Everyone met down in the lobby at about 9am to start loading all contestants, companions, and state coordinators into the buses. It was quite a feat, but there were so many wonderful volunteers who were there to help. I got to ride the bus with Ms. Wheelchair America, Ms. Wheelchair Kentucky, Ms. Wheelchair Utah, and Ms. Wheelchair Indiana. Below, they are strapping me down in the van so that I don't go flying forward if we happened to stop fast! And, because we are considered VIP's in the city, we had police escorts throughout the town as our caravan of busses, cars, and vans made our way towards Mt. Rushmore. It took us about 30 minutes or so to get to the park.
We made it to Mt. Rushmore! The Black Hills of South Dakota are beautiful, but honestly, Mt. Rushmore was much smaller than I had imagined it to be. It looks very grande in pictures, but in person, it's not that big. However, I was told that if you were to stand in the pupil of the eyes of any of the presidents, it's 9 feet tall. So, I guess afterall, it's pretty big! Sadly, I also didn't know each of the presidents on the mountain, but took a good guess on a a few and got most right. Below is a picture with me and my mom (don't we look alike?) and me and Ms. Wheelchair America, Michelle Colvard. Both her, Erika Bogan (Ms. Wheelchair NC), and Amber Marcy (Ms. Wheelchair MI) have become good, good friends already and do a lot together.
I made it Mt. Rushmore, and there is my beautiful California state flag above me to the left!
Erika Bogan (Ms. Wheelchair NC) also surfs with the great organization, Life Rolls On, and we immediately hit it off from the beginning. She is a way cool chick, and I know she'll be a life long friend of mine. Her story/testimony is amazing, and I hope one day soon you get to hear her amazing perseverance as she has overcome an amazing obstacle. And of course, only she and I were allowed to pose with a picture in front of Mt. Rushmore with a "Hang Ten" sign!!! :)
Here is the entire group of women competing to be the next Ms. Wheelchair America! I am front in center to the right of Michelle Colvard.
Yes, in order to see details of the face of Mt. Rushmore, it's important you look through binoculars. Thank goodness someone let me borrow theirs. I wouldn't have thought to bring these!
After lunch and a slight detour from the days activities, Amber, Michelle, and I took of and did some exploring of our own. We were zooming in and out of tourists and taking crazy fun pictures! Even got one in a mock tepee! So cute!
Dangerous walking surface?? Thank God I don't walk then! Ha! That didn't stop me from going down the "forbidden trail"!
We had a good time acting silly in the Gift Shop as we found our respective states. Erika literally threw herself across my lap to reach her state, North Carolina. Can you believe this girl forgot to bring her shoes? Literally! She got to the airport and realized she didn't have any shoes on, and didn't even pack any!! She's gone barefoot the entire past two days and is totally cool with it. I joke around with her (being raised in Georgia myself) and say that "that must be what they do in North Carolina"!
After Mt. Rushmore, we headed to a camp that was set up for people/children with disabilities that used to be a ghost town back in the day... which was actually once a mining town. Immediately once arriving, television news stations, NPR, and the local paper were there to do several interviews with many of the contestants. Below is Erika and me getting interviewed by the news, and then Erika getting interviewed by NPR (I think).
There is a documentary being filmed called "Defining Beauty" which is following the contestants in their quest to be the next Ms. Wheelchair America. The film crew is really cool. Below is Justin aiming for a good shot of all of this while eating prime rib dinner. Yum!
It was a great day of fun, though I think it was a little too long and wish I had more time back in the hotel room this evening to prepare for tomorrow. I have my first judges interview at 10:20am, so be praying for me! There is a panel of 6 judges, and someone more than half of them have some connection to Georgia, so I'm going to remember to mention my roots of Georgia somewhere along the way! :) It will be interesting to see if people's personalities change once "game time" begins. Overall, though, I couldn't have asked for a better week already. I've done some things I've never done before, met women who I'll be lifelong friends with, and learned from each person something I never knew before. I've already become a better person from being here, and I'm so thrilled - whether or not I win - to have had the opportunity to meet each of these amazing women from their respective states.
Until tomorrow...
Blessings,
Alyson
Blessings to you and all the people you come in contact.
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