Why Join a Hiking/Walking Club?

Hiking/walking groups are quite popular in the Bay Area. You may know of some local groups in your own neighborhood, both organized and unorganized. 

Joining a group has many advantages:

1. Motivation -  Participating in an organized group will motivate you to try new places, hike/walk more often and push yourself further.
2. Community - Joining a group is a great way to meet people with the same passion as you.
3. Appreciation - Through hiking/walking organizations, you will gain a new appreciation of your local neighborhood, open spaces and landscapes.  The group will take you places you might not have known about. You may find a new appreciation for wildlife, native plants or a local neighborhood.
4. Health - Hiking/walking is great for your health. It is a great activity for mind, body and spirit. Joining a group will allow you to hike/walk more often - that equals more exercise, more fresh air, more de-stressing.
5. Travel - One of the best reasons to join a group is to get out there and explore new places. Most hiking/walking clubs have a calendar of events and lead outdoor excursions both local and out of town.
6. Service - Many organized fund-raising events sponsor walking and hiking events.  Join a group to train and increase your success.

A great way to start is with a local club or group. There are several hiking and walking groups in Contra Costa and Solano counties.  Here a just a few:

Benicia Day Hikers - Meets twice monthly on Saturday mornings behind the Benicia City Hall at 8:15am. The hikes are sponsored by Benicia's Parks and Community Services. Fee for per hike is $3 collected by the hike leader. Average distance is 6 to 8 miles at a moderate pace with time to stop and enjoy the flowers and views.  There will be no scheduled hikes during June, July or August. 

For more information call 707-746-4285 go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wrchike.

Contra Costa Hills Club – The Club sponsors two hikes each week-one on Sunday and one on Thursday. The club hikes the trails of Mt. Tamalpais, Mt. Diablo, the East Bay Regional Parks, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Pt. Reyes National Seashore and the San Mateo mountains.

Enjoy some local hikes in August:

• Briones, August 14
• Point Pinole, August 18
• Crockett Hills, August 21
• Port Costa, August 28

For more information go to -  www.contracostahills.org. 

Martinez Walking Club – Meets Mondays at 9:00 a.m. at Hidden Valley Park. The hikes are sponsored by Martinez Senior Center. The group walks parks, city streets and the Canal Trail. The weekly walks last 1 to 2 hours. For more information call (925) 372-8770.

Pinole Walking Group – Meets Mondays and Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. The hikes are sponsored by Pinole Senior Center. The group walks parks, city streets and the Canal Trail. The weekly walks last 1 to 2 hours. For more information call 510-724-9800.

Relay For Life - Relay For Life is a 24-hour team event sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Each Relay is made up of teams of 10-15 participants who take turns running or walking around a local track to raise money to fight cancer.  Join or create a team and train for one of these local events.

• Hercules 
• Benicia 
• Concord 
• Martinez - July 30-31, Las Juantas Elementary
• Vallejo - Aug. 6-7, St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School
• Pinole - Aug. 13-14, Fernandez Park

For more information, visit the Relay for Life web site.

Check back next week to learn more about creating a team and training to participate in a local Relay For Life.  

Happy trails!