Chris Boone has unfinished business. He vividly remembers the moment when he was cycling through Denton, NC in September 2010 and his tire caught the rail of the train track as he rode onto the crossing.
The Bakersville resident came away with minor injuries, but the crash ended his attempt to break the record for cycling 543 miles across North Carolina. The ride was part of Baptist Children’s Homes’ (BCH) 125 anniversary celebration.
“I felt like it happened for a reason,” Boone says. “The ride became more about meeting all the kids at BCH who were hurting. It became about growing empathy in my heart for them.”
Boone plans to finish what he began seven years ago by undertaking “Relay Ride Across North Carolina,” a new ride across the state on October 5. As before, the ride will benefit BCH. Unlike the ride in 2010, Boone is not pedaling alone.
At the invitation of bicyclist Marc Poland, also of Bakersville, Boone and three other cyclists are undertaking a relay-style bike ride from Murphy to Manteo. The team hopes to break a record by completing the route in 30 hours.
“When I asked Marc if we could do it for a charity, he let me pick BCH,” Boone explains.
The team of ultra-endurance cyclists consists of Poland, Boone, Rich Boulter of Burnsville, and Donny Laws of Burnsville. Ten volunteers in four support vehicles will travel with the cyclists to take care of the bicyclists’ needs along the way. Two judges certified by the Ultra-Marathon-Cycling Association will also accompany them.
“We’re excited for the challenges this will bring – both athletic and logistical – but we’re equally excited about the opportunity to support a charitable organization serving the needs of children across our state,” Poland says.
Because of the ride in 2010, Boone personally knows that funding is essential to helping BCH’s boys and girls.
“I’m looking forward to seeing where we start and what happens at the end,” Boone says. “The ride is already touching people’s lives.”
Learn more by calling Marc Poland at 203-343-6201 Also, give to support the riders at www.bchnc.org/17bike