We pulled in just as the 10k walkers were taking off.  Mary Ann had to rush into to sign us up, while I got Milo read to do the walk.
But Ruth Cummings, made sure she waited and went around and did the introductions before we started.
This was the first time I've done the 5k, so it was so different.  It was all along the water.  We had Ruth, Judy, Rita, Larry, Rose, Mel, Andrea, Sandra and Mary Ann in our group and we met up with Colleen, Carla, Joanne and Jane Montgomery out on the trail.  We have been out travelling so much, it was fun catching up with everyone and finding out who has been doing what.  After, we had to head over to Ikea for the Swedish meatballs.  It was a hard choice, we almost went for the ribs, but we just couldn't pass up the $3.99 meatballs.  It's so hard, as soon as we get close to Ikea it's like the Swedish Meatball magnet, just pulls us right to them!  --This weekend it's off to the pumpkin patch and Astoria.  I hope someone gives us some pictures and a blog about the Harvest Moon Walk, and it's supposed to be another nice weekend.

Saturday we all started out at different times but did make it to Shotgun Creek to do the 5k walk, which was beautiful.  After we filled ourselves up with the treats that the Mossbacks provided and we indulged in our own Merrywalkers communal lunch.  Two of our travelers skipped the walk and headed right over to Jacksonville to catch the 150th birthday celebration so you'll find those pictures in the Saturday/Jacksonville.  After the walk we headed to the Nunan Estate and decided on dinner at their restaurant, hence all of the different pictures of the dinners, then most of us went to the Britt to catch the Kenny Loggins concert.
Sunday we invited the Rogue Valley Walkers to join us for breakfast and a walk.  I finally figured out that Marie Jewett, their president, and Pat Jewett, the president of CRVC are mother and daughter.  Boy was that confusing for me!  But the staff at the Nunan House treated us to a very special breakfast of Eggs Benedict and pasteries.  After we headed out for the walk, again some doing the 10k and some the 5k, and just enjoyed the afternoon roaming around the town.  
In the afternoon we hung out on the patio trying to rest up for the Mystery Dinner.  Now, that was a blast!  I'm not sure anyone else will enjoy the pictures as much as those of us who took part in it.  It turned out the Princess was the murderer, but everyone had fun doing the improvisational play.  After our 3 course meal we headed over to the main house just to have some good conversation before heading on to bed.  
Sunday it was another magnificent meal and then we had to head back to reality.  
In looking back, Carolyn said it was almost like a retreat for a walking group.  It was great and enjoy the pictures, everyone contributed.
Note to Helga and 3-Dick Dick:
After this weekend, you are Merrywalkers, whether you like it or not!

Well he turned the big SEVEN "0" today.


Happy birthday, Joe.  And send that guy some e-mails with your best wishes!

This turned out to be much nicer than I expected, although, I expected to be in Gresham.  Wow, did we go out of our way to get to Gladstone, but we made it on time and it made the ride home go so much faster!
Quite a few people showed up with jackets, but we weren't into the walk very long before we started shedding.  We had 3 new walkers to the Wednesday group and one was a totally new walker, but, unfortunately, I didn't get their names.  So if any of you out there got them, let me know.
I guess this will be the last blog we do till we get to Jacksonville.  The Merrywalkers +Helga and Richard, will be heading to Jacksonville where we rented the whole Nunan Estate.  We will be doing the 5k walk in Marcola first, but then we head on down south.  Hopefully it won't take us all day to get there, because it turns out that Jacksonville is having their 150th Birthday.  We all bought tickets to a Kenny Loggins concert at the Britt and it turns out they will have fireworks after, with all kinds of activities going on Saturday.  Sunday the walking club from the Rogue Valley will join us for breakfast and then give us a guided walk through Jacksonville (both a 10k or a 5k).  That evening we are putting on a Mystery Play, so stay tuned to hear all about our adventure, it should be a blast.

Not much going on at the Refuge this week.  Right before we were heading out someone spotted an eagle, other than that, just a few wooly worms and slugs. The conversation is always good and we now have a fast and a slow group.  While the weather permits, the fast walkers can do the outside trails for a nice brisk walk and the rest of us just stick to the shorter paths.  Donna was able to take us down a trail we had never been on before, so that was really cool. Last Saturday, some of us headed over to Wilsonville to check out their new park and we loved it.  Hopefully we can get a walk going out there beginning in 2011.  

First things first, there were a total of 217 walkers that did the Dahlia Walk between yesterday and today, and that's not bad, considering the weather.  But today it was pretty darned nice out there, better than we hoped.  Donna, Mary Ann, Linda, Diane and Barb from the Merrywalkers showed up to help the Valley group work their walk today.  Although they didn't need all of us, it was nice to chip in and give a hand and also see everyone out there.
We ran across a large group of Girl Scouts from Oregon City that did the walk.  They were so cute, we had to use them on the banner.
But then there is Rose, the gal in the picture with the walker.  I want to tell you, not only is she using a walker, but she is almost blind.  She did the 6k walk and her friends and mom went on ahead of her and did the 10k.  Here she was coming close to the end.  Bonnie had to screech to a stop so I could go out there and take her picture and wish her a huge congratulations.  Heck, I only did the 6k walk too, I guess I should have done the 10k, huh?  What an inspiration.  You should made my day.  Job well done, Rose!

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