Short recap. Tina’s cousin, Sharon, and her husband Bruce joined Tina and me in New Mexico for the Bataan Memorial Death March. Bruce and I did the march.
Bruce and I were dropping off at the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) as instructed at 5:00 am (Or, zero dark thirty). We joined the other marchers.
There were nearly 5,000 marchers registered. We met people from all around the country. The opening ceremony started after 6:00 with welcome speeches, the national anthems of the Philippines and the USA and a prayer.
The ceremonies started a little after 6:00. There were welcoming speeches, the national anthems of the Philippines and the USA and a prayer.
We started at about 6:45. The marchers were released by category of marcher: Runners, Wounded Warrior, Military Light, Civilian Light, Military Heavy, Civilian Heavy then Honorary. Heavy meant that they did the march with a 35 pound pack. We were “Honorary” no pack and walked (at our ages we figured that we had done our share of the stupid stuff). Honorary also did a shortened 15.6 miles instead of the full 26.2 miles of the marathon. Note: the marathon was eliminated due to the predicted high temperature so everyone did 15.6. (You can believe me when I say that was definitely enough at 95°)
We were at the starting line about 7:00 am. There was a group that gave out small tubes of honey, that was surprisingly good.
One of the ROTC units (I think it was Oklahoma State) carried 5 foot long 4X4’s in addition to the packs. Another unit carried crosses made of 4X4’s.
There were water stations every couple of miles with water Gatorade oranges and bananas. There were other unique opportunities along the march.
The misting station was really welcome. I could have gone through six times but I only did one.
I was going to take this young lady up on her offer until I learned that the Uber would meet me at the finish line, not out in the desert.
Toward the end the hydration stations offered pickle juice. At the last one the last one they had people who would spray your face with a water mist. We heard one older lady say to the young man that was spraying her “Oh, I’m in love with you, I want to marry you right now”
We finished
Backpacking Bill 