Falling, Failing, Learning

I just completed my 5th annual 24 Hours of Booty, where 1,200 riders complete a 3 mile loop course for, well, 24 hours. For the second year in a row, some of the most amazing participants have been unicycle riders. On a 3 mile course. With hills, turns, and the like. For 24 hours.

That’s skill, but only as the result of a lot of failure.

Seeing the unicyclists on the 24 Hours of Booty ride reminded me of a recent post by Seth Godin. His premise? The reason riding a unicycle is difficult is because it is so sudden.

“All the time you're practicing, you aren't actually riding. You're falling. Then, if you don't give up after all this failure, in a blink, you're riding. No in-between. Failing...riding.”

While many things we do have a gradual learning curve, some things are like the unicycle: practice=failing; repeat; repeat again, then all of a sudden, we’re doing it.

Don’t give up.

Booty Reflections

The HQ of the ReCycle Team. We sleep in the tent to the rear, but hang out under the canopy when we are not on the course or eating up at the food tent.

This was a dry year (unlike the past two), but it got really hot by Saturday afternoon, with no breeze.

Set-up was busier than usual, but we managed to get a decent spot.

Bootyville-where the riders camp out when they are not riding.

It was more crowded than ever this year, with most of the spots taken within 2 hours of the field being opened.

Many teams have multiple tents; they are often decorated with lights and banners.

This year they had a contest on the best-decorated site: Mojo Riders, a large team that rides every year was the winner.

Jeff Autry

Tammy Morris

Chris Morris

This was my most memorable moments of the whole ride. On the parade lap, the course is lined with hundreds of friends and families who are cheering for the riders. Obviously this little guy has a dad on the course, but it meant a lot to all of us!

2009 24 Hours of Booty is over. I didn't rack up as many miles as I would have liked (around 87), but I did set a personal record for the most showers in 24 hours (5). The heat got to me in the end, and I stopped riding late Saturday afternoon.

The most important part of the weekend? Over $800,000 and counting raised for the fight against cancer.

It was a great weekend - I'm tired and sore, and moving slow. The last laps were painful, and I hated to pull off the course, but I knew my body was done. So much for 2009.

I can't wait till 2010!

The 24 Hours of Booty Begins Tonight...

...and I'm ready to ride!

The 24 Hours of Booty is pretty much what it sounds like: a 24 hour bike ride on a closed course (the Booty Loop) in Charlotte, NC. It is the only sanctioned 24 hour road course ride for the Lance Armstrong Cancer Foundation.

This is the 5th year I will be participating. I'm captain of the ReCycle Team: Chris and Tammy Morris, Jeff Autry, and me. Our goal is to have at least one rider on the course during the entire 24 hours.

Here's a shot from last year's Booty; that's me on the left in the orange.

I will be leaving shortly to go set up our campsite in Bootyville (the athletic fields of Queens University). I will be posting Tweets from the bike and the course over the next 24 hours. If you want to follow them click on my link to the left. You can also check out my Facebook page.