Q: Where do our fans meet us for
Closing Ceremonies?
lisa: The closing ceremonies
are held with fans on either side of a large area (think high school football
field layout), with a big stage at one end. Walkers and crew paraded out
in the middle toward the stage, so fans were on our right and left
sides. A 6-ft aisle had been blocked off in the middle, which survivors
then marched down, after the other walkers were in. You can tell people to sit on one side or the other, relative to
the stage. However, you can't necessarily predict which side you
will walk out on. You will not be WITH your friends/family during the
closing ceremonies. It's more like a parade and they are the audience.
You can get to them afterwards.
Near the closing ceremony area, they had posted big signs with letters
("A," "B," etc.). You could tell someone to meet you
at a letter (presumably the letter of your last name, but maybe not).
The Cheerios had a plan ahead of time: our big Canadian flag on a tall
pole. Our families all met at the flag for the ceremony, and we found
them afterwards quite easily.
From the closing, you go pick up your gear (by letter, same as when we were
camping). It was laid out in neat lines in a big parking lot, and it was
easy to find my stuff.
Getting out of the parking area was a challenge. Probably smart to have
your ride park a bit farther away, and then walk the extra fraction of a
mile to get out of there (after all, what's another .1 mile at this
point?)
Last year I had a cell phone with me (not for yakking while walking, but
more for communication). If the people you are meeting have a cell
phone, trade numbers and you can then try to call them afterwards to
tell them where you are.
Q: What happens afterward?
bev: The
last six miles of Day Three were exhilarating.
After lunch we walked down 19th Avenue, which was like a
parade with cars honking and lots of cheering. When we reached the holding
area in the Marina we had time to rest, or in my case, ice my knee, before
we all assembled to walk the final ½ mile or so to the closing
ceremonies.
The closing ceremonies were pure exhilaration – walkers waving
shoes waving in the air, the crowd cheering for us, getting to thank the
crew as we came in to the closing ceremonies, crying and cheering for the
survivors as they walked in with their pink t-shirts on – it was a
complete high.
I was also with a group of walkers that I had trained with so it
was our last chance to be celebrate our accomplishment, hug and say good
bye.
After a short ceremony we met up with our families and headed for
home.
I was so numb with exhaustion and exhilaration that I barely
noticed (or was too tired to care) that I had to walk a least a mile to
our car.
