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May 1, 2004
Team TREK Takes the Field

TREK pre-game Ceremony at SBC Park See more photos in our gallery

San Francisco - Wow!  Two years of planning could not prepare the members of team TREK USA for the excitement of the first day.  Preparations began early with the packing of the vehicles that would become our home for the next twenty-five days. Coordination of vans, RV's, runners, food, clothing, and a myraid of other supplies required the full team effort.  Soon, however, it was time to head to the home of the team made famous by the likes of legends such as Willie Mays and Barry Bonds - the San Francisco Giants.

Dressed in our Nike sponsored team uniform, we were  ushered though the gates reserved for players and other dignitaries and then right onto the field at home plate.  Even those of us who are not huge baseball fans were blown away by SBC stadium and its 50,000 person capacity. Team TREK USA was called to home plate where we were introduced to the appreciative fans.  Behind us, the Jumbotron displayed the TREK USA logo and each team member's name.  Not only was it thrilling for all of us, but we thrilled that the message of our charities was been spread coast to coast.  To the cheers of the Giants baseball fans, TREK USA began it's journey.

From the thrill of being at SBC stadium, we then faced the reality of our next 25 days covering 12 states and 3,400₊ miles of running.  The start was not as smooth as we planned.  It took us 3 miles to get lost.  California is a large confusing place to us Easterners.  Secondary roads turned into freeways, and roadways turned into dead-ends.  What was supposed to be an "easy day" was beginning to look terribly difficult.

 Good fortune began to smile on us, though, and soon we found our bearings.  We ran through spectacularly beautiful roads that crossed over (UP and over) pine covered mountains.  The ups were steep, the downs were screamers, and the views were breathtaking.  Temperatures at the start of our day were in the 70's and we finished in the mid-80's.  It was a truly spectacular start to our adventure.

Over dinner (enormous amounts of Chinese food) we reviewed the day's events and set the schedule for Sunday.  Though our covered team mileage was modest today (50 miles), tomorrow will begin to test our mettle - 170 miles.  Our estimated start time will be 6:30, and finishing at 7:30 that evening.  Our day will end at the border of California and Nevada. 

Our next report should be interesting as it will be the first test of our conditioning, our ability to navigate 150+ miles, and temperatures that should be more summer like than we've enjoyed since....hmmmm, the Boston Marathon.