HOYT ARBORETUM WALK on Sep 2, 2020The Rose City Roamers Club is offering a group walk on next Wednesday.  The walk is in Hoyt Arboretum and is a beautiful walk in the woods, along the Rose Garden, and Japanese Garden.  I am hoping that many of you can make it.  To those that can't make this date but would like to walk the route let me know and I will get you the information so that you can do it.  If you can make the Sep 2 date follow, the instructions below.  Group leaders are Ethel, Ed, Tom and Louise Baltes and myself.  I will do the registration and last group leader.  Dick
There are several changes to the walk on September 2.  
Please read carefully and make the changes.  The group leaders for this walk did walk the route on 25 August so we have fairly recent information.  
1.Parking - Originally we had planned to park where we had parked last year for free.This area was recently changed to a "permit only" parking area so we will be unable to use it.  The only area that is available nearby is the  pay for parking at the Japanese Garden entrance located approximately at 370 SE Kingston Ave.  We plan to use the spaces 235 to 250 and 306 to 340 or those located in the nearby area.  There were a lot of parking spaces available on the 25th.    The parking there is free to 9:30 am and then $2 per hour thereafter.  It took the group leaders about 2 hours and 30 minutes to do the walk. We would recommend that you allow this much time on the pay meters.  We are eliminating a small distance at the Zoo to stay away from Zoo visitors.  (We walked this area last year to have added restrooms but they are now closed due to Covid-19  restrictions).  
2.Group Size - Last year we had 1 group for the 10 km walkers and 1 group for the 5 km Walkers.  This year because of COVID 19,  I am going to limit the group size to 8 walkers plus 1 leader.  We will have up to 4 groups for the 10 km walkers and 1 group for the 5 km walkers. 
The first group will register between 8:15 to 8:30 am leaving promptly at 8:30.  This will be the fast group of walkers so that other groups won't catch up to them. This group will be walking faster than the normal Wednesday Walkers. 
The second group will register from 8:30 to 8:45 am leaving promptly at 8:45.  The third group of walkers will register from 8:45 to 9 am and leave promptly at 9 am.  The fourth Group of walkers will register from 9 to 9:15 am and leave promptly at 9:15 am.  The 2nd, 3rd and 4th group of walkers will walk at approximately the normal Wednesday Walking pace.  There may be occasional short breaks, if the walkers in the group need it.  The group leaders did take a couple of short breaks on the 25 of August as we were not used to climbing the hills.
The fifth group of walkers will be doing the 5 km route and register from 9:15 to 9:30 and leave at 9:30 am.  We plan on walking at the normal Wednesday Walking pace, but will stop occasionally for short breaks.  
3.  Restrooms - There are restrooms near the start on the walking route and walkers will be given the chance to use them before entering the Hoyt Arboretum.  There are also restrooms at about the 3 km distance and again walkers will be given the chance to use them.  There is also a porta potty at about the 7.5 km area (archery field).
4. Bring with you. - I highly recommend that you bring good walking shoes or hiking boots, water, and maybe some snacks.  Some might want to "bring hiking poles" but the group leaders did not need them when we walked on the 25th.  
5. Masks are required for registration.  You also might want to bring your own pen.  We will have a few pens available that you can use but bringing you own will ensure less chance for Covid contamination.  Once you have started walking and you can maintain social distancing, you may take them off until social distancing is not practical (meeting other walkers passing the opposite way).  The group leaders did pass walkers going the other way several times and we had masks on.  
6.  The walk is rated 2B.   However, because we were out of shape, most of the group leaders felt it was a 3B.  
7.  To be assigned to a group,  please contact Dick Baker at (360) - 991-8806 or email at dickbkr@q.com. Do not use the email on 2 Sep as I will not have my computer with me and I will be leaving home around 7am.   You must be assigned a group to walk.We are trying to get back to somewhat normal walking while keeping all walkers as safe as we can.  Please be understanding with us, but do offer suggestions that you think can make walkers safer, healthy, keep in shape, socialize, and have fun.  Dick Baker