day two - part I: get out the moleskin

Before I dive in to the adventures on our second day of walking, I haven't yet showed you a picture of our camp, have I?

Although the tents were designed for two people, Debbie and I each had our own tents, because our tent mates had opted to stay in a hotel. Which worked out perfectly fine for us since we were both feeling sick and it's nice to blow your nose and cough and moan without having someone a foot away.

Debbie thought ahead and decorated our camping space with this awesome sign that she had made up.

And I decorated our camping space by covering my tent in white doves and pink balloons decorated like breasts that read, "Feel The Boobs!" and "Know The Boobs!"

*** This blog posting is being interrupted for a quick commercial ***

Do you do self breast exams? Because if you don't - you need to start TODAY. While mammograms are important, self exams are even more so. My sister was diagnosed with breast cancer last year - not because it was discovered during her annual mammogram - but because SHE discovered the mass, a week after her mammogram - that detected nothing.

Do your self exams while you are taking a shower. Do them while you are laying down flat. Just do them enough so that you know what YOU feel like and you know if something changes.

FEEL THE BOOBS.

KNOW THE BOOBS.

*** We now return to our regular scheduled blog posting ***

Once we took off on our walk, we were greeted by mile after mile of well wishers.

There were beautiful ballerinas out cheering for boobies..

There were countless survivors lining the course holding up signs of their thanks...

This survivor, who was dressed as a clown ...

Was married to this 89-year old man who was wearing a kilt and holding a sign that read, "I'M A BREAST MAN!" And while an 89-year old kilt wearing man holding a sign that declares he likes breasts would normally be considered a little creepy, this past weekend - scores of women stood in line to have their picture taken with him and I think he loved every minute of it.

The support that we received from men along this walk was AMAZING.

There is no doubt, the support we received from men was better than the support we received from our bras. OK, so maybe I speak for myself because now that I've weaned Henry, I fall in the itty bitty you-know-what camp.

Not only were there men walking alongside us, like a large team of guys who were "Bustin' Our Balls for Boobs" (three years and counting...)

There were men with pink ribbons painted on their calves, who were completing this walk in memory of their mothers, wives, daughters and sisters.

There were these guys, who had painted every inch of visible skin pink.

There were teenage boys that lined the route holding up signs of support ...

And there was an entire team of walkers, "Team Impact" that was comprised of eleven teenage boys who play on their school's lacrosse team were walking to honor one of the boy's moms who was diagnosed with breast cancer soon after she completed a 3-Day walk, four years ago. (Some of the walkers still haven't reached their fundraising minimums - so if the spirit moves you to donate to this cause, please check out their fundraising page. Click here for more information.)

Isn't that the most incredible thing?

It gives me the chills.

The "Smile Guy" and his little girl, "Grin" were set up at various places along the course handing out smiley face pins and giving us cheers through a megaphone.

And Cookie Monster and Elmo were both along the course route. I'm pretty sure they're of the masculine persuasion. Correct?

Here was the Brown Jeep Guy dressed as an elephant handing out peanuts...

And then he jumped in to his jeep, drove 10 miles, changed his outfit and set up a sign offering free breast exams. Any other day - creepy. But this past weekend - hilarious.

There was this coed cast of characters who had been on the reality television shows, "The Amazing Race" and "Survivor" and although I didn't recognize who any of them were - that didn't stop me from getting my picture taken.

What else did we see along the course?

Well - there was a "Pair Tree."

And cheerleaders...

And adorable little fairies giving out free hugs...



And pink leather clad tutu wearing cross walk patrols that handed out stickers...

And volunteers that handed out beautiful pink gerbera daisies to all of the walkers...

And people who handed out little cups of beer to all the walkers.

And not just any beer - PINK beer.

(I stuck around here for a little while.)

We saw these two adorable children...

And we saw signs made up where the cancer ribbon conveniently replaced any vowel.

All the while, our sea of pink walkers marched and marched and marched, like a line of ants that extended for five miles.

I'm going to stop this post now because you probably need moleskin for your eyes. Once you recover, I'll post more of our story.

Just tell me when you're ready.