Arline LaMear

In her spare time, Astoria City Councilor Arline LaMear and her husband Cliff are involved in the international sport of volkswalking. Walks are usually 10K and must be sanctioned by the American Volkssport Association. Arline, who is also the president of the Turnaround Trekkers Volkswalk Club, has walked in all 50 states, all 36 Oregon counties and all but one of the Canadian provinces. She plans to complete the province of Newfoundland next summer. If you’re interested in learning more about the sport, the AVA Web site has lots of information, or you can contact Arline at alamear@astoria.or.us

To make the sport more interesting, the AVA and state organizations have developed special challenges. This involves doing 20 to 30 events to fulfill the challenge. Here are Arline’s five favorite special event challenges.

Walking the U.S.A.

This challenge required me to do an event in locations from A (Astoria) to Z (Zillah, Wash.), completing every letter of the alphabet. The most challenging was the letter X. A friend and I actually flew to Xenia, Ohio, to do the only sanctioned “X” walk in the United States. We posed for a photo under the large “X” on the Xenia Railroad Station.

College Campuses

College campuses are some of my favorite places to walk. On this challenge, I earned an associate’s degree after walking five events, a bachelor’s after 10, a master’s after 15 and a Ph.D. after 20 events. I completed an additional 20 events to become a “Roads Scholar.” Some of my favorite walks included Princeton University, Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., Antioch University in Ohio and the Willamette University and Lewis and Clark campuses in Oregon.

State Parks

My favorites were all in the Pacific Northwest – Camano Island, Deception Pass, Silver Falls and Fort Rock. Fort Rock is a volcanic crater, one side of which has been eroded away by wind. To approach this massive arc in the middle of a flat plain is truly awe-inspiring. As you walk along the crater walls, it’s easy to imagine the prehistoric Indians who lived here 10,000 years ago and whose sagebrush sandals were found in a cave nearby.

Oregon’s 36 Counties

What a great way to get to know all the regions of our wonderful state! I enjoyed every walk in this challenge. There were old courthouses, pioneer churches, historic homes, covered bridges and vineyards complemented by beautiful new library/community center complexes and landscaped city centers. I came home with lots of photos and ideas for Astoria!

Walk Oregon Namesakes

This challenge involved walking in cities in Oregon with a corresponding name in another state. Did you know there’s an Astoria in Illinois, a Pendleton in Indiana and a Portland in Colorado? Neither did I until I completed this challenge.