I have followed People walker since I first heard about this business a few years ago. I loved the concept of being a people walker and did email Chuck to enquire about how to do this in Portland, OR. When they expanded to other cities I applied to be a people walker in Portland. I was hired, and I felt like I have a strong background in walking knowledge and I do walk. I was disappointed with the lack of people wanting to pay to walk in Portland and some disappointment in a lack of support to getting started in Portland. I still think their main focus was on the LA area and not enough support was given to the other cities. 

I do support the concept and I understand that the app they created to connect people with people walkers needed funding and due to a lack of resources the app is no longer available. 

I am happy to see that Chuck did a TED talk and I hope he is able to build his business and create a people walking niche. Now more than ever there is an increasing need to walk and spend time disconnected from our electronic devices. 
Scout
Website owner

This is a recent article on Mall Walking that was written for Groupworks. Here is the link to the article https://groupworks.com/blog/group-activity-spotlight-mall-walking/​

​I am very excited about a writing /blogging gig that I was recently hired to do. I will be writing for GroupWorks which is a platform for helping clubs by making management easier. I first heard about GroupWorks when the AVA started using it to manage their clubs and members. They also have interests groups called passions and then they have channels that one can follow. One channel is called Hiking and Walking and I will be the person writing and adding content to that channel. It is very similar to how I gather information for my website. I feel like this is a really positive step for me as I move forward in my life. 
If you are interested in using GroupWorks for club management I'd suggest checking their website. It is an easy platform to use and has lots of potential. Plus you could then subscribe to my channel!

​I recently joined a new group in North Portland (OR) that is focused on connectivity. Connecting multi modal transportation agencies with neighbors to discuss the transportation issues and how to move forward in an increasingly more densely populated neighborhood. We decided to do a Kick off and introduce ourselves to the community and get the transportation agencies involved with the neghborhood. This was our first event with about 150 people in attendance.
I was fortunate to know the author, who lives in my neighborhood and offered to attend the event and write a blog for America Walks.
http://americawalks.org/america-walks-attends-north-portland-transportation-kick-off-event/
Now the work begins to continue to build the partnerships and keep the dialog going.
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​When I turned 50 my friend recruited me for her relay team, The Vintage Whine Walkers. This is a group of older women who enjoy walking and all the challenges that come from living in a van with 8 other women during a relay event, fatigue, jumping in and out of a van to support the person walking etc..., bees, mosquitoes, heat, cold, finding and losing things, it is all part of the adventure.

When a relay comes up (this year we are doing 5 walk relays not the usual 2) our captain, Judy will ask who wants to join the team for that particular race. Sometimes she has to find new team mates which helps grow our list of walkers as some move to other teams or are unable to participate anymore.

​Our team prefers to do an 8 person team, we have a reliable comfortable older van which fits right into our group.  Although CLR did a Relay in Hells Canyon one year and we did it with 5 people. Don't ask how. We somehow managed. Unfortunately that relay did not continue after the first event.

​We do Portland to Coast, Cascade Lakes Relay from Silver Lake to Bend. This year we did an overnight Cape Meares Relay. Hood To Coast is expanding their races and moving towards one day relay events. We did HTC Pacific City and HTC WA. The two videos are from the HTC WA relay. The one on the right features my team captain. She is the reason I continue to do relays. 

​I am not sure why I enjoy doing walk relays. I'll be out walking along my leg on a narrow highway following the walker ahead of me with a walker gaining on my heels, it's hot, I am thirsty, hungry for real food, and tired. My team is waiting for me a couple of miles down the road, and I ask why am I doing this? 
Then when I am at home and it's dark and cold outside I see the email from Judy- I just signed us up for the CLR- are you in? And I respond-of course! How could I not do it again?

​I have two more relays this year. Cascade Lakes Relay and the Portland to Coast Relay. 
​Judy has us signed up for 3 next year and we keep searching for some new ones to add to our list. We've been eying the Golden Gate Bridge Relay. 



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This is a film that was taken 4 days before the Earthquake in San Francisco in 1906.
www.nytimes.com/2018/04/14/us/san-francisco-earthquake-film.html
​This link has two films the one taken before the earthquake and the 60 Minutes story about the film.
​I also found this footage that has sound. www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q5Nur642BU
From the perspective of a walking advocate it is striking to see the people walking and streaming across the street and the vehicles are not so bothered by it. 
​It's a wonderful piece of history and of course tinged with sadness for the disaster and the lives lost.

Pacific Crest Trail / A Walk Across the United States

I saw this article this evening and I thought it was important to share. 
Inside the Mind of Thru-Hiking's Most Devious Con Man, I think the title says it all. In this age of social media I think it is important to be informed. 

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​Jobbler of the Month October, 2017
​I downloaded the Jobble app onto my phone and started picking up event work. I was focusing on 5km race events. Over the months I was very impressed with this company's work. I received my payments for the work done within 5-7 business days. They keep in touch throughout the process of being hired by the business who is hiring until they issue payment for the work done. The business that is hiring communicates very clearly. 
I was so pleased to see that this company was not a scam business.
​I did not realize they keep track of their "jobblers" and have employees of the month. I was very pleasantly surprised.
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From Atlas Obscura published July 25, 2017 by Sommer Mathis
A fun and easy guide with a few easy tricks for navigating. 
Nature's best Wayfinding Secrets
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She was my companion for 17yrs. She often sat on my lap while I worked on my website. She was an indoor outdoor kitty. Her sister died 2 years prior. So her life became even more precious to me after losing Missy, her sibling. 
​With way too much sadness I had to have her put to sleep on Tuesday as she went into renal failure. I had a wonderful vet who was very kind to me and my kitty, Munchkin. Of course I have cried buckets of tears and am just now starting to pick myself back up and rejoin my life. 
​It's hard. I have these moments and I feel such sadness.
​These are her last few pictures. The first one was after a day outside (her choice), the middle one was her coming out of one of her hiding places. She had so many! 
​The last one is her scent marking a rock in my yard. 
​I am grateful that she shared my life. She leaves an emptiness in my heart that only time will heal.
​Scout

​A great article about a couple who I know from volkswalking. From Clark County Talk

I received a contact recently and it reinforced within me that my website is not just about walking. I think it is also about connecting to the larger community of people who enjoy walking. For the people who have contacted me, I respond and take to heart the written comments.

I really enjoy learning that Girl Scouts use my site to look up information about camping and hiking. And my latest contact was from someone who is using my website to search for information about camping for the first time. I was asked to consider a link to an article about clean campsites. 
​I decided to put it into my blog because the website for the article is from Busy Bee Cleaning and Janitorial Services. I am trying to stick to websites that are geared towards the outdoors through walking, hiking etc... But I didn't want to not include the article because I want to encourage children to do research and explore and learn. If someone finds an article about Clean Campsites through searching the internet because he is going camping. I would be remiss not to support his effort. And I do applaud a Cleaning Service that takes the time to write an article about clean Campsites. I find that unusual and interesting.
Here is the link to the article http://www.bbcleaningservice.com/importance-of-cleaning-camp.html
Thank you Owen for the cool connection! 

This is part of my first module in the America Walks College. This is my favorite type of walk  stepping out my front door and walking with no goal or direction. Usually I end up walking about 8 miles and the walk evolves and I follow my heart taking this street this path until I usually get to a place and I realize that is what I was meant to see on my walk. It's the best kind of walk meandering following my heart and taking in every scent, scene, person, pet, bird etc... Just being open and present...
​ Maira says it well in her video.....