 SMALL TURNOUT
FOR PISMO BEACH EVENING STROLL
Apparently evening walks – at least during
the winter months – are not popular with club members. Although the
Santa Maria walk discussed above was a success, a disappointingly small
group of four people came out for the February walk in Pismo Beach.
Maybe it was a good thing – by the time we got to the butterfly grove we
couldn’t see any. Maybe it was the heavy overcast that made the dusk
relatively dark. Maybe there weren’t as many butterflies this year.
But at the end of the pier the jack smelt were biting – at least for one
fisherman who had his bucket over half filled. (He said he was using
clams for bait, by the way.)
VOLUNTEERS HAVE SIGNED UP FOR EL CAPITAN STATE BEACH EVENT
We are pleased that so many of our members
have volunteered to work at our March 22 & 23, 2003, event at El Capitan
State Beach Park. It should be a GREAT event. The route will
take walkers along a trail between El Capitan and Refugio State Beaches.
This walk should be popular not only with club members but also with volksmarchers
from all over California. To see the on-line flier, point your browser
to: spring2003.html
WE SPOKE UP. . .
Bill Uttenweiler recently represented the
CCPP before Santa Maria city government. The Santa Maria Valley Railroad
(SMVRR) has decided to abandon several miles of track, starting in the
city and stretching several miles east and south of town. (Our YRE
in Santa Maria goes along the tracks briefly as it turns under the US-101
freeway near Allan Hancock College and goes east to the Hancock Park entrance.)
The Parks & Recreation Department (city staff) held a public meeting
in January to consider whether or not the property should be acquired for
a walking/jogging/biking trail or some similar use. In February the
Parks & Recreation Commission (appointed representatives of the city
council) held a similar session. Bill attended both meetings and
spoke up on behalf of our club . He encouraged the city to obtain
the property (which is already zoned for recreational uses including a
walking/jogging/biking path) now so that development could take place later.
Some opposition came from agricultural groups, who would like to purchase
the land to add it to the dozen or so neighboring farms and who are concerned
about people walking in the area. We will let you know when the city
decides what to do.
 FIRST
ORDER FOR “STARTING POINT” ON THE WAY
At the request of our members and friends,
we have already ordered seven copies of “Starting Point.” This book
contains details on all 1,400+ year round events held in the USA.
In case you wanted one but waited too long, don’t despair. We can
place another order. The price is $15. We will deliver the
books either in person or by mail when they arrive. The AVA web page
with details, should you care to look at it, is: http://www.ava.org/yrebook.htm.
Club members can pay when they receive the book. Others should send
a check to:
CCPP
419 E Via De La Cruz
Santa Maria, CA 93455-1314
BVV VOTES TO DISBAND
We are sad to report that the Big Valley Vagabonds,
the first club to sponsor walks in what is now CCPP country, voted on February
24, 2003, to disband. Although the Fresno-based club continues to
have a core of members who enjoy walking and socializing together, the
group has “burned out.” The vote, with one dissent, will take effect
on June 30, 2003 (the end of their club year). In preparation for
that event, the BVV will transfer all of its Year Round Events to the CCPP
on April 1, 2003 (after they submit the first quarter’s report).
This means that the CCPP will assume responsibility for the following events:
San Luis Obispo, Lemoore, Visalia, Fresno Downtown, Fresno Fig Garden,
Merced and Mariposa. The CCPP is offering free membership in our
club for the rest of our club year (until June 30, 2003), for any BVV members
who wish to transition to this group.
BUT NEW CLUB FORMING IN PASO ROBLES
Happier news comes from our own northern reaches.
Sue Marks of Paso Robles has decided to form a volksmarch club! Sue
learned about volksmarching while preparing for last year’s Avon 3-Day
Breast Cancer Fundraiser (she walked in San Francisco). After that
she checked out several volksmarching web sites (including ours) and did
several YREs (including several of ours). Sue loves walking and has
encouraged some of those she knows through Weight Watchers. She had
groups of over a dozen to our YREs in Los Osos and Pismo Beach in February
and the group decided to form a new club. They have tentatively chosen
the name “SLO Soles.” We have offered to assist the club in getting
started in any way we can. We’ve offered to donate $50 to help them
pay the AVA new club registration fee and stand ready to offer any advice/assistance
we can.
MORE OUT OF STATE RESIDENTS COMPLETE CCPP EVENTS:
Arizona: Surprise (L, S, SM,
PB)
Colorado: Boulder (PB)
Maryland: Cantonsville (PB)
Oregon: Milwaukie (S, SM), Portland
(PB)
Upcoming Walks
* March
8 & 9, 2003 - Thousand Oaks, CA. Our sister club to the
south, the Channel Islands Volkssporters (CIV), will host a walk in beautiful
Thousand Oaks (southern Ventura County). Will we be there?
You bet we will.
* March 22 &
23, 2003 - El Capitan State Beach, CA. We will host a weekend
event along the trail connecting El Capitan and Refugio State Beaches.
It should be a beautiful route along the Pacific Ocean! Be sure to
arrive between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon either day. "Group Walks"
will start at 9:00 a.m. each day for those who gather at that time.
* April 5 - Lompoc
YRE
* April 19 -
Carpinteria YRE
* May
2, 3 & 4 - CVA Convention in Stockton
* May 17 - Solvang
YRE |
