Club News

July – August 2023 Newsletter

Our latest newsletter is available here: July – August 2023 Newsletter

Since the newsletter comes out on a bimonthly basis, you’ll want to stay informed on new walks and events as they are created. How? You have several options:

Just Announced! – Flanagan Lake 5k Group Walk

Walk one of the newest lake trails in the area at Flanagan Lake. Walk is on paved trail around this beautiful lake. Enjoy some unique benches to rest on as you walk. Please arrive 15 minutes early to register and start walking promptly at 6. $3 walk fee – exact change is appreciated.

Easy trail for strollers. Leashed dogs are welcome.

17401 Ida St. Take Dodge St. or Maple St. to 168th St. North on 168th to Ida St. West on Ida St. to entrance on your left.

Omaha Downtown Walk – OSB Only for a while!

Our Historic Downtown year-round walk is temporarily available only by using the Online Start Box method. The physical start box was thrown away by the new operators of the motel where the box had been housed for many years. We are searching for a new home for a physical start box, closer to the start point of the walk. We’ll also be rolling out a new route in mid-August, to celebrate the completion of The RiverFront’s vision of linking the Gene Leahy Mall with Heartland of America Park and Lewis and Clark Landing. 

In the meantime, please see the link on the AVA website to access registration via the Online Start Box. 

May-June newsletter, June Walks and looking ahead to September!

Our May-June newsletter is available here: May-June Newsletter  Remember,  only club members receive the full newsletter shortly after publication. Want to become a club member? Print out this application and mail it in with your payment.

If you get our “Trail Mail” e-newsletter, all of the following information will sound familiar. “Trail Mail” is open to anyone who wants to receive our irregular e-newsletter with updates on walks and upcoming events. Sign up via the website pop-up or send an email to netrailblazers@gmail.com.

Saturday, June 3rd, 9:30 a.m. start time for 5k and 11k Group Walk for National Trails Day. Seymour Smith Park, 6802 Harrison Street, Omaha, NE 68127
 $3 fee to walk. Leashed dogs are welcome. Seymour Smith Park at 72nd and Harrison Streets in Omaha will be the starting point of our exploration of the Keystone and Papio Trails. We’ll start walking as a group at 9:30 a.m.  Your choice to walk 5 km or 11 km on flat, paved trails, suitable for strollers and great for leashed dogs. Meet in the southeast corner of the big parking lot (the northern one) a few minutes early to sign the waiver and pay the $3 fee. This qualifies as a Volksmarch for AVA/IVV credit.

Saturday, June 24th, 10:00 a.m. start time for 5k Group Walk to honor Bonnie Christensen during Chuck Wagon Days. Adair City Park, 401 – 449 4th St, Adair, IA 50002

Join Iowa’s Walking Club in Adair, Iowa, for a 5K group walk and a chance to remember charter club member Bonnie Christensen. $3 fee for all walkers; this qualifies as a Volksmarch for AVA/IVV credit. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Adair City Park. The walk is being held in conjunction with Adair’s annual Chuck Wagon Days, and the park will be hosting multiple events.

The walk will begin promptly at 10:00 to avoid conflict with the Chuck Wagon Days Parade that begins at 10:30 and passes by the park. The walk will pass by an honor roll of Adair veterans who served in WWII, through residential areas, venturing briefly into Guthrie County and through downtown, past City Hall, and past the Methodist Church where Bonnie was a member and sang in the choir.

The park’s main entrance will be closed. From I-80 Exit 76, head north on 5th Street (White Pole Road) past the main park entrance. Continue north on 5th Street and take the next right (Stuart Street), then turn right at 4th Street to enter the park. Look for the blue and white Iowa’s Walking Club banner. Restrooms and parking are available in the park.

Monday, September 4, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Pleasant Valley Rock School House – 150 Year Celebration Walk, 3.7 miles SE of Table Rock, Nebraska on Railroad Drive/628th Ave

Help celebrate this one-room schoolhouse’s 150th anniversary by walking the route many children walked to and from school on the day before the traditional school year started. Lunch will be available with beer and brats, water, and polka music in beer tent. Walking sticks and bug spray strongly recommended due to the terrain. $3 fee for all walkers; this qualifies as a Volksmarch for AVA/IVV credit.

Take NE-50 S to Vine St in Table Rock, then take Railroad Drive for 3.7 miles to 628 Avenue. School will be on the right. More complete driving directions at https://my.ava.org/event-view.php?sn=124361

Regional Roundup September 15 – 17, 2023, hosted by GDMVA: Iowa’s Walking Club. See the flyer posted on our website for all details and walks and to sign up for meals and t-shirts by August 18th. Preregistration for the walks is NOT necessary. The host hotel for this weekend is Grand Stay Hotel & Suites, 2679 Rock Ridge Drive, Rock Valley, IA.

Friday, September 15, 10 a.m. to noon, Plymouth County Historical Museum
335 1st Ave SW, Le Mars, IA 51031 (part of the Regional Roundup)

The Trailblazers will host the walk in Le Mars, Iowa, the Ice Cream Capital of the World! You can walk this walk at any time during the Roundup, by going to the host hotel and registering, but we will be staffing the walk in person on Friday, September 15th from 10 a.m. to noon. Please finish by 3. The museum is open for visitors from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

2 More Group Walks – Just Scheduled!

Monday, May 8th, 5:30 p.m. – Lake Manawa State Park, Shelter 5 (no park entrance fee).

Meet at Shelter #5 a little before 5:30 to sign the waiver. Cost of walk is $3. You do NOT need to pay out of state registration fees as long as you park near the shelter. The 5K will be on paved trail and park roads. The 10K will be a mix of grass and paved trail. Leashed dogs welcome.

Directions to Lake Manawa:
I-80/29 Local to Exit 49, South Expressway. Right (south) on South Expressway to Veterans Memorial Hwy (US 275/92). Left (east) on Veterans Memorial Hwy to first stop light (E. Manawa Drive). Right (south) on E. Manawa Drive to stop sign where it becomes S. Shore Dr. West on S. Shore Dr. to Bass Road toward beach and playground. Right (north) on Bass Road to Walleye Rd. Left (west) on Walleye Rd. to parking for Shelter 4 & 5. Watch for yellow AVA sign. Shelter 5 is on the east end of parking lot.
If you miss I-80 Local, follow the interstate to I-29 south and take Exit 47. Left at the traffic light (Vets Memorial Hwy, 275/92) to E. Manawa Dr. Left (south) on E. Manawa Dr. then follow the above directions

Saturday, June 3rd, 9:30 a.m. – National Trails Day Walk, starting from Seymour Smith Park, 72nd & Harrison Streets in Omaha. 

Seymour Smith Park at 72nd and Harrison Streets in Omaha will be the starting point of our exploration of the Keystone and Papio Trails. We’ll start walking as a group at 9:30 a.m.  Your choice to walk 5 km or 11 km on flat, paved trails, suitable for strollers and great for leashed dogs. Meet in the southeast corner of the big parking lot (the northern one) a few minutes early to sign the waiver and pay the $3 fee. This qualifies as a Volksmarch for AVA/IVV credit.

Little Italy Walk – May 4, 2023

Grab your cameras for a historic walk through the Italian and Sicilian historical sites of Omaha, as the Nebraska Trailblazers take a walk to Little Italy.  You’ll visit historic sites including St. Philomena’s Cathedral, St. Francis Cabrini Church, Bella Vita and Santa Lucia Hall.

We’ll be walking as a group, starting promptly at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 4th. It’s best to arrive 15 minutes early at the Farnam Archway on the 11th Street Promenade at the Gene Leahy Mall (11th & Farnam Streets in Omaha).

There’s no fee for the walk. This walk is not suitable for dogs, due to the nature of the walking tour. Our hosts are providing genuine Italian snacks; although not required, please register by May 2nd here:  https://forms.gle/F5ANvMKfbnNaoDJy8 so that everyone gets a nibble.

April updates to upcoming walks

Now that National Walking Week is done (and it was great!), we’re looking ahead to our remaining April and upcoming May walks. We’ve got a few updates to share:

Saturday, April 22nd at Arrowhead Park in Neola, IA is Earth Day! Pottawattamie County Parks is waiving all entrance fees in celebration. Just bring your $3 walk fee, a hiking stick for the hills and insect repellent for grassy areas. If you’d like to stay after the group walk at 10 a.m., bring a sack lunch and a drink (labeled!) and we’ll store in the fridge for you. Complimentary bottled water is also available.

Sunday, April 30th is the deadline to register to receive a free t-shirt at the Saturday, May 20th walk in Chadron State Park in Chadron, Nebraska. You’re welcome to register after that date or to just walk-in between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. (MDT) – we’d love to have you, but you won’t get a t-shirt with that $3 walk fee. Register here: https://forms.gle/NfpBHvSHqRUrXjdA9

Tuesday, May 2nd is a courtesy deadline to register for the Thursday, May 4th Little Italy walking tour setting out at 5:30 p.m. from the Performance Arch at the Gene Leahy Mall (11th & Farnam). Our hosts are providing genuine Italian snacks and you really want them to make enough! Let them know here: https://forms.gle/F5ANvMKfbnNaoDJy8  There’s no fee for the walk.

Saturday, May 13th is our Mother’s Day Walk at Cunningham Lake, Entrance 3 (N. 96th Street). Show up between 9 a.m. and noon. The walk fee is $3. All mothers will be receiving a small gift. This is a great family walk, with paved trails and great scenery, suitable for strollers and leashed dogs, as well.

National Walking Week April 1 – 7, 2023

We’ve got a lot of opportunities to walk and socialize with others during the first week of April. Check it out!

Please note the March 29th deadline to register to attend the Orpheum Theater Guided Tour on Thursday, April 6th. All other events are walk-up events.

New this year: “Bring a Friend Day”! On April 1st, bring someone to the Bockfest walk that hasn’t walked with us before and we’ll waive the walk fee for your friend.

Saturday, April 1st, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Bockfest, starting from Max & Joe’s (Crescent Moon), 3576 Farnam St., Omaha, NE 68131  Parking available behind the Crescent Moon for $5 or use metered parking in the area. $3/person walk fee. 5k and 10k routes available. Register between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Bring a friend or walk on your own, at your own pace. Group walk at 11:30 a.m. Be off the trail by 3 p.m. After you walk, stay for Bockfest – beer and wurst and oompah music! Bockfest $2 cover charge not included in the $3 walk fee. You are responsible for your own food and drink purchases.

Sunday, April 2nd, 2 p.m.: Wabash Trace, Iowa West Foundation Trailhead Park, 13996 Wabash Avenue, Council Bluffs, IA 51503  $3 walk fee + $2 for kiosk/per person, payable separately, no change available. 5k GROUP WALK – Up for a challenge? 10k route available

Monday, April 3rd, 5 p.m.: OPPD Arboretum, 10600 Blondo St
Omaha, NE 68164.  FREE EVENT, 5k GROUP WALK

Monday, April 3rd, 6:00 p.m.: Spring Social at DJ’s Dugout, 777 N. 114th Street, Omaha, NE 68154. You are responsible for your own food and drink purchases.

Tuesday, April 4th, 10 a.m.: Walnut Creek Lake Picnic Shelter, S. 96th Street and Hwy 370, Papillion, NE 68046.  FREE EVENT, 5k GROUP WALK

Wednesday, April 5th, 5 p.m.: Chalco Hills Recreation Area, Hwy 370 Access, Omaha, NE 68138   $3/person, 5k GROUP WALK – Up for a challenge? 10k route available

Thursday, April 6th, 10 a.m.: Orpheum Theater Guided Tour. Meet at The RiverFront, The Canopies, 13th and Farnam Streets, Omaha, NE 68102. FREE EVENT  You must preregister for this event by MARCH 29th at https://forms.gle/3JWjEDkpiyFfxhT86

Friday, April 7th, 2 p.m.: Heron Haven, 11809 Old Maple Rd,
Omaha, NE 68164.  FREE EVENT, 1 mile GROUP WALK

The Soup Walk is coming up soon!

Soup cans headed to a food pantry after one of our walks

Saturday, March 4th: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church
15005 Q St, Omaha, NE 68137, Walk Fee $3

What’s a “Soup Walk”? We all bring a can of soup, mix it in a pot and come out with a fantastic mixture with extras going to a local food pantry! Oh, and we walk, too, rain or shine!

You can register anytime between 9 a.m. and noon, finishing the walk by 3 p.m.. Bring $3 per person – exact change or check, or Venmo. And of course, don’t forget the two cans of soup: beef or chicken for the pot plus one can for the local food pantry. After checking in, you can walk at your own pace and enjoy the sights. If you would like to walk with a group, come a few minutes early and plan to start walking at 9:30.  Dogs are welcome on the trail but not in the church.

The trail goes through suburban neighborhoods in the Millard area.  After the walk, stay to enjoy some of the great soup and get to know your fellow walkers.