The Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk San Diego
Aka
A Lo-----ng Weekend With the “Twisted” Sisters

When the sister who has been telling you what to do all of your life says, “Let’s go on a 60 mile three day walk to support breast cancer research”, your automatic response is, “Sure, why not.” Before you know it you have obligated yourself and begin receiving donations from family and friends. As the practice walks increase from 1 mile to 5 miles to 10 miles, and, heaven forbid, 15 miles, you begin wondering about your sanity. However, you persist because you have to meet the challenge your sister has set for you.

Finally the day arrives and you feel ready and eager to get it over with – oops-I mean, eager to begin. Del Mar is a beautiful town to tour – in a car. Before you know it you are climbing up hills and being chased by dogs. That’s okay because you practiced hills and ran into a few dogs during practice walks. At each stoplight you stretch and breathe. You feel pretty good. After lunch, however, comes the steepest, longest hill you have ever seen. Okay, that’s an exaggeration.
Evil thoughts about your sister creep into your system and give you the adrenalin to make it up Sorrento Valley Blvd. to Lopez Ridge. The terrain levels out and your thoughts calm. Sooner than you thought you would, you reach your destination, Miramar College along I5 in Mira Mesa. You hadn’t pitched a tent in quite a few years, but after a few tries you conquer your last challenge for the day. You relax with your “twisted” sister and reflect on how organized the walk was. Everything was thought out from bikers and police guiding you, to friends and strangers cheering you, to food, drink and the best porta-potties you’ve ever visited. You even had showers and entertainment that evening. Sleeping was another story. You realize that your own warm, cozy bed was a mere five miles away. But, this is an adventure, right? Your old bones creek and your muscles cry out. Morning comes and you are surprisingly anxious to pack up, eat and begin your second day.

The second day you are not besieged with monstrous hills and huge dogs and you feel good that you are on the second leg of your journey with both legs working in unison. The motto of the 3- Day is “No Whining”. So, with every hint of a grumble each time you begin an incline, your sister sing-songs, “No Whining”! Up and down and round and round you go seeing parts of San Diego you never knew existed. The tourist friend walkers keep asking you to take pictures. You don’t want to stop because start up is becoming more and more difficult, but San Diego is so beautiful and they are tourists after all. Suddenly, the ocean looms before you. Unfortunately, the ocean is down a steep hill below UCSD. You never considered practicing going down, how painful could it be? Owowowow. Yes, the Pacific Ocean is gorgeous you say as you snap one more picture of your new tourist walking buddies. Owow. Once again the terrain levels out. Who knew curbs were so high? Ow. “No whining,” says your sister. “I’m not whining,” say I, “I’m b----ing.” At last across a bridge and down some steps, you reach Ski Beach – Mission Bay Park, your second night’s destination. This is where the twisted sisters nickname was created. After a freezing night of tossing and turning you realize the zipper on your sleeping bag has spiraled itself into a slinky.

By four in the morning you are already packing up and taking down your tent. By five thirty you’ve had breakfast and at six thirty you and several hundred of your new best friends are eager to begin day three. This is the most scenic day yet. Walking along the beach and through the beach parks on a crisp morning is heavenly. You recognize Dana Middle School in Point Loma and make a beeline for the potty. Unfortunately, to accomplish the miles needed, the arrows take you right and left and left again before you reach the pit stop. Soon you reach a park you never heard of – Cancer Survivors Park – near Spanish Landing. It’s a place for a lot of tears and reflection. A must see for all walkers and non-walkers alike. Soon, you sense the end is nearing. Walking along the Embarcadero you know if you walk straight you will come to Seaport Village and, at last, the Convention Center. But, no, the arrows twist you around left, right, left, right for the all important mileage. The cheering becomes louder and the crowd becomes larger. Tears well up in your eyes. You’ve met the challenge. You’ve taken a step out of your box. You’ve done something for others. And you are thankful to all of your sponsors.

Closing ceremonies add a new dimension to what you have accomplished and you feel good. Not as good as you will feel after a lo----ng hot shower and your cozy bed and your loving husband instead of your twisted sister beside you. But so, so good!

Thank you one and all for sponsoring me so that I could accomplish a journey of a lifetime.



Ora (L) and Charlotte (R) at Journey’s End