Our state organization is the Texas Volkssport Association
(TVA). In addition to giving information about the TVA, their website has a listing of all the clubs in Texas as well as information on the upcoming events in Texas. They host the above mentioned WALKTEXAS email list.
To see pictures from some of the walking events I have attended visit these:
Reunion,
Habitat, or
Industry webpages.
If you would be interested in walking our 11K
Walking Tour of Waco,
visit that webpage for information. In addition to the information on the
walk, the website has pictures of the highlights of the walk such as the
Dr. Pepper Museum, the Suspension Bridge, and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame. This event is a YRE. It qualifies for the RiverWalk America special program because you cross the Brazos River (twice actually). I am currently working on my RiverWalk America book. For events I have walked for this program you can click here.
Volksmarches are leisurely walks. They are through scenic, historic, and
interesting areas over a predetermined route that has been checked for safety and walkability. Our walks are sanctioned by the American Volkssport Association
(AVA and the International Volkssport
Association.)
Our walks are non-competitive. Walkers may stroll, walk, or jog at their
own pace. I compete by trying to do an event in every county in Texas. Texas
has 254 counties. I have walked in 123 counties to date (05/2007). I have lists of where I've walked, and where I need to walk.
Counties Walked
and Places I'd
Like to Walk. I have even made up a
Map of Texas Counties. If you visit my "counties walked" there are more links to photo album type webpages of the events I've done in those counties. The places I'd like to walk has notations of upcoming events in those counties.
If you are a member of a Texas Club, I would greatly appreciate your visiting
my "Places I'd Like to Walk" and suggesting to your club the idea to host
an event in one of these counties.
Walkers are encouraged to keep record books of the events they have done. There are record books for events and record books for distance. For the $3.00 entry fee both books are stamped. The AVA also has special program books as mentioned above when I discussed my RiverWalk America walks. The special program books are also stamped for the $3.00 entry fee.
I have already completed the College Campus Walk Program. For a list of walks I did for that program you can visit here.
For a list of other special AVA programs you can visit here.
Walks similar to our tour of the Baylor University Campus and downtown Waco
are all over Texas (and the United States). These type of walks are called Year Round Events (YREs). There are lists of Texas YREs on the TVA webpage, the AVA webpages has event lists for all states.
If you are in Waco, there is a book called Starting Point in the reference section of the Public Library that lists over one thousand
such walks across the United States. I have planned great vacations around
doing these walks, and you could too. This book can also be purchased
from the AVA.
Texas Club Websites
The club that serves Central Texas (the Heart of Texas) is the Trotting
Texas Turtles of Killeen.
Two of the clubs that serves the Metroplex area are the Tarrant County Walkers of Ft. Worth and the Plano Walking Club of Plano.
Just west of Ft. Worth is Granbury and their club is the Hood County Hummers
Further west on I-20 is Abilene and their club is the Shoeleather Express
Down south on I-35 is San Antonio. One of their clubs is the Texas Wanderers
North and west of SA is Kerrville. Their club is the Kerrville Trailblazers. North of Kerrville is Fredericksburg. Their club is the Volkssportverein Friedrichsburg.
Out is east Texas is the town of Tyler. Their club is the East Texas Trekkers Inc.