Minnie on a Volksmarch in town

A Volksmarch is a "community walk," a tradition that was very popular in Europe where hundreds of people would show up to walk 10km or 20km walks around town or through forests and villages as they followed a marked trail. Afterwards they'd gather in a fest tent, eat bratwurst and drink liters of beer. I got addicted to volksmarching while stationed in Augsburg, Germany in the mid 1990s, doing sometimes 80km in a weekend.

Volksmarching isn't so popular here in the USA. Those who volksmarch here are former military personnel who picked up that tradition while in Germany. So when I found out there was a Volksmarch today at 7am-1pm sponsored by the Thunder Mountain Trekkers at the Elks Lodge, I decided to do it with Minnie. The hiking club had an event out at Cochise Head but that was a long drive I wasn't in the mood for.

I didn't get started until 8:40am. Weather was in the low 70s. The trail started on Willcox Avenue going east for a mile. It was well-marked with orange streamers placed at eye level. There were two check points at the two and four-mile mark with water. Minnie did very well considering she's normally offleash in the forest. Today she had to walk onleash in town. Traffic wasn't a bother for her, nor were people nearby. There just wasn't much shade. But as the day got older the heat started bothering her and I rested with her for 15 minutes at the second check point, where I chatted with one of the volunteers, Noel. He was at the Volksmarch the club held in February. I even recognized him and a few other volunteers.

While the walk through the northern and northwestern part of town wasn't all that scenic, I did enjoy walking on the multi-use path. I even got to see parts of town I had never been in before: the neighborhood just east of Garden and Phister Avenue. The homes there are small and old, but the neighborhood is quiet. I discovered a Buddhist Temple just north of Fry Blvd, too.

It took us 2:10 hours to finish the 10km. Minnie was at a good pace the first half, but we slowed down the last two miles when she panted most of the way.

The Thunder Mountain Trekkers host several year-round events in Bisbee, Naco, Benson, Tombstone, Fort Huachuca and even in Tucson. I may do a few of them now that the weather is cooling off for the dogs.