3 Amazing Days

If I was required to sum up this weekend in one word it would have to be - powerful. There are hundreds of words that come to mind, but overall the weekend is powerful. The Breast Cancer 3-Day is a life-changing experience. I did the event two years ago, and knew what to expect this year, but still...it was a new and exciting adventure. I am going to TRY to give you a brief overview (I'm not sure how brief it will be, but it shouldn't take you 3 days to read it)!! We started off bright dark and early at 4:00 AM for our car ride to Parker, TX. The event began with an inspiring Opening Ceremony at Southfork Ranch in Parker, TX. With the theme song from “Dallas” kicking off the journey, we were greeted by a beautiful sunrise over the ranch, complete with views of the resident horses and bulls.

(Brianna and I before the ceremony begins. We've set our goals for the weekend, and we are excited!!)(My feathery feet are ready for walking!!)

(My "inspiration" in my credentials badge)

(An emotional and inspiring Opening Ceremony - that is my friend Laurie holding the "Embraces" flag on the stage.)(The Southfork Ranch as we walked past during mile #1.)

Friday’s 21.2 mile route took us through Plano, Richardson, Dallas and Murphy, where support from the community was all around and excited cheers from local elementary school students put an extra spring in our step!

This was the first of MANY pit stops along the route. Every three miles or so there is a stop. It can be a pit stop like this one, with snacks (PB&J sandwiches, pretzels, chips, bananas, oranges, peanuts, string cheese, granola bars, and more), drinks (water and Gatorade), a medical tent where a volunteer medical team will help you if you need it, and lots of port-a-potties. Or the stop can be a Grab and Go where there are a few snacks (if any), port-a-potties, and a small medical crew.

(This is a long row of port-a-potties with people lined up 5-6 deep for each one!)

There was a crew of 4 soldiers who walked this year. Each one carried their own gear. They didn't have to carry gear on day two as we returned to the same camp for the second night, but they did carry it all again on day 3 as we came home to closing ceremonies. What amazing guys! Thanks fellas!

Along the route there are "sag wagons" that will stop and pick you up if you don't feel you can walk to the next pit stop. Each van is decorated with a theme - usually always with a twist on words that relates to boobies!! Lots of boobie talk/jokes during the weekend. This van was decorated in a pirate theme with sayings like "I treasure your chest!" Each day we had a lunch break on the route. At lunch each day we changed into dry socks, re-bandaged our feet, and chatted with our team mates, oh and of course went to the bathroom. You see ALL KINDS of strange things along the way - like this poor dog who has been dyed pink! I took this picture because one of the fun things we did on route was to go an a scavenger hunt. We had a list of about 50 crazy things were had to try and find along the way, take pictures and upload them to a website after the event. This dog helped me mark "an animal dyed pink" off the list. I will post the pictures I did get (about 30) from the scavenger hunt later (probably on snapfish or something).As each day's walk came to an end we walked into camp (or closing ceremonies) through these two huge inflatables with crew and walkers cheering you on. After a long hard day on the trail camp was a nice home away from home. On this first day into camp the first thing we had to do was gather our luggage and set up our tent. The campsite really is a mobile city. I wish I had taken more images of camp so you could see the showers, dining tent, and such. The first evening there isn't too much time for fun, mainly eating dinner, getting a hot shower and getting ready for bed. The second evening is much more fun!!

After a VERY cold evening of sleeping in a tent B and I headed out for day 2!

Saturday morning was chilly as Santa greeted us for breakfast in camp. As we headed out for a 20.7-mile route the weather warmed up and there was not a cloud in the sky. The scenic route took us through Carrollton, Plano and Dallas on numerous park trails, and we enjoyed lunch at the Arbor Hills Nature Preserve. Some pink unicorns were even spotted, as male crew members got in to the Breast Cancer 3-Day spirit! The cheering stations seemed endless, as crowds came out to support our efforts. Thousands of hugs were shared by both walkers and crew.

Here is my family cheering me on at one of the cheering stations on day two. Saturday at camp was much more enjoyable. We had time to sit on our "block" of tents and enjoy some of our teammates. We took a short nap and a hot shower!! B and I even won the tent decorating contest with our tent "Home Sweet Home".
Here we are with a few of our teammates during the afternoon on Saturday.

There is no way that you can comprehend what this mobile city is like without experiencing it yourself. I took these pictures from the bed of a semi-truck (one of about 10 trucks used to transport all the luggage from opening ceremonies to camp). They span from left to right as you look at camp. This first one is of our tent section and the dining tent in the back. Camp's Main Street is back there as well as the Remembrance Tent.

More tents in our section.

This was the main gap at the front of camp, just after entering through the inflatables. From here you can see the second section of tents (way in the back) The shower trucks are off in the far left (you can't see them in this picture). The medical tent is the big white tent on the left.

More of the medical tent and in the far back below the power lines are two of the 10 shower trucks. The shower trucks are semi-trucks converted into showers. Each truck is divided into two halves. Each half has 8 shower stalls, for 16 showers per truck. that is 160 showers (8 reserved for the men). Sounds like a lot of showers - but not for over 4,600 people (4,300+ walkers, and over 300 crew members) Much better still than last time I walked when we had 4 trucks!!

This is the entrance to camp as you walk through the inflatables and down the walkway of flags. Notice there are blue port-a-potties everywhere!!!

There is a "Main Street" along the back side of camp. Main Street is a buzz with activity in the afternoons and early evenings. There is a store, a post office, an Internet cafe, and even a bingo game picks up now and again. One of the main attractions at Main Street is the foot massage station. There is usually a good line for this one!!!

Here is a guy signing the large DFW banner. Each city has a banner and each walker and crew member sign the banner with words of encouragement or motivation.

One of the most moving and powerful sections of camp (for me anyways) is the remembrance tent. The remembrance tent is actually a set of tents, one for each city where a 3-Day event is held during the year. The current host city's tent is placed in the Remembrance Tent and each walker and crew member is encouraged to sign the tent and write a short message or tribute the the ones they walk for. Along the back of the tent is a desk with journals where you are encouraged to write your story or the story of your loved ones. It is an emotional journey to read what others have written and to then add your story to the pages of the book for others to read. Along the walls of the tent hang pictures of those 3-Day walkers and crew members who didn't make it to the event because their time had come, cancer cut their lives short. Outside of the main tent set the tents from each of the other host cities with the messages and signatures of the walkers from that event. The events yet to come have plain white tents. In the evenings as the sun goes down they illuminate the tents outside. It makes for a beautiful memorial at the center of camp.

After another chilly evening in our award winning tent B and I headed off for day three.

On Sunday, there was excitement in the air as we left Timberglen Park for the final day of our journey. We made our way through Addison, Dallas and University Park in an incredible 17.9 miles. It all culminated with a beautiful Closing Ceremony at picturesque Southern Methodist University.

B and I made it!!!!

This is part of our team, The Rack Pack, as we wait to take the .2 mile walk into the closing ceremonies.

4,600 walking arm in arm through the streets of SMU to the closing ceremony. Again, not even pictures can encompass the powerfulness of this event. Pink and white as far as the eye can see. And we were probably about half way back in the group. This mass of people continues behind me just as far.

The emotional closing ceremonies where we remember those lost, cherish those survirors, and dream of a world without breast cancer.

B and I at the closting ceremony. There is a tradition of taking off one shoe and holding it high in the air in celebration of all that has been overcome.

My sweet boy waiting for me after the ceremony. Doesn't look to happy - he had to cut his nap short to get there in time!!

The Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day event raised 7.9 Million Dollars to help find a cure for breast cancer. The money we raised will go a long way to helping Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund save lives.

Thank You to all who supported me financially, prayerfully and emotionaly these past 12 months. Looking forward to 2009!!!