Subscribe

There are some nice walks coming up this weekend. For one convenient to the Kaiserslautern Military Community, head to Drehenthalerhof, west of Sembach. The start hall, which is in the Bürgerhaus this year, opens at 7 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. You can start the shorter six- and 10-kilometer routes until 2 p.m. and the 20-km trail until 1 p.m. The hall closes at 6 p.m.

A little farther away, the walk in Asweiler is also convenient for walkers in the K-town area. It starts Saturday between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. until noon. A B-medal plate is the award for completing one of its five-, 10- or 20-kilometer routes.

Still farther is the walk in Sohren. Located near Hahn airport, Sohren appears to be about the same distance from Wiesbaden, Spangdahlem and Kaiserslautern. Any walk in the Hunsrück area is bound to be pretty.

Sunday’s walk in Hochdorf is a Stammtisch walk for the Stuttgart German-American Wandering Club. The start window is between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. Finish before 5 p.m. The prize is a B-medal drawstring bag. Look for the club’s blue flag.

Speaking of the Stuttgart club, its annual walk is rapidly approaching. This year it will be held July 30-31 and will start at the Heumaden Sports Club, located at Kemnater Strasse 50 in southeast Stuttgart. For details, visit the SGAWC website at www.sgawc.org. This is a weekend you will not want to miss.

The Heidelberg International Wandering Club will be taking a bus to Stuttgart July 30. To sign up, contact Dave Miller at beardedmaggot@yahoo.com, but hurry — the deadline for registering is tomorrow, July 15.

Some words of wisdom from Clark Soeldner, our Italian walking connection: “For me, the highlight of the Bordano walk is the dozens of butterfly-themed murals painted on the houses in Bordano (found on all trails) and Interneppo (found on the 14- and 21-km routes). The 7-km route is flat, while the 14- and 21-km trails are in the hills. With a start card, you’ll enjoy reduced admission to the House of Butterflies. To reach the walk, exit the A-23 at Gemona-Osoppo in the Trasaghis direction. Look for the sign to Bordano to the right.”

Clark adds that the walk at Barbarino Vicentino will have a special lunch for participants, but you must sign up for it when you get your start card.

• How would you like to spend Labor Day weekend with the Heidelberg International Wandering Club in Versailles and Paris? Planned activities include a walking tour of Paris, an IVV walk in Versailles and a visit to the Reims Cathedral. To sign up, contact Vickie Southworth at southworth_family@hotmail.com. Last date for full payment is Aug. 8.

• On his recent trip to the States, Bob did the permanent trail in Blowing Rock, N.C. It was a perfect day for walking, and the route took him through the Moses Cone Park.

Starting at Bass Lake, Bob walked around the lake and then up to the Moses Cone Manor House. With the first five kilometers being mostly uphill, this house was a good place to rest a while. Local craftsmen had arts and crafts for sale in the main house, while restrooms and water were available in the nearby carriage house.

After a sack lunch, it was time to walk the downhill five kilometers back to the lake. After driving back to the Blowing Rock Market, Bob completed the necessary paperwork and stamped his IVV books. This was one of two permanent walks in Blowing Rock, and if Bob attends his family reunion again next year, he’ll probably try to do the other trail. Blowing Rock is a quaint little town with lots of shops, B&Bs and restaurants. It is well worth a visit if you are in the area.

• A few weeks ago we did the volksmarch in Bad Kreuznach, Germany. At the first control point we ran into Nancy Shawley and two of her walking companions. As we continued together up one of the many hills on the course, we were passed by Cath and Rob Floyd of the Heidelberg International Wandering Club. The Floyds were walking the 20-kilometer route, so they only chatted a short while before they pulled away from the rest of us.

It was a real treat to see these volksmarching friends. The Floyds and Nancy frequently send walk fliers for the column and always have interesting stories about recent walks. We hope to see them again in the near future.

• Thanks to William Castro and Maureen McHugh-Castro, Michael and Michelle Connor, Cath and Rob Floyd, Bob Gambert, Richard and Donna Glenn, Wayne Henry, Ramona and Horst Kechelen, Tim and Luchi Lynch, “Pat” and Cheryl Patterson and Nancy Shawley for sending in those piles of fliers!

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

Sign Up for Daily Headlines

Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets from around the world.

Sign Up Now