Alright, I’m going to have a more formalized way of treating this in the weeks to come, but I wanted to get this rolling so here it is. With the opening of the 2011 walking season, many dedicated 3-Day Walkers are already starting to think about where they are going to walk for the 2012 walking season, myself included. With that in mind, I thought I would put together a little query about what people thought were the best and worst things about the cities that they have walked in on the 3-Day. Let’s start up with just using comments and when I have something more formal I’ll move them over. So in your comment post:
City you are writing about.
When you walked there last.
Favorite thing about the walk.
Least favorite thing about the walk.
General review of the walk (route, etc)
Try not to comment on things that are common to all the walks (like the showers and food are pretty much the same between cities), but point out some stuff that you think makes the walk feel special to you. Â Walked in several walks and want to share about them all? Â Just post a separate comment for each walk so I can sort out which walks they are for when I get something more formalized set up.
And while you’re here, you should swing by the 3-Day Tweeps site and sign up for a great online community! Â http://3daytweeps.com
City you are writing about – Dallas/Ft. Worth
When you walked there last – November 2010 (also Novmber 2009 and later this year)
Favorite thing about the walk – Has to be the spectators! Dallas has the best spectators EVER. The walk takes places in November which means school is in session. On Day 1 the schools on the route get involved by letting the kids come out to cheer us on and make signs. On Day 2 the spectators really show up…the walk typcially goes through an area called Addison. Last year, I swear one of the cheering stations was at least a mile long with all of the people out there! On Day 3 there are still lots of spectators as we walk more in the city of Dallas. So many people show up at Closing Ceremoy that it is unbelievable. The thing I LOVE is that during all 3 days, there are very few times that you don’t find spectators…this city loves its 3 Day Walkers!
Least favorite thing about the walk – Nothing that I can think of!
General review of the walk (route, etc) – The route goes through some of the great areas of the Dallas metroplex – Plano, Addison, Farmer’s Branch, Highland Village, downtown Dallas (the West End, Deep Ellum). In addition there are sites to see along the way. On Day 3 the walk is beautiful since it is Fall and there are parts of the city that are very scenic to walk through. Dallas is pretty flat and not too many inclines.
In November, I will be walking my 11th 3-Day. I have doubled up on a few locations, but have since made a promise to myself to not do a city twice again until I’ve hit them all at least once.
My cities to date include:
Arizona (walking in 2011)
Boston (2004, 2009)
Chicago (2002, 2007)
Dallas (2008) (plus a Walker Stalker in 2009 (367 car miles)
Denver/CO (2001, 2010)
Kansas City (2005, 2006)
Twin Cities (2008)
It may surprise many, because it still does me, but my favorite event so far has been the Twin Cities.
For reasons I won’t get into, I was solo on that event, even though I was part of a team. Although I did run into 2 other walkers from the KC area, I entered Day One feeling pretty lonely on my 7th event.
But the community support on that event is like none I had experienced before (or since).
On several occasions, the length of the cheering stations must have stretched out more than a mile. Those were the easiest miles I walked! And one family was passing out ziplock bags of ice cubes – STILL one of my favorite crowd hand-outs (went right down my shirt to cool off quickly!).
And Jody’s Couch. No other city has Jody’s family carrying her couch along the route for walkers to take a rest. The feeling I experienced when I had my turn is one I will not forget. And I had no idea who she was until I saw her family dropping the couch into place and setting up for photos. But I will always hold Jody in my heart after my moment sitting on her couch!
Pit 4 on Day 3 had a whole fence line of bras for us to choose from to wear over our shirts the rest of the day. We were having a blast, despite our exhaustion & being so close to the finish, “shopping” for the exact right bra.
And the backdrop of the capital building at Closing was pretty spectacular.
My team is walking/crewing there this year, but I made the difficult decision to pick a different city. Had they picked anywhere else I have already walked, the decision would have been much easier.
I can’t forget to add this – that 2008 Twin Cities walk also holds a unique place in my memory. As I was driving home to KC that Sunday night, at exactly 10:00pm, I was involved in an accident with a driver who had fallen asleep. I was in Ankeny, IA. My truck was totaled, but I somehow escaped without a scratch. When the responding officer asked how I was feeling, I said I was a tad sore, but that I had just walked 60 miles. I will never forget his reaction, which eyes big as headlights, “You did WHAT?”
Although my team, the chicago bred Babes for Boobs, is moving west this year to experiance San Diego – I would love to write a little about our home base of Chicago! Our last walk there was the 2010 Chicago 3 Day. My favorite thing about walking in the midwest – in particular Mt. Prospect – is the people. I cannot tell you how much those cheer stations mean to me. The entire community comes out – people I don’t know were just bringing me to tears. The treats, smiles, encouraging words, just the fact that they were standing out there in the blazing heat to tell us they appreciate us. I am tearing up about it now. Coming to Chicago? I wish I could help you pack – be prepared for it to be blazing hot, humid, freezing, raining, maybe it will even snow, you NEVER KNOW. Chicago is full of any and all weather and you should come prepared for all. During the hottest days you will be dripping sweat and if you are unlucky like me suffer from major “golfers rash” oh you mean the rash you are only supposed to get from golfing 18 holes of golf? Yep, thats the one. It’s SUPER nasty. Then on our third day as we walked along Lake Michigan, when a nice lake breeze would have been splendid, it rained and rained, and the wind blew, it was awful. The sun shined down on us as we walked through Soldier field though – that’s all that matters, right?
No matter where you are walking – it’s what you are walking for – and that’s what counts.
City you are writing about: San Diego
When you walked there last: 2010
Favorite thing about the walk: How involved the city, locales and businesses were. They were absolutely amazing and were out there the whole time. We even had a cheering station that gave out gloves and pairs of socks and another that gave out shoe covers and rain ponchos (it was freezing & raining).
Least favorite thing about the walk: Just wished I had been better prepared for the rain and flooded campsite
General review of the walk (route, etc): It was really great and saw some beautiful scenery. There was one part of the route that went through some homes were we had to be quiet, which I understand but took some of the fun out of it at that moment. Over all was fabulous!
City you are writing about. Tampa Bay
When you walked there last. I walked in 2009,2010 and will be walking in 2011
Favorite thing about the walk. John’s Pass. This is a retail area on the beach. You walk though the mall area on the outside. People are lined up the whole way cheering you on and handing your candy and cookies. It is truly and amazing cheering station. The first year I was so blistered up but I hear so many great things about John’s Pass I had to walk that part. Last year we did the Botanical Gardens on day one. That was so beautiful to see.
Least favorite thing about the walk. It can still be hot in Tampa Bay in Oct. You walk part of the Pinellas trail with no sweep vans to get you. They do have golf carts if you fall ill on the trail to bring you out to safety.
General review of the walk (route, etc) If you love the beaches this is the walk for you. Day two has miles of the sun and sand for you to see. Must not be afraid of bridges as we go over about 10 of them including draw bridges.
City you are writing about: Boston
When you walked there last: 2010
Favorite thing about the walk: Seeing some of the areas of town that are, in a lot of cases, older than any building where I live was pretty neat. Also the Boston Public Gardens and the walk up to them was really nice (plus it’s an easy place for family to meet you and talk near a pit stop). For being the middle of July it was hot, but not extremely hot when I walked there.
Least favorite thing about the walk: Maybe it was because I was at the back of the pack, but the community support on this walk was a lot less than the other city I have walked (Dallas). It could also be that school was out for the summer and so when you walked by schools there were no kids out there cheering you on for Friday.
General review of the walk (route, etc): It’s a good walk, they all are. I think that it is a quieter walk than I am used to, so it threw me off a little bit. The hills on a day two were a challenge, but getting through them and being able to move on was awesome!