We hope you haven’t forgotten that the annual Stuttgart walk is rapidly approaching. Here is some information about the July 31-Aug. 1 event that was sent to us by club president Ann Reed:
“The Stuttgart German-American Wandering Club will host its 35th Annual International Volksmarch ... at the Heumaden Sports Club at Kemnater Strasse 50 in Heumaden-Sillenbuch (southeast Stuttgart).
“This is our fourth walk at Heumaden and it will feature new trails. The trails offered will be seven, 12 and 22 kilometers, with the shortest trail designated as stroller friendly (the 12k trail does have one set of steps). A Young Walkers category is offered for the seven- and 12-kilometer trails, so bring the kids. Start card sales for the walk start Saturday (July 31) at 8 a.m. and Sunday (Aug. 1) at 6:30 a.m.
“This is a weekend you will not want to miss. For details on how to find the Starthalle, visit the SGAWC website at www.sgawc.org.”
There will be more information on this walk as the date draws nearer.
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A few weeks ago, the Kaiserslautern Sunny Coyotes took a bus trip to walk in Vianden, Luxembourg. Helen from the Coyotes group sent us the following after-action report.
“The Vianden Walk was absolutely terrific! I will go as far as to say, it was the most beautiful walk. There was a fairy-tale atmosphere. The walk took you through hilly but historical streets along the bell tower, the Gothic Church of Trinitarians, the Cross of Justice (close to the church) the towered castle houses built for the nobility, the Church of St. Nicholas and the recently restored castle. This castle, dating to the Gallo-Roman age, has a spectacular setting and is now a museum, which we visited after completing the walk.
“The Vianden Volksmarching Group welcomed us with open arms and treated us as special guests. Upon leaving, we were presented with a a bottle of traditional nut brandy as well as coffee cups with their club emblem. These we raffled off to our group on the way home. The Vianden walk is one no one should miss.”
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When Bob returned from a recent trip to the U.S. with his two grandchildren, the journey was interrupted by thundershowers resulting in a 24-hour layover in Philadelphia. Not knowing how to keep everyone entertained while awaiting the next flight, Bob saw a sign for the USO center at the airport. As an Army retiree, he decided to check it out and was pleasantly surprised.
The travelers were greeted by several volunteers with open arms and welcomed to their family-oriented, home-like accommodations. There were sleeping areas, showers, play areas for children, computers, Xbox games, a big theater room for movies, a large dining area with free food, and, most of all, friendly volunteers who are there to help in any way they could.
We tip our hats to the Liberty USO at the Philadelphia airport. If you find yourself facing an unexpected delay in your travels, ask if the airport has a USO.
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Miscellaneous short notes about this week’s events:
• Sunday’s walk in Hochdorf, Germany, is a Stammtisch walk for the Stuttgart German-American Wandering Club.
• The walk in Asweiler, Germany, is convenient for walkers in the Kaiserslautern military community region.
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-kilometer routes). The seven-kilometer is flat, while the 14k and 21k trails are in the hills. With a start card, you’ll enjoy reduced admission to the House of Butterflies. To reach the walk, exit A23 at Gemona-Osoppo in the Trasaghis direction. Look for the sign to Bordano to the right.”
• The walks at Carpi di Villabartolomea and Barbarino Vicentino will have special meals for participants, but you must sign up for them when you get your start card.
E-mail volksmarch information to two.walkers@yahoo.com. Mail brochures to Bob and Lorraine Huffaker, CMR 460, Box 278, APO, AE, 09752.
