Up at 4:30 am(!) – we pack our camp gear and board buses that will take us from the hotel to Opening Ceremonies. We’re ready (we think!).

At Check-In, we made bibs that explain why we are walking – here’s mine:

Opening Ceremonies at Pier 97 on the Hudson River (right next to a Viking Cruise Ship) – lots of excitement.

We are cheered out by the Youth Crew – young people who volunteered their time to rally us and lift our spirits – and give us snacks.

And we’re off – heading toward Chelsea

Down in lower Manhattan, the Freedom Tower greets us, ascending through the fog.

Then we cross the bridge by City College and turn a corner to see –

The Statute of Liberty!

One thing we loved is seeing so many teams and their clever shirts or costumes –

There was even a firefighter who walked in full gear – he had a loved one who died of breast cancer and walked as “Cancer Fighter.”

Lots of back and forth around Battery Park and then we spy the Wall Street Bull – and our favorite – “The Defiant Girl.” We had to get a picture of me and Hilary – both breast cancer survivors.  Hilary was diagnosed at age 32 and underwent surgery, chemo and radiation.  I was diagnosed at 44 and underwent surgery and radiation.  We are defiant and we are survivors!

At this point, we are still feeling really good and having fun. And we’re about to cross the Brooklyn Bridge – how cool is that?!

As we descend the Brooklyn Bridge, this is where things unravel a bit. We spy a park with lots of pink walkers and are delighted to realize that we’ve already made it to our lunch stop – only to be told that no, there is actually a 3-mile loop we have to do before we get back here.  Not only does this mean 3 more miles until lunch – but that there must be hundreds and hundreds of walkers in front of us if they are already at lunch.  We start to get a little nervous – and hungry.

But we walk through some beautiful areas of Brooklyn – and I’m determined to fight on!  (Look how far we’ve come from the Brooklyn Bridge already!)

We finally make it to lunch and all take our shoes off, change socks, eat whatever they give us, and contemplate the next 13 miles. We are half-way.

Do they make it?!!  Check back and see!!