- FUTURE EVENTS FOR DECEMBER 2026 AND BEYOND WINTER BANQUET - January 9, 2027 Once again our Winter Banquet will be held on a Saturday January 9. at - St Therese - Little Flower Catholic School, 4720 E. 13th St., Indianapolis. IN 36201. This year the event will start at 1:00 p.m.an hour earlier than last year. We will announce winners of the 2026 Achievement Awards and recognize new 25-year members. As always, we anticipate a big crowd. Look for an invite which will be included with your annual dues notice in early October. GULF SHORES, ALABAMA - February 13 - 19, 2027 Saturday is considered a travel day. Travel time is approximately 12 hours. GPS is the best option to find your way there since not everyone will be staying at the same location. There will be no block of rooms reserved. Everyone will be responsible for making their own lodging accommodations. I can make recommendations for places to stay. A total of 10 hikes will be offered during the week. The first hike will be after the Meet and Greet session on Sunday afternoon. There will be a morning and afternoon hike Mon-Thurs with only one hike on Friday for those that may still be in town. More details will be sent out as the date gets closer. Karen LeClerc kmleclerc58@gmail.com or 920-883-9477. WINTER WEEKEND - SPRING MILL STATE PARK - March 12-14, 2027 Mark your calendar and make your reservations now for the IHC annual Winter Weekend, which returns to the recently renovated Spring Mill State Park Inn in 2027. There will be morning and afternoon hikes on Saturday, March 13, and a morning hike on Sunday, March 14. Call Central Reservations 1-877-LODGES-1 or the Spring Mill Inn directly 812-849-4508 and use block code 0312IH to receive the 'Spring into Savings' discounted rate of 25% off any available room when booking both Friday and Saturday nights. The block code will not work if you book online. Contact John Schlechte 317-294-2021 or jschlechte@fastmail.com with questions. TWO 7 NIGHT HIKING TRIPS TO ENGLAND - April 2027 'New Trip' April 2-9, 2027 to the Lake District This trip is organized by Ramble Walking Holidays. This trip promises a 7-night adventure at a relaxed pace visiting beautiful gardens, castles, and mansions including the Delamain Historic mansion which is part of a UNESCO site. Most of the days we will be walking 5.5 miles or less, and only one day will we walk 7 easy miles. Ensuite rooms as well as rooms with adjacent shared baths are available at the Hassness Country House where we will be staying. Group size is limited to 12. The cost for accommodations is between £1539 - £1839 (British pounds) which includes all meals except one. There is a 10% discount if there are more than 8 participants. Flights and travel to/from Hassness is extra. April 12 - 19, 2027 to the Cotswolds District The Cotswolds is famous for its fairy-tale villages, rolling hills, and distinct honey-colored stone architecture that represent rural English charm at its finest. It is located about 2 hours west of London. Many famous people live there. We have been invited by a member of the Cotswolds tourism bureau to be the first group to trial a new Cotswolds Camino. This will also be a 7-day trip; average daily hiking mileage will range from 10-14 miles. It will be different from both the existing Cotswolds Way and The Camino de Santiago across Spain. Although there are now some luggage transfer services in the Cotswolds, there may be days when participants will need to carry their own backpack. Cost of accommodations is estimated to be $1,400 (American dollars), not including meals, luggage transport, and flights. Group size is limited to 12. Both trips are available on a first come first serve basis. If you are interested in either trip please email Terie Schaeffer and IHC member who will be coordinating both trips at sterie420@gmail.com. The tour operators are looking for commitments soon, especially for the first trip, so if interested please contact me right away. Expressing interest is not the same as making a commitment. Please be sure to indicate which trip you are interested in. Feel free to email questions for more details. 30TH ANNUAL SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK TRIP - April 13-15, 2027 (Tue-Thurs) Mark your calendar now for the 30th annual club trip to Smoky Mountains National Park. It's not too early to book your room reservations in Gatlinburg, TN. Most club members stay at Riverhouse at the Park (865-436-2070). Another good choice is Bearskin Lodge on the River (865-430-4330). We will repeat the Monday evening poolside social hour at Riverhouse and hope to have a group dinner to celebrate the 30th anniversary. There will be a range of morning and afternoon hikes - easy, moderate and challenging. Hike leaders will include Tim Braun, John Lyghtel, and John and Konnie Schlechte. Contact: John Schlechte 317-294-2021 cell or jschlechte@fastmail.com with questions or for more information. CELEBRATING THE HIKING CLUB'S 70th BIRTHDAY NEXT YEAR - SEVEN FOR SEVENTY, 2027 To celebrate our birthday and throughout 2027 we will hike seven hikes at Indiana locations that the Club has never hiked before. Hikes will be scheduled throughout the year during fair weather months. So far, the committee has identified the 7 locations that the Club will hike, and we have found leaders for each hike. Look for a preview of the seven hikes in the December schedule.