Path: Village Green to Cape Cod Sea Camps
Time: 8 hours + lunch
Mileage: 19.83 miles
Blister Count: 0!
We arrived at our hotel last night and spent some time by the pool with our Aunts Irene and Mary, Becky, and Baby A. Jill and I were tired so we didn’t stay up too late. Almost right after our parents showed up at the pool, we went to bed.
We were up early. My sister was excited and energetic. I laid in bed until I had to get up. Jill clearly thought about making me a coffee after hers, but then stopped. She decided that I could make my own and turned to tape her feet. Under her socks, her feet were wrapped with Vaseline and zebra duck tape. On my feet I just wore my Fit Flops.
My father met us and Becky out at the car. He chauffeured us to breakfast at Dunkin, then to the Village Green. On the green we met up with Rachel, registered, and celebrated opening ceremonies. Over 600 walkers gathered to stretch and motivate.
In no time, we were on our way. We all took off at the same time. It was very clustered. My father was taking pictures and my mother was walking with us for a bit. My aunts stayed at the hotel while Baby A woke up.
The route took us just pass our hotel so Baby A joined us early. Becky strapped her on her back and we kept going. It took a few people saying hi as we passed by for us to realize they weren’t saying hi to us, but to Baby A. We’re not the cute ones; she is.
We went through the first rest stop onward to the second. The rest stops had porta-potties, water, Gatorade, peanut butter & jelly, granola bars, and fruit. They were also fully staffed with Crew Volunteers, and most stops had themes.
Between the stops, crews were spotted cheering us on. One member told us we had done about 5 miles. Becky turned to me and to tell me that meant we were 1/5 of the way through. But before she finished getting those words out of her mouth, she already called herself out on it. 5 is not 1/5 of 50, miles or anything else.
After the second rest stop, Becky and I continued to walk ahead of Jill and Rachel. We admired the beach cottages and talked about buying a second home or traveling. Becky would prefer to travel in an RV than hotel hopping, but sometimes, she said, “You just need to drink in the shower.”
We powered through until lunch. The time flew. Crew members drove by serenading us with their car radios. My parents and aunts would randomly pop out of bushes, or stumble through parking lots. I think they were at most rest stops.
Just after Mile 11, it was lunch time. Good thing too - we could feel the delirium setting in. I grabbed a rice & bean burrito, chips, granola bar, and cookies. It hit the spot. By the time Becky and I sat down, Jill and Rachel joined us. Baby A enjoyed being on her feet, while we all took the time not to be.
Jill looked like she was hurting. When she took her shoes off she had blisters along the sides and tops of her feet. Her pinky toes were swollen to the size of her big toes and she had no interest in putting her shoes back on anytime soon.
All the stops have a medical tent for blisters and whatever else might happen. Jill went over to get her feet wrapped, but then decided to just return to the hotel, soak them, and rest. My parents took off. Rachel, Becky, and I continued on. 8 miles and change left.
We stayed together for a while. Rachel and Becky discussed parenting for a while and then we merged into our families and grandparents, who have all since passed. The funny vegetation lightened the conversations.
The second half of today was mostly on the Cape Cod Rail Trail. Along the sides of the trail were large fields. Becky asked if it was a drive-in, and I kept looking for a screen. Rachel suggested that they were the cranberry bogs. This made the most sense. Or Cape Cod has a lot of drive-in movies and people with wild imaginations.
We stopped a few times. Becky told us she was getting tired and didn’t mind if we walked ahead of her. For a while we stayed paced near each other. In the last 3 miles, we lost sight of Becky but contacted her to be sure she was good.
Soon we could hear shouting and cheering to the left. Rachel and I heard it at the same time as the team, Kat Attacks, did behind us. We all knew this meant we were close and the finish line was just around the corner.
We turned off the trail and went up the road. The fence posts at the Sea Camps were lined with balloons and streamers. Aunt Irene peered over the hedges to greet us. My parents and Aunt Mary were further down, but in a good spot too - at the porta-potty.
Shortly after we arrived, Rachel’s family pulled in (Robin and the boys). They drove up to the top of the driveway, while we waited for Becky at beginning. She arrived less then 10 minutes after us with Emilie, who Becky and I met before lunch.
Congratulations and thank-yous went around. Jill sent out a text from the hotel room too. We marched up the hill to see Rachel’s boys and get popcorn.
Now to bed to do it all again tomorrow, but a different route and with ocean. Cross your fingers the blisters stay away!
Thank you everyone for all the support you’ve given, and continue to give us! 20 miles closer to a cure, 30 to go!
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