For the fourth year in a row, the Boone Dawdle, our summer excursion and fundraiser, was a rollicking good time. We want to send a hearty thank you to everyone that made August 17, 2013 a day to remember. Thank you to the dawdlers of all kinds: riders, party-goers, sponsors, musicians, filmmakers, guests, volunteers and staff.
A legion of volunteers once again pitched in with their time and talents. Among them were our photo team, Stephen Bybee, Kevin Dingman and Ryan Henriksen. We’ll be looking back through the images they captured. If you want to see even more pics of the Dawdle, check out their Facebook photo albums here, here and here.
Things got underway on Saturday afternoon with some important assistance from our friends at Walt’s Bicycle, Fitness and Wilderness. They offered all of the riders a tune-up before our departure.
After everyone signed up, we struck off westward down the trail for a ride across Boone County. Our meandering 16-mile trip eventually took us from Columbia to Les Bourgeois outside Rocheport.
True/False wouldn’t feel like True/False without music and the spirited buskers who create it. Popping up here and there among the trees were Dubb Nubb, Ruth Acuff, The Flood Brothers, Googolplexia, Lizzie Wright Super Spaceship and The Onions. Also contributing a cheerful noise were the Branson-based performers the Lennon Brothers.
Other pleasant interruptions in our journey through the woods included games, a trivia contest, an advice machine, a lunar explorer photo cut-out and snacks and drinks courtesy of our culinary contributors.
We also got our first chance to meet our special guest Christopher Carson, the star of the evening’s film, Lunarcy! Christopher intends to be the first human being to live his life on the moon. He shared his bold vision for lunar colonization with characteristic gusto and wit.
At the end of the long, fun-filled trip, we faced the final daunting hill. A little encouragement was definitely in order, and cheerleaders from Rock Bridge, Hickman and Battle High Schools were kind enough to oblige.
Waiting for us in Rocheport was a sumptuous spread prepared by our friends Chelsea, Josh and Curtis and the rest of the amazing people at Les Bourgeois Winery. After grabbing some food and drink, we found seats, relaxed and hung-out on the beautiful limestone bluff overlooking the Missouri River.
Next, we were treated to a concert by Yes, Ma’am. The group joined us all the way from the streets of the Big Easy to share their authentic blend of gritty country, pounding blues and old fashioned rock-in-roll.
And before the film began, the T/F production crew treated us to a magnificent fireworks display.
The 2013 Boone Dawdle film was Lunarcy! Simon Ennis’s hilarious and inspiring documentary debut introduces us to a series of passionate dreamers who have built lives around the moon and its place in human destiny. After we watched the film out under the heavens, Simon and the subject Christopher Carson brought our evening to fitting conclusion with a charming and earnest Q and A.
Thank you again to everyone mentioned above. As inspiring as what happened in these photographs was, we assure you what went on behind the scenes was even more remarkable. Our tech team was up working late the night before, transforming the bluffs into an outdoor cinema. Volunteers hauled water and gear into the middle of nowhere, loaded countless bikes into trucks for the trip back to CoMo and stayed up past 2 am cleaning up the party. Our sherpa team stepped up in a big way, hauling bikes up the hill for hours. First Student provided bus transportation to get everyone back home for the night. And our dedicated staff put in the long hours at the Lab, making all of the details shine.
And, of course, our crazy schemes wouldn’t amount to anything without our sponsors. This year’s Dawdle was made possible by generous support of Delta Systems, Walt’s Bicycle, Fitness and Wilderness, Mountain Valley Spring Water, Les Bourgeois Vineyards, 102.3 BXR, The Columbia Daily Tribune and the Courtyard Marriott Columbia.
Together we can accomplish incredible things. Please remember, the Stars Are Ours!