Susan Alcorn’s Hiking/Backpacking Newsletter, Feb. 2025

Susan Alcorn’s Hiking/Backpacking Newsletter, Feb. 2025

Contents:
1. Emergency phone numbers for foreign travelers 

2.“The Retirees Who Hiked Out of Suburbia and into the Long-Trail Record Books”
3. Valley Ventures by Elaine Gorman

4. Movie: Bill Bennet announces: “Save the date to see movie, The Way, My Way.”
5. Pilgrim statistics from the Pilgrim office in Santiago
6. Our “new” National bird
7. Rainy day outing

Articles:
#1. Emergency numbers in Europe and elsewhere: 
The European equivalent to the U.S. 911 emergency line is 112. The UK’s main emergency phone number is 999, but you can also dial 112 or 911 there. Other countries around the world may have different numbers, so it is wise to check that out before you set off for a foreign county.

#2.The Retirees Who Hiked Out of Suburbia….  But first some background information. In 2010, my husband Ralph nominated Ken and Marcia Powers to the California Outdoors Hall of Fame. Ralph and I watched excitedly as they received their award, which was presented by Tom Stienstra, former Outdoors Editor for the SF Chronicle. The Powers had already completed the Pacific Crest Trail, Appalachian, Continental Divide (Triple Crown of American Hiking), and “in 2005, they became the first two people to complete a continuous hike of the 5,000-mile American Discovery Trail, a cross-country route that cuts through major cities and small towns, across towering mountains and into vast prairies.”

Marcia and Ken live in Pleasanton, CA. Marcia contributed to Walk, Hike, Saunter: Seasoned Women Share Tales and Trails.

I recently discovered a more recent article in Outside online bringing us up to 2022. “In their fifties, Marcia and Ken Powers, began long-distance hiking. Lessons they learned on the trail prepared them for the next phase of their lives.” The Story by Grayson Haver Currin here, is well worth reading.

#3. Valley Ventures by Elaine Gorman. I’m doing a little plug for a small publisher because I know how hard it is to get noticed. In January, I heard from author Elaine Gorman, who I met about 15 years ago on a Wilderness Volunteers project in Pinnacles Ntl. Monument. Gorman, who lives in Modesto, is an avid hiker and her book, Valley Ventures, offers 20 hikes that are easily accessible from Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties in the San Joaquin Valley of California.  The narrative hike descriptions include natural and cultural history, mileage, special attractions, directions/drive time, and hiking tips. All hikes are within a two-hour driving range, and include hikes in the San Joaquin Valley, the foothills, and eastern Bay Area.   

 

Elaine taught science at Mark Twain Jr. High School and Roosevelt Jr. High School in Modesto, retiring in 2009.   She has been a Yokuts Group Sierra Club outings leader for over 30 years, and is a Certified California Naturalist.  She is an avid hiker and backpacker, and spends as much time as possible in the Sierra Nevada, Sierra foothills, Bay Area, and the San Joaquin Valley, exploring the wilderness and nature with her hiking pals. Prior to this book, Elaine wrote hiking stories for California Explorer for several years.   

Elaine is trying to get word out not only about the book, but also that she is interested in giving presentations to local groups, bookstores, organizations.  She is willing to travel to the East Bay as well as the Modesto area. You can contact her at vevado “at sign” yahoo.com

 

#4. Pilgrim statistics from Santiago. “At the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim’s Reception Office, we welcome pilgrims who come to the city on foot, by bicycle or on horseback to the tomb of St. James. “The Pilgrim’s Reception Office is run by the Cathedral of Santiago, in the Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela, and this is where we place the final stamp of the Cathedral of Santiago on the “credenciales de peregrino” (pilgrim’s credentials) and where the traditional pilgrimage certificate is issued, called the “Compostela’”.

https://oficinadelperegrino.com/en/
Peregrinos/Pilgrims: 499,242

Peregrinos/Pilgrims: 499,242
Españoles/Spanish: 208,378
Extranjeros/foreigners: 268,293
(Percent) Españoles: 32%
Variacion año anterior/variation from previous year: +12%

Top five routes:
Francḗs 236,380
Portuguḗs 95,453
Portuguḗs (coastal) 74,758
Inglḗs 28,058
Norte 21,417

Keep in mind that these statistics do not include those who don’t collect the Compostela.

#5. Movie: Bill Bennet announces: “Save the date to see The Way, My Way, coming to a theater near you in March! Here are the Northern California dates on the tour with Bill Bennet and Johnnie Walker Santiago at all of the screenings: San Jose: March 14 Friday; Alameda: March 15 Saturday; Berkeley: March 16 Sunday; San Rafael: March 19 Wednesday; Mill Valley: March 20 Thursday; Sonoma: March 21 Friday; Sacramento: March 22 Saturday; Sacramento: March 23 Sunday. Learn more and see full schedule at: December 28, 2024

“The film will be distributed in the US by Outsider Pictures, and in Canada by A-Z Films. The film will play in every city or town that has a chapter of the American Pilgrims on the Camino.”Jennifer and I will be doing 7 weeks solid of special Q&A screenings throughout the US and Canada, starting in Phoenix / Scottsdale on January 31st. We’ll be joined by Johnnie Walker in late February, and he’ll accompany us doing Q&A screenings in New York, Canada, Washington state, Oregon, and California.

“The film will have its official premiere in Los Angeles on March 7th. Johnnie Walker, Jennifer and I will do a Q&A after the screening.

When you go through this itinerary below you might be disappointed that we won’t be coming to your neck of the woods – but we simply can’t go everywhere – and be assured that the film will most probably be released in a cinema near you regardless.

“Oh, and just to say – when tickets go on sale for these Q&A screenings, don’t dawdle. If you want to see the movie, get your tickets fast. Because if the response is anything like it was in Australia, sessions will sell out quickly. This isn’t some hokey marketing ploy, I’m serious. We literally had people fighting and yelling and screaming in the foyer of the cinema at a few screenings demanding tickets to shows that had sold-out weeks in advance. It was bizarre!”

 

6. Regarding the “new” American National Bird. I’m still perplexed about this new designation, but great that Congress got together and bestowed the honor of making the Bald Eagle our National Bird.

“The Senate passed the bill with bipartisan support in July. When it passed in the House of Representatives earlier this month, Finstad said in a statement: “Today, we rightfully recognize the bald eagle as our official national bird—bestowing an honor that is long overdue. An eagle enthusiast has been lobbying for the designation for years. On Christmas Eve, President Biden signed legislation making it official.” Smithsonian, Julia Binswanger, Dec. 30, 2024  

#7.  Rainy Day outing. This morning we woke to rain again so it seemed fitting to head for nearby Tilden Park in Berkeley to see the annual fungus fair, which was inside the visitor center. I know nothing about mushrooms except not to eat (or even touch) them without expert guidance. However. I enjoyed seeing the variety on display today, trying a Snicker Doodle cookie including one variety, and taking a few photos to add to this newsletter.

Cheers,
Susan Alcorn

Susan ‘backpack45’ Alcorn
Shepherd Canyon Books, Oakland, CA
https://www.susandalcorn.com
https://www.backpack45.com

Author of Walk, Hike, Saunter: Seasoned Women Share Tales and Trails; Healing Miles: Gifts from the Caminos Norte and Primitivo; Patagonia Chronicle: On Foot in Torres del Paine; We’re in the Mountains Not over the Hill: Tales and Tips from Seasoned Women Backpackers; and Camino Chronicle: Walking to Santiago.

Thank you everyone. Stay well, keep hiking when prudent. I encourage you to send in items of interest to the hiking community to me at backpack45 “at sign” yahoo.com

Hiking and backpacking can be risky endeavors. Surely over the last couple of months you have heard, or read about some wilderness rescues. Dayhikes can go bad – people get lost and have to spend the night (nights) outdoors. Always be prepared for emergencies and carry food, water, shelter (warm clothing, etc.), flashlight/headlamp, matches, first aid supplies, and maps. Cell phones don’t always work. Leave word where you are traveling. 

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