Fun
If you mention the word football around me, I’ll most likely respond with a roll of the eyes.
But it’s not because I don’t like football.
It’s football isn’t just football in my house. It’s literally a season. One that’s accompanied by 24-7 airing of Sports Center or College Football Live, incessant chatter about who caught how many balls and how many people they knocked over, what coach may have said what, and hours of virtual drafting.
That’s just me getting started. {And that’s just football season.}
So yes, I moan and I groan when I hear about football. That doesn’t mean I don’t like the game. I just prefer it in person.
Last night the husband and I ventured to Charlotte to see the Carolina Panthers.
It was the last preseason game; time to make the final cut of players.
Too bad for the 4th & 5th string Panthers that were still hoping to make the team: they were playing the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Panthers aren’t the best team in the league, but we’re hoping they’ll be a least a little better this year.
It was still a blast to watch them play.
{You can’t tell, but that’s Cam Newton running through the fire.}
We’ve been to a couple Panthers games since I’ve lived in NC, but never a night game. It was fun! Although you could barely tell it was night.
The Panthers’ started off strong. Well, sort of strong. Not bad.
But at the start of the 4th quarter they totally lost it. Steelers fans rejoiced. {And yes, there were more Steelers’ fans than Panthers’ fans. It was like being at an Orioles Yankees game in Baltimore, where there’s blue everywhere.}
The game ended WAY past this girl’s bed time, but I made it. The 45 minute wait in the parking lot wasn’t exactly fun at that hour of the night, but at least I got fun Panthers’ game in before I got too pregnant and uncomfortable sitting in a hard plastic seat for four hours. 
Are you a football fan? Do you prefer watching games in person or on tv?
Psst if you used to be like me and were forced to watch football for hours but had no idea what was going on, check out my girl’s guide to football. Despite the title, it’s not just for girls. Also check out two of my favorite game time snacks. Ok three.
Don’t miss the latest baby posts on
tiny sneakers: the first trimester screening & the new midwife appointment.
PS The winner of the Eucerin giveaway is Annie! Send me an email to claim your prize! 
Race
24 hours
1,200 riders
400 reboot riders
400 volunteers
99 degrees
110 degree heat index
4 meals
15 between meal snacks
4 team members
$1.25 million dollars
10 years
8 bajillion Powerades {exactly}
Countless waters
=
The one & only 24 Hours of Booty
We knew it was going to be a tough one this year when the car thermometer read 101 degrees Friday morning on the way to the event. By the time we’d pulled up to Queens University at noon, unloaded our bikes, staked out a camping area, and moved the car, we were already jonesing for cold drinks.
We spent the first four hours of our adventure volunteering- the husband and our other teammate Andrea directed traffic like pros, and my mom and I helped with stuffing bags and packet pickup.
The drinks didn’t arrive until we were mostly through our shift, and we snatched them up before they even had a chance to get cold. It was the beginning of the Powerade-drinking marathon.
We had a little bit of time between the end of our volunteer shift and the official start of the event, so we set up our tents, prepped our bikes, and took ice cold showers in the campus athletic center- a complete and totally luxury of the Charlotte event.
The hour before the first lap of the evening was spent with introductions and awards. The Charlotte event alone surpassed the $1.25 million dollar mark this year; an incredible accomplishment.
Awards were distributed to the highest fundraisers, and the 2011 edition of the “Booty charm’” was given to a handful of deserving survivors and influential participants. One of them was my mom!
A local meteorologist & two-time cancer survivor gave an official weather report of “you don’t want to know how hot it is”, although she gave us the clue that the reported forecast temperatures are taken in the shade, and you can expect sunny areas to be 15 degrees hotter. Yikes.
Spencer Leuders, the man that started it all, was surprised with a scholarship in his name to go to four students at Queens University dealing with cancer themselves or in their family. It’s hard to imagine 10 years ago a lawyer borrowed a bike and rode it for 24 hours to raise money for cancer- just look at what it turned in to.
By 7, it was time for the ride to start. First up, the survivor parade lap, led by Sir Purr of the Carolina Panthers and Bob Roll, former professional cyclist and Tour de France announcer.
There goes mom!
The Booty loop is a 2.97 mile loop through the gorgeous neighborhood of Myers Park in Charlotte. The road is lined with skyscraping trees and humongous houses. The neighbors came out, set up chairs and tents, and cheered for the riders late into the night.
We spent most of our 24 hours brainstorming words that accurate conveyed the temperature. “Hot” just simply wasn’t enough. By the middle of the night, the temperatures had cooled slightly- still hot, but bearable. I waited until the sun started going down before hopping on my bike, and rode as late into the night as I could.
Even at night, the course was crowded and packed with cyclists. The number of serious, skilled cyclists surprised me compared to last year’s ride. I can’t tell you how many times I was startled by a flying paceline of cyclists soaring just inches past me. Fairly intimidating, while at the same time, pretty inspiring. If only they knew how lucky they were to not have me swerve into them in surprise!
After attempting a few hours of sleep, it was back on the bike at the crack of dawn. I’d ridden 32 miles by early breakfast. After grabbing a quick bite to eat {oatmeal included!}, we headed to the survivor hour event. My mom is a 16 year survivor, and this year friends and family were invited to join the survivors for a special breakfast.
We not only heard inspiring stories of courage and survival, but we learned exactly what kind of power raising money for 24 Hours of Booty has, and what kinds of programs it makes possible. We learned about where cancer research is going and why, and we learned about the progress Lance Armstrong and the Livestrong Foundation are making.
As we sat in the survivor tent, we could feel the temperature soaring. By the time it was over, we were back to coming up with new expressions for the insane heat.
I don’t do well with heat. I drank and drank and drank, but by the time survivor hour was over, I knew it was time for me to hang up my helmet. I was disappointed that I wouldn’t even meet my mileage from last year {on a better bike and a better course}, but I knew it was what I had to do.
I’m still amazed at the number of people that kept going strong throughout the day. I’m both in awe and impressed by how little they let the heat affect them.
After touring “Bootyville” and visiting some of the vendors, the husband headed out for a few more laps {determined to beat my mileage}. He did great, but came back with the report that it was just too hot. Saturday’s loop was even more crowded as the loop was cut down to one lane, and 400 more riders joined the course for the day.
By the time lunch rolled around, we were struggling to find shade, stay cool, and drink enough. At some point my team realized none of us were riding, and we were just going downhill in the heat. We made the ultimate decision to pack up our stuff and head home a little early. Both disappointing, necessary, and an intelligent decision in the end. {My stomach is still paying for the mass quantities of Powerade consumed.}
Despite the outrageous heat, 24 Hours of Booty was yet again an incredible event to be a part of. You could feel the heartbeat of the Charlotte cycling community serge through the campground. There were people that had been doing this for years, and you can feel the dedication and commitment. The staff that runs the event is incredible, both in their ability to keep such a large event organized, and in their friendly demeanor. The volunteers that come willingly come out in such heat and insane hours of the night show what it’s really all about.
The two events I’ve done now, one in Columbia and one in Charlotte, are completely different from each other, and it was great to experience both of them. I can’t wait for what next year may bring.
Fun
Take your husband here…
…and let him drive really fast. Really, really fast.
Thanks to an awesome Groupon snag last July, I was able to get the husband pretty much the best Christmas ever. {And yes, I waited from July to December to give it to him. That was hard.}
The gift? A Nascar driving experience at Charlotte Motor Speedway. And now I’ve been hearing “I wanna go fast, I wanna go fast!” for the last four months. Thank you Ricky Bobby.
We tried to go in March, but just as the husband got to the front of the line, it started to rain. Rain = no driving. While attempting to wait the rain out, we got to look at the race cars up close in the garage. But the rain never stopped.
This week we finally got to come back. There was a 50% chance of rain the forecast, but this time as the husband got in line, the skies cleared up.
Time for driving school!!
After a few brief lessons {did you know race cars are built to turn left?}, it was time to get suited up.
Just a fireproof suit. No big deal.
Before driving, the husband got to go for a ride to see what it was like.
Nothing like the force of 2.5 Gs coming at you as you slide up near a retaining wall.
And then it was time to drive.
This is when I start wondering why I thought this was a good idea and what did do. Who puts their husband in a car to drive 160+ mph?
Too late to turn back- he was ready to go!
He was told to take the first 2 laps slow to get the hang of things…
And to practice aiming for the marks on the turns. The way the track’s built, you actually have to steer into the wall in order to take the curve properly. Yikes.
By his 3rd or 4th lap, he was off. Seriously flying around the track. I didn’t know whether to be terrified or proud as he zipped around the oval, passing every.single.car on the track.
All too quickly, it was over.
I’m pretty sure he didn’t want to get out of that car.
Nascar’s newest champion driver. {
}
I don’t know how I’m ever go to live up that present….
Review
The husband and I spent last night in Concord on a double super secret mission. One that makes me an awesome wife. One that makes him an awesome husband. They’re entirely unrelated.
But it meant an excuse to stop at a restaurant for just one thing. {A very southern thing that I would have gagged at a few years ago.} Fried pickles.
Concord is a super commercialized area outside of Charlotte- known for a giant outlet mall and lots of chain restaurants.
In a struggle to find a non-chain restaurant last time we were in town, we stumbled upon Tavern at the Mills.
To be honest, the food choices aren’t all that fantastic; almost no vegetarian options, let alone vegan options.
But the beer is good…
and the fried pickles are insane.
This coming from the girl that hated dill pickles until a few years ago, and doesn’t particularly like deep fried foods that aren’t of the French fry variety.
But pop those suckers in a deep fryer and serve them with a side of spicy honey mustard, and you’ve got something worth writing home the interwebs about.
And because Blue Moon and pickles don’t a meal make, we got some barbecued nachos on the side.
A giant, face-sized plate of nachos.
Perfect for sharing since the husband can eat all the cheesy-chicken pieces, and I get all the jalapeno-guacamole pieces. Despite our most valiant efforts we only made it half way through the monstrous stack. At least we have lunch for tomorrow!
Do you like pickles? Have you ever had fried pickles or is that just weird?
Restaurants
What happens when you mash together a sushi restaurant and a burger joint?
The Cowfish!
The Cowfish is a new-ish Charlotte restaurant that combines everything you’d want in a sushi restaurant with a fancy burger menu.
Sunday a bunch of us met for a holiday dinner- the brainchild of Teri.
The owner brought out some appetizer samples, which was a fun way to test out the menu.
Crab dip, tuna nachos, tuna and avocado-tini, and edamame.
There were literally too many choices on the menu. They even had Burguishi- burgers wrapped sushi-style! I loved the idea of the build-your-own sushi (since I can’t stand cucumber, which invades almost every roll of sushi everywhere), but it was just too overwhelming. I went with lettuce wraps. 
Big chunks of zucchini, eggplant, and tofu, in ginger and brown sauces.
While waiting on our meal, we had a little dirty Santa gift exchange.
I’ve never done dirty Santa- I needed the rules explained twice. But beginner’s luck must have been in my favor since I made it home with a Starbucks gift card. Starbucks = heaven. (Sorry Nicole!)
Love this girl!
Loved seeing some of my favorite NC bloggers again- and meeting new ones!
