Day one started EARLY. My alarm went off at 4:20am. We didn't need to be up until 4:30am but I knew that it would take me at least 10 minutes to wake up Chris. By 5:10am we had the car loaded, including one kayak on top, and we were headed to Bellevue. Chris dropped me off around 5:50am, the line to get into the drop off area was insane, and then he headed out for a day of fishing and I went to find my team.
After I dropped off my bag at the A truck I headed into the holding area and easily spotted the Hotties with their deeley-boppers on. Angie was a little worried that I wasn't going to make it:
We then stood around and chatted for quite a while before the opening ceremonies began.
Pretty soon the sun began to rise and it was time for opening ceremonies. Jenne welcomed us to the event.
And then we were on our way. As we rounded one of the first corners outside of Bellevue Community College I snapped this picture of walkers in the sunrise. It is one of my favorites.
We walked, and walked, and walked some more through the neighborhoods of East Bellevue and eventually made our way into downtown Bellevue via Bellevue Way where we stopped at the 10.1 mile mark for lunch at the Bellevue Downtown Park.
After a nice relaxing chicken sandwich lunch on the lawn we headed out once again. We headed North from the park and then turned East up and over 405 and into the Bellevue Redmond area. We walked, and walked, and walked some more and met up with some fellow Warming Hut Hotties at a pit stop.
We saw some great sights along the way.
The day seemed to keep dragging on and eventually the fact that I had been sick for the past two week with a head cold finally began to take its toll. At the last pit stop of the day I had to lay down in the shade and rest. My head was splitting and the sun was really starting to get to me. According to the route card we were only 2.9 miles from camp. Personally, I think that was a big fat lie. That last 2.9 miles seemed to take FOREVER. At one point we rounded a bend and there was a park sign that stated 0.9miles to Marymoor Park. That seemed about right. Then, 20 minutes later, we came upon another sign that stated 1 mile to camp. I about passed out right there. I had a splitting headache, I was exhausted, my feet were tired, and I was devastated.
Eventually we made it to camp and I broke down. I called my mom and whined, and then I called Chris and said "Please come pick me up, I'm done". Luckily, Chris knows me pretty well and said "Courtney, I want you to think about it, if you really want me to come pick you up I will, but think about it for 10 minutes and call me back". So I sat there and thought. And the Tylenol I had taken was beginning to kick in. And everyone was getting their tents set up and having fun. So I called Chris back and told him I'd be staying.
Of course I was staying. There were still 2 days left!
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