There are certain people that live on long after their body falls away, like Carl Westling. From 1970 until 1997 he was a science teacher and coach at South Whidbey High School. He was named “Coach of the Year” in 1992 for his work with the girls’ cross-country track team. Since he started coaching the team in 1975, they had earned seven league championships and four state awards. Some of his team members went on to become All-American athletes in college. Westling suffered a series of strokes. Still, from his wheelchair, he continued to work with the Falcon track team as an assistant. He designed and, with lots of volunteer help, built the first trails in the woods just behind the High School at South Whidbey Community Park. These trails are now considered one of the best cross-country courses in the state. They circle ball fields, a skateboard park, playgrounds and picnic shelters. I didn’t know Carl, or run track, though for twenty years, I ran a few miles a day. A back injury slowed me down. Then I discovered that I could see and hear more at a walking pace. Sunday, I went walking with a friend and her dog. As we started out, we heard a mob of robins barking at something. We peered through the trees and saw a barred owl perched in a tree, surrounded by raucous robins. It looked up and down and all around, as only owls can do. We watched for a while before moving on. Though the first week of May was a wet one and the day before had been especially soggy here, these trails were mostly dry and smooth for easy walking... or running. I had come here last spring with a friend in a wheelchair. We’d taken an Island Transit bus to the park entrance on Maxwelton Road and gone right through the park on trails to meet the bus again on Langley Road. There was just one place that might have given her wheelchair trouble. Alongside the upper soccer field, the trail slants and the edges are soft. All the other trails could easily support someone on wheels, or someone using a cane, like the fellow we met on our walk. The Falcon Trail at the south end of the park is steep in places but the rest have a gentle grade. These trails were well designed and constructed, well-marked and well maintained for anyone whether they walk, run or roll. Almost everyone we passed had a dog. Dogs are ambassadors that reach out to meet and greet their canine counterparts. Holding the end of the leash we are pulled together to say hello and ask about each other’s animals. One looked like Toto. There was a sweet white one and a charming gold one. There were hounds with beautiful brown eyes and huskies with brilliant blue. Each looked for a little sniff, a pet, a smile and a word. There were pet poop bag dispensers strategically placed and we didn’t see anything left behind for the track team, or anyone else, to step in. Carl Westling and his wife, Pat, had traveled widely including going to 3 Olympics in Atlanta, Barcelona, and Los Angeles. Before he died, Carl told his wife he wanted to continue to travel the world, so when he was cremated, his ashes were dispersed into small, green bottles. His friends and former students have carried them on their global adventures. His remains were taken on a safari in Africa, run a marathon in Athens, scattered on the Nile, climbed Mount Saint Helens, trudged the snows of Alaska, and cast upon the waters of Tierra del Fuego. And when you’re taking a walk on the trails at the South Whidbey Community Park and the High School track team runs by, you can bet he is there, too. Maribeth For a map of these trails click here. Directions: From Highway 525, 3 miles north of Clinton, turn north at the light onto Maxwelton Road. Pass the High School and take the next right into the park.
Bus and Bike: Island Transit Route 60 goes to the park entrances on Maxwelton Road and Langley Road and can carry 2 wheelchairs and 2-3 bikes. Maxwelton Road is fairly flat, has wide shoulders and slow speeds through the school zone, so it's a good place for a bike ride. Wear bright colors for safety. Mobility: This park is a good place for people of every ability level. Wheelchairs do well on all but the trail alongside the upper soccer field. There are steep sections on the Falcon Trail at the south end of the park.
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Maribeth Crandell has been a hiking guide in the Pacific NW for over 20 years. She's lived on Whidbey and Fidalgo Island for decades. As a frequent bus rider she easily makes connections between trails and transit. Archives by date
April 2024
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