This is a common form of recreation in Germany. Local sport clubs will organize walks of five, ten and/or twenty-five kilometers through cities and parks and sometimes into local woods or forests. Volksmarches are not competitive, and are very inexpensive to participate in, requiring only a good pair of walking shoes and fluids for rehydration, along with a minimal fee for registration. When I was stationed in Germany back in 1980-82, you could sign up for as little as DM 5 ($2.50) which would get you a stamp in your record book; paying more would entitle you to a commemorative pin or patch. Associations such as the Internationaler Volkssportverband (IVV) and American Volkssport Association also award pins and patches for achieving mileage goals. Similar organizations to the AVA also exist in Britain and Canada.
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