Friday, December 19, 2003

HOLIDAY GREETINGS TO ALL

To all our members and friends may I offer a healthy and fun filled holiday season to you and your families.

Happy trails to you....
Until.. we meet.......... again


The Atlantic Area Director Lynnda Kanne has sent Holiday Greetings to all in Cape Breton.

WebSite UpDates:

Phil Irons our Past President and now our Web Person has been working on our website. He has updated the Calendar of Events for 2004.
There is a great deal of work to put a site together plus the input of the Calendar of Events, A very special Thanks to Phil for this work and putting up with my over blown e-mails.

Heather McDougall from the Recreation Dept has informed me that the Island Hoppers will be featured on the
CBRegional website; hopefully this will give us a little more exposure to the community.

Our friends Jacques Cote and Micheline Guillot from the crosscountry ski club at Ski Ben Eoin continue to send out a newsletter about the activities at Ben Eoin.
Please contact Jacques Cote if you would like more info about crosscountry skiing.
Micheline and Jacques are also involved with a new bicycle club and if your interested please check the CBRM webpage.

Trails Coordinator (Trail Master)

A very Special Thank You to Bill Boutilier and the trails committee for producing the Events for 2003. This has been a very successful year, some very special new walks and several new members.
We owe Bill a great deal for the work he has been doing for the upcoming Events in 2004 and Bill has many more new Trails he plans to present to us for 2005.
If you have an Event you would like to present to the club for 2004 or 2005, please contact Bill at 727-2250 or email:

Bill&Shirley Boutilier

The Thanksgiving Weekend in October 2004 has not been booked for any events, if you have a suggestion for a some walking events at this time we look forward to hearing from you.

Nominations for Executive Positions:

If you would like to nominate a club member for a position on the executive or you would like to volunteer please contact the Vice President Shirley Boutilier who has volunteered to look after nominations at 727- 2250 or email:

Bill&Shirley Boutilier

Discover Atlantic Canada:

The Atlantic Region's Guide to Year Rounds/Seasonal Events & Guided Walks 2004 is available @ $1.50/book by contacting the club president Rollie at: bretonhoppers@hotmail.ca or pick up your copy at the clubs annual meeting from the treasurer Elsie Buck. Elsie will also collect your Annual membership ($10.00/pers or $25.00/family) at the same time.

Friday, November 28, 2003

Schedule of Events for 2003

Our scheduled Guided Walk Events (GW) have been completed for this year 2003, however we still have Five (5) year round events (YRE's) that you and a friend can do at your own pace and whenever you want before the end of this year. If you haven't stamped your Event and Distance Books for this year there's still plenty of time to do so, the weather is great for walking, the stamps are still in place at the different locations, so grab a friend and get some exercise before the snow arrives.

Where are The Start Points for the YRE's?

(1). Sydney, Cambridge Suites on the Esplanade, ask for the Walk Box at the Front Counter.

(2). Glace Bay, 364 York Street, Walk Box is located at the top of step, Front Entrance.

(3). Louisbourg, Pecks Store, Wolfe Street, Walk Box is Located in the store near the videos.

(4). North Sydney, Clansmen Motel, Peppett Street, Walk box is at the Motel registration desk.

(5). Baddeck, Telegraph House B&B/Motel Chebucto Street, ask for the Walk Box at the registration desk.

If you have any questions on these events please do not hesitate to contact Rollie or the Points of Contact for each event. The clerks and cashiers at the SP(s) are not responsible for these events; The oweners of the venues have kindly provided the space at no charge to our organization.

Webspace and Links:

The CBRM will be providing us with some space on there site very shortly, hopefully this will give us more exposure to the community.

The Cape Breton Island Hoppers, Walking for Fun, Fitness and Friendship!

Tuesday, November 18, 2003

More News From our online 'Heel and Toe' News!


ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2004

Where: Sydney Radar Base, Lingan Road
Schooner Curling Club, Military Road

Time: 2:00pm

When:SATURDAY, January 17th, 2004

Purpose: General Election of Club Executive --- President, Vice president, Trails Cooridinator, Secretary, Treasurer and selection of Walk and Ways/Means Committee.
General discussions of IVV & CVF policies, rules and regulations; our own policies and regulations.
Briefing on trails and schedule for 2004 and future plans for 2005.
Bring a new idea/request for a particuliar trail in 2005 or we may try and squeeze it into our 2004 schedule.

Come out and support YOUR club.


FUNDY NATIONAL PARK 2004

The Dartmouth Volksmarch Club will be hosting 6 walk events at Fundy National Park on the Labour Day weekend:

Friday, Sept. 3rd until Monday, Sept. 6, 2004

Contact Person(s): Lionel and Lily Conrod, 17 Benview Avenue, Dartmouth NS B2Y 1W6
Telephone 902-466-4421
Email: ag583@chebucto.ns.ca

Bill and Betty Mayo, 268 Acadia Ave. Unit 148, Dieppe NB E1A 6T2
Telephone: 506-854-4437 (home)
506-532-5011 (cottage)

A brochure for these events will be made available at our AGM on the 17th of January 2004 or you can contact Rollie now to make arrangements to receive a copy before the Annual General Meeting.

McKeigan Rd/Mira Public Pastures

A nice sunny fall day with a cool wind at our backs proved to be a very successful walkabout for our last GW for 2003. There were 27 walkers on this event, three of our newest members came along for the walk and all indications are that they will be back. They were very excited about our awards program and the Mira Pastures were a great introduction to volkssporting.
The end of the trail at Mira Pastures and the walk up the hill to the doppler radar site have a wonderful view of the Mira area, again it proves that while driving in your car across our Island, you miss some of the best areas of Cape Breton.

Volksmarchers Walk For The Health It!

Tuesday, November 11, 2003

SNOW ON THE TRAIL!!!

What more could you ask for but snow on a cross country ski trail; the happiest people on the trail were Jacques, Micheline and Sinclair as we headed out on to the trails at Ski Ben Eoin for a 10Km walking tour of the different xc trails.
Jacques Cote our Walk Leader (in this case our Task Master) ensured that we started the walk at 13:00h (1:00pm) as per Volkssport rules; Micheline and Sinclair took turns at the rear to make sure we all kept up and didn't go astray on the numerous trails.
We followed the trail up the East Bay Hills, a steady, slightly challenging climb that culminated with several good views of the Bra D'or Lakes. We were introduced to a maple tree named after Sinclair and the Ski Ben Eoin volunteers showed us the new trails they were planning and the ongoing maintenance that was and is required to keep the trail a viable and worthwhile endeavor for xc-sking and snowshoeing enthusiasts.
There was a total of 24 walkers on this event and after the walk we were given the use of the ski chalet where our members brought out a birthday cake!! Thank You fellow walkers, it was very much appreciated.

The walk at Ski Ben Eoin was a great success due to the efforts of Jacques, Micheline, Sinclair and all of you who paricipated in this event.

We continue to grow as a club due to the enthusiasim of all our members, bring a friend along on our next event:

Sunday, 16 November @ 1:00pm, McKeigan Rd/Mira Pastures in Marion Bridge.


Dartmouth Volksmarch Club

A letter was received from Jerry Simpson, President of the DVC and Lionel Conrod Committee Chair, again expressing their thanks for the large turnout of CBIH members on the 20th Anniversary celebrations of the DVC, during the long weekend in October. Some pictures were sent as well and they will be made available at our next event and at our Clubs Annual Party 15 November.


MEMBERSHIP and Membership Fees

Annual membership in CBIH is $10.00/person, $25.00/family. You may pay this fee to Elsie Buck our club Treasurer at any event between January and March and If paying by cheque please make payable to:
Cape Breton Island Hoppers Volkssport Club.

Membership in CBIH entitles you to vote at our Annual Meeting and allows the club to sponsor our five Year Round Events, it also helps to pay for our 20 or more Guided Walk Events each year. Membership also ensures we keep you on our e-mail and regular mailing address, so that we can continue to contact you for any new developments that happen within the club.
A club membership card will be made available in the near future upon receipt of Annual Dues.
All of our Walk Events are free; however, if you want to receive (stamps) or participate in the awards program from the IVV and CVF there is a $2.00 fee. There is a certificate for five free walks with our club, which may be obtained from the President or the Walk Leader at any of our Walks. Event and Distance Books are also available at a cost of $7.00 each for those who wish to participate in these awards programs.

Please remember the IVV awards are strictly voluntary, you can walk with our club or any other Volkssport Club at any Event free but most members enjoy keeping track of the distances and events attended and the free pins and badges which are availble through the IVV

For further Information contact:bretonhoppers@hotmail.ca


Come Put Your Heel and Toe On Our Island!

Please do not litter --- Leave only your fooprints

Monday, November 03, 2003

Grand River Falls Walk Event!

A cool but sunny day at Grand River Falls, where 20 of our regular members plus 5 new walkers joined us for an 11Km stroll along the Loch Lomond Road and then down a narrow trail to the Grand River Falls and Fish Ladder.
The falls here are more like rapids but very narrow and fast moving; you can hear the sounds of the water as you descend the hill.
This was a great introduction to our newest members, all of whom have indicated that they will be returning for our next walk at Ski Ben Eoin trails on the 9th of November, starting time 1.00pm.

What is a YRE (Year Round Event)?

The locations of our YRE's can be found on our WebSite: CBIH

At each location our members have walked, driven, used local maps and have tried to pick out the most desireable locations, streets and parks within the selected communities that we and visiting volkssporters would appreciate as walkers. Most of our walk events are limited to 10Kms. Many volksmarchers/volkswalkers plan their vacations around these events on their own or by bus tours that specialize in hiking and walking tour groups. ie: Walking Adventures International, Tater Tours and Aquilla Tours.

A YRE can be walked at anytime during daylight hours and on any day of the week, anytime of the year except Christmas Day and in some cases on New Years Day.

You can walk these events on your own, with a walk partenner or a walk group, ie: bus tours.

A 'Walk Box' supplied by the club is located at each venue, ie: motel, general store; information about the event is found in the box such as maps and directions, a registration log and envelopes. Most importantly the CVF Sanctioned Stamp, that you place in your Distance and Event Books upon completion of the walk.

Ensure that you register and fillout the information on the envelope.

A $2.00 donation to cover the cost of the Event is requested by the club and most Volkssport Clubs ask the same.

CBIH has a frequent walker rate for club members only; after walking the event and submitting $2.00 for the first event, members can then pay $1.00 each time they participate in that particuliar Event between 01 Jan to 30 June.
On or about 01 July the contact person for each YRE is responsible to remove the + sign (2003+) from the stamp, all members who are frequent walkers then pay $2.00 again for the event and therafter $1.00 for the remainder of the year.

You may stamp your Distance Book with the same stamp as frequently as you walk that particular YRE, however you can only place the same stamp in the EVENT BOOK only twice, once with the plus + sign (2003+), once without (2003)

Need more info or clarification please contact me at: bretonhoppers@hotmail.ca

Thursday, October 23, 2003

Our Walking Season coming to the End!!

There are only three Walk Events for the remainder of the season............

(1) 2nd November 2003 @ 1:00pm, this is a 11Km, Guided Walk Event, Rated at 2C

Walk Leader for this event is our trail master/co-ordinator Bill Boutilier.

Location: Loch Lomond Road, near the Grand River Fire Hall.

Please note that the Start Point has been altered due to the fact that Bill has scouted out a more scenic route for our walk and this will eliminate the use of a shuttle bus back to the S/P, there will be signs at or near the fire hall pointing the way to the new Start Point.

(2) 9th November 2003 @ 1:00pm, this is a 10Km, Guided Walk Event, Rated at 3C

Walk Leader(s) for this event will be shared by Jacques, Micheline & Sinclair.

If you would like more Information about Ski Ben Eoin:Jacques Cote


Location: Ski Ben Eoin's cross country ski trails on Highway 4, Ben Eoin a 20-30 min. drive from Sydney.
This GW event is not on our regular schedule however it is SANCTIONED by the Canadian Volkssport Federation (CVF).This will be a tour of the trails before the snow comes and will be an introduction to the trails as our first event in 2004 will be a 10Km ski/snowshoe event (SK) at Ski Ben Eoin.

(3) Sunday 16 November 2003 @ 1:00pm, a 10Km, Guided Walk Event, Rated 2C.

Walk Leader is Bill Boutilier

Location: McKeigan Road/Mira Pastures, from Sydney take Highway 327 to the Community of Marion Bridge, go across Marion Bridge, McKeigan Rd and a sign indicating Mira Pastures are on the left. Bill will have CBIH signs posted as well.


END of the SEASON Function or Party!
All of our members are invited to attend a "kitchen party" & "pot luck", on Saturday 15 November, 6:30pm at Ann & Rollie Place in Glace Bay. Contact me for directions.

bretonhoppers@hotmail.ca
DISTANCE and EVENT AWARDS

Jim & Rilla McLean from Port Hawkesbury completed 10 Events.

Shirley Pettigrew from Mira Bay has completed 50 Events and 500Km.

Howard (Nip) Hillier has received a Distance award for 1500Km.

Isabel & Robin Grant from Sydney Mines have both completed 125 Events and have also received their Distance Awards for 2000Km.

Congratulations to you all and to anyone else whom I may have missed!!

The Information about who receives their distance and events awards can be found in the Canadian Volkssport newsletter 'VOLKSSPORT CANADA', if you are interested in the activities of the CVF, you can subscribe by sending your name and address to:

Canadian Volkssport Federation, PO 2668, Station D, OTTAWA, ON K1P 5W7

A one year subscription is $10.00

How do I apply for my awards?

First, ensure that your Distance or your Event Book is completed, all information such as name and address are recorded, all stamps are legible,

Send To:
Anna McAnally
CVF/FCV Awards Co-ordinator
182 Ontario Street, RR #4
Brighton, ON K0K 1H0

If You have more questions, please contact me at:

<bretonhoppers@hotmail.ca

Thursday, October 16, 2003

TIME CHANGE For The Next Walk Event:

Please check your schedule:

Our next Walk Event and all others for the remainder of the year begin at 1:00pm (13:00 Hrs)

Sunday 19 October at Crooked Lake

This is a 12Km Guided Walk, Rated 2B and led by Elsie Buck

Directions to the Start Point:

From Sydney follow Hwy 327 to the Village of Framboise, Crooked Lake Rd is located on the Left after crossing the Bailey Bridge in Framboise and a short distance from the General Store.
Thanksgiving Weekend in Dartmouth/Halifax-Friday 10 Oct. to Mon 13 Oct 2003

The 20th Anniverary for The Dartmouth Volksmarch Club was a great success.
The Cape Breton Island Hoppers received a plaque for the largest group who attended the Event. There was 21 of us who had registered and all attended the banquet on Saturday evening.

On Friday night The DVC scrambled to hold an evening Harvest Moon Walk, starting from Cole Harbour Place; the original start point at Salt lake Marsh had to be changed due to the trail being almost wiped out from Hurricane Juan.

We walked through parts of Colby Village where we were able to see some of the damage caused by the storm, but for the most part this proved to be a great walk and we were able to talk to some of the locals who seemed a little amazed and surprised to find a hundred or more of us tracking through their neighbourhood.

A bus tour led by Lea & Lorraine Dummer, Walking Tours International, from Seattle WA, joined us for this Event, doing a 5Km walk only as they had to fly out early Saturday AM.
Lea & Lorraine informed us that the group they led in August voted our walk at Usige Ban Falls in Baddeck as the number one walk of the tour of Eastern Canada.

Thanks to the DVC's commitment to safety, all of us had a wonderful and safe walk.
A note of caution on a Guided Night Walk "make sure the Walk Leader or someone in the group know what bathroom you are going to"!!! and thats another story....

The CBIH has had only one evening walk in its history, a Christmas Light Walk, that was found to be interesting but cold and slippery; therefore we have not repeated the experiment. The Walk Committee is open to suggestions.

Saturdays walk at Mt. Uniacke was a Volksmarch/Map walk, but most of the island hoppers opted to walk together, though there was some friendly discussions about the directions on the map, but we all made it in the end, though I'm still looking for the check point.
A tour of the home at Mt Uniacke proved to be a highlight for those of us who enjoy old historical homes.

On Sunday the guided walk around the lakes in Sackville became overwhelming to the hoppers when we encountered snow at the back of an arena, we just had to stop and have pictures taken and throw snowballs, we had Fun, our host and their guests scratched their heads and continued walking thou some volunteered to take group pictures for us.

Sunday night our club members came together for dinner and the party carried over to a card game at the motel.

A Rainy Monday morning found all of us at Smitty's for breakfast; some of us headed back to Cape Breton while 11 out of our 21 completed the event at East Gore and then a second event at the Mastadoon Ridge near Enfield with the Central Nova Club from Truro.

The Dartmouth Volksmarch Club will be in Fundy National Park in 2004 and some of our members are making plans for this event as well.

As president of the CBIH I extended an invitation to the DVC and their President Gerry Simpson to come to Cape Breton in 2005. Gerry and his committee readily accepted this invitation and our respective walk committees will begin the process of selecting trails and entertainment.

Tuesday, October 07, 2003

The Walk Event at Kennington Cove

What a great place for a walk, beautiful beaches, the surf was definitely up as we watched a couple of surfers on the water; however the weather did not cooperate as we were caught in the rain but that did not deter our Cape Breton Volksmarchers from continuing the walk and of course the sun came back out as those of us in the rear headed for the finish line.

After the walk, Clare & Blaise treated us to fresh apples from their orchard in Craigmore, welcome to the club folks.Their enthusasim to travel to our side of the island should be an inspiration to all of us when planning walk events throughout the island.

2004 Schedule of Walking Events:

The schedule for 2004 has been published and was passed out at Kennington Cove, if you haven't received yours please contact me at:
rajcoombes@ns.sympatico.ca
or
bretonhoppers@hotmail.com

You can also get a new schedule at our next Walk Event:

Sunday 19 October 13:00Hrs (1:00pm) @ Crooked Lake,

this is a 12Km Guided Walk, Rated 2B led by Elsie Buck and Joe MacKinnon

How Do I Get There?

From Sydney follow Hwy 327 to the Community of Framboise, after crossing the second one-lane Bailey Bridge Crooked Lake Rd is located a very short distance pass the general store on the left.


AFTER HURRICANE JUAN !

Lionel Conrod from the Dartmouth Walk Club has sent word that the Harvest Moon Walk on Friday 10th of October will continue, but at a new location:
Cole Harbourplace on Forest Hill Drive starting at 19:00Hrs (7:00pm).

Lionel sent 12 photos of the trail at Salt Marsh, the only thought that came to mind was " What a mess! There will be no walking on this trail for a very long time to come, picnic areas are wiped out, the trail has disappeared in places, trees and large rocks strewn about.

The Long Weekend of Walking Events Will continue and all those who have registered are encouraged to continue with their plans to attend the 20th anniversary event and follow up on any changes to each walk event with the walk leaders; their telephone numbers can be found in your brochures.

Wednesday, October 01, 2003

The Next Walk Event for The Cape Breton Island Hoppers:

Sunday 05 October 2003 @ 2pm, registration begins at 1:30pm.

Kennington Cove, Louisbourg, NS

Walk Leader for this Event: Shirley Boutilier.

This is a 10km Guided Walk Event, Rated at 2B, some coastal and wooded trail systems near Fortress Louisbourg.

How do I get there?

From Hwy 125 (Sydney bypass) take route 22 onto Main Street in the Community Of Louisbourg, turn right at the fountain to Riverdale Street and pass the Park headquarters, continue pass the gatehouse then to Kennington Cove and Picnic areas.

This should be a very exciting walk due to weather conditions along the coast.

The Following weekend should find a number (18 at last count) of our club members celebrating with our friends The Dartmouth Volksmarch Club on their 20th Anniversary. Hopefully the trails will be cleared of debris by that time and the power will be on for the banquet.

Dartmouth and Halifax and surrounding areas are going through a tough time but they are of good maritime stock and they will not falter, they will be winners in the end. Good Luck Folks!

Tuesday, September 30, 2003

CAPE BRETON ISLAND HOPPERS

The Cape Breton Island Hoppers Volkssport Club is made up of people from the Island of all ages and abilities who enjoy the outdoors. We recognize that walking is a simple but effective form of exercise that enables us to discover the beauty and uniqueness of Cape Breton Island while increasing our personal health.

New members, visitors, volkssporters from other clubs are welcomed at all of our events. If your interested in just trying us out and are up to a small but delightful challenge of walking, then contact us at the address and numbers provided. A schedule of events can be provided on request or check the HOME PAGE on the upper right of this page.

Volkssporting is a non- competitive sport, that originated in Europe and translated literally means 'peoples sports' of which there are four events, walking bicycling, swimming and cross country skiing/snowshoeing.

The CBIH has taken on volksmarching/walking as our preferred sport and all of our walking events are 10 kms or more. We do not walk for pledges at any of our events, though we encourage our members to walk for the charities of their choice as they see fit to do so.

Volkssporting is a fun activity and is non-competitive in nature, there is no racing, it is a personal challenge to complete the event other then to get to the finish line first or how fast you did it.

Walk with your family, your friends, your pet or simply walk by yourself and enjoy one of the hundreds of trails, old logging and farm roads or a wonderful coastal trail on our Island.

The Majority of our events are guided walks (GW) with an appointed or volunteer walk leader therefore one of our very few rules is that you do not pass the Walk Leader; new members and guest should not worry about getting lost on the trail as one members of the club who has previously walked the trail is designated as the sweep to ensure that all participants follow the designated route, we want you to have a safe and happy walking experience with us; please feel free to stop and rest at any time, take pictures, enjoy the view, check out the birds and wildlife or fauna.

We are associated with the Canadian Volkssport Federation (CVF) and the International Federation of Popular Sports (IVV)

The IVV program also features an optional awards program as an incentive for continuing participation. Certificates and pins are available for Events and Distances in progressive order as you complete each of the booklets available from the club executive. You complete these at your own pace and time, there is no effort made to have new members complete a series of events or distances in any particular time period.