Walking for a Cure- the 3Day Part IV: Oh right, we're *camping*

After taking the bus back to camp everyone I encountered immediately suggested that I go eat. And frankly, at that point, there wasn't anything else I would have rather done. I know several walkers preferred to shower first, get all the sweat from the day off, but honestly, I was HUNGRY. So without even thinking about anything else, I headed straight for the dinner tent. But then realized, oh, I had to go get in line for food, then I could sit down in the dinner tent. My ankles were really much more interested in just sitting down, but the stomach won out. Well, actually, the brain won out because it was the brain telling the rest of the body, that no, really, we needed fuel and we needed it NOW.

So I stood in line for a plate of spaghetti and meatballs, a roll, a salad and some mixed veggies that all looked really good. Then I carefully balanced the small plate with the brownie for dessert on top of everything and still somehow managed to grab some milk and water. I'm not really sure how I found my way to a table without dropping everything around me. My whole body was thrumming in anticipation of eating a real meal and I think that was what kept it all together.

I sat down near someone else who was eating alone. At first the people I sat with didn't really matter. It was food that was important. But as the first wave of hunger was satisfied I turned to the other women at the table with me. One was like me, part of a larger group but had gotten separated from them--she was also on her first walk. The other was there on her own. A multi-year veteren of the DC walk, the friend that she usually walked with was not able to be there this year. It was just after that story that the first girl, Cindy, asked if I had put up my tent yet.

Oh, Yeah. I had forgotten about that. We were actually camping.

After replying, no I hadn't--it started to occupy my mind. I knew that if I ate any more I would make myself sick. I needed to just suck it up and go setup camp. The need for a shower was also beginning to assert itself and for that I needed my dufflebag. So, I picked up my untouched brownie and got up from my seat.

At this point every nerve-ending from the tip of my toes to the small of my back SCREAMED. I sat down again.