![20 years ago today I spent 23.5 hours realizing a childhood dream. As a kid, I spent hours thumbing through a well-worn paperback copy of the Guinness Book of World Records, fascinated with the records involving roller coasters...dreaming of breaking one.
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In early 2000, my friend David Escalante (gone but never forgotten) invited me to help him plan a record attempt. At the time, he was the national PR rep for American Coaster Enthusiasts and he conceived the project as a PR stunt for the club.
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Those 24 hours a were filled with a crazy range of emotions. In the end, we rode every coaster we intended and broke the record.
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On Memorial Day 2001 The Discovery Channel aired "30 Roller Coasters in 24 Hours?"
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[ LINK TO VIDEO IN MY BIO ]
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Our official record was 40 different coasters in 23.5 hours, and I'm still dumbfounded by the reality of the Guinness certificate that stares back at me from the wall above my desk.
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The project couldn't have happened without a multitude of people. We had riders, diarist, videographer, photographer, drivers...and a production company shooting the entire time. This record attempt would not have been possible without maximum effort from so many people and I am forever grateful for the gift they gave me.
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I was still a few years away from my transition and spent most of that era drowning in a sea of gender dysphoria. But the project allowed me to forget all that for a short period of time. To be exact, 23.5 hours.
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If you have the chance, what Guinness Record will you attempt?
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The original (turn-of-the-century) project website: dayacurley.com/grp
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Happy Anniversary, GRPers! (Not a complete list): @dcortolau , @taniabadania , Pat Byron, John Sutherland, John C. Green Jr., Steven Wilson, David Hempling, Laurie Longway, Stan Maletic, Al Nulty, Gerry Watt.
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