It was a very nice week-long break for Carnival. We were able to do four volksmarches and hit a couple of flea markets and thrift shops. We were pleased to see that the Sunday flea market in Tongeren, Belgium, has expanded to an underground parking garage. The cold weather kept some of the areas empty, but when the weather warms up, the flea market should be bigger than ever. It’s open every Sunday morning, so you have to go at least once to check it out.
A really nice Belgian walk can be found in Trois-Ponts this weekend. This town is in the middle of the Ardennes and packed with Battle of the Bulge history. The area is hilly and heavily forested, but very pretty.
Baseball season is rapidly approaching and if you find yourself in France Sunday, you might be able to do a volksmarch doubleheader. The walks in Neufgrange and Wimmenau are only about 50 kilometers (about 30 miles) apart.
Ready for some almost-spring cleaning? Why not see if you have an old volksmarch prize or two in the closet that you can donate to the Heidelberg International Wandering Club for their Kiddie Volksmarch. If you come across something that you want to donate, contact Rob Floyd at hiwc@yahoo.com.
On a sad note, volksmarching lost an enthusiastic ambassador, and many of us lost a dear walking friend with the passing of Dr. Nancy Shawley. We fondly recall the first time we walked with Nancy at Limburg, Germany, and how we had a hard time keeping up with her. Now we are faced with the emotional challenge of maintaining her passion for volksmarching. Many of us will miss her smile, but she will still be with us in spirit as we walk in Europe.
We noticed a reminder posted by a reader at stripes.com that volksmarchers can keep their IVV books after they leave Europe and return to the States. The American Volkssport Association (ava.org) accepts IVV books in any language as credit toward event and distance awards. In fact, we stole an idea from buddy Clark Soeldner and are completing IVV books from countries across Europe. We recently filled IVV books from Italy and are now working on Austrian books.
Email volksmarch information to two.walkers@yahoo.com. Mail brochures to Bob and Lorraine Huffaker, CMR 460, Box 278, APO AE 09752.
