wtpclc
<font color=red>Has three great loves: Mickey, Po
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2004
- Messages
- 7,529
Friday
Started at way too early in the morning (like 2:30 am) to head for our 6 am flight. Of course, there was a storm Thursday night, so we had to leave extra time. Our home airport is pretty small, so we didn’t dress too warmly, as our time outside would be brief. Can you see where this is headed?
Yes, guess whose airport was under construction? You could no longer walk from the main lot to the terminal and things were just crazy. Brrrr… Then again, it was a sign of things to come.
Of course, we had to de-ice and it was 25 minutes before that happened. We had a 40 minute layover in Cleveland, where we wanted to spend a little time with Lily and Ted before boarding the plane, but that was not to be.
When we arrived the announced that if you were going to Boston, you missed your flight. (Bummer) If you were going to Orlando, there’d be a cart waiting for you. OMG do those things go fast! It was enough to blow my hair out of my face! Stopped at the top of the escalator and were told there’d be another cart at the bottom. Took another spin on Mr. Toad’s Wild ride and were told out gat was up the next escalator. While it was quite the fun set of rides, I really needed to use the ladies room. Yikes!
There were still people boarding when I got to the counter, so I asked if I had time f a stop. When she told me I had 5 minutes and to go ahead, I breathed a big sigh of relief. So did the family behind me who had come in on the same plane.
Arrived at MCO at 11:15 am and headed for Magical Express. Got right onto the bus and headed out within 5 minutes. Woo hoo! We were headed for Disney World! Arrived at BCV and our rpm was ready! Yay! Kind of wish we hadn’t shuffled our bag contents around in the lobby like a couple of hobos, but we didn’t think our rooms would be ready and wanted to have our stuff ready for them to store until it was.
Then it was off to the Marathon Expo!
We saw Erin and Anne and Mel. Anne, Mel and I went on a bit of a quest to find Stephen’s picture on a plaque. Quite the adventure when you don’t know what booth it’s at. Anne and Mel also were good enough to scam some extra scrapbook paper for me, so I can do two 2-page spreads with it. Talk about good friends! 
:
From the expo, we headed to see my parents at Pop. Had a quick visit in their room. Just enough time for Scott to change into a shirt with my 11YO and 34 YO face plastered on it.
From there, it was off to the WISH meet. OMG! I had never made it to the Friday night meet before. What a crazy time that was. I know I didn’t get to meet half the people I wanted to but it was a great time.
After pix and dinner it was off to Ghirardelli for dessert.
We met deenyha, withdisneyspirit and lllovell and their wonderful spouses for some good old fashioned carbs. Yum. It was the first half for MissyHa, lllovell and wds, so it was fun sharing tips and pre-race jitters with them.
Then, it was off to bed, as we had to be in the BCV lobby by 4 am to meet the rest of the half scream team.
Saturday
Boy, 3:15 am felt like sleeping in compared to Friday!
Met Cam, Martha, Rhonda and Tim (Sandy321’s dh) in the lobby and headed for a bus. Got to TnT and saw NYCPA and some other WISHers in place from the monorail. We were off to Main Street.
I really missed seeing the Christmas tree, but Main Street with so few people at that time in the morning always gives me the chills. I just love it. Spent some quality time with Hildegard. OMG was she cool! She even brought friends to introduce to us. I had never seen anyone out like that before. Very fun.
While there, I was trying to make sure I knew who Tim’s wife was, as he could not remember her screen name. It suddenly hit me, so I asked, “Are you here on rented DVC points?”
“Yes.”
“Did your wife tell you about some crazy stranger that said you guys could stay with her if anything went wrong?”
“Yes.”
“I would be the crazy stranger.”
Still not sure why he didn’t just back away. ;
Then, it was time to scream and ring and cheer. Gosh, I love doing that. More apologies for Solo, as we somehow got distracted and I did not see him 'til he passed.
Discovered that Wendy is one serious racer, as there was no getting her attention!
After the last racer passed, we headed back to the monorail to hit Epcot. Saw Christa and Stephen there and was treated to a wonderful phone call from Sunny! Yes, the race had taken its toll by then, but people were going to make it on sheer will alone.
It’s good that they are more spread out by then, so we could give a little more individual attention. I don’t recall ever seeing so many people wearing the bib of others, though. When you concentrate so hard on the bib and yell out Go Donna! and look up to see it’s a man, it’s a bit embarrassing.
Finally, the last bikers passed and they told us that “All the cows have come home”, so we headed to the finish and cheered there. Then we headed to eth tent only to be greeted by way too many tears. It just breaks your heart when someone works that hard for a goal and does not get the reward in the end. The reward is really on the inside, but that feeling takes a while to set in. When you finish, you want your medal. I can’t believe that it happened 2 years in a row. Ugh. Was glad to hear later that some were getting them at the expo, but it really sours what should be a wonderful day.
Then it was back to BCV to meet up with my family for a bit again and then off to dinner.
After dinner, we met my family at DtD for our pre-race ice cream. It poured just as we were getting to Ghirardelli’s, but, by some miracle, we got a table. Wish I had gotten what I ordered, but you can’t win ‘em all. Then it was off to bed to try to get a little sleep before the alarm went off at 2:15. Ugh.
Started at way too early in the morning (like 2:30 am) to head for our 6 am flight. Of course, there was a storm Thursday night, so we had to leave extra time. Our home airport is pretty small, so we didn’t dress too warmly, as our time outside would be brief. Can you see where this is headed?
Yes, guess whose airport was under construction? You could no longer walk from the main lot to the terminal and things were just crazy. Brrrr… Then again, it was a sign of things to come.
Of course, we had to de-ice and it was 25 minutes before that happened. We had a 40 minute layover in Cleveland, where we wanted to spend a little time with Lily and Ted before boarding the plane, but that was not to be.
When we arrived the announced that if you were going to Boston, you missed your flight. (Bummer) If you were going to Orlando, there’d be a cart waiting for you. OMG do those things go fast! It was enough to blow my hair out of my face! Stopped at the top of the escalator and were told there’d be another cart at the bottom. Took another spin on Mr. Toad’s Wild ride and were told out gat was up the next escalator. While it was quite the fun set of rides, I really needed to use the ladies room. Yikes!
There were still people boarding when I got to the counter, so I asked if I had time f a stop. When she told me I had 5 minutes and to go ahead, I breathed a big sigh of relief. So did the family behind me who had come in on the same plane.
Arrived at MCO at 11:15 am and headed for Magical Express. Got right onto the bus and headed out within 5 minutes. Woo hoo! We were headed for Disney World! Arrived at BCV and our rpm was ready! Yay! Kind of wish we hadn’t shuffled our bag contents around in the lobby like a couple of hobos, but we didn’t think our rooms would be ready and wanted to have our stuff ready for them to store until it was.
Then it was off to the Marathon Expo!
We saw Erin and Anne and Mel. Anne, Mel and I went on a bit of a quest to find Stephen’s picture on a plaque. Quite the adventure when you don’t know what booth it’s at.
Anne and Mel also were good enough to scam some extra scrapbook paper for me, so I can do two 2-page spreads with it. Talk about good friends! :From the expo, we headed to see my parents at Pop. Had a quick visit in their room. Just enough time for Scott to change into a shirt with my 11YO and 34 YO face plastered on it.
From there, it was off to the WISH meet. OMG! I had never made it to the Friday night meet before. What a crazy time that was. I know I didn’t get to meet half the people I wanted to but it was a great time.
After pix and dinner it was off to Ghirardelli for dessert.
We met deenyha, withdisneyspirit and lllovell and their wonderful spouses for some good old fashioned carbs. Yum. It was the first half for MissyHa, lllovell and wds, so it was fun sharing tips and pre-race jitters with them.Then, it was off to bed, as we had to be in the BCV lobby by 4 am to meet the rest of the half scream team.
Saturday
Boy, 3:15 am felt like sleeping in compared to Friday!
Met Cam, Martha, Rhonda and Tim (Sandy321’s dh) in the lobby and headed for a bus. Got to TnT and saw NYCPA and some other WISHers in place from the monorail. We were off to Main Street.I really missed seeing the Christmas tree, but Main Street with so few people at that time in the morning always gives me the chills. I just love it. Spent some quality time with Hildegard. OMG was she cool! She even brought friends to introduce to us. I had never seen anyone out like that before. Very fun.
While there, I was trying to make sure I knew who Tim’s wife was, as he could not remember her screen name. It suddenly hit me, so I asked, “Are you here on rented DVC points?”
“Yes.”
“Did your wife tell you about some crazy stranger that said you guys could stay with her if anything went wrong?”
“Yes.”
“I would be the crazy stranger.”
Still not sure why he didn’t just back away. ;
Then, it was time to scream and ring and cheer. Gosh, I love doing that. More apologies for Solo, as we somehow got distracted and I did not see him 'til he passed.
Discovered that Wendy is one serious racer, as there was no getting her attention!After the last racer passed, we headed back to the monorail to hit Epcot. Saw Christa and Stephen there and was treated to a wonderful phone call from Sunny! Yes, the race had taken its toll by then, but people were going to make it on sheer will alone.
It’s good that they are more spread out by then, so we could give a little more individual attention. I don’t recall ever seeing so many people wearing the bib of others, though. When you concentrate so hard on the bib and yell out Go Donna! and look up to see it’s a man, it’s a bit embarrassing.
Finally, the last bikers passed and they told us that “All the cows have come home”, so we headed to the finish and cheered there. Then we headed to eth tent only to be greeted by way too many tears. It just breaks your heart when someone works that hard for a goal and does not get the reward in the end. The reward is really on the inside, but that feeling takes a while to set in. When you finish, you want your medal. I can’t believe that it happened 2 years in a row. Ugh. Was glad to hear later that some were getting them at the expo, but it really sours what should be a wonderful day.
Then it was back to BCV to meet up with my family for a bit again and then off to dinner.
After dinner, we met my family at DtD for our pre-race ice cream. It poured just as we were getting to Ghirardelli’s, but, by some miracle, we got a table. Wish I had gotten what I ordered, but you can’t win ‘em all. Then it was off to bed to try to get a little sleep before the alarm went off at 2:15. Ugh.
Rhonda offered me hers and said she would share with Cam. Talk about above and beyond. Every time I used it during the race, I was so grateful she gave it to me and felt so guilty for taking it at the same time.
)
