. Should I be proud of that? My dad laughs because the many, grueling hours that I put into our landscaping business during high school is actually paying off. Speaking of paying off... have I told you about Clyde? Clyde is my beloved truck for the summer. He is a handsome black 2011 Dodge Dakota. His counterpart is a GPS that I have lovingly named Bonnie. They are quite the pair, those too.

Back to business, these past couple of weeks have been spent getting acquainted with some of the offices that I will be working with. I tell you what, there are some interesting people there! The Technicians definitely get kick out of a 20-year-old, female intern, showing up to tell them how to use our new product. The comments and teasing can be both funny and slightly offending. However, God didn't give me red hair for nothin'... if the need arises, I am not afraid to show a little attitude.

Ah... cycling, how I miss you! Tonight I am racing in the Ring of Fire Crit in Asheville, NC with my teammates Matt Johnson, Austin Hilliard, and Jesse Miller! Can you tell I'm excited? The thrill of racing is unmatchable.

Details to come.

A busy week.

Last Sunday, I packed up my bags and flew out to Indianapolis, Indiana where I joined forty other interns from across the country for Intern training at the headquarters of Dow AgroSciences.

We started our first training promptly at 7:30 am on Monday morning by going through introductions which included where we were from, and the type of internship we would be doing this summer. There were interns from California, Nebraska, Illinois, Georgia, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia, Iowa, and many other states throughout the US. The different internships include seed sales, public relations, chemical sales, and urban pest management sales (me!). The first thing I noticed that everyone had was a lot of confidence. They seemed to have a really good idea of who they were and what they hoped to accomplish in life. After introductions, we launched right into our agenda which included sessions on business skills, expense management, safety, sales, and a tour of the campus. The campus tour would have been a lot of fun if I hadn’t been wearing a brand new adorable pair of shoes that gave me a dreadful blister. If you think I am exaggerating, then think again. In all eight years of my running career I never had a blister this bad. The worst part about was the fact that those shoes were so cute! Beauty is pain.
Despite the monotony of sitting and listening to speakers for long periods of time, we managed to have a little fun playing games and getting to know each other during breaks.
Although the schedule called for the group to go through Advanced Driver Training on Friday, I attended the training on Tuesday since I would be leaving on Thursday for a Student Advisory Team meeting in Kansas City. Driver training was mandatory since we are given company cars to drive during the summer. Little did I know, I would be joined by two hilarious sales reps who were required to take a driver refresher course. Oh boy. They cracked jokes right and left as we completed a very boring course.

On Wednesday, I joined the rest of the interns for yet another day of listening, learning, and socializing. At one point we practiced sales techniques by role-playing while utilizing our some of our freshly-learned knowledge about farming and various crops. Of course, I had no CLUE what I was talking about. Obviously I did not give my lack of knowledge because I volunteered to go FIRST in a group role play. Thanks to a handy-dandy little booklet and mad page-turning skills, I pulled off the role-play without making a complete idiot of myself among a group a farm-savvy individuals. Success!
That night we had a cookout at the hotel where we played a corn-hole tournament and were entertainment by a few people who happened to consume a large amount of alcohol. It’s funny how people who might normally be shy become totally different after several beers. I also had a long conversation with a fellow intern about life, relationships, farming, childhood, and our career ambitions.

Thursday morning started bright and early at 5:30 am. My supervisor and district sales manager arranged for me to meet some of the key people who work in the urban pest management division. Although I knew this was a privilege, I also knew that I was tired and exhausted from a week of getting a fraction of the sleep that I normally get. Fortunately the excitement of the opportunity kicked in and gave me the burst of energy I needed to engage and energetically interact with some of the top people of my job.
Thursday afternoon, I flew to Kansas City to join the Student Advisory Team for our second meeting.

This meeting was unique in that the four campus ambassadors would be joining us. They brought so much enthusiasm and excitement to an already great group of people. It continues to amaze me how tightly we have bonded together in the short amount of time that we have had. Of course, I realize that this is no coincidence. We were selected based on how our individual personalities, strengths, and weaknesses would mesh with the rest of the group.
We spent the next two days going through media training, facilitation training, working on conference planning, and taking group pictures.

Friday night, we went to a bbq place that had a karaoke bar. As we were heading out we saw this little kid who looked to be about 8 years old, rockin’ out to a Brittany Spears song. Definitely not expecting that. Furthermore, this kid was GOOD! I decided to sing a song along with a few others. Not that I could top this kid or anything… anyways, after we sang, the kid came up and told me that I made him nervous.. haha. I need to go back and take singing lessons from this kid. He could take Justin Bieber any day.

On Saturday night I flew home after a lengthy layover in Dallas, Texas. As I walked on to the plane, I caught a whiff of the warm summer air and was once again reminded of why I love the south so much.

2011 Collegiate Road Nationals

On Wednesday, Austin, Matt, and I loaded up Matt's jeep and headed north for the collegiate cycling nationals road race. Unfortunately we were not able to leave until 8:30pm because Austin had an exam late Wednesday afternoon. Matt drove the first 6 hours, Austin the next 4, and I drove the final 5. Minus the restroom and fast food stops, we drove straight there in order to make it to Madison, Wisconsin in time for registration packet pickups.


On Thursday, we arrived at our hotel where would be rooming with the Tennessee-Chattanooga Cycling Team members to save on hotel costs. After 15 hours of driving we were more than eager to head out for a good bike ride.

Little did we know... it is not difficult to get lost in Wisconsin. Who would have predicted that there would be a PDQ gas station on the corner of every street?
Who would've guessed that all of the gorgeous bike paths would lead us astray?
Thanks to the directions of the cashier at a gas station we managed to find our way back after a half hour of wandering.


On Friday, we raced the road race at Blue Mounds State Park, Wisconsin. The course had over 8,000 feet of climbing. 60 miles for the women and 75 miles for the men. Intense? Yes. Suicide? Possibly. Fun? Absolutely. This was the kind of course where you knew... no matter what... you were going to finish knowing full well that you worked hard and deserve a good meal and some rest. Gotta love that post-race feeling. Anyways, back to the race. From the start whistle to the finish, it was an all out battle. At first, it was a battle to stay upright as 67 eager cyclist poured down the mountainside at 40mph. Then it transferred to fighting for a good place as we approached the first few hills. With the advent of hills came the roar of gears shifting and people panting for air as we sprinted up and down the hills. Finally, we approached the two massive hills that concluded lap number 1 out of 4. These incredibly steep hills easily separated the strong from the weak as the large group of cyclist quickly became strung out over the entire course. As I neared the end of lap 1, I crested a giant hill to find a group of about sixty people cheering, blowing horns, and handing out water. I struggled to maintain composure, but failed miserably. Sweat poured down my face, and my head swung from side to side as I gasped for air while struggling to catch the group in front of me.
Velonews photographers apparently thought the misery on my face was worth posting on their website:
http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/05/road/2011-collegiate-road-nationals-a-casey-b-gibson-gallery_171505/attachment/usa-cycling-college-national-championships-2011-5
The speedy descents that followed climbing brought a thrill and cooled me down. Lap 2 and lap 3 were not as hard as lap 1. I knew what to expect, and the exercise endorphins had kicked in. Each lap separated the groups of riders. By the time I had gotten to the final lap, I had passed most of the field and was with competitors I’d thought I could not have kept up with. We took turns breaking the wind and worked with one another. I could tell that my competitors were constantly gauging how tired they were in relation to the rest of the group. At one point I glanced over to see a girl smiling to herself. All of the sudden it hit me, this is fun! We are not only challenging our physical and mental strength against the best collegiate cyclist in the country, but against ourselves. Sure, my legs were tired, but my body’s natural pain killers had already kicked in. Each breath of air seemed to penetrate my entire body with life and energy. I glanced down at my watch. 3 hours. Every second of those 3 hours had been spent covering as much ground as possible and was utilized to it’s maximum capacity by balancing effort against strategy. I knew the last twenty minutes needed to count more than any of the others. No more strategizing, all effort. My legs felt like the gears on a broken watch as a struggled to shove each pedal down. Much to my amazement, riders started dropping back and I began to move farther up the field of competitors. I honestly did not know that it was possible to go any slower than I was at that moment. Before crossing the finish line I heard my teammates yell at me as I passed a girl from Indiana University. I crossed under the USA Cycling National Championships Banner in sheer elation. I had finished!

I finished 27th… with 67 of the top collegiate cyclist in the country still behind me.








That night we went out to “Noodles” in downtown Madison, WI with two of guys from the College of Charleston Cycling Team. We joked and laughed about how silly cyclist can often be. Bryan from College of Charleston finished 7th in the road race, his teammate Brooks finished 34th. Way to go!

Saturday was a delightfully relaxing day which consisted of; wandering around downtown on our bikes, checking out the bike shops and ehem.. accidently spending a lot of money, watching a magic show, drinking Boba tea (that stuff is WEIRD), and talking with the locals just to hear their funny accents. Don’t judge.

That afternoon, I had the privilege of seeing my dear sister LAURA and her wonderful husband John who live in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. That’s right. My sister moved from SC to WI after graduating from Clemson. Gutsy right? God has indeed blessed her as she is now surrounded by a wonderful church family, friends, job, and husband. Praise the Lord! We went to the pound to check out a potential dog to join her new family, went shopping in downtown Madison, and then met up with John’s brother Pete and his girlfriend Jessica along with my teammates for dinner! After a tasty dinner at Dotty’s, we went to a lovely terrace that overlooks the lake. It was gorgeous. The students at University of Madison, WI are pretty darn lucky to live there… during the summer that is. I’m not sure that I could stand it in the winter.

After a tasty dinner at Dotty’s, we went to a lovely terrace that overlooks the lake. It was gorgeous. The students at University of Madison, WI are pretty darn lucky to live there… during the summer that is. I’m not sure that I could stand it in the winter.



Sunday consisted of our final race… the CRIT! Stephanie and I got up early and drove to the course in silence as we contemplated finality and significance of this race. Crits are scary and dangerous. Winning a crit depends less on fitness and more on luck and positioning than road racing. This was my second A’s crit and I was nervous. I was tempted to bail on the race but knew that I couldn’t let myself or my teammates down. As we rolled up to the start line I fought to readjust my attitude.

I worked hard for this. I chose this. This is an opportunity. I honor my Lord and Savior best by giving my all and leaving the rest up to Him. From the “go” whistle, it became absolutely chaotic. My mind instantly switched from dwelling on my anticipation to race mode. Every corner I turned required concentration and strategizing as I struggled to remain upright and move up the massive field of cyclist. Before I knew it, a small breakaway group had lapped us. That was frustrating. Girls I had whipped in the road race were ahead of me. Every time I tried to move up someone would block me or I would have to break to avoid running into someone else as we rounded the corners. Regardless, it felt so good to sprint out of the corners and race in front of a crowd. I just need to brush up on my crit skills, or lack thereof.

After the race, I toasted in the sun while chatting with Laura, John, my aunt and uncle from Chicago, and the friends that I’ve made this season through cycling. The cycling community is full of incredible people from all over the world. Some cyclist from Mars Hill who originally hail from South Africa happen to be pretty crazy. Talk about team spirit! They blared those annoying horns from South Africa and painted their bodies and faces. Obviously they did something right because Mars Hill College won the division 2 team omnium! Congrats! Job well done.

On Monday morning we packed up and headed out for a 15 hour drive home. As I watched the rolling Wisconsin countryside change to the flat fields of Illinois, it struck me that we have a very creative God who is the master of beauty.

If he can make the earth beautiful, how much more can he transform those he calls his own? His very breath has the power to move mountains and build oceans. A God this powerful is certainly one who can be trusted.



“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold”. Psalm 46:1-3,7

Why do I so often forget this astounding truth?

On the way back we stopped in Kentucky to go for a bike ride through the rolling hills.

So beautiful.

So full of life.

So peaceful.

We arrived home around 1:30 am. I am thankful for a safe and successful Nationals trip!

William & Kate

Right now I am sitting in front of the tv with my lovely roommate Audrey, watching William and Kate's royal wedding. 
The best part of the wedding has been the tweets sent in. About 75% talk about how the newly married couple must be bored out of their minds. The other 25% are either a) adorable "ohmygosh you can see the love in their eyes" b) cynical "I wonder if all their kids are gonna be bald like William" or c) stupid "I just KNOW they're gonna get up and start making out".


As I predicted, this week has been challenging! Each exam that I have to take seems to shackle with a ball and chain until I find out my grade. Pathetic right?

On the other hand, cycling this week has been quite the stress reliever.  I managed to keep up with the front group of TNR this week by selecting a tall triathlete to draft behind during the majority of the ride. While many others who are stronger than me struggled in the wind, I hunkered down and enjoyed the free ride up and down hills behind a guy who is twice my size. If I knew who you were, I would thank you. As it turned out, many of the cycling guys were frustrated by the slower pace and the triathletes who wouldn't lead. Me? I was just happy to be hanging on... I kept my eyes glued to the tire in front of me as we raced around the countryside at an average of 24 mph. I can honestly say that it was a rush, both literally and figuratively.
Wednesday consisted of hill repeats with the one and only Matt Johnson. Pain. 

Wednesday night I walked to Wendy's with my dear roommate Courtney to get Frosties! YUM!

The picture below is of Courtney (Court-Snort), Audrey (Princess Audrey), and I (Carrots)... I love them so much!

As we pulled up for prayer group on Wednesday night at Tillman Place, Corey Koon pointed out a 4ft long black snake in the parking lot! We caught it, put it in a Captain Crunch Box, and delivered it to Elise's front door with a note that said, "TO ELISE, YOU ARE HYSSSSTERICAL- anonymous" (Thank you Lauren Fasbender for your stroke of genius). In case you may be wondering, it was payback for the lovely dead squirrel that Elise wrapped and left on my front door with a note that said, "to Molly, I'm NUTS about you- anonymous". Needless to say, it was quite epic. Word on the street is that she took it to class the next morning.

Other minor details of this week include a safety conference call for my internship... about the dangers of walking. I had to spend an HOUR on the phone listening to a lecture about being safe. Of course, given my track record, it was probably necessary. I also had a conference call with the Student Advisory Team about our conference theme.... more brainstorming to do! I caught a baby shrew, drug testing for my internship, made cookies, and saw a cemetery that is named "Little Hope Cemetery" ...made me laugh.

God is so good. He has showed me his love and forgiveness throughout the week. During the stress of exams I am simply horrible about praying and spending time in the Word. Does this affect how much He loves me? Absolutely not! I love that my Savior is bigger than exams, bigger than sin, bigger than religion, and bigger than I can imagine! His love and pursuit of has nothing to do with me and everything to do with his grace and mercy. "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" Romans 5:7b


....wow.

2 weeks before school gets out and NATIONALS!

This week I have a fairly full schedule.. 4 exams, 1 final project, and an essay due! Also, this is the last full week of training that I have before nationals. Time to pack in some good, hard training along with some hyper focused study sessions with friends. Sleep? Pretty unnecessary at this point. This is one of my favorite parts of the season because I have a pretty good idea of what I should be doing and how I should be doing. The challenge is actually doing it.
Tomorrow evening is one of the last TNR rides of this spring. TNR is "Tuesday Night Ride" abbreviated. It is basically a training ride every Tuesday that is treated as a race. All of the fastest cyclist in the community (sometimes on pro teams) come out to Pendleton and ride a 30ish mile route as fast as possible to a planned destination. It is exhilarating and challenging as everyone is trying their best to win. It's during times like these that I feel so alive and free of the worries and distractions of life. It will be a nice break from studying.
Wednesday and Thursday will consist of meetings and Friday I will go to the RUF end of the year party!
My friendships within RUF have challenged me in a lot of different areas this year. I am so thankful for my dear friends who are passionately pursuing the Lord and how he intends for us to live life! Recently a group of 5 or 6 have started praying every week together. It is ASTOUNDING how encouraging this has been to me. His promise is true that when two are more are gathered in His name, He is there! I can feel His presence during these times.

This is a picture of some of the RUF people I am so thankful for!

We're playing Rockband... and rockin it out to T SWIFT!

Science and Faith

So this week I have fallen in love with the band "The Script".  One of their songs titled "Science and Faith" is about being so in love with someone that they become his science, faith, and reality. This is what society tells us that our significant other should be. It embraces the idea that that person can fulfill our deepest needs and provide us with a frame through which to view life. The book, "Twilight" embraces this same idea that the one we love becomes our reality. In the book, love is pictured as permanent and more fate than choice. To fight or resist giving ourselves to that one other person would be denying our very selves and going against the force of nature.

Is this how God intended for us to be? Does this mean that single people are missing out on science, faith, or reality? What truly defines us? How are we to be truly fulfilled in a society that constantly feeds us these lies? 

Life... so good!

First blog post... here goes!

This past weekend was a whirlwind! I flew out on Thursday for Kansas City for my first meeting with the Student Advisory Team.
I met my fellow SAT members that evening and immediately felt at ease among these bright, motivated, and often hilarious people. One thing that I love about Agriculture Future of America is it's ability to unite people across the Nation for agriculture. Sounds silly, but I've learned a lot from my yankee and western friends. As it turns out, sweet tea may not be the main ingredient for making nice people (of course, it does help!).
Saturday night my plane landed at the GSP airport where I was picked up by my sweet friend Alex Kellum. We promptly left for Macon, GA where we would be racing in the South Eastern Conference Championship. We arrived at 1 am (after nearly crashing into a deer that decided that he was just too good for the woods).
The road race Sunday morning was wild... and by wild, I mean that you could literally feel the tight nerves and tension in the air. As soon as the race official said "go" gears began grinding as each competitor began moving in to place. There is no doubt in my mind that everyone was nervous and questioning whether they really had what it takes to do their best.
Not surprisingly, there was an attack early on in the race on the first hill. I stayed with them for a little bit but soon realized that the break away group of five people would not stay together. Two of the girls were pro's and significantly better than the other three. I settled into the race and set up a pace line with Stephanie Bunnett from Mars Hill. We managed to keep a strong, steady pace and before long the slower members of the break away group began to drop back and join us. This placed Stephanie and I in the perfect position to beat them because we hadn't burnt all our matches on the attack.
2/3 into the race we attacked and managed to stayed away from the group. It was exhilarating! I love the rush that comes from breaking away from the group and racing down hills at 40 mph with pack of competitors trying to chase you down!
Although the two girls that I broke away with beat me in the final sprint, I finished the race in sheer exhaustion and with the satisfaction that I had given it my all.
Unfortunately Stephanie got a slow flat tire and was not able to keep up with the break away group. She still finished 7th despite her technical difficulties!

Nationals here I come!