I'm Published in Escapees magazine!! - Fri., April 29, 2016

As a writer, the mantra is "Write what you know." And wouldn't you know it? I wrote an article about Volksmarching and Escapees magazine accepted it. Look for "Let's Take a Walk" on page 31 in the May/June 2016 issue. I'm beyond excited, into exhilarated, and supremely proud of myself. I already have ideas for two other articles.

All of you who read my blog know how much I love to walk. There were three motivating factors for writing this article now:

1. The weekend of June 10-12, 2016, is the 40th anniversary of the American Volkssport Association which was started in Fredericksburg, Texas. Multiple Volksmarches will be offered by the Texas Volkssport Association, including one walk that will follow the route of the very first Volksmarch in the U.S.
2. I am the Publicity Chair of the Randolph Roadrunners Volksmarch Club in Universal City, Texas, and I told our Regional Director I would write an article about the event, and
3. Our Southwest Regional Director Susan Medlin asked me if I had written the article yet and I hadn't. The magazine deadline was looming. I took a day on our Las Vegas trip and banged out the article, getting it in just before midnight on deadline day. (Thanks, Susan, for the push. I needed it.) By the way, she is the one who took the photo of Bob and I at Lost Maples that is in the article.

Anyway, for your health, get out and walk. Take photographs if you're so inclined. Enjoy the fresh air; find waterfalls, gardens, murals, pretty neighborhoods, bird watch, see wildlife, make new friends, walk through festivals, capitals, and flower fields--those types of walks are available for everyone.  If you're full-time RVers, you can find Volksmarches all over the U.S., and the world for that matter. The best thing is, the walks are non-competitive - you complete them at your own pace.

Here are a few favorite photos from some of our Volksmarches around the U.S.:

Hidden Falls, Cascade Canyon, Grand Tetons

One of three moose we saw: Cascade Canyon, Grand Tetons

Cascade Canyon Volksmarch: Grand Tetons N.P.

Mt. Washburn Volksmarch, Yellowstone N.P.
(Taken in 2012 when there was a large wildfire in Idaho)

Bob and I, Law Library in Des Moines, Iowa
State Capital

Madison, Wisconsin State Capital

Indianapolis Capital Volksmarch - a random mural

Having Volksmarched for 20 years, I have earned pins and badges for the distance and number of events I have done. Here is a photo of my pins. I don't have the badges on display yet.

If you're an Escapee, or even if you're not and can get your hands on the magazine, read the article and tell me what you think. I hope it inspires you to get out on some walks. RVing and Volksmarching go hand in hand and give you destinations and goals for some of the places you may be visiting.

To find events anywhere in the United States, go to ava.org. Click on the "Events" tab at the top of the page. On the drop down box, click "Search Events." If you just enter the state and click the "Search" button, it will pull up all the Volksmarches in that state in alphabetic order by city or National Park, and will give the dates you can do the walks. Click on the city and Volksmarch you want to know more about and it will take you to a page with the information for that walk.

For more in-depth information about what Volksmarching is and how to get started:
On the ava.org home page, click on the "About Us" tab at the top of the page. From the drop down menu, choose "What We're About" and after you've read that, you can read "Let's Get Started." That will give you the basics.

Then take those first steps on a new adventure. See you on the trail?

The South Strip and Family Time - Fri., Mar. 11, 2016

When the weather is nice Las Vegas is a great place to explore. This morning was overcast and just the right temperature. Bob, his son Randall, and I decided to do a 6k (3.8 mile) Volksmarch on the South Strip. (If we didn't have family obligations, we would have done the 11k option.)

Our walk start point was the Starbucks at the Westin Hotel on Flamingo Ave. After signing in and picking up the walk instructions, we headed out the door and saw the High Roller Ferris Wheel. (We didn't have time to ride on it this morning.)

Randall and Bob in front of
High Roller Ferris Wheel

The South Strip 11k Volksmarch goes through most of the casinos on the South Strip all the way from Bally's/Bellagio to Mandalay Bay. However, due to our time constraints, we opted for the 6k which took us south as far as the Cosmopolitan. We got to do lots of window shopping in the casino shop areas including the Miracle Mile.

Sculpture outside of the Paris casino

Indoor shopping

Indoor Showgirl Bar

Bull escaping Rock Bar & Grill

High-class shopping area: YSL, Prada, Fendi, Vuitton

The Aria

 

Ceiling to floor crystal beads in The Cosmopolitan

Bedazzled by crystals

Everyone wanted their photo taken in the hot red high heel. I had to take someone else's photo then wait to have Bob take mine.

Me and Bob on the South Strip in Las Vegas

Paris from The Bellagio

Chihuly art glass ceiling in Bellagio's lobby

Bellagio Conservatory -
Current theme: Chinese New Year

Bellagio Conservatory

Bellagio Registration Lobby

Bally's and Paris

After we finished our walk, Bob and I went back to the 5th wheel to shower, then headed over to Laura's house to meet up with the rest of the family.

Bob's sister, Laura, and brother Steve

 Here we are...working on photo boards.

Steve, Louise, me

I'm adding captions to photos

Randall and Bob

Louise and me

Steve, Kristin, Tom

Steve, Kristin, Rosemarie

For dinner we had pizzas by Costco and salads. It was a good evening with family.

Writing for Real! - Thurs., Mar. 10, 2016

Today was devoted to writing an article for Escapees magazine (an RV club magazine) on Volksmarching. The deadline for the May/June issue is today. Nothing like a deadline to motivate a writer!

The reason this article is time sensitive to the May/June issue is that June 2016 is the 40th anniversary of Volksmarching in the United States. The very first U.S. Volksmarch was in June 1976 in Fredericksburg, Texas. In honor of that anniversary, a Volksmarching weekend will be held in Fredericksburg this June 10-12. The original U.S. Volksmarch will be replicated as one of the walks that weekend.

I skipped all family festivities today. It took me until three minutes to midnight to finish the article and choose the photos, but I submitted it on time!

[Update: Editorial assistant Kelly from Escapees magazine emailed me to say my article is in the mix for consideration in the May/June issue. Then today, I received another email that they need me to sign the licensing agreement and email it back to them because they don't accept digital signatures. Keeping my fingers crossed that my article will be published in full!]

In addition to that, I received an unexpected email from a gentleman who asked permission to use one of my photos in a book he's writing. It will be published next year. The book is about the history of helium production in the U.S. I will receive photo credit and a free copy of the book.

Wow! Feeling really good about all this!

Of course many writers would be lost without their cat companions. Here are mine...

Sunnie and Bowie