Go Walkers!!

We got up early because I wanted Emily and Jeanne to see Opening Ceremonies for the 3-Day.  Jeanne's husband Ken suggested that we leave early, as to avoid possible traffic.  Since Emily and I sorta took the long way to Jeanne's house from the airport (meaning we didn't listen to the Garmin lady and didn't take the turns she kept suggesting and re-suggesting when she rerouted us several times), we thought leaving early was probably a good idea.  So we left the house at 5:30am.

We got to the site of the Opening Ceremonies at 6:30 am (Opening Ceremonies started at 7:30), which meant we had plenty of time to decorate the car (in the dark).  By decorating (in the dark), we would save time at our first cheer station.  We made it to the Opening Ceremonies, which still made me get all verklempt, even though I wasn't walking.  It's just such a touching opening to this event, remembering and honoring all those loved ones who fight and have lost to this disease.

Soon the walkers were sent off for the day, and we got in our newly-decorated car and headed off to our first cheer station.  We donned our outfits and started handing out our first giveaway - tiny little maracas with a pink ribbon sticker on them.  At this point, the walkers were still full of adrenaline from Opening Ceremonies, so everyone was excited and happy.

After the last walker had passed this station, we loaded up the car and headed to McD's for some breakfast, then went in search of our second cheering station (I might add that Jeanne was under the impression that we would go to one spot, hand out something, and return home.  Poor Jeanne - she hadn't realized she was travelling with a nutcase!)  We saw the walkers crossing the street up ahead, so we pulled into a Walgreeens they would pass and we set up shop.  Here we gave out pink suckers and shook our pink maracas that Emily had decorated.  It was really cool that some of the walkers would shake their tiny maracas in our honor as they passed us.  We even had to offer first aid (even though we had none) when one of the walkers took a tumble on an uneven bit of pavement.  But she got up and walked on, and we packed up after the last walker passed us.

We decided to do one last cheer stop and headed in that direction.  We couldnt' find a suitable lunch spot, so we decided on ice cream, and then settled down to wait for the walkers.  We were about a half-mile from their final pit stop.  By the time the walkers got to us, they had just about had it.  Their last few miles were directly into the sun on a warm, cloudless day, so we tried to cheer them on with suckers and a bit of dancing.  Oh well, at least maybe it got them down that last half-mile!

We finally left to go home, where Ken went out and brought back dinner.  At that point, we all decided to clean up and go to bed.  I told the other two amigos that the bus tour would meet in the morning at the kitchen table at 8am for Saturday's assignments.  Here's hoping the whole crew gets a good night's sleep!!

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The Good Stuff From Today:  decorating the car; Opening Ceremonies; all the walkers; senior citizen breakfast at McDonald's; ice cream dude; dinner at the Stephenson's; Bea