I love getting outdoors and experiencing nature. I like to canoe lazy rivers and raft wild ones. I like to go hiking with my dogs and camping in the forest. I also love mountain biking! A lot of my friends do too, including Mrs. Dean. I can ride up hills better than she can, but she is so fast on the downhill that she is better than me overall. She also volunteers with Little Bellas, a mountain biking club for girls.

Little Bellas brings together girls ages 7 to 16 with female mentors in programs which use mountain biking as a vehicle to teach the importance of teamwork, goal-setting, and fostering a healthy lifestyle. Mentors and girls ride together at local trail networks, focusing on improving skills as well as participating in team-building activities. The program is organized around a curriculum that builds upon previous skills, and girls are broken up into groups based on age and ability. After the group ride, the groups participate in games that incorporate that day's skill focus. The next session starts in February and you can sign up here: http://littlebellas.com/register/#fndtn-woodstock-georgia.

Mrs. Dean (center) and me (right) with some friends at the top of Mouse Loop Trail in the Tsali Recreation Area overlooking the Smoky Mountains.