Two Papas make it back onto the field

 Sunday July 11th. Last day of the journey

Four miles. After over 100 miles of walking all we had left was four miles. Hard to believe. 

Plan for the day was an easy one. Start at Bunker Hill Community College, leisurely stroll along the Charles River, get to Fenway an hour before game time to meet our Red Sox team connections at gate E, then get on to the field for an introduction. This was more exciting than driving backwards in that station wagon on Storrow Drive as a kid back in the 70's.

Going to be a lot of photos in this recap. A LOT. Good for you because that means less of me.

Here's some bullets from the final leg of our journey

• AOP at 6:30. John drops us in the parking lot of the college, waves goodbye, and that's the last time we'll see him until Fenway.

• Link was feeling better on day five than he was on day one. Link is the best.

• Past the Museum of Science, through Beacon Hill, then we are on the path between Storrow Drive and the Charles River.

• What a way to end this thing. Even though it was  slightly hot (as you will see in some of the close ups to come), it was much more comfortable than anything we had done up to this point. We approached this in every way, shape, and form as the five of us just out for a Sunday stroll along the Charles River Esplanade. Esplanade. That's one I don't use often. Maybe I'll start. If it helps me remember this day, then I can see myself sprinkling it into many conversations in the future.
• Ran into a biker (actually, a bicyclist, not a biker) that took a few pictures of us at the Hatch Clamshell

• This does not look like a guy that just walked over 100 miles, and still had to pick up his camper in Hampton NH when this was all done, does it? Tom, what a great guy.

• A bus of friends and family is on it's way down from South Portland to greet us before the game. Yep, a bus. A full bus. Not to drop names, but arranged by the same gal that made the koozies for us. She's really something.

 

• As we are getting closer to the park we try to sync up with these folks to see if we can get a picture of the bus from our vantage point on an overpass above Storrow. Why not, we had plenty of time. Unfortunately, this was beyond our ability to coordinate. This was us actually discussing that plan.

• Holy crap, I think I can see the Citgo sign. We are getting close. We are feeling it, have been all day actually.

• A mile and a half left. After all this time I'm now using half mile increments to gauge our distance.
• Turn up Mass Ave for a block or two, then right onto Commonwealth. Link and Joe stop into the Harvard Club of Boston for one last bathroom break. 
• We pass the Citgo sign on our right...Pizzeria Uno ahead in the heart of Kenmore Square. Joe recalls his days tending bar there. So glad I got to reconnect with Joe.

• See who's in front? Denise. Denise led the way , oh, I'd say, about 109 of the 110 miles between home and Fenway. Denise put up with four sweaty guys without once uttering any kind of complaint. Not one. I mean this in the best way - Denise is the GOAT. (Greatest Of All Time for you non-sports fans).
• One more time over the MA pike...and we can see the park. Manny Ramirez used to hit homeruns that landed on the MA pike. That's how close we were.

• At the top of the hill across from the Cask and Flagon (The Cask has played some roles in prior trips to Fenway, but not this one) we see the bus and all of its passengers waiting to greet us. All of our families and friends are there. Surprising how they were willing to and still wanted to  hug the sweaty walkers. Now that's love.

• Remember the herding cats from the start at Sunset Park? Same scene, different state. Only things left to do was one more interview in the shadow of the Ted Williams statue, then get to Gate E one hour before the game to meet the folks that would get us out on the field.
• Walking in the shadow of the green monster, we looked like five pied pipers leading a pack of followers  - all fifty of us or so taking over the streets surrounding Fenway

• Get to the statue and get ready for our last interview. Joe's Dad, Dave - the last of the original walkers - the reason we all did this crazy event - was there to greet us. Joe tells me that Dave goes as Papa now.

 

• There was one more Papa with us. I carried my dad - another one of the original walkers (who, for the last twenty years or so of his life, was also better known as Papa), in my pocket with me the entire trip. I was going to make sure he made it on to the field on more time.

• We do the interview - Pete - the spokesman - gets a little choked up standing there with his old friends made new again and with Dave. It's almost too much. Knowing that this thing that was the main focus for all of us the last 18 months....the hours of planning with each other and independently....the miles and miles of walking to get ready...emails, meetings, jokes, hiccups, discussions, obstacles/hurdles, excitement, and anticipation...was all coming to its conclusion.

• We make it to Gate E...ahead of schedule mind you, and get a chance to start letting it all sink in a bit. 

• You see John is back with us. He was the rock for us the entire trip. We would not have, could not have, made it without him. We are all forever in his debt.
• Time to go on the field. This was truly the icing on the cake. During all of our planning (which took place during the height of covid) we never actually knew if they could get us on the field or not. My one ask of Joe was "Get us on the field". Joe did just that.
• Too many feelings and memories and emotions to call out - overview was this- we got on the field for about 15 minutes before we were announced...with a few other groups of honorees - our handler told us what to expect and what we were to do - soaking it all in - got introduced (along with Dave!) - made an announcement about who we were and what we did - got some photos from our walk on the centerfield scoreboard - then our time in the limelight was done...and that was alright. I (and all of us) will never forget that experience. Here's some pictures that will capture it much better than I ever could in words.

• Even Xander was happy for us.

• Papa got back on to the field 38 years later - Don't tell anyone. This is our little secret.

• Hope you enjoyed the recap of our walk. We accomplished all we could have hoped for  - and so much more. When all is said and done, our total raised will be a bit more than this....

• That's all there is, there isn't anymore.