Breast Cancer 3-Day: Day Two

NOTE: This is the second part of a three part series detailing the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk from a Walker Stalker's point of view. If you haven't read the first part of this series, you may get a little lost...

Day two. I woke up at 8 and made it over to Maggie's house by 9. With cooler in hand and with the ten gallons of water we had purchased the day before, we made our way to I-90, crossed the lake, and exited in Kirkland.

First stop, an espresso stand - tough to believe they actually still exist in the Pacific Northwest - to load up on caffeine. Next stop, we wanted to backtrack and find the team. We found the walkers - it's tough to miss an endless line of approximately 3000 people wearing pink. Next, we drove the opposite direction the walkers were walking in order to find the team. On the way, we honked, hollered, waved our pom-poms, and otherwise cheered on the walkers. And they waved back. Once we made it to the trail from where the walkers were emerging - not on the street and not accessible by car - we texted and called the Pink Buzz Team to find out where they were. They hadn't yet made it that far, they told us. So, we drove up and back again honking... and well, you know.

When they did emerge, we parked and said good morning. Ashley and Katrina had taken the bus to lunch, their feet sore from the day before. Joseph, Elaine, Julie, Fernando, Tara, and Twiggy were at least bright-eyed if not fully bushy-tailed. But they had devised a cheer and a catchy one at that. Two taps to the chest with both hands while they said 'Whoop Whoop' and then there arms extended to the sky while they yelled 'Whoo'. A catchy little cheer that men and women were mimicking up and down the walking route. We would hear it from them and others all day.

After meeting with them, we made our way to a parking lot up one of the many, many hills the walkers would have to traverse. We turned the stereo up and offered water and Tootsie Pops. Same as yesterday. The walkers were grateful. Men and women from all over the United States. Texas, Virginia, New York, Massachusetts, Michigan... All over.

After the team passed, we got back into the van and headed out to Fred Meyer. Two spray bottles, mayo, and two bags of assorted candy later, we were back on the route figuring out what to do next. The team had reached a pit stop, so we stopped there. Then Maggie and I went to retrieve Ashley and Katrina from the lunch spot so they could help us cheer. And we set up shop in front of a behavioral health center, hoping we wouldn't be accosted.

The four of us - Maggie, Ashley, Katrina, and I - handed out water and the assorted candy. In addition, we spritzed. Oh, the spray, the walkers raved. We love the spray. By that time, it was already in the low 70s and these walkers were hot and sweating. To hear them tell it, there was nothing better in the world than two random people spraying them with water from generic spray bottles.

After we sprayed our team - and a few more of the teams that followed - we packed up the van and moved on to lunch. We dragged the cooler, the blanket, and a few chairs into a shady area near the lunch spot. Maggie had told me earlier that she had made nine sandwiches of turkey and havarti - and one of peanut butter and jelly for Twiggy who doesn't do turkey. But that wasn't all. She also bought lettuce, tomato, and onion. Still not all. She packed grapes - purple and white - and carrots. And, finally, she fried up some bacon. When the team saw the food, they almost fainted with joy (since the previous day's lunch had been a frozen chicken patty on dry bread). Applying the mustard - both dijon and regular - as well as the mayo we had retrieved from Fred Meyer, the team feasted.

After some stretching and foot care, the team was once again ready. The walk, Elaine announced, was half over. 'Go Pink Buzz!' followed by 'Whoop Whoop, Whoo!'

Maggie and I drove to a particularly sunny spot and spritzed away. We drove to the next pit stop and found the team stretching, eating, drinking, and using the bathroom. They looked tired. To tell the truth, they were tired.

It was during that pit stop that Joseph told me a story from the night before. There had been a girl on crutches during Day One. I noticed her. Well, everyone noticed her. And everyone gave her as much support as she could handle. Every once in a while, we'd drive to the back of the walker line and see her crutching along. Joseph told me that she was the final one to camp last night. She had made it 20 miles ON CRUTCHES. Remarkable!

We departed from the pit stop and came across a woman with her arms crossed. Since the thumbs down signal wasn't working as well the day before, the volunteer crew had decided to use the crossed arms signal to mean someone wanted to go to the next pit stop. We told them we weren't a sweeper van but that we were willing to transport. The woman who wanted a ride shrugged her shoulders and said, I'm getting in. So she did. We picked up another along the way. And then we pulled over to what we thought was a pit stop. We later discovered that it was only a cheering station - no drink, food, bathrooms, or medics - but when we returned we didn't see them there. Another sweeper must have retrieved them, we hoped.

We set up again as a spritzing station. People loved it.

We then went to the next pit stop. People were starting to drop more rapidly. Joseph's shin splints were hurting. Feet were blistered. Ankles were swollen. And the heat was getting to everyone. We packed Ashley, Katrina, and Fernando into the car. When we started moving, we received a call telling us to come get Joseph. The shin splints were too much. Sixty miles ain't no joke.

The five of us set up another spritzing station next to a horse farm. (I almost stepped in horse manure. Joseph did.) 'Whoop Whoop, Whoo!' We were almost a pit stop unto ourselves. Well, except for the medic and the bathrooms. But we did have water and candy; it was something.

From there we proceeded to the final pit stop before camp. The team caught up and we said our goodbyes. Joseph and Ashley wanted to go to camp; so we took them. The others continued on.

I'm tired right now, but I can't imagine how the walkers are feeling. And if I'm right, they shouldn't be feeling much right now except for the comforts of a blanket and a pillow.

Check back for tomorrow's final 20 miles.