Post by Dave on Jul 10, 2011 19:44:45 GMT
The Walk For Carol Report
Some people you know can live with another person and be so very unhappy and never know what true love and real happiness is. That was not the case for Carol and I as we really were made for each other and lived for every second that we could spend together. Its no wonder then that when she died in my arms, I felt I had died as well and I felt me heart go stone dead cold. To have what we had taken away from us when neither of us deserved to lose the love we shared for each other, to me has to the cruellest and saddest thing I have ever had to experience and try to come to terms with.
But today that very cold heart was warmed so very much and by people who showed me their love, showed just how much they did care and that gave me so much hope that the day will come when I will finally be able to stop the tears and put that cheeky smile back on my face for good.
I want to thank a few people before I do a report on the walk itself and the first person has to be Lou who put all her love and so much effort into making today’s walk possible. Her night time phone calls over the last few months has made so much difference to me and made me know I was not so alone as I so often felt.
What can I say about two young ladies who made today so very special to me, two young ladies who were not going to be able to do the walk with their Dad, as they had tickets for the T4 on the Beach tickets and I know they were really looking forward to the event.
I was in the car park waiting for everyone to arrive and then I spotted Rich (tufc01) walking towards me with his wife and who was also walking with him? Yes dear lovely Emily and Katie who had decided to sell their concert tickets so they could come and support me on the Walk for Carol. Thank you so very much girls, I don’t think you will ever know, just how happy you made me feel today and just how lucky you made me feel to know you both, you dear Dad and now also your very beautiful mum.
Aussie what a star that man is, he carried Carol’s ashes from the start for a good part of the walk, how can anyone not love this man. StuartB is such a kind and caring man who like me, has recently lost someone very close to him due to cancer. Its people like him that makes you realize the importance of friends and I love him and his family to bits. Jon super trouper Jon, another really top man who I’m so glad I had got to know. Dear Phil (chelstongull) he might look grumpy at times, but another top man. Petef, another warm hearted caring man and how lucky was I today to spend a good part of the walk, talking to his lovely wife Lisa, what a fine lady she is.
It was good also to see Paulr a very likable man indeed along with athringtongull and his dear wife who also did the walk today. I must not forget the hero of the day, Glostergull, what a legend this man is and how brave to do a 16 mile walk for Carol, knowing he does have a few health concerns. Yes Jon and Phil had to walk back up the track to find him and help him the last mile or two, but he can hold his head up so very high for his wonderful achievement today.
The walk was very well attended and the only disappointment was many who worked at Jack Sears and who said they would be doing the work, never turned up. Not to worry as our Aussie took the front and led us all off carrying Carols ashes.
We left the long stay car park and walked along Bideford Quay and then onto the old Bideford Bridge before going up some steps that took us onto the old track bed at Bideford Station. It was a chance to regroup before we set off on the walk proper, but it was not too long before all our walkers got very stretched out along the track bed.
I myself spent a good part of the first part of the walk talking to Rich, but later walked beside Lisa right to the end of the walk. I was not long into the walk when I had my first meeting with Glostergull who was coming the other way having started his 16 mile walk from Barnstaple, some time much earlier then we all did.
He looked very fresh and happy and in very good sprits and so I thanked him for doing the walk and carried on along the track. As I might have said in another post, this part of the line we were walking on today would not have so many interesting features as the section of track between Torrington and Bideford.
But it was still a very pleasing walk that enjoyed some lovely views along the way looking across the estuary, there was even a surprise tunnel to walk through, but it was nowhere near the length of some of the tunnels Carol and I have walked through together.
Fremington Quay is a really beautiful spot and if you have not been there before, it might be worth considering spending some time there. When I walked in to the quay with Lisa, there were a good number of our walkers already there and some had even been there long enough to get their food order in and were tucking into it.
Lou was busy topping up all the money on the sponsorship forms from those who remembered to bring them with her. I was so over the moon when she told me to the total. Bear in mind there is more money to come in as I have yet to get all the sponsorship from the customers I call on in my job. So we really could break my target by a good distance.
The word went out that our Glostergull had a back problem and was struggling a bit, off went Jon and Stuart B to go and find him and lend him what must have been a very welcome hand along the final leg of his monster walk.
I can’t thank all you dear people enough for you love and support today, I know my dear Carol is so very happy and so pleased that I have such wonderful people in my life right now. God bless you all and it’s here I need to end just for now, as I’m struggling to hold back the tears of joy you are all responsible for.
Love Dave
The Start
