The warm January weather combined with rain has resulted in some very muddy and slippery walks. We can’t help but think that if the temperature were a few degrees colder, we’d have a lot of snow to deal with. I think we’d rather have the mud. Bob has shoveled enough snow this winter.
Remember, however, that snow can still fall in February and March, so keep the winter garb ready and your emergency snow kit in the car for a while longer. Be careful on both the trails and the roads to and from the walks and enjoy the winter landscapes.
• Marchers at Forstfeld, France, might want to visit the nearby town of Soufflenheim, known for its pottery. After walking Forstfeld’s 10-kilometer trail Sunday, walk through the shops in Soufflenheim displaying their pottery, usually painted with bold flowers. The hours to start the Forstfeld walk are 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., and you must finish by 7 p.m. Our favorite pottery store in Soufflenheim, the Graessel shop, is open 2-6 p.m. Sundays.
• For volksmarchers in the Eifel, Baumholder and Kaiserslautern areas, the weekend walk in Kleinich, Germany, will be convenient. The prize for completing this walk is a stuffed dog with a scarf and stocking cap. Make sure you visit Bernkastel-Kues after the walk and see this remarkable town.
• Sunday, we’ll be at the walk in Schinveld, the Netherlands. This is a very convenient walk and we like to see how the friendly Scottish Highland cows are doing. But deciding to go is still a tough choice because there is also a walk in nearby Tongeren, Belgium, home of the very popular flea market every Sunday morning.
Either place we go, with all the slipping and sliding on ice we did in early January, Bob’s anxious to try out his new Stabilicers from L.L. Bean.
• Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany, volksmarch update: The bus from the Heidelberg club is full, but if you’re from the Ramstein or Stuttgart areas you might be able to get on their club buses. Those in Ramstein can e-mail Gene Behrends at parrotdad@hotmail.com for information and reservations. To catch a ride with the Stuttgart German American Wandering Club, contact Larry Pettaway by at larry_pettaway@att.net.
In either case, you’ll need to be quick, because these seats will fill rapidly. This is one of the most popular walks of the year.
The beautiful town of Rothenburg has a long history as a tourist destination and volksmarchers love it, too. All three of the big American clubs, Stuttgart, Ramstein and Heidelberg, will be there, so it will be a blast.
If you don’t have a car and the buses are full, the start hall is a five-minute walk from the train station, so get there by train. We are sure you will fall in love with the city and have fun seeing it on foot.
• We send a million thanks for the efforts of the people who sent us fliers: Cath and Rob Floyd; Richard and Donna Glenn; John and Evelyn Golembe; Tim and
E-mail volksmarch information to two.walkers@yahoo.com. Mail brochures to Bob and Lorraine Huffaker, CMR 460, Box 278, APO, AE, 09752.
