Personally I can't believe I'm able to make the trip down to Atlanta, this will be my second trip to Atlanta in four months. Until August I had never been in Atlanta, all I knew about Atlanta was that they had very competative sports teams and two very strong college football programs. Atlanta is also home to the Team Novo Nordisk headquarters which obviously made me a huge fan of the city. My visit in August to the University of Georgia to cover the second Team Novo Nordisk Talent ID Camp instantly made me love the city of Atlanta. I'll get to how great the team is in the next paragraph but the people of Atlanta made me love the city and area. I couldn't believe how nice the people of the Atlanta region were to cyclists. Coming from the Northeast where I have been run off the road, yelled at, called names and beeped at I was expecting the same as I headed down to Atlanta. I got the complete opposite, drivers of cars actually moved to the other lane of traffic to avoid riders and when that wasn't an option they sat behind the train of cyclists. It was simply amazing, not to mention the nice people that asked if we needed help as one of the riders caught a flat on the ride.
Now I'm heading back to Atlanta to meet the pros and meetup with some friends that I made while at camp in August. I say friends because of the sincerity that each and every member of Team Novo Nordisk has shown to me these past three years. When I learned that I would be able to make the trip to Atlanta I had to pinch myself and ask my girlfriend "How is this possible?" It doesn't make sense to me. I feel like the little known actor that has made the jump and moved to Los Angeles to see what he or she can do. In my wildest dreams I never thought that I'd be flying to Atlanta to meet professional cyclists living with diabetes or lucky enough to meet the people behind the scenes that make it all possible. I'm the guy from a small town that is chasing a dream, let me rephrase that, I'm living my dream. I have much bigger dreams but I honestly never thought I'd be meeting the guys that inspire me to put on a cycling kit when it is thirty degrees and be able to use the bike to show my diabetes that I'm in charge. The riders and staff of Team Novo Nordisk have saved my life and have taught me that dreams do come true. Ten years ago I was fighting to save my life and in a few days I'll be in Atlanta realizing my dream!!! Thank you Team Novo Nordisk, you have inspired me, educated me and empowered me to live the life I want want with diabetes!!