Taking A Long Walk

Today's adventures were all about taking a long walk.

The morning started with the final preparation match before Divisioning at the World Games begins on Sunday. We lost 3-1 to an Ireland team who was not as fast as us, but who was much more experienced. Nevertheless, we learned some important lessons and owned the entire second half. With some better shooting, we could have tied or even won. For the full story on the game, click on the "match reports" page on the sidebar to the right, or just click here. For more pictures, click here.

Larry Mills and Terrell Nowlin moving into attack

Brandon Chan in pursuit of an Irish attacker

After the learning that success at this level was going to take some more strength and learning (a long walk, if you will), the team spent some time this afternoon at the hotel pool. Trading the ocean waves for the calmer pool didn't have any affect on the good times, though, as you can see:

Then the evening was spent at Lindos, an ancient city even older than Rhodes. It has its own acropolis, less famous than Athens, but no less scenic:

There wasn't enough time to climb up to the acropolis, so the team wandered the streets and shops, trading pins with other countries' athletes:

Part of the Israeli delegation

This one is obvious.

Next, the entire population gathered to watch the Special Olympics torch run through town on its way to Athens. The team headed home after seeing the torch, and went to bed early before tomorrow morning's training session and the long ferry ride. But before they could get home, the guys had to climb the large hill leading out of Lindos:

The Long Walk

Our guys making the hike up

One day, two big hills, and a better team for it! Now, off to Athens! As it turns out, we'll be hot on the heels of the torch. We leave by ferry tomorrow afternoon, and are due in Piraeus, the port town of Athens, at 1pm on Friday. Unless the ferry has internet (which seems unlikely, since they don't even offer blankets or pillows), the next post will come Friday afternoon, once we have settled into our new accommodations at the Alexander Beach Hotel.