More than 230 scooter riders, most of them first-timers, have rushed to sign up for the 2023 Scooter Cannonball, a competition – not a race – in which they'll pilot scooters of 24 horsepower or less across the southern U.S., hunched over handlebars for eight exhausting, heat-scorched, sleep-deprived days. Some call the Cannonball a crazy ride. But despite the physical hardship, "2023 is attracting a higher number of people than ever before," says Dave Bednarski, 39, a Cannonball organizer and veteran participant. Organizers emphasize that the Cannonball is not a race. Instead the scooter touring rally in 2023 will start June 18 in San Clemente, California, and end June 25 in Hilton Head, South Carolina, 3,170 miles later. Instead of speed, participants ride a prescribed route and record checkpoints. Rally points are awarded based on documented miles and maintaining a standard pace, "a test of endurance and navigational skills," the event's website says. There's no cash prize or big award. Tap the link in our bio to take a look ahead at 2023 and what riders remember about 2021.