Day One – Friday
Probably the warmest singular day in this event’s history thus far, Friday began with heavy moisture in the air and showers throughout the morning. The trees and canopy in Peninsula State Park protected us from much of the rain, but our walkers paid for the warmth and wetness in the form of blisters which took their toll throughout the rest of the weekend.
The Society’s fetching mannequins greeted participants at the entrance to the Alpine Resort lodge
Goodness… it’s not often that Sloth receives open flirtations from attractive plastic women!
Not to be outdone, the male mannequin displays his own brand of Challenge Walk pride
Nicole very quickly established herself the Queen of the Lodge, blasting us with last calls at the bar and fetching us drinks when necessary
Pinwheels at the LaDorkas cabin!
Crew and walkers prepare to shuttle out to Fish Creek on day one
Previously a Society staff member, Dawn Thaves returned to us as an award-winning volunteer this year!
Barb was quite proud of her sweet scooter decorations
Love the flower and beads!
Walkers stretch and listen to last-minute details at Clark Park in Fish Creek
Diane pulled out all the stops this year with her outrageous outfits and dual roles as both walker and photographer!
Peninsula State Park was beautiful and shrouded in mist as the morning showers slowly dissipated
The Door County Parrotheads showcased not only parrots but many other critters on their hats at Rest Stop #1
Ol’ Rusty the Dog fit the critter motif quite well at the Parrothead rest stop
Sloth finds out the hard way that messing with the Parrothead hats can be hazardous to your health!
Pat Heller’s family treated us to coffee, chocolate, and smiles all weekend long!
The Heller Clan kept our walkers caffeinated and happy through Peninsula State Park
Dig the fairy wings… love it!
The Pagel family raised the bar once again with their haunted rest stop in Peninsula State Park
This does make you wonder what might be in that Gatorade…
Visit their rest stop or they’ll turn you into a newt!
Photo opportunities abound at the Pagel rest stop
Even the “his ‘n’ her” port-a-johns fit into the rest stop theme
Kit and the Heller family took advantage of Ephraim’s traffic to raise even more funds for MS
Ahhhhhh… so typically Wisconsin…
Team Survivor could not be missed with their warrior paint and outrageous costumes!
The Door County Parrotheads surprised us by running not just one but two rest stops in the same day!
The Parrotheads easily won “Best Rest Stop” with their “shot-ski” and jello shots
The massive Team Survivor group handily eliminated the Parrotheads’ remaining stock of jello shots
Meanwhile, Team LaDorkas kept the party rockin’ with their Grease-themed rest stop
Our Lisa is quite fetching with her Jackie-O sunglasses
Even after sixteen miles of walking, Team Survivor is still ready for some hula hoop action!
The LaDorkas rest stop even featured a Grease DVD raffle
Walkers leave their mark at the LaDorkas rest stop
Sloth wept as 45 singles from Donna Summer, The Cars, and Toni Basil were drilled for the purposes of decoration
Team Survivor meets Team LaDorkas!
Day one ended happily at Bailey’s Harbor Town Hall just off of Lake Michigan
Team Survivor stole the “Best Team Spirit” award – and our hearts – with their “Queen of the Prom” outfits during dinner on Friday night
Not to be outdone, Count El Dorko made an appearance on Friday night, amusing – and sometimes frightening – participants with his evil antics
Fran made her debut as a Friday night program MC
A toast to Terri Klabunde
A sneak peak at the LaDorkas cabin kitchenette reveals the secret to their power
BONUS: Count El Dorko in his natural habitat
BONUS: Count El Dorko demonstrates his astoundingly sneaky forest-bound maneuvering
BONUS: “You shall all feel the might of my evil power!”