We did it!!! I have to say it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. We completed the entire walk -- 26.2 miles the first day and 13.1 the second. Saturday morning started early. We arrived at our starting point at about 6:00 a.m., dropped off our gear and had something to eat.
The sun just coming up on Saturday morningWe met up with Cyndi shortly before the opening ceremony. We milled around a bit taking it all in. There were so many people! The number of walkers, we were told, was 3,500! Amazing!!!
Melissa, Cyndi and me just before the opening ceremony
The route officially opened at 7:30 and we were off and walking. The weather was turning out to be perfect. The sun was out and there was a nice cool breeze and not a rain cloud in sight. We were very happy about that.
All 3,500 of us just getting started
Feeling good at mile 1!
We kept moving along mile after mile taking it all in. Staying inspired by reading messages other walkers were wearing on their shirts about friends and loved ones struggling with this disease and those who have already been taken by it. We talked to one man who we saw walking alone with an 8x10 photo strapped to his back of lovely young blonde woman. As we walked up next to him Cyndi asked him who he was walking for. He told us he was walking for his fiance who had been diagnosed last July and lost her fight within 2 months. I asked what her name was and he told us her name was Karen. We assured him that we would be thinking about Karen as we walked too and he thanked us. A bit further along Melissa noticed a picture with a note worn by another walker. Her note read "Mom, I'd walk 1,000 miles if it meant I could spend just one more day with you". We saw many other pictures and notes like this throughout the walk and it helped us to realize how important what we were doing was. It really helped to keep us going.
Another thing that helped keep us going were the people along the route cheering us on, the cars riding by honking their horns and calling out to us with encouraging words. Several times throughout the route Cyndi's husband Dan, Melissa's fiance Ben, her sister Alli and Alli's boyfriend Gerome met up with us to cheer us on, bring us goodies and just talk to us for a short while. These visits were so awesome and they helped keep us going too when we knew they were going to be waiting for us at the next stop. I actually had some surprise visitors at mile 21 coming into Glen Echo Park. When we came around the corner just as we were entering the park there was my husband Shane and my son Christian. I had no idea they were going to be there and it was such a wonderful surprise.
Mommy and her little cheerleader!
Seeing them put a little spring in my step and helped to keep me going for the next 5 miles -- most of which was uphill. Although we were exhausted and sore we made it through the first day and arrived at the Wellness Village at around 7:00 p.m. Dan, Ben and Alli were there to welcome us and to take this picture of us.
The end of day 1 -- we finally made it!
We pitched our tent, had some dinner, showered and hit the sack. I never thought sleeping on the ground would feel so good but it was just nice to be off my feet. The next morning came bright and early at 6:00. We got dressed in our Day 2 walking clothes and then headed off to eat breakfast. It was fantastic -- scrambled eggs, sausage, potatoes, oatmeal, bagels... I definitely had a full belly. After we took down our tent and got our gear loaded back on the trucks we hit the road again. And, although we were heading back to where we started this was going to be a much shorter route thank goodness! For the next 13 miles we talked and laughed and encouraged each other to keep on going. And the encouragement of the crew was simply amazing. They kept our spirits high, our water bottles full and made us laugh along the way. Another thing I need to mention is the people who lived in the houses all along our route. So many of them came out to sit on their porches with their morning coffee to wave and clap and tell us thank you. Others set up tables or sat in chairs on the sidewalks handing out bottles of water, cookies, bagles, candy, popsicles, many of them with their children helping as well. I was overwhelmed by their kindness.We finally got to the 12 mile mark -- only one more mile to go and we knew we were going to make it. I cannot tell you how good it felt. And then we saw the finish line and the crowds of people cheering and high fiving us and then seeing our friends and family at the end really was emotional for all of us. So emotional in fact that I didn't take one single picture of finish line moment!!!!! I know that others did, so when I get one I'll post it so you all can see how wrecked we looked! This was truly one of the best things I've ever done. The DC Walk alone raised 8.1 million dollars and I'm so glad I was a part of it. This money is going to help so many people and even save lives and that my friends is a "good thing"! And, finally, I'll close this very long post with a list of the 5 Things I'm Thankful For:
5. The Port-O-Potty - when you're walking for miles and trying to stay hydrated, seeing a long row of these beauties off in the distance is like seeing an oasis off in the distance -- can you say ahhhhhhhhh!4. Hand Sanitizer - see #5, enough said.
3. The Peanut Butter & Jelly graham cracker sandwich - I had never heard of them before this walk and I've got to say they are a little piece of heaven. I'm pretty sure I'm the only person in history to have walked almost 40 miles in two days and still gained weight!
4. Gatorade - dehydration is not your friend!
1. And, the #1 thing I'm grateful for is Body Glide - an anti friction and chafing balm because blisters are not your friend either! I came away from this experience completely blister free because I used this.
To all those who contributed, thank you, thank you, thank you. Because of your generosity so many people will be helped, newly diagnosed, survivors, and their friends and family. You have done a wonderful thing and for that I'm am truly grateful. You were all with me every single mile of the way!
Christian, like most boys is very fond of sticks and rocks and... 
bugs!!!! He was facinated by these piles of caterpillars climbing on the trees so I let him take a few pictures. 
We also met a very interesting older woman hiking who stopped to talk to Christian about the caterpillars. She asked him if he like turtles and when he told her he did, she told him he should go down near the water's edge and look for them on the fallen logs in the water. She said there are usually lots of them sunning themselves in the afternoon. We ventured down near the water in a few different spots but no turtles to be found.
This past weekend we headed back to the lake and this time we rented a row boat and went for an adventure on the water. 
We saw some geese. This one in particular seemed to be following us wherever we would row. I told Christian he was probably hoping we'd toss him some food.
We also saw this awesome crane. We tried to get as close as we could but this is as far as we got before he flew away. 
We also finally saw some of those turtles that lady told us about and there were a bunch of them. They're pretty far away in this picture but there are seven of them here.
