Walk – Nebraska Wander Freunde Trailblazers

September – October 2023 newsletter, plus a month’s worth of events

Our latest newsletter can be found here: September/October 2023 newsletter

And here’s a quick look at upcoming events for the next month:

Friday, September 15 starting from the Plymouth County Historical Museum in LeMars, Iowa, 10 a.m. to noon start times, 5k and 10k routes available, $3 fee. Dogs and strollers welcome on the trail.
Wednesday, September 20 starting from the Leahy Mall, 6 p.m. start of “How Sweet It is!” walking tour. Registrations have closed for this event, but email netrailblazers@gmail.com to be put on the wait list. No fee to attend. Dogs not allowed. Not suitable for strollers.
Thursday, September 28 starting from Tom Hanafan Park in Council Bluffs. 5k Group Walk starting at 10 a.m. $3 fee. Dogs and strollers welcome.
Saturday, September 30 starting from Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City. 5k Group Walk starting at 10 a.m. $3 fee. Dogs and strollers welcome on the trail.
Saturday, October 7 starting from Peak Performance in Omaha, 9 a.m. to noon start times, 5k and 10k routes available, $3 fee. 5k Group Walk starting at 10 a.m. $3 fee. Dogs and strollers welcome on the trail.
Saturday, October 14 starting from St. James Methodist Church in Bellevue, NE, 10 a.m. start time for 5k or 10k group walk. . $3 fee. Dogs and strollers welcome on the trail.

Now, for the fine print:

You must come 15 minutes early for all group walks to fill out paperwork and pay required fees.
Details, such as starting point addresses and walk ratings can be found on our website at: 2023 Walk Calendar

2022 Walk Calendar now published!

We have a lot of great walks planned for you in 2022 – take a look at them at the 2022 Walk Calendar page on our website. More walks are in the planning stages, so you’re going to want to bookmark this page and come back to it often. Our Year Round and Seasonal Walk page will be updated on January 1st to add Chadron, NE and drop Ogallala, NE as walk opportunities.

New this year: an option to print a brochure for certain walks so you can stick it to your refrigerator door or have it in another handy place. All brochures are current as of this date (December 17, 2021). If something changes and we have enough lead time, we’ll post an updated edition of the brochure.

Remember that club dues now run on a calendar year basis, so that means you have until December 31, 2021 to get them in. Want to join? See Become a Club Member for details.

Our Annual Dinner Meeting is Saturday, January 15, 2022 at Legends Patio Grill and Bar in Aksarben – 6920 Pacific St, Omaha, NE, starting at 5:30 p.m. The Italian Buffet is available for $15 for members and $20 for non-members. Save yourself a stamp and mail in your club dues and Annual Dinner reservation at the same time! Our mailing address: NWFT, P.O. Box 8147, Omaha, NE 68108

Our regular club meetings resume on Monday, February 7th at 7 p.m. at Morning Star Lutheran Church, 331 S. 85th Ave in Omaha, in the upstairs Chapel.

December 2021

Saturday, December 4th, 4 to 6 p.m. – annual Lights Walk at the Urban Abbey, 1026 Jackson Street in Omaha’s Old Market. Surface parking lots and parking meters are available in the area. Cost is $3 per walker. The Urban Abbey will have hot drinks for sale, while our club will provide complimentary cookies. Our host has asked us to support their mission with the YES Maternity Group Home by bringing diapers for sizes 3 and up. We’ll be offering “diaper shares” for a $5 donation. Donations are not required, but as always, are greatly appreciated. Register online using this eRegistration Link. MASKS REQUIRED DURING CHECK-IN.

Monday, December 6th, 7 p.m. – monthly club meeting at Morning Star Lutheran Church, 331 S. 85th Avenue, Omaha, in the chapel. After our speaker, a short business meeting will be conducted, including in-person voting for 2022 Club Officers and the 2021 Walker of the Year. MASKS REQUIRED.

–>Note about voting: The club tried a new (free) way to conduct on-line voting for 2022 Club Officers and the 2021 Walker of the Year. We’re learning that several club members may not have received the link to vote, due to their internet provider’s spam filters. If you are a club member and wish to vote on-line (rather than in-person at the club meeting on December 6th), first check your Spam Folders for the November 16th invitation to vote. If you can’t find it, contact netrailblazers@gmail.com and you’ll be sent the link to vote.

12/31/2021 – That’s when all club memberships expire. Look for your renewal notice, coming soon.

The 2022 Calendar of Walks and Events will be posted as soon as a couple of details get finalized. Saturday, January 22, 2022 at 9 a.m. at the Westroads Mall is the first group walk of the year, so mark your calendars now!

Late August 2021 News

Our club’s newsletter will be coming out soon, but here’s a sneak preview of some highlights:

Our next regular walk will be Saturday, September 11th at 8 a.m. at the children’s playground, Entrance 4, at Standing Bear Lake. This entrance is on N. 132nd Street, closer to Military than to Fort Street. In recognition of Patriot Day and the day’s commitment to service, we’re collecting food for Feeding America. Please be generous! No glass containers (they break during transportation) and please double-check expiration dates.
In-person club meetings have returned! Our next meeting will be the Monday AFTER Labor Day, September 13th at 7 p.m. We will still be meeting at Morning Star Lutheran Church at 331 S. 85th Avenue, but we will be UPSTAIRS in the Chapel area. The church is requiring all visitors to wear masks while inside. Our speaker will be a member of the Papio-Missouri NRD, speaking about area trails. October’s meeting returns to the first Monday of the month, October 4th.
The October 2nd Midtown Omaha Walk at Ahmad’s Persian Restaurant, 4646 Dodge Street has a time change. Check-in and walk-in registrations will be allowed from 11 a.m. until noon, with a finish time of 2 p.m. That way, you can enjoy a great lunch either before or after your walk! Save time by registering online at this eRegistration Link; just pay when you arrive.
The club’s Board has put together a set of Standing Rules – kind of like an operating manual for the club. Want to see it? It’s on this page, at the bottom.
Speaking of operating – please consider offering an hour or so of your time at either the September or October walks. Club President Steve will be asking for volunteers by email and at the September club meeting.

May/June Weekday Walk Schedule

The club has four “Weekday Walks” coming up through the end of June. All are free, none qualify for AVA/IVV Credit (book stamping). Look for the yellow sign with the letters “AVA” in black. Come a bit earlier than the walk start time to sign a waiver.

All of these walks are an easy out and back walk on a paved trail; walk as far as you’d like in the hour we’ve planned for this event. Most people can walk 3 miles in an hour’s time. Strollers and leashed dogs welcome.

These walks take place rain or shine, but we cancel in the event of lightning and/or severe weather.

Thursday, May 27 at 5:30 p.m. – Field Club Trail Walk
Thursday, June 10 at 10:00 a.m. – Iowa Riverfront Trail Walk
~~Thursday, June 17 at 5:30 p.m. – Kerrey Bridge Walk (starting from the Iowa side)~~ CANCELLED due to extreme heat
Thursday, June 24 at 10:00 a.m. – Kerrey Bridge Walk (starting from the Iowa side)

Walk #1 starts from the Field Club Trailhead parking lot just east of the Douglas County Health Center, 42nd St. & Woolworth Ave., Omaha, NE. Parking lot has a brown sign that says “Field Club Trail”.

Walks #2 – 4 start from Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park, just north of Harrah’s Casino in Council Bluffs, IA.
Directions: I-29 to Exit 53A, 9th Ave. West on 9th Ave. to Harrah’s Blvd. North on Harrah’s Blvd. to parking at the park. Meet at the end of the lot closest to the levee.

Update to May 15th walk

Our May 15, 2021 walk is located at Mahoney State Park and was scheduled to coincide with their annual Free Park Entry Day. Long story short, May 15th is NOT a free day and all vehicles must show an Annual Park Permit or purchase a One Day Permit. The club apologizes for this situation.

Nebraska residents pay $6/vehicle. Non-Nebraska residents pay $8/vehicle. You will pay this when entering the park. This is in addition to the $3 fee for walking, payable to the club.

Take advantage of the great forecast for Saturday morning, well-planned trails and the lack of crowds. Two routes have been laid out: an easy 5k and a more challenging 6k extension for the adventurous. Join us, starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday! If you want to sleep in a little, registration is open until 11 a.m., but you do have to be off the trails by 2 p.m.

May 2021 newsletter and updates

Here’s the May-June 2021 club newsletter, edited for the web. Club members receive the full newsletter immediately upon publication. Membership for the remainder of 2021 is FREE, so download the application and mail it to the Post Office box or email it to netrailblazers@gmail.com.

Sandy has a lot to say in this newsletter, such as having more spur-of-the-moment walks, like the one she’s leading next week on Thursday, May 13th at 10 a.m. on one of our new Seasonal Walks – the Wabash Trace. Meet 15 minutes early in the parking lot of the Iowa West Foundation Trailhead just down the street from the Tastee Treet at 13996 Wabash Ave in Council Bluffs. The parking lot is at the intersection of South Omaha Bridge Road and Harry Langdon Avenue. The Wabash Trace does ask for a $2 fee to be deposited into the fee box for each walker using the Trace.

Sandy isn’t collecting any money for this walk – if you’re a Credit Walker, be sure to stop in at the Tastee Treet after the walk to pay your $3 and get your book(s) stamped.

Or, register via the Online Start Box! Directions on how to use the Online Start Box are now on our website. The Online Start Box is really handy when you want to do the Omaha Downtown and Hanscom Park walks – no more driving down to the physical start box and then driving back to the places where the walks start! And of course, the only way you can register for the Veterans and Libraries Walk is via the Online Start Box.

Finally, club president Steve wants everyone to know that the Free Park Day Walk at Mahoney State Park on Saturday, May 15th is now offering 5k and 6k loops, an increase of 1 kilometer of walking. Also, the club will be collecting cash donations for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation’s Walk, Run and Roll event. There will be a donations box at the Start Table. Remember – if you register online, you’ll just check in, deposit your payment and take a map – in and out in 3 minutes or less!

Mid-March 2021 Updates

Our March-April 2021 Newsletter went out to members last week. What’s that, you say? How do I become a member and get all the news as it happens? Well, fear no more: until December 31, 2021, membership in the club is FREE! Fill out and send in this form without attaching a check and you’re all set.

The newsletter talks about “National Walking Week” which takes place from April 1st through April 7th, with April 7th being “National Walking Day”. We’ve got six, count them, 6 free walks for you! Since April 4th falls on Easter Sunday, we won’t be meeting to walk, but be sure to post any pictures of you (and family) walking that day on a special post on our Facebook page. (It’s not up yet, but you’ll know it when you see it.)

Free walks means no AVA/IVV Credit, so leave your books at home. Two of the walks have fees imposed by the locale, so be aware of those fees before you come. Also, COVID-19 protocols are still in place – that means masks while registering and when within 6′ of someone outside of your household. Arrive 15 minutes early to take care of paperwork.

All of these are 5k walks, except Downtown Omaha, which is a 6k. Families and leashed dogs welcome and all trails are stroller friendly.

Thursday, April 1st, 5 p.m. – Prairie Queen Recreation Area – meet in the SE parking lot closest to Werner Park on Lincoln Avenue.
Friday, April 2nd, 1 p.m. – Wabash Trace Trailhead at 4102 Harry Langdon Blvd, Council Bluffs, IA 51503. $2 per walker fee to Southwest Iowa Nature Trails Project, Inc. Out-and-back walk.
Saturday, April 3rd, 10 a.m. – Downtown Omaha – meet at Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge Street, in the Discovery Garden area.
Monday, April 5th, 5 p.m. – Walnut Creek Recreation Area – meet in the parking area near the playground.
Tuesday, April 6th, 4 p.m. – Lake Manawa Dream Playground – meet in the parking area. $5 vehicle entrance fee for out-of-state plates.
Wednesday, April 7th, 1 p.m. – Chalco Hills Recreation Area – meet in the south parking lot (Highway 370 Access).

With all this walking, you’ll be ready for our regular April 10th Bockfest 5k and 10k Walk, right? Details on our 2021 Walk Calendar page.