Did I Really Sign Up For This?
Yesterday I got an e-mail from our Crew Captain for the 3-day Walk about what to expect as a crew member on the Sweep team.
We interrupt this blog post for some 3-day lingo...
Sweep Van: (definition): Driving a van during the 3-day walk and picking people up along the route who need to be taken to the next pit stop.
Pit Stop: (definition): A stop along the 3-day route with porta potties, water, sports drink, snacks, and medical help.
We now return to our regularly scheduled blog post....
Anyway, I'm reading the e-mail and thinking of our theme, Save 2nd Base, decorating the van and getting to cruise through the 3-day in air conditioned comfort. Then I get to the "what to expect part". Here is what it said:
We are up early every day (5AM)
Team meeting at 5:45 or 6:00 depending on the day.
Out on the route between 6:15 and 6:30.
Stalk the walkers from 6:30 until 8:00PM (we start sending vans in between 5 and 8 PM. We try to rotate who gets to go in early each day).
You really don't get a break during the day. Although we try to give each van a quick 15 minute lunch break usually we end up eating in our vans because mid day is usually our busiest time of day.
We take care of the walkers obviously, but sometimes this can be a challenge. Be prepared to deal with walkers throwing up in your van, walkers with diarrhea, extremely emotional walkers, walkers jumping out of your moving van, etc. We'll cover what to do in these different situations so don't panic.
Just know that you will have to be mentally pretty tough to get through the weekend!
We also end up with a lot of misc duties. Some of the past things we've had to deal with are covering up a dead deer with a tarp that was along the route, setting up cones near a bee hive, fixing errant route signs, sitting with a walker that was bit by a dog until the police shows up, etc. We've also had to call in weird things on the route such as a streaker a few years ago, and last year we had to call in a monkey on the route.
SAY WHAT?!?!?
OK. I can deal with getting up early. Drinking lots of water and sports drink is part of the 3-day. I can deal with short lunch breaks and even going to bed late (hello...advil PM...). I can even deal with an odd stalker. And yes, I can deal with a dead deer and a monkey on the route where was that last year? I would have been all about a monkey on the route!
However. I cannot....repeat....cannot deal with vomit. Seriously. This is no joke. I do not deal well with vomit. I know they said, "...don't panic..." but I'm sorry lady! TOO LATE!
Amy, if you're reading this--we will need to stalk up on Target bags and place them throughout the van. Please add this to the list.
Updated to add: Amy left this comment on the post: It will be fine. I'll bring some ice cream buckets...guess I'll have to eat some ice cream. I'm low on Target bags because I give them to students to clean out their lockers. We'll put up a sign that says, "This is a non-puking van" and that will take care of it.
Let's Connect!
10 comments:
OK... I was laughing hysterically through this whole thing..
the idea of walkers JUMPING from your moving van!!!??? What the heck? And having to cover dead deers??? Oh my word...
But I thought the same thing... Oh heck no - someone puking in my van - I'd be standing next to them gagging right along! I'm a chain puker! Hear it, smell it, see it - I'm a goner!
I like to call it sympathetic puking. It seems a little father.
It's not the vomit that would have me worried so much as the walkers with diarrhea. Well, I suppose both would make me "vomick," as my little school children used to say.
My gag reflex is pretty sensitive, too. I used to tell those little kiddies that if they had the slightest inkling they might throw up to run, RUN, for the bathroom without asking permission. I'd catch on. (I also told them that if they pulled a prank, their parents would surely kill them when they got home, so nobody ever tried it.)
I hate the "vomick," and even though it's easier to sympathize with my own children, I still gag like a big freak.
Good luck on that one.
I'm sure this all falls under the "worst case scenario" category! Especially the monkeys.
It will be fine. I'll bring some ice cream buckets...guess I'll have to eat some ice cream. I'm low on Target bags because I give them to students to clean out their lockers. We'll put up a sign that says, "This is a non-puking van" and that will take care of it.
Strenuous exercise + heat = diarrhea. Trust me, it's even less fun when you're the one suffering from it and there's nowhere to potty. Or so I hear.
I don't deal well with vomit either. I gag easily. You could say I'm a sympathy vomiter. The good thing is that you'll likely be so busy cleaning up after folks you won't notice the long days.
Dropping in to thank you for coming by my blog and celebrating my SITS day with me.
Thanks you for the great compliment about Sandra Lee's style. I do love her style but "simpler is better" is my motto for tabletop designs. Thanks again!
Wow, sounds like you're in for quite an event.
I think it's great that you'll be doing this for the walkers! Go you! I will be thankful for the volunteer crew along my marathon...vomit and all.
This is one of your captains speaking :)
The van is supplied with plastic bags for the pukers. Deep breaths will help with the sympathy reflex. And yes, this is worst case scenario and usually happens to me.
The monkey was an orangutan. Seriously.
You will be fine and awesome!
Kelley, this is Dana, another sweep van crew person this year. I can guarantee you that if there is diarrhea and vomit, it will be in the van that I am in. Madelyn and Cori will probably get a break this year. I am really P.O.'d that I didn't get to see the monkey last year while I was walking, and where are the streakers when you need a good laugh? Can't wait to hear all the gory details next Thursday at Crew Day. Looking forward to meeting you. Maybe I should bring clothes pins for all sweep van crew in case of you know what (let's not say it or write it anymore and maybe it won't happen).
Post a Comment