“Volks-what?” is often the response I get when I mention the American Volkssport Association (AVA). The word “volkssport” is German for “Sport of the people,” and Germany is where volkssporting began. American military people who served in Germany brought the sport to the U.S. in the 1970s. And it has nothing to do with racing Herbie The Love Bug.
AVA President Colonel Heinz Johnson was kind enough to send me materials about the organization. The AVA has almost 300 clubs throughout the country and it hosts over 1,200 “group” events a year, and offers an additional 1,850 “self-guided” events. The majority of their events are walks of varying distance and difficulty. Other volkssport events include bicycling, cross country skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and row boating. It’s almost like a low-impact, fun mini-Olympics where you can choose any activity you wish to participate in!
Non-competitive & Family Friendly
AVA events are non-competitive, and family and even dog friendly. In an age where people routinely injure themselves in competitive sports or push themselves to the point of heart attack, I was intrigued to see what attracts people to the AVA. The answer surprised me. These are not events for the “I pik tings up and I put dem bak down” crowd, but for regular people to enjoy tranquil activity.
This past Saturday I attended my first AVA walk with their Windy City Walkers club in Frankfort, IL. These are about the friendliest people I have ever met, and one of the most interesting was AVA regular Phil S. He was about the best person a first-time AVA attendee like me could have met. As we walked along a beautiful, tree-lined trail immersed in the Illinois fall, Phil told me how he became hooked on volkssport walks around 25 years ago when he walked amidst regal, historic castles of a Teutonic fairytale land while serving our country in Germany. He also told me about many AVA walks he had taken in the Midwest and other parts of America. Phil has walked around the tranquil canals of Indianapolis, along Chicago’s Gold Coast and Lake Michigan, through beautiful gardens in Illinois, and in many other rich, vibrant locales.
One of the powerful benefits of the AVA became clear to me. Taking a brisk walk surrounded by wonderfully friendly people while experiencing the sights, sounds and even smells of a scenic landscape that one does not see often is beyond invigorating: It is mind-cleansing, spiritual and leaves you feeling great. It’s like yoga without twisting yourself into a pretzel.
Fun, Fitness & Friendship
Colonel Johnson’s materials said AVA events are about fun, fitness and friendship and I believe they are. What they truly provide in a wonderful fashion is a chance to take a healthy, energizing mini-vacation without paying the price of a Disney World all-day pass or putting up with long lines in the Florida heat and humidity.
With the communications barrage of our mobile phones, email, and Skype, the media is telling us that we are better connected than ever before. However, none of this technology brings us closer to nature, and may actually move us further from it. Contrary to popular belief the 2D landscapes we have as desktop wallpaper on our computers actually exist and can be explored in person! Imagine that!
Rediscover Yourself
Beyond the multimedia inescapably-connected universe we are submerged in, most of us are also inundated with an abundance of organizations; clubs; committees; job duties; and family activities pulling us in many directions. Finding the time to attend an AVA walk or better yet, join the AVA, may be difficult. But, it is exactly because of these demands on you that you should. The AVA may help you rediscover yourself… and real friends that aren’t half-inch square avatar photos on a screen.
If you have ever participated in an AVA walk, please tell us about your experience by commenting below–what did you like, enjoy, dislike, etcetera. If you know an AVA walk participant or AVA member, please ask him or her to kindly share their AVA thoughts about AVA walks with us.
To learn more about the AVA visit http://www.ava.org/
Walk On (for Fun, Fitness & Friendship)!
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I have always enjoyed walking and exploring the USA so AVA walks have opened many new sites for me. I can research places to see in cities, but many times, an AVA club has already done that for me, and even added little known sites to be seen, such as the northern most Confederate cemetary (Madison, Ws), the church where the original Liberty Bell was hidden from the British (Allentown, Pa), Paul Revere’s account of his midnight ride in a small Boston park, Molly Brown’s home in Denver, Co, and on and on, plus walks in parks to waterfalls, lakes, mountains, rocks. When traveling to a distant city for business or family, what better way to break up the trip and stretch your legs than to stop and do a scenic walk in an out-of-the-way place. You don’t have to complete the whole route as you can turn around at any time you want. (AVA does not have someone following you with a whip to make sure you do every step.) So check it out, you might just get hooked on walking. (Helen H from Texas)
Hi Helen – thanks for the comment. Most people plan their trips looking for the amusement park and outlet mall – what a great idea to plan to a AVA walk!
Also, thanks for mentioning the lack of whips! What makes walking so powerful is you do not have to be. Instead of “No Pain, No Gain,” walking is “No Pain and Plenty of Gain!”
I did my first volkswalk Dec 10, 1982 and have done more than 1100 events since. I agree that you see, smell, hear and share walking at my own pace with or without others. No expensive equipment is required nor do people judge you by your special equipment. It truly is fun, fellowship and friendship. And, from Japan to Poland, you can find events to do! Preston Johnson
Preston – that is an amazing number of walks! You are clearly addicted to the AVA – but this is one addiction that won’t land you in jail!
By the way, what fun is no expensive equipment – just think today newest, high tech exercise contraption can be tomorrow’s clothing rack!
Thanks for the comment!
My husband and I love to Volkswalk and have done so in 49 states of America and in parts of Europe, Austrailia, and New Zealand, and this winter will join a group exploring Costa Rica one step at a time. No better way to appreciate your surroundings! We are in our early 70′s and have been volkswalking since the 1980′s.
I was in Plano Tx several weeks ago and decided to go on a Volksmarch while there. My wife and I are trying to walk all 50 states. We are up to 28 in just 3 years. I had to take a taxi to the 7/11 where the walk started. Anyway I got into a conversation with the taxi driver on why I was taking a cab to a 7/11. I told him I was doing a volksmarch and explained to him what that was and that this was a great way to see new cities and explore new areas. He was very excited to learn about the organization and about the walk when he picked me up 2 hours later.
allow
Becky – My husband/daughter/myself have walked all 50 states once – special needs (16) granddaughter has walked/been in 45 states (the two hardest Alaska/Hawaii) and our (7) has walked/been in 25 states as of this date. She has Alaska and will get Hawaii in March. We 3 started walking in Germany in the mid 70′s while stationed there with the Army. My husband & I have many events and kilometers in our books. We both are now in our 70′s and enjoy walking and seeing different parts of our home state and other places throughout the US. We have participated in the past in the biking/snowshoeing/cross country skiing and swimming and have enjoyed participating in all of these events. Volkssporting is a great exercise and it is low impact on your body. The other great thing is you are exercising for yourself. We have seen dogs and cats on the walks over the years. This sport welcomes one and all and has our club says – bring your kids/grandparents/dogs/cats and join us for a fun event. My husband and I have 7 capitols on the east coast to complete for all 50 capitols. AVA has some fun special awards program that makes the walks more interesting and gets participants to go out of their way to get the special event. We have participated in Oklahoma county walks over a period of 13 years and completed all countries over Labor Day weekend. Now we are walking all Colorado countries over Memorial Day weekend (these events were three days with 6 walks in 6 counties for each state).
Becky – Your note drives home the point that the AVA is family (and dog!) friendly. Nowadays, was more activities in our lives, people seem to be driving and carpooling their kids all over the place for sports etc. It is great that the AVA remains geared to all ages and all activity levels. Walk on!
I started volksmarching with the U.S. Air Force’s Global in Panama in the early 80′s and continued some at Gunter AFB in Montgomery, AL with the same event. I had 3 events in my event book when I transferred to Germany in 1989; returned in 1994 having finished 350 events, including 5-6 marathon-length walks. To me, the greatest thing about volkssporting is that it is non-competitive, pretty much no time limte, and primarily NOT a fund-raiser. So many other walking, running, biking, etc events are fund-raisers for various organizations. Volkssporting is pure and simple about completion, accomplishment, and lifelong exercise, regardless of weather. Although I don’t presently have any ambitious goals for my own volkssporting, I always try to recruit new walkers to it so they can experience the enjoyment of the trail, the outdoors, and meeting any challenge of weather.
Teresa – Great point! There are actually walks where you do not have to be helping someone else, just yourself. Perhaps, if more people walked they might not end up with Diabetes or other problems where people have to walk to raise money for them!
My wife Joan and I joined the AVA about 8 years ago and wish we had started much sooner. Joan is 81 and I am 85. We are members of the Irving Startrekkers in our home town of Irving, Texas. We like best as we travel to pick up a YRE event in towns we have not visited before. Consistently, the locals who set up the walk take us to the best sights in town. Also, I’m a dedicated picture taker. So, walking at our own pace, I routinely take around 100 pictures. This way, we relive the event whenever we want to.
The most interesting places we’ve walked are Hawaii, New York City and Washington D C.
Bill – I love hearing your ages, and I would like to think all that the AVA has kept you “Trekking” (and I am not talking about sitting in front of the boob tube watching Star Trek!)
In the roughly 5 years I’ve been volkswalking, it has added TREMENDOUSLY to my life! It gave me the incentive to go to ALL KINDS of places I would have never seen otherwise. (Example: the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines is one of the most beautiful public buildings I’ve eve seen – who knew??)
And even in familiar places, it showed me some things I’d never passed – or never noticed.
My husband often joins me and we have definitely enjoyed walking together.
I LOVE the non-competitive aspect, the fact that the walks are laid out by people who really KNOW the locale – and that you can do as much or as little as you like. I had a bum knee (since repaired), but even in those times, I was able to walk some of the route.
Thanks for the comment – you are right about walking allowing us–even encouraging us–to notice what is around us. I think, walking allows us to really live in the moment, peacefully.
My husband and I have been walking Volksmarches since 1991. We started with a club in Orlando, FL. When we moved to Jacksonville, FL we found a wonderful club there also. Now we are in Cleveland, OH and even though the weather is not as nice we have found a wonderful Volksmarching club here also. One of the things my husband has done on several of his birthdays was to walk the number of K of his age. The last time he did it he turned 60 and walked 60K at Gettysburg, PA. There are three 10K walks there that do the battlefield as Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3, so he did each walk twice. I only did each one once. It was a wonderful cool day in June and actually wasn’t a hard thing to do. One of the things that we enjoy most about Volksmarching is that it gets us seeing places we might never otherwise see. We are always walking, but it is so nice to go, get directions, and follow a route someone else prepared to show off what is interesting in their town. We are working on our 8000K book and have had fun as we have done it.
I have been a member of the Cumberland Valley Lead Foot club in Chambersburg, PA since 1989 and still walking and enjoying as much as I did then….in fact, walking is my favorite thing to do! Walking the AVA walks takes me to areas that I would never see driving. I learn alot about the history of the town, etc.
Volksmarching is one of my favorite things to do, and I’ve been at it since 1993. I like the variety of walks, the feeling of adventure when I’m on a new walk, the conversations with other walkers, the opportunity to walk with my dog, the freedom to walk at my own pace and stop whenever I want, the relaxation and tranquility I enjoy, the lack of competitiveness and fundraising, the chance to get out and walk in a safe environment on a beautiful day with other like-minded people. I had a stress test recently, and afterwards the cardiologist exclaimed, “You’re HOW old? Well, there is nothing wrong with YOUR heart!” I credit my good health to walking so much.
I am a member of two clubs: St. Louis-Stuttgart and Illinois Trekkers.
You are crediting walking correctly! Study about study has shown that walking is a simple way to keep our body and mind healthy!
I have received these other interesting remarks from AVA members –
Thank you for taking the initiative to promote the AVA and volkswalking/sporting. Those of us who participate regularly have a variety of reasons for loving the sport and devoting time to creating and running volkssporting events. My club has put on walking events highlighting our city’s waterfront, the architecture of our sity, the features of our county, city and state parks, the history of different houses, communities and areas, the flora and fauna of this part of the country and some of the best kept secrets in our city, suburbs and surrounding areas.
AVA walks are also a great way to see the country. In a small town called Bucyrus, OH I saw two of the most incredible outside murals each taking up the entire end of a building. I have walked beside Lake Erie on a boardwalk and natural trail . I learned a lot about the development of Michigan’s education system in a small town called Mason, Michigan. I toured several old Spanish missions near San Antonio, TX. And I still have numerous states yet to visit.
Look into volkssporting. It is a great way to meet people, keep in good shape and see this great country of ours and even other countries. Above all come visit us in Baltimore!
Sue Kenyon
President
Baltimore Walking Club
http://www.ava.org/clubs/baltimorewalkingclub
We’ve been volksmarching since 1971 when we began in Germany under the IVV. Now we are in the AVA and have been since 1981but still remain affiliated with the original IVV. Simply put, volksmarching is great for exercising and as a social function. Just get out and walk! Great fun.
Jim Goeltz
Lastly – be sure to check out Sandi Latimer’s great AVA Walk Blog at –
http://www.sandlot.typepad.com
Volkswalking is a great way to meet new people and to form friendships. It is also a great way to explore the country. One can see many interesting sights from their feet than from their car seat.
Besides the obvious… exercise… which is so essential for maintaining excelleng mental, physical and emotional health for folks (volks?) of all ages, what the AVA (and particularly the Liberty Bell Wanderers group, of which I am a member), has provided for me is the opportunity to get out into the daylight with a bunch of really special people and just enjoy the day. I love learning the history of the towns and neighborhoods we choose to walk in as well as the countryside, particularly the canals, rivers and other waterways we visit along the way. I appreciate the laughter, the meals we share after our walks and in general the upbeat nature of the entire experience. We may not all agree on our politics or on other social issues of the day, but one thing we all can agree on is that these invigorating yet leisurely and educational walks are important to us on a social level as well as being a healthy way to spend an afternoon. I am so glad I joined! I have made many new friends who I truly look forward to seeing over and over again.
We love to plan our vacations around walking. AVA has provided us with the opportunity to see things we would normally not visit. Someone has taken the time to create a route that passes the highlights of a place. We are planning on walking in Hawaii in January.
Being a member of the AVA is part of what motivates me to stay in shape, both physically and mentally.
The sport of walking makes for a low impact cardio excercise, as compared to running (I have slipped vertibrate and used to run).
Walking with a group (I am a memeber of the Princeton Area Walkers – PAW) allows for the time to pass quickly and some interesting conversations to keep the mind sharp.
A majority of the walks have been developed to include local history. Being a history buff, I have used AVA walks as a basis for a vacation, learning many interesting facts and following through with additional walks and visits to the library.
There is the added benefit of receiving awards for your efforts. The AVA awards pins and patches for distance and events and individual clubs award pins, patches or certificates for completion thier events.