March 2002 5 & 10 km Volksmarch
La Purisima Mission State Historical Park, Lompoc, CA
Sponsored by the Central Coast Peregrine Pathfinders (AVA 876 / CVA 59)

Photo Gallery
We have posted a gallery of photos of the festivities.  Because there are so many, it may take
a minute or two to load, but it'll be worth it.  To go to that page, click here.

Usually the CCPP plans two "regular" or weekend long volksmarches. For March 2 & 3, 2002, we chose the La Purisima Mission State Historical Park as the site of our spring event.  The grounds were no stranger to us -- we had used them for a "Trailmaster's Choice" in 2001.  We usually gather twice a year at each of our year round events to walk those routes as a group.  To add some variety, we moved one of Lompoc gatherings to the mission grounds.  We liked it so much that we decided tho host our regular event there.

For 2002, the CCPP is offering the same patch at all of our events.  It features our mascot Pooter, the peregrine falcon, stepping outwith a walking stick.  In the background is one of the landmarks at La Purisima.  The Lompoc lettering is in red to highlight Pooter's presence there.
The primary route was a 10 km (6.2 mile) walk along scenic trails on the grounds of the State Park.  Besides walking through the buildings at one of the best-restored missions in the state, volksmarchers got into the “back” sections in the beautiful countryside.  This route was rated by AVA as “1+.”  Significant parts of the routes were on dirt trails and there was one brief hill.
A shorter route (approximately half the distance of the primary one) was available for those who preferred a shorter distance.  It lackdc the hill, but was also rated as "1+" because of the dirt trails.

New Balance, the official athletic shoe and sportswear sponsor of the AVA, provided a variety of give-aways -- including ballpoint pens, pens on a rope, bandanas, and luggage tags.  NB also provided literature to promote walking as a way to increase personal fitness and to promote the AVA.  The NB corporate web site is at http://www.newbalance.com
 

Event Registration Log (Hometowns of the Participants)

This event drew 118 participants from the following areas: Netherlands:  Terherne California: Agoura, Angwin, Arroyo Grande, Auburn, Bakersfield, Benicia, Colton, Corona, Cypress, El Cajon, El Segundo, Encino, Filmore, Garden Grove, Grover Beach, Irvine, Laguna Woods, Lake Mathews, Lemoore, Lompoc, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Los Osos, Manhattan Beach, Morro Bay, Murrieta, Newcastle, Nipomo, Pasadena, Paso Robles, Riverside, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Sherman Oaks, Solvang, Vandenberg AFB, Ventura Indiana:  Evansville South Dakota:  Souix Falls

Host Location Background:  Misión la Purísima Conceptión de María Santísima, founded in 1787, is one of the most completely restored missions of the 21 Spanish missions in California.  This is the largest and most authentic mission restoration project in the American West.  An earthquake destroyed the original buildings in 1812.  During the 1930s, the WPA and CCC restored many of the mission’s adobe buildings.  We set up the Start/Finish in front of the Visitor Center features information, displays, and artifacts.  The buildings gave participants the opportunity to step back in time for a glimpse of life in California in the early 1820s.  The park contains the church, shops, quarters, springhouse, cemetery, and mission gardens.  Special living history events are scheduled throughout the year.  On Saturday, docents (including three club members) dressed in period attire and explained life in the 1820s to park visitors.

For more on our host location, you can visit:
http://cal-parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=598  page on California State Parks website
http://missiontour.org/lapurisima/  page on a virtual tour of missions throughout the US
http://www.lapurisimamission.org/index.html  local mission website

If you have questions or wish to find out more about our club or about volkssports, please e-mail Bill Uttenweiler.
 
 

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May 2001