Moderate Level hikers on the Goldmine/Dynamite Loop Trail at San Tan Mountain Regional Park
Warren Wasescha, Sun Lakes Hiking Club
By the numbers, we did a lot of hiking this season. Collectively, over 5,400 miles were hiked by our club—enough miles to walk or hike from Los Angeles to New York and back. There were 109 unique hikes and 140 club members participating.
Ed Molieri hiked the most hikes this season—31 to be exact. I believe this was the second year in the row that Ed was recognized for having been on the most hikes during the season, many of which he led. Newcomer Karl Zimmer jumped on board with 19 hikes and also stepped up to lead two of those hikes. We love those who lead hikes, because it makes our hikes possible. We are always looking for others in the club willing to lead hikes. Would you be willing to lead a hike? Let our hike coordinators know.
Ellen Eisner had the honor of leading this season’s hike with the most participants. Thirty-two hikers went on her Mellow hike this season. It is always an honor to have so many club members sign up for a hike you’re leading. And it’s a good sign that you picked a hike that everyone wants to do!
Our annual end-of-season picnic gave special shout-outs to all those club members who have made our club run as smoothly as it does. Marilyn Harkins and Jim Bauer were recognized for all the hikes they’ve led. Scott Downey was recognized for his upping the game as hiking coordinator, posting hikes on the Meetup site and making sign-up sheets a breeze. Joan Carlisle and Ron Deraas were recognized for their work on the Special Hike. Tim Donovan was recognized for arranging our social events. And then there are those individuals who bring a smile to everyone’s face. This year the annual Sunshine Award recognized Richard Schugel and Barbara Cisneros for this skill.
Ted Maresh received the Boot Award for going the extra mile in more ways than I have room to express in this space-limited article. Ted also won the Snake Award for being the first person to spot a snake on the trail.
There are so many others who have contributed to our club’s success, but I’ve run out of room to mention them all. Just know that we appreciate what you do for the club, whether or not you see your name in this month’s article!
Like the idea of hiking socially? Join our club and enjoy all that we have to offer. We are a friendly, inclusive group of hikers who welcome all able-bodied hikers. Our goal is to make group hiking fun, challenging, social, and safe. We hike formally from November through April and informally throughout the summer months.
For more information about our club, please type “Sun Lakes Hiking Club” into your web browser and look for our Meetup page. Questions about the club not answered on our website? Please let me know at [email protected].
Hiking is one of the many rewarding activities you can do in our community. We look forward to hiking with you!