NightWalk 2007

I survived another Nightwalk!

My brother, Fred; his wife, Cheryl; my sister, Nancy; Cheryl's niece, Jami Wilder, and I went to Callaway Gardens' Fantasy in Lights last night.

I always say it's the best way to see Fantasy in Lights. I've been told that Bo Callaway hates it when I say that, but it's true.

Of course, it won't take two hours to drive through FIL unless it's really, really crowded. It took us two hours to walk it this year.

It usually doesn't take that long, but we had some slow people with us this year. As usual, Nancy power-walked her way through the route and was sitting at the Robin Lake Beach Pavilion with her hot chocolate for about 30 minutes before we got there.

Fred and I would start walking at a normal pace and then we'd stop and wait for Cheryl and Jami.

By the time we finished the initial five miles, my back was hurting (I have a ruptured disc in my lower back) and Fred was limping. He hurt his toe when he was trying to cut down a tree in his yard. And last year, he had surgery on his ankle.

So for the first time in a long time, I didn't walk the entire seven mile route.

Jami said next year, she's going to walk the whole loop.

The temperature was fine, but there was this drizzle that never got us soaked. We were a little damp, but it wasn't bad at all.

The hot chocolate was really hot and really good. I didn't have any cookies this year, but Jami said they were good.

March of Dimes executive director Linda Szabo seemed really pleased with the crowd. I'm sure she'll let me know how much they made from the ticket sales. The proceeds are shared by the March of Dimes and the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation.

So if you missed NightWalk this year, go through the Gardens in your car or the Jolly Trolley. It's loads of fun either way. And you can mark your calendar to remind yourself to sign up for NightWalk next year.

By the way, at the Beach Pavilion, there are plenty of carnival food booths. There are funnel cakes, smoked turkey legs and roasted corn. That's beside the usual food available at the Pavilion and the Fantasy Cafe inside the big Beach Dome.

And you've got to go to the Christmas Village. It's chock-full of goodies for your home. If you can't find a gift for that person who's hard to buy for, then head to Callaway Gardens.

OK, Rachel Crumbley, are you happy with this blog?