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• Today is the last day to sign up for the Ramstein Roadrunners’ bus trip to the walk in Thannenkirch, France, and still get their “speedy bird” discount. After today, regular prices are in effect, but it’s still a good deal. The trip is Aug. 15 and includes a visit to the Hunawihr Stork and Otter Center after the walk.

For more information, contact Gene at parrotdad@hotmail.com.

• If you are looking for a good walk this weekend, we recommend the event in Ebernhahn, Germany. The Wanderfreunde Ebernhahn e.V. club is offering trails of 5, 10, 20 and 42 kilometers. (They also have a 60-km route, but that required registration in advance.) The start times for the 5- and 10-km trails is between 6:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. The 20-km route cuts off at 2 p.m. The marathon must be started before 9 a.m. The closing time for all of the routes is 7 p.m. These times are in effect both Saturday and Sunday.

The prize is a small flashlight for the shorter routes and a colorful patch for the marathon. An added bonus is that kids under 16 walk for free. Ebernhahn is just off the A3, north of Limburg.

• Next Wednesday, Aug. 11, you will have an opportunity to do three IVV walks in one day. The WF Amerikaflug-Club e.V. is hosting three walks in three towns. They have staggered the starting times so the walks can be done in sequence. The first is in Waldalgesheim, and you can start the event between 7 and 9 a.m. The second is in Rheinböllen, with a start window between 9 a.m. and noon. The third is at the Forsthaus Landschütte outside the town of Daxweiler. Start time for this final event is between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Each of the events will have routes of 6 or 10 kilometers.

They are offering B-medal wine glasses at 2.80 euros. If you complete all three walks, they will also give you a free certificate for participating.

• We received a nice note from Bob Gambert and his wife, Ute Allinger, from the Stuttgart German American Wandering Club. They recently completed a 10-day, 2,300-kilometer road trip from Germany, through Austria and Slovenia, then to Italy and back. They did quite a few volksmarches — both regular walks and permanent trails. While in Italy, they were able to meet with members of the Aviano Roadrunners for a couple of walks. They did all of this in spite of the very hot weather we have been experiencing.

Ute and Bob, it sounds like you had a remarkable trip. Thanks for sharing it with us.

• Thanks again to the following contributors for going out of their way to send us fliers: William Castro and Maureen McHugh-Castro, Cath and Rob Floyd, Bob Gambert, Richard and Donna Glenn, Lew Harrison, Wayne Henry, Ramona and Horst Kechelen, John, Mary and Tess Laub, Tim and Luchi Lynch, Dave Miller, “Pat” and Cheryl Patterson and Nancy Shawley.

Miscellaneous short notes about this week’s volksmarch events:

• The walk in Mölschbach is very close to Kaiserslautern. The prize is a cup and plate set with a chicken and rooster design. Saturday evening there will be a festival with food and music, so you might make this a day-long event.

• Speaking of day-long events, the walk in Oberdachstetten is close to the town of Rothenburg o.d. Tauber. You could walk in the morning and visit Rothenburg in the afternoon. Rothenburg has a permanent walk, so maybe you could do two walking events. No matter how you do it, this looks like a good combination.

• Another walk that is not too far from the KMC is in the town of Hottenbach. Located near Idar-Oberstein, we’re not surprised to see that the prize is a stone mounted for display. This year the stone is a piece of red magnesite from their mineral series.

• The walk in Recoaro Terme, Italy, has a 6-kilometer family-friendly route. Their longer trails are in the mountains.

• The Ceresole Reale, Italy, event is in the mountains. The 6-kilometer trail is repeatable to get 12- and 18-kilometers.

• Expect mountain terrain at the San Francesco Val D’Arzino, Italy, walk. This is a very pretty area. The walk is in conjunction with a festival, so there will be plenty of food available after the walk.

E-mail volksmarch information to two.walkers@yahoo.com. Mail brochures to Bob and Lorraine Huffaker, CMR 460, Box 278, APO, AE, 09752.

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