Internet Friends

I have friends that I interact with weekly and exchange gifts and cards with that I have never met. The people who find this weird are the ones that don't have internet friends. :) We found each other in various ways and felt deep connections due to our interests or views of the world. When I travel for work I meet them to have a meal or sight see.

Heidi was one of those people. We read each other's blogs and bonded over running stories. She could tell a story about a softball game that would have me completely captivated and on the edge of my seat. When Bill and I were in San Francisco a few years ago we met. She called my hotel and left me a message with her office address - it was the first time I had ever heard her voice. And later in the day we met her at her office (she was working in advertising) and then got on a bus with her and went to her apartment to pick up her boyfriend for dinner. As we went up a hill on a bus she smiled and said, "You have no idea where you are or where you're going, do you?" and we laughed. I didn't. But when we got to the apartment I knew her cat by name and knew the panini machine on the counter by sight and knew the grade school that her boyfriend went to. We were old friends. We just had never met before. We had a great meal at a local bistro down the street from her apartment and they drove us back to our hotel. She was the first Internet Friend I met in real life.

She went on to become a writer for a paper and magazines. She travels all over the world writing about bicycling. And now she is going to ride the Tour de France! I am surprised but not surprised. Mostly I am just thrilled for her and feel a bit of a squeal just because I know her personally.

You can follow her adventures online. She has a huge following now, but I am sure you can still feel how engaging she is, my friend Heidi. :-)