Bolt Across America kicked off in New York City on July 25, 2008, with an event featuring Miley Cyrus, who provides the voice of Penny in the animated comedy adventure �Bolt.� The Bolt Across America cross-country journey raised awareness for the film, which opened nationwide on November 21, and for the ASPCA� (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals�), the nation�s leading animal welfare organization. The tour hit 32 cities nationwide, including Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Chicago, Denver, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Seattle, among others, and culminated in a roll down the red carpet at the film�s Hollywood premiere Monday, November 17, 2008.

Tour highlights include a contest between The Ball and the Cleveland Indians� mascot �Slider� in Cleveland last August. In a race destined to be remembered for the ages, The Ball raced Slider around the bases in front of a sold-out crowd. It was neck and neck until the finish line, when The Ball collided with Slider, ultimately rolling completely over him to win the race�much to the delight of the crowd.

In September, �B-Rite,� DJ for the Minneapolis urban radio station KTTB-FM learned two things: 1) The Ball floats, and 2) Lake currents can be strong.

While preparing to run The Ball into Lake Calhoun, �B-Rite� was warned to jump out of The Ball if the current pulled him into the lake. But he apparently didn�t want to get wet and quickly found himself a half mile away from the shoreline, ultimately taking 30 minutes to traverse the lake to the opposite side.

Bolt Across America Fun Facts

• Total Balls created for the tour: 40
• Total Balls lost during the tour: 12
• Total people in The Ball: 2,000
• Total dogs in The Ball: 3
• Total miles logged: 16,500
• Total nights in hotel rooms: 111
• Total states visited: 35
• Total oceans seen: 2
• Total trips to the emergency room: 3
• Total Keys-to-the-City presented: 1 (Sandy Springs, Utah)
• Total City Proclamations: 1 (�Bolt Across Dallas Day�)
• Total speeding tickets: 0