On a quiet stretch of county-owned land once defined by grass and gravel and garbage, a ribbon of asphalt now loops, banks and swells in tight rhythmic curves — engineered not for pedaling, but for flow. Riders generate speed by pumping their bodies through rollers and berms, transforming momentum into motion without ever turning a crank. In September, that motion will carry Haywood County into the international spotlight. 

At odd hours of the day and night, Maggie Valley resident David Crane grabs a cup of coffee, meanders to the basement of his mountain cabin and speaks with the members of the high-level international workgroup he chairs. The aim: Establish a court through which to try Vladimir Putin and others for crimes of aggression against Ukraine. 

I love the energy surrounding a new year. Why are beginnings so enchanting? Perhaps it’s the hope and anticipation of the unknown or maybe an open opportunity to shed old habits, behaviors and beliefs that are no longer serving us.