THE JOY OF VOLKSMARCHING, 2nd Edition

Discover the sport of "volksmarching" or taking ten-to-twenty kilometer walks through scenic countryside. A humorous memoir of the author's experiences while volksmarching when she was teaching the children of US armed services members in Germany in the 1970s, "The Joy Of Volksmarching" offers vignettes of various memorable walks along with colorful illustrations.

In "The Joy of Volksmarching," the reader will join the author in a series of memorable volksmarches through Germany in the 1970s. Each chapter is a vignette capturing the highlights of a particular volksmarch through the eyes of the author and brought to life by the colorful artwork of the illustrator. American armed services members and their families who brought the sport of volksmarching back to the United States when they returned from service in Germany will enjoy reliving their own experiences in the sport as practiced in the beautiful nature walks common throughout the German countryside. Younger readers who enjoy walking for their health will be inspired by the 96-year-old author's stories and consider the long-term health benefits they might also reap by taking up the sport.

Born in Port Arthur, Texas, Mary Frances Going graduated with two degrees in music from the University of Texas at Austin. Following graduation, Mary Frances spent many years teaching music to the children of American servicemen and servicewomen in France and Germany. It was while she was in Germany that Mary Frances discovered the joy of volksmarching. A non-competitive form of fitness walking, volksmarching first rose in popularity in Europe in the late 1960s. Mary Frances joined other devotees of the sport, walking five, ten and sometimes twenty kilometers each weekend through the scenic pastoral areas outside Manheim, Germany. When she returned from Europe and moved to Colorado Springs, Mary Frances found that many communities had local volksmarching groups founded by military families who had brought the love of the sport back home with them. At age 96 and now living in the Texas Hill Country, Mary Frances credits the years of weekend volksmarching with her long life and good health.