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From Other Guides • AIDS/HIV

Day Zero - The Gathering

After my sister, Denise, and I were picked up by my friend and faithful-Indian companion, Jimmy, who deposited us at the Bergen Mall, we were picked up by a bus that carried us to Rockland High School in Rockland county New York arriving about 3:00 PM. This is where we would receive our orientation, register and get our credentials for the walk. This would also be the starting point for the walk the next morning.

Each walker is allowed only one bag. This must contain everything you plan on wearing or using over the next four days, including your sleeping bag, and in my case a queen sized air mattress and the charged electric pump to inflate it. While this bag would be transported once the walk started, it had to remain with me until the next morning when it would be loaded on the trucks. Now, this was one heavy duffel bag, based on its size and appearance, it was the dirigible of duffel bags. And try as I might, I could not get my sister to carry it for me. After all I was the brains of the outfit, this whole thing being my idea, and the 'Heir Apparent' in our family. She complained she had enough problems carrying her own bag. She apparently harbors some hostilities towards me based on her childhood memories. (In retrospect, perhaps I should not have dropped that Sears & Roebuck catalog on her head from the top of the attic stairs when she was ten.) Anyway, after my recommendation that she get into therapy, we proceeded to the Orientation.

The Orientation consisted of being told the slogan for the walk, "Stay Alert, Stay Alive" and the rules for the walk. If one disobeyed these rules, one would be expelled from the walk. Yeah, they really used that as a threat. I paid close attention, thinking that these rules, or the breaking of them, might well be my lifeline. Rule #1: No Whining. Rule # 2: See rule #1. Rule #3: See rules 1 and 2. The rest of the rules applied to behavior while walking: no running, no reading, no cell phones, no walkman, no smoking, no alcohol, and no being unkind to fellow walkers, volunteers, crew, or staff. Now, this cramped my style because I had intended to get through this walk by listening to Rod Stewart, calling friends on my cell phone, having the occasional beer and cigarette, reading the newspaper and telling anyone who didn't like it to 'Buzz Off'. So, as you can see, your humble author has already been put at a disadvantage. Oh yeah, the other cardinal rule was: You must hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, (more about this later.)

The route of the walk would contain, at least every two miles, a Pit Stop or Grab N' Go. These places offered food, cold water, Gatorade, medical aid, and portable toilets. There would also be a lunch buffet about halfway down the road. There would be volunteers on bicycles, motorcycles and in vans driving up and down the route to monitor the walkers progress and status. These vans would be used to 'sweep up' anyone who could not go any further or, at the end of the day when the route was declared closed, to bring in any walkers who had not reached the camp. At the end of the day we would enter a camping area where we would spend the night. This camp area would have a dinner tent, medical tent, massage tent, toilets, and showers. Everything offered at a stop would also be offered in camp along with other comforts.

After receiving the credential we were required to wear around our necks for the duration, we boarded a bus to be taken to our host hotel. There were about five hotels in the area that we had to choose from and we were already booked into one of them via mail-in forms some weeks previous. I chose the closest one to the school as this is where we would be starting from the next day. However, I should have had a chat with the bus driver. He chose to go to the furthest hotel and work his way back. Consequently, I was on that @#$%! bus for an hour. We finally arrive at the hotel, lug the dirigible inside and book into our rooms. We were on the second floor, the furthest room away and there is no elevator. So, once again, your humble author is doing the Dirigible Drag. After having a couple drinks and dinner we got to bed about 10. Our wake up call was for 3:30 AM.

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