September 2026 Newsletter
Staying Fit, Sociably
Sunday hikes start at 2:30 pm, go approx. 5 miles, last 1 1⁄2 – 2 hrs.
Tuesday hikes start at 07:00 pm, go approx. 3 miles, last about 1 hour.
The SPHC walks at a moderate speed of 2.5 -3.5 mph. (17-24 min. mile)
Hikers are expected to maintain that pace. Hikes start on time.
“The Sun is up, The sky is blue, Today is beautiful, And so are you!”
The Beatles
HAPPY September BIRTHDAYS TO...
9/3 Bill Barrett, 9/5 Dennis Engebretson,
9/8 Sharon Heaton, 9/12 Jane Boyer, 9/17 Kari Mallone
September marks the transition from summer to autumn, a change in weather, the landscape & our routines. Birthstone is the sapphire, flowers are forget-me-not, morning glory and aster. More babies are born on Sept 9th than any other day...all that New Year's conceiving.
OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING...
will be on Monday, September 14th, 6:30 pm at the White Bear Lake Library, 2150 2nd St., White Bear Lake. Members are welcome to attend.
SPHC ANNUAL WIENER ROAST...
Will be on Sunday, September 20th. We will meet at the Como Park Fire Rings on Como Ave. (between Hamline & Lexington Pkwy., on the south end of Como Park) The hike will begin at 2:30 pm, followed by the Wiener Roast. The menu: Hot dogs, fruit, chips, s’mores for dessert. BYOB and chair. Cost is $5. payable at the picnic. Contact Vicky with questions: 651.335.8079.
LABOR DAY is a tribute to those who work. Paid or unpaid, part-time or full, happily or not (but hopefully happily) – you help make the world go round. Thank you and Happy Labor Day!
Stats are through July:
Hike leaders with mileage … Sharon Heaton 190, Vicky Beutel 166, Patty Peterson 166, Rick Nelson 156, Viv Fickling 153, Shirley Lee 153, Scott Lee 152, Rose Nelson 143, Vic Fickling 137, Bernie Wildes 136, Cheryl Osborne 133, Don Crawford 131, Jane Boyer 127, Judy Nelson 120, Bryana Garcia 114, Sue Crawford 112, Jean Diekmann 110, Dave Van Wyk 110, Gloria Larson 101, Wendy Chen 97, Sandy Herlick 95, Brock Herlick 93, Bonnie Wold 92, Aaron Erickson 88, Martha Moore 86
54 hikes completed this year and 54 hikes in the same time period for 2025.
Total mileage hiked – 4188 Club members 4082, Guests 106
That mileage is the approximate distance to Paris, France. Mileage by month. January 538, February 589, March 765, April 693, May 727, June 530, July 346. 5 hikes have been canceled because of heat, ice, rain, smoke and snow – or a combination of those.
Ramsey County has had the most starting points of hikes with 28, runner up is Washington County with 10. The average starting point of all hikes is on the football field of Johnson High School on St Paul’s East Side. Club members with first names that start with an “S“ have the most mileage at 739.
LET’S CELEBRATE LABOR DAY BY NOT DOING ANY!!
“By all these lovely tokens, September days are here.
With summer's best of weather and autumn's best of cheer.”
- Helen Hunt Jackson