Without the host housing, a number of teams and individual riders who are on composite teams wouldn’t even have a shot at traveling to Silver City. Host housing is an essential offering that opens the door for the younger generations to experience Tour of the Gila.

“In the 8 years that I’ve done this, I’ve worked with 30 plus different host families,” says AJ Kennedy, noting that three houses are usually required to host Team California. “It speaks volumes to the community effort that the residents of Silver City put in to embrace and open their doors. It’s not an easy thing to do open your doors for a week to people you’ve never met.”

But that one welcoming act makes all the difference for some cyclists competing in Tour of the Gila. “The riders to feel like they’re coming home to an actual home,” Kennedy says, “which is important, especially if you’re as young as my guys are: 19 to 23.”

Team California typically cooks and holds community dinners at one of the team’s hose houses during the week of Tour of the Gila, and makes a point of dining out three of the seven days they are in Grant County. “We shop locally, frequent the coffee shop, buy products from the bike shop.”

Housing hosts seem to enjoy getting to know the riders personally and having a team to root for while they watch the races, particularly downtown. “We’re only in their life for essentially a week. We may or may not see them again,” Kennedy says, emphasizing how much he appreciates the generosity of people who start as total strangers and become like extended family.