The Stuttgart German-American Wandering Club will host its 32nd Annual International Volksmarch on Saturday and Sunday at the Heumaden Sports Club, on Kemnater Strasse 50 at Heumaden-Sillenbuch in southeast Stuttgart.
The SGAWC is proud to be the oldest German-American volksmarch club in existence. This is a new location for the club’s annual walk, and will feature new trails. The trails offered will be 6, 12, and 21 kilometers with all designated as stroller-friendly. A Younger Walkers category is offered for the 6- and 12-kilometer trails, so bring the kids. The march begins Saturday at 10 a.m. and on Sunday at 6:30 a.m.Walkers will enjoy the refreshing beauty of wandering through the woods surrounding Stuttgart with trails overlooking the Stuttgart International Airport and the construction of the new 806-million-euro Messe and International Congress Center. In the distance, the Schwäbische Alb can be seen gracing the skyline. The 12- and 21-kilometer trails will lead walkers to the foot of a famous Stuttgart landmark, the TV tower. The tower offers a most intriguing view of Stuttgart and countryside as far as the Alps and can be seen from various points along the trail towering majestically above the landscape. On the way to the finish, the trail will guide walkers through the nature preserve of the Eichenhain, with huge 150- year-old oak trees, as well as rare plants and animals. The 21-kilometer trail is a must for those up to it, as it will take walkers through the beautiful University of Stuttgart Hohenheim campus and its botanical gardens. The individual prize for this year’s march is a 2-inch-diameter bronze coin depicting the SGAWC hiking boot on one side and the Stuttgart TV tower between the German and American flags on the other. This is a weekend you will not want to miss. For details on how to find the start hall, visit the SGAWC Web site at www.volksmarch.com or www.tsv-heumaden.de/37.0.html.
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There is a second “must” walk this weekend in Bamberg, Germany, hosted by the Bamberg German-American Wanderclub.
The start is at the Bertold Scharfenburg Liebenshilfe School, one kilometer outside Bamberg’s High School gate. The distances are 6, 10, or 20 kilometers. The awards are B-medals, and I hope to get one of the mugs with a spread-wing eagle design. There will be live regional music on both days to enjoy while eating bratwurst, sandwiches and cake. For the kids, there is a nature quiz and games at the checkpoints with a surprise. To join the Bamberg German-American Wanderclub, register in advance for the walk, or to get more information, stop by the club’s office in building 7000, (Law Center) basement room 20, between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays, or e-mail motorads@aol.com. The club meets the first Friday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the Schuetzen Club 04 Gasthaus in Bamberg. If you live anywhere in the Bamberg area and want to get active in volksmarching, this is the club for you. Come to the walk on Saturday or Sunday, attend the club meeting the following Friday, or stop by the club’s office. Either way, meet these folks and you’ll soon be on the trails with an enthusiastic bunch of walkers.
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The Stuttgart and Bamberg walks sound so interesting, and the prizes so unusual, that Bob plans to attend both. The best part of the trip will be meeting club members and supporting their efforts. This is new walking territory for Bob, so if you see him looking kind of lost, come up and introduce yourself and let’s talk volksmarching!
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Thanks to the following people who contributed fliers for the chart: Tom, Petra and Maya Casarez; Manfred Dahl; Bob Gambert; Lew Harrison; Wayne Henry; Jan and John Jensen; Ramona and Horst Kechelen; John and Renee Kulick; Tim Lynch; Dave Miller; John and Patty Marsh; Phillip and Janice Schneider; and Ed Whitworth.
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Notes about this week’s events:
• Although the prize at the Fichtenau, Germany, walk is listed as a child’s backpack, the flier has a picture of a teddy bear. Perhaps the backpack looks like a bear, or maybe this is a misprint.• All of the Frankfurt-Goldstein trails take participants through the Frankfurter Stadtwald (Frankfurt City Forest). The Carl-v.-Weinberg-Schule is the start location for the 6-, 11- and 20-kilometer courses. • Walkers in the Kaiserslautern, Germany, area should note that this weekend’s walk starts in Glan-Münchweiler, located off Autobahn 62, and not another local town called Münchweiler. To take home the Weizenbierglas prize, complete the 5-kilometer, 10-kilometer or 20-kilometer distances, which begin both days 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. (finish by 3 p.m.).• The prize for the shorter routes at Dotzlar, Germany, is a five-piece condiment set in a wood tray. Those who walk the marathon will get a patch and certificate.
Please e-mail your volksmarch information for any country to two.walkers@yahoo.com. Please mail brochures, in date order if possible, to Bob and Lorraine Huffaker, CMR 460, Box 278, APO, AE, 09703-0278.
