A Baker's dozen braved the potentialn snow, drizzle and sun for the walk today.  One good thing was no snow but we did get some drizzle and some sun.  The amtrak station had great decoratio0ns still up and it was a good pit stop.---  Dick 

Just a few of us out there today, but Mary Ann joined us later and then quite a few extras joined us for our last coffee at the coffee shop.  We talked to Dory and she said there were some possibilities, but nothing yet.  So we will have to move onto Al's Garden Center next week.  

We had ten hearty walkers turn up for today's walk.  Two of the walkers were from Battle Ground and they decided to start early, but we met up with them by the boat dock in Cook Park.  They were doing the 10k, so Sue Connelly took off with them, but the rest of us just walked over to Durham and did the trails over there.  Barb from West Linn brought 4 members of her family for a nice walk before heading out to the show.  San usually walks with a Wilsonville group, but decided, with the holidays, she would join us for the 5k walk.  Diane brought her two dogs so Milo, Rudy and Gracie had a ball in the off-leash area, and hopefully will be totally tired for the rest of the day.  Of course as soon as we got home, the sun came out and the sky is a beautiful blue.
Tomorrow will be our last day at our coffee shop before heading over to Al's.  Maybe we will find out if they found a buyer and then we won't have to move.
See you at the Refuge tomorrow.
Also - check out the pictures tab and look for our Christmas Collage.

“Oh, the Places You’ll Go..”
From New Year’s 2010 in Vancouver to now, what a year
We had the Easter Egg Hunt, Rose Parade Walk, Robin Hood Festival, Fall Soup Walk, Moulton Falls and ended the year with Christmas in Sherwood.  We collected 8 bags of food and over 50 blankets we were able to distribute to the Sherwood Shelter and the two veterinary clinics in town.
The Snails have surpassed our wildest predictions.  We have met for almost two years now, and Mary Ann and I only showed up on one day by ourselves and the weather was in the 90s.  We’ve averaged about 15 walkers every Monday and although the walks are good, the coffee was better.  We will be loosing our coffee shop in 2011, so we will try to find a new home at Al’s Garden Shop, not unless a new place opens in Sherwood.  
Where have we been?  We started off in Savannah and then up to Charleston.  We went to LaConnor and took a ride on a floatplane.  We hiked in the new park up in the Camano Islands.  We went to Cooperstown, walked the Freedom Trail and walked along the cliff walk in Newport RI.  We walked the coast in Yachats and then went to Astoria, twice!  We saw the house where the Goonies was filmed and then walked the Astoria Bridge.  We also headed to Jacksonville for a weekend at the Nunan Estate, where we did a walk with the Rogue Valley Walkers and did our very own unique mystery play.  We’ve had cider at the Old GristMill and we were able to go to the many restaurants in and around Portland with the Wednesday Walkers.  We even did the 4T’s, Train, Trolley, Tram and Trail.  
“It’s Been a Very Good Year!

And everyone still came out and walked!  We had a nice group on the 5k and a big group on the 10k walk.  The 5k walkers got to see a beautiful heron in the wetlands before heading out for our Christmas lunch at Famous Dave's.  We lucked out with a great Christmas present, it was Larry's 70th birthday!  Boy, Famous Dave's does a bang up job on that birthday Sunday.  Mary Ann and I lucked out by sitting next to Larry, so most of the others didn't quite get as much as we did.  Maybe in the New Year we will have to strive for that 10k walk.  Heidi moved out of our group and joined Weight Watchers as well and see her in the middle, she looks great, she's down 20 pounds, but it looks like more to me.
But I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday and we will see you on the 26th out of Albertson's in Tigard at noon on Sunday.  Bring your dogs, because Durham Park has an off-leash area for the dogs.

I think we did the walk in record time today, it was miserable out there.  The owl was still in his same place and on the way out we did see a couple of eagles, but I think our minds were on the coffee shop.  So far they haven't had any buyers, but I guess whoever does buy it, might have to move the coffee shop over to the antique store across from Clancy.  That might be nice, I think nit would be a lot larger, but until it settled, after the 1st of the year we will be having coffee at  Al's Garden Shop, which might be very costly to us as it gets closer to spring.
Linda and John are snowbirds and they will be taking their 5th wheel down south for a couple of months, so we will miss them on our walks, but we will look forward to hearing about their adventures when they get back.
This week is going to be pretty busy for us.  We have a walk out of Fred's on Wednesday at 10 a.m. (the last one out of Fred's because were are moving it over to Legacy Meridian Park on the 1st.)  After we will head over for lunch at Famous Dave's, so if you aren't up for a walk, join us for lunch and some Christmas cheer.  Sunday we will do the walk out of Albertson's in Cook Park at noon, so hopefully we get a chance to see everyone!

No rain, full moon, seeing friends and topping it off with a great dinner makes us glad we showed up for the walk.  That moon just bounced right off of the river last night casting a beautiful glow on the ships as they passed us by.  The paths were filled with everyone staking out the best spot to watch the ships.  I've done the walk of the years, and last night, the weather was perfect.  After the Merrywalkers headed over to Porcelli's for dinner.  I would say one of the only problems with walking that walk is trying to decide where to eat, there are just so many choices and if you go during the day, they also boast some unique coffee houses as well.  
But last night the moon just bounced right off of the river last night, casting a glow on the ships as they sailed down the Willamette.  The paths were crowded with volkswalkers and so many others getting into that holiday spirit.  
The restaurant chosen last night "Porcelli's".  Buon Natale!