European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 20, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Europe  sergeant piles up the Miles   writer. 1 Volks marching is he no fuss form of hiking. It requires Little planning a All you have to do is pick a location from the list in thursday s stripes Magazine and show up with comfortable walking shoes. The local Volks marching club does the rest a marking 10-Kilometer and 20-Kilometer trails providing rest stops with refreshments and rounding out the Day with awards for everyone hot food and often live music. A. For Many americans Volks marching is a social event a Chance for  exercise and the Opportunity to. See More of Europe.  mention adding colourful Beer mugs decorative plates and medals to their collection of european souvenirs. But for some Volks marching is a passion that consumes every weekend. I. A John hamper a staff sergeant at Sembach a Germany has completed almost 1,600 marches for a total of 37,600 Kilometres 23,312 Miles. He. Usually marches 100 Kilometres 62 Miles every weekend leaving Home Between 3 . And 4 . On saturdays and putting 300 to 600 Miles on his  he drives around Central Europe to the  i like to do a Marathon and 20 Kilometres on sat a relay two 10s or one 20,&Quot he said. Quot then on sunday i like to do two 20s or another Marathon Quot while some serious runners tackle the 42-Kilometer marathons and Shorter trails most participants in the non competitive  walkers. A a a Quot i m always walking Quot said hamper 36 Quot sometimes i la run downhill. Improbably won t run More than a Cou pie of Kilometres in a Given . An average. 10-Kiiometer walk takes hamper an hour and a half while a 20-Kilomeer walk will take him three hours both average times for frequent Volks marchers. He completes marathons in six to seven hours. Hamper went on his first vol Smarch by Accident. Quot my second weekend in Germany the first thing i wanted to do was go to the Golf course a said hamper who began a four year tour at ram Stein a in 1980, Quot but it was dosed for a tournament. So i started walking out the Back . A \. During his wandering be came across a vol Smarch checkpoint a there bikers have. Their a March tickets stamped by vol Smarch volunteers. Hamper then walked to the Start of the March and followed the Trail to its end. Quot my first tour i did maybe 40 Kilometres a weekend Quot he said. Quot when i came Back to Germany in 1986, that s when i started doing the 80 and beyond . Hamper Seldom collects the mugs and plates offered As prizes by the vol Smarch clubs. T a a a Quot ill always get the Marathon Patch. I la Only get the medal if it s very Nice or it s a special walk. The rest of the time i m just going for the stamp Quot he said referring to the imprint in his vol Smarch. Booklets proving completion of marches. But in the beginning hamper also collected the souvenirs. Quot my first tour i got enough stuff that when was living in Nebraska i called one room in my apartment the Nebraska museum of Fine  a hamper s Volks marching was t interrupted when he. Was stationed at. Offutt fab neb., from 1984 to 1986.Quot i usually got in a couple a month. During the two years i was at Offutt i logged 109 a events and 2,500  he also put 60,000 Miles on his car a Quot three fourths of it for  -. Flapper who is single is a computer Programmer for the 2 i 34th comm so. In  alone. 1 Quot i be been known to join my German club for one bus trip a year. Normally i know so Many people on these walks that i Don t fee like. L be gone  a a hamper is stumped when asked if he has a. Least favorite vol Smarch. But he s Quick to say that his favorite 0-Kilometer vol Smarch is in Biittig or Germany. The. Annual walk is the weekend before St. Nicholas dec. 0, and. Of ass so Dame  John hamper displays patches earned Tor reaching milestones. Hamper adds to the merriment of the yuletide event bring Little goodies that i pass out to the kids Quot he. His current personal goal is to March 40, because that s just Over the distance a it urn i the world at the Equator. A. A a. Quot i m hoping to make it in november. I be got a special walk picked out in  Germany he said. Quot i be known the members of the club nov for 10 years. Ill probably know two weeks in Advance whether that will be the . And once he hits 40,000f a. A Quot i m going to keep going. I la just keep going Quot an Arrow directs hikers to turn left for the 10-Kilometer Trail. 10 stripes Magazine june 20, 1991