WHAT IS VOLKSSPORTING? A
Volkssporting event is usually a leisurely
walk and sometimes a bike, swim, or cross-country skiing event through
a scenic
and/or historical area over a premarked route.
The events are non-competitive and the participants can travel
at their
own pace. Volkssporting is a great way
to meet new friends, a delightful way to exercise and an educational
experience. If you cannot walk 10
kilometers, walk as far as you can!
Who are the Empire State
Capital Volkssporters, AVA and IVV? Empire State Capital Volkssporters (ESCV)
is a Volkssporting club in the
Capital District of New York State.
Volkssporting clubs throughout the USA are non-profit
organizations,
which are members of the American
Volkssport Association (AVA)
(headquarters located in Universal City, TX). The AVA
provides local clubs with event sanctions, insurance, awards
and support to unite all the Volkssporting clubs in the USA. The
American Wanderer(TAW) is the official AVA
publication. The IVV is
the International Federation of
Popular Sports (Der Internationale Volkssportverband).
AVA
website is: http://www.AVA.org
What
is a YEAR ROUND EVENT (YRE)? – A
self-guided walk available most days. A
club selects a trail (route), draws maps, writes route
directions and sets up a permanent starting point. Walkers arrive
during stated
hours, obtain the “Walk Box” and follow
instructions—register, pay,
take map,
enjoy the trail. After the walk,
walkers stamp their own event & distance books.
SEASONAL
EVENT (SRE) – A
self-guided walk like a YRE, but only available specified months
(usually
Spring, Summer and Fall).
ONE-DAY
TRADITIONAL EVENT – An
event to be held a specific day and time period. Registration is
during a flexible period at the start point. Walkers register and
obtain a
start card, map and trail directions.
They follow the route at their own pace and return to the
start/finish
point before a specified time. At the
finish point start cards are turned in, stamped books and purchased
awards are
picked up. Trails are marked with streamers and arrows.
Checkpoints may be manned or may be
questions to answer on start cards.
GROUP
WALK – May
be in conjunction with any of the above walks.
It usually kicks off YRE and SRE’s. It starts at a
specific time
and is
just walkers who enjoy walking together.
There is no leader and each walker has a map and directions. Walkers can stay with the group or go on
their own.
GUIDED
WALKS
– These
are our
Wednesday Walks. There is a registration period and start time. The walk is led by a Trail Master and geared
to a pace of 10 km within two hours (20-minute miles). In the evening a
20-minute mile is necessary since the daylight window is limited. For morning walks the pace is usually
slower, since the time requirement is not a factor.
Maps are limited to the Trail Master and Sweeps.
Sweeps ensure that no one is left behind.
Walks are twice each Wednesday in May and June, three times each
Wednesday in
July and August and 9AM only in September.
How can I get started
Volkswalking? Our
club welcomes everyone
to walk with us; we schedule walks in every month of the year. The prime walking months are April through
October, since weather is more cooperative.
Check our schedule and just show up at the starting point at a
half-hour
before the starting time. If you are
new to walking, we recommend our Wednesday guided walks, during May
through
Sept, or a weekend event listed in our brochures.
What
is a NEW WALKER
PACKET? ‘IVV’
achievement
books, to record our walking achievements.
Each time you walk, a $3 a fee allows you to receive a stamp in
your
book as proof that you completed a walk.
A NEW WALKER PACKET contains
one book to record the number of events you have completed, another
book to
record distance walked, coupons for free walks, and additional
information for
new walkers. The credit fees help defer expenses incurred in designing
walks;
printing maps and brochures; plus sanction fees, insurance and
achievement
stamps. The New Walker Packet is
included in the initial membership fee for our club.
If you do not choose to join the club, the new walker packet
costs $5.
NOTE: PURCHASE OF THE NEW
WALKER PACKET DOES NOT INCLUDE
MEMBERSHIP IN ESCV.
What does Membership
in
ESCV include? If
you are BRAND NEW to Volkssporting, the
membership fee of $15 per single, $28 per family includes one
new walker packet for a single membership and two new walker
packets for a family. Membership
entitles you to a club patch, monthly newsletter, and voting privileges
in club
activities. If you are not new to
Volkssporting, or want to renew your membership in ESCV, the fees are
$10 per
single membership and $18 per family membership.
QUESTIONS? On
the web: www.ava.org/clubs/escv or
Contact Pat Rush (email:c.c.rushassociates@verizonnet)
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and mail to address below
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Membership
entitles
you to receive newsletters, club patch (Max. 2 per family), and voting
privileges at meetings.