Cambridge Sports Union Race Walking Team
This racewalking-oriented club sounds perfect for those in the greater Boston area who would like to learn to walk fast or to improve their racewalk technique. The club meets every Tuesday evening for workouts year 'round. They sponsor other group social activities, including coordinating with the running section of the club. They encourage people to set goals and participate in racewalking events. Contact email is csurw@yahoo.com
The Cleveland Hiking Club
The Cleveland Hiking Club was formed in 1919 and is currently one of the most active hiking clubs in the country.
Based in Cleveland the club currently has over 700 members. They are not mall walkers. They offer all types of hikes from the 3-mile leisure walk up to the annual 40-mile hike which has taken place once a year on the first Sunday of May since 1924.
One of the members will be reaching her 50,000 mile which is computed only on club sponsored hikes. In 2000, another member will be attempting to walk her 40th 40-mile hike. This would tie the club record. Her first 40-miler was in 1953.
We have all types of hikes from road and city to trail and cross-country.
Anybody wanting a bimonthly schedule for the Cleveland Hiking Club can send a self addressed stamped envelope to:
The Cleveland Hiking Club
PO Box 347097
Cleveland, OH 44134-7097
Ken Howard
5510 Forest Ave.
Parma, OH 44129
440-884-6782
E-MAIL jsthestats@aol.com
Valley Vagabonds of Cleveland, Ohio
Who We Are...
The goal of Valley Vagabonds is to promote active interest in noncompetitive leisure sport events in which anyone can participate regardless of race, color, creed, sex or ability. Volkmarching was introduced into the USA through the military community and some clubs show this military influence. Our club is unique in that our founding fathers were active senior citizens. Our walks were often park walks and our awards depicted wildflowers and birds because of their interest in nature and proximity to the Cleveland Metropark system. We have continued this tradition and expanded our events to include bike events, year-rounds and weekday walks Our first bike event was in Kirtland in October 1992. Our Year-Round Event in Berea started in 1993. We also have YRE in downtown Cleveland and Markko's Vineyard, near Conneaut.
Our president can be contacted at BethF56@aol.com. The club webpage is linked to AVA.org website.
Valley Vagabond History
It was mainly through the efforts of Margaret and Galen Cooley that we began. Galen visited his son who was in the Army in Germany and participated in volksmarches there. He mentioned it to Robert Turner when he got home. Robert was in the army here and knew about volksmarching. Together they decided to start a club here. Georgene Ragone lent the club the $50 charter fee. Robert, an early officer, soon moved to Arizona and started a club there too.
In 1968, West Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austria formed the International Volkssport Verband (Association) the IVV. The first event in the United States was held in Fredericksburg, Texas in 1976 where the first club was formed. The American Volkssport Assoc. was formed in 1979. Our Cleveland club, Valley Vagabonds, was formed in 1980 as the sixth club in Ohio and the 49th in the USA. Today the AVA has 434 clubs. We were chartered June 13, 1980, incorporated in 1984 and recognized as a tax-exempt non-profit group under the AVA in 1990. Of our 82 current memberships, 15 have been members since the 1980's.
One of our traditions has been a picnic and Christmas Dinner. Picnics were held at Huntington Reservation in 1985 and Bradley Woods in 1986, but the last few years we have met in the Cleveland Metropark to walk our Berea Year-Round afterwards. The Christmas get-togethers were often pot luck dinners at Rocky River Nature Center since the Cooley's were VIPs (Volunteers in the Parks).
