Heart and Sole Articles About Some of Our Members

Heart & Sole* Articles About

Some of Our Members

April- June 2003 Issue

BEA ANDERSON calculates that there are only two days out of the past 52 years that she was not outdoors at all! "I was raised on a farm, and I've always loved being out," she says. She explored places in the county and skied all winter. In "every time of year it's different." When she retired 16 years ago, Don Elzinga asked her to a meeting of the recently formed NCT Hikers Chapter, the first chartered chapter of the NCTA. She and her brother wanted to do trail work, but they didn't think they would like group hikes. So Bea teamed up with Marti Leppanen and they began maintaining a long section of trail. Neither one of these gals was exactly young when they took on this project, but only recently have they turned it over to others and taken on a shorter piece. Bea was also one of the team who helped to build the bridge over the Laughing Whitefish River. It took them three years to complete. They had to drive an hour and then carry all the tools and lumber for a mile in to the site. Old pilings were donated by the city of Marquette and sawed by a portable mill. They hauled all this wood to the site, down a steep hill and then back up for a distance, only to have it stolen! They eventually found the lumber hidden in a cave, and the bridge was built. And in the meantime she discovered that hiking with a group has its own rewards. Bea's friends say that she always is cheerful and tirelessly tells others about the Trail, and encourages them to do the same. Bea believes that being dependable is one of her best qualities. "We are a small group and it's important to be able to count on people." She has served the chapter as Chapter Publicity Chairman. She is characterized as an excellent environmental steward. She has encouraged youth projects on the NCT, and has been a hike and trail crew leader. Her friends also say, Bea has an "attitude that makes her a joy to work with."

January- March 1999 Issue

GENE ELZINGA could hardly believe that someone had nominated him for this feature. "I've really done very little," he repeatedly protested. But another chapter member said of him, "no one has worked as hard or accomplished as much for the trail." He is currently the President of the North Country Trail Hikers, and is Trail Coordinator for Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Gene is a retired chemical research engineer from Exxon. His love for the outdoors is long-standing, being a hiker, backpacker and canoeist. When he lived on the east coast he was able to enjoy the Appalachian Trail, and while working in Europe he saw both the positive and negative results of a well-developed system of trails. All this experience was like raw data waiting to be developed. Gene saw the initial publicity about the commissioning of the North Country Trail in 1980 while he was still in the East. But when he retired to Marquette, Michigan he said, "the NCT will be my chance to pay back all the benefits I received from trails." Every time that I asked Gene about something he was involved in he began telling me what someone else had done. When I tried to steer the conversation to his accomplishments he quietly said, "it's hard to talk about just one person." This is one of his greatest gifts. He is good at recognizing the strengths of individuals and then organizing people in ways that are effective in realizing those strengths. There are "many talented people here; we work together," he continued. He really enjoys contacting land owners, selecting and laying out routes. Organizing work crews involves maintenance challenges from "wetlands to rivers," he said. The NCT Hikers also co-sponsor one of the largest National Trails Day events involving activities all day for many age and interest groups, and he is always involved in that project. Gene believes trails are a way for people to share outdoor experiences with each other and with their families. He says that his own appreciation for trails began that way but has grown into "a spiritual thing." Hiking gives him a means of communicating with a personal God and of appreciating the things that he has. We certainly appreciate people like Gene!

June- July 1998 Issue

ROLAND SCHWITZGOEBEL has "a passion to keep moving through the woods." At age 86 he suspects he's moving a bit slower than he used to, but he says he just loves "locomotion by using my legs." This devotion is verified in the fact that he was also a marathon runner. Retired from teaching Educational Psychology at Northern Michigan University, he's on the NCT Hikers Chapter board and has many ideas to contribute. He is the one remaining members of the original group from when the chapter first formed. He still leads work parties to maintain a 3-mile section of trail he and his wife have adopted. Roland recounted one of their biggest challenges when a timber company did some cutting along the trail. It took a lot of work to clean up the brush they left behind. His wife Marion always works with him, and this fact is the lead-in to a great trail story. There was a log crossing over the West Branch of the Peshekee River. It was about 20 feet above the water in a rocky gorge. Marion refused to traverse this bridge, and thus they did not participate in any work parties or outings on that side of the river. So the NCT Hikers got busy and built a bridge to replace the log. Marion was the first to go across the new structure, and it is now known as Marion's Crossing! Roland says that he has unlimited enthusiasm for the trail. He enjoys the fellowship of being with people of different ages, and to work with them. "There is an afterglow when you extend yourself that reverberates through your physical and mental being." Speaking for Marion and himself, he concluded, "we relish it!"

January- March 1998 Issue

Although MARTI LEPPANEN was truly reluctant to let us write about her, the North Country Hikers say that she is the closest person in their area to being a living legend. Marti is a retired nurse but she certainly has never retired from living life to the fullest. In addition to being a hiker, Marti has been a long-time biker. She and a friend rode (as in pushed pedals) from Michigan to the west coast (as in Pacific Ocean) in 1951. A couple of years ago she walked six miles to a ski outing, citing the hike as a warm-up for the scheduled activity! She also kayaks, swims, and gardens. One thing she especially likes about trail building is bushwhacking and scouting out trail routes. She says that she likes the challenge of the unknown that this affords. Also satisfying to her is the hard work involved. She claims she has "laborer's genes," referring to a portion of her childhood when her Finnish family packed up and moved to a Utopian community" in the northern Soviet Union in the 1930's. After two years they became disillusioned and returned to the U.S. Marti discounts her talents claiming that her attention to detail causes her to work slowly, and a recent wrist injury has slowed her a bit. But I have it on good authority that she still works harder and longer than many younger folks on the trail work days, and that she shows up to participate in more of them than anyone else. Personal goals and the North Country Trail? Marti says she would like to hike the whole thing when she turns 80. "That would be something," she declared.

*Taken from the North Star magazine. Each piece written by Joan Young.




	North Country Trail Hikers		Heart & Sole* Articles About Some of Our Members April- June 2003 Issue BEA ANDERSON calculates that there are only two days out of the past 52 years that she was not outdoors at all! "I was raised on a farm, and I've always loved being out," she says. She explored places in the county and skied all winter. In "every time of year it's different." When she retired 16 years ago, Don Elzinga asked her to a meeting of the recently formed NCT Hikers Chapter, the first chartered chapter of the NCTA. She and her brother wanted to do trail work, but they didn't think they would like group hikes. So Bea teamed up with Marti Leppanen and they began maintaining a long section of trail. Neither one of these gals was exactly young when they took on this project, but only recently have they turned it over to others and taken on a shorter piece. Bea was also one of the team who helped to build the bridge over the Laughing Whitefish River. It took them three years to complete. They had to drive an hour and then carry all the tools and lumber for a mile in to the site. Old pilings were donated by the city of Marquette and sawed by a portable mill. They hauled all this wood to the site, down a steep hill and then back up for a distance, only to have it stolen! They eventually found the lumber hidden in a cave, and the bridge was built. And in the meantime she discovered that hiking with a group has its own rewards. Bea's friends say that she always is cheerful and tirelessly tells others about the Trail, and encourages them to do the same. Bea believes that being dependable is one of her best qualities. "We are a small group and it's important to be able to count on people." She has served the chapter as Chapter Publicity Chairman. She is characterized as an excellent environmental steward. She has encouraged youth projects on the NCT, and has been a hike and trail crew leader. Her friends also say, Bea has an "attitude that makes her a joy to work with." January- March 1999 Issue GENE ELZINGA could hardly believe that someone had nominated him for this feature. "I've really done very little," he repeatedly protested. But another chapter member said of him, "no one has worked as hard or accomplished as much for the trail." He is currently the President of the North Country Trail Hikers, and is Trail Coordinator for Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Gene is a retired chemical research engineer from Exxon. His love for the outdoors is long-standing, being a hiker, backpacker and canoeist. When he lived on the east coast he was able to enjoy the Appalachian Trail, and while working in Europe he saw both the positive and negative results of a well-developed system of trails. All this experience was like raw data waiting to be developed. Gene saw the initial publicity about the commissioning of the North Country Trail in 1980 while he was still in the East. But when he retired to Marquette, Michigan he said, "the NCT will be my chance to pay back all the benefits I received from trails." Every time that I asked Gene about something he was involved in he began telling me what someone else had done. When I tried to steer the conversation to his accomplishments he quietly said, "it's hard to talk about just one person." This is one of his greatest gifts. He is good at recognizing the strengths of individuals and then organizing people in ways that are effective in realizing those strengths. There are "many talented people here; we work together," he continued. He really enjoys contacting land owners, selecting and laying out routes. Organizing work crews involves maintenance challenges from "wetlands to rivers," he said. The NCT Hikers also co-sponsor one of the largest National Trails Day events involving activities all day for many age and interest groups, and he is always involved in that project. Gene believes trails are a way for people to share outdoor experiences with each other and with their families. He says that his own appreciation for trails began that way but has grown into "a spiritual thing." Hiking gives him a means of communicating with a personal God and of appreciating the things that he has. We certainly appreciate people like Gene! June- July 1998 Issue ROLAND SCHWITZGOEBEL has "a passion to keep moving through the woods." At age 86 he suspects he's moving a bit slower than he used to, but he says he just loves "locomotion by using my legs." This devotion is verified in the fact that he was also a marathon runner. Retired from teaching Educational Psychology at Northern Michigan University, he's on the NCT Hikers Chapter board and has many ideas to contribute. He is the one remaining members of the original group from when the chapter first formed. He still leads work parties to maintain a 3-mile section of trail he and his wife have adopted. Roland recounted one of their biggest challenges when a timber company did some cutting along the trail. It took a lot of work to clean up the brush they left behind. His wife Marion always works with him, and this fact is the lead-in to a great trail story. There was a log crossing over the West Branch of the Peshekee River. It was about 20 feet above the water in a rocky gorge. Marion refused to traverse this bridge, and thus they did not participate in any work parties or outings on that side of the river. So the NCT Hikers got busy and built a bridge to replace the log. Marion was the first to go across the new structure, and it is now known as Marion's Crossing! Roland says that he has unlimited enthusiasm for the trail. He enjoys the fellowship of being with people of different ages, and to work with them. "There is an afterglow when you extend yourself that reverberates through your physical and mental being." Speaking for Marion and himself, he concluded, "we relish it!" January- March 1998 Issue Although MARTI LEPPANEN was truly reluctant to let us write about her, the North Country Hikers say that she is the closest person in their area to being a living legend. Marti is a retired nurse but she certainly has never retired from living life to the fullest. In addition to being a hiker, Marti has been a long-time biker. She and a friend rode (as in pushed pedals) from Michigan to the west coast (as in Pacific Ocean) in 1951. A couple of years ago she walked six miles to a ski outing, citing the hike as a warm-up for the scheduled activity! She also kayaks, swims, and gardens. One thing she especially likes about trail building is bushwhacking and scouting out trail routes. She says that she likes the challenge of the unknown that this affords. Also satisfying to her is the hard work involved. She claims she has "laborer's genes," referring to a portion of her childhood when her Finnish family packed up and moved to a Utopian community" in the northern Soviet Union in the 1930's. After two years they became disillusioned and returned to the U.S. Marti discounts her talents claiming that her attention to detail causes her to work slowly, and a recent wrist injury has slowed her a bit. But I have it on good authority that she still works harder and longer than many younger folks on the trail work days, and that she shows up to participate in more of them than anyone else. Personal goals and the North Country Trail? Marti says she would like to hike the whole thing when she turns 80. "That would be something," she declared. *Taken from the North Star magazine. Each piece written by Joan Young.

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Heart & Sole* Articles About Some of Our Members

Heart & Sole* Articles About

Some of Our Members