Old Farts Hiking Club – A Wilkes County Tradition

Old Farts Hiking Club – A Wilkes County Tradition

Every Wednesday morning, rain or shine, in winter’s deepest cold and summer’s hottest heat, a group of men gather to go hiking. The self-proclaimed Old Farts Hiking Club (OFHC) is made up of all men, most of them retired, who want to get out and enjoy the trails in Wilkes County and the surrounding area.

The club was started in 2006 by two retired businessmen, Alvin Sturdivant and Bill Dunn. Sturdivant’s career was in real estate development, but he had a passion for promoting good health in the community of Wilkesboro. He served as chairman of the board of Wilkes Regional Hospital and founded the Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the health and well being of the citizens of Wilkes County.

After retiring, Sturdivant knew how important it was to keep active. He and a friend started exploring the trails around Wilkes County, and decided to make it a regular habit. It wasn’t long before the started inviting other people to join them, and they named themselves the Old Farts Hiking Club.

“There aren’t any elected officers or dues or even set policies or rules to this club,” says Randy Zirkle, one of the members. “Alvin knew a lot of the members were active in the community and in civic organizations, so he wanted this one to be easy and not a big commitment. It’s just getting together to have some fun and stay active.”

Each week the hiking club travels to a different trail, anywhere from Grayson Highlands in southwest Virginia to Roan Mountain in Tennessee. Trails closer to home are pretty popular too, from Kerr Scott Dam to Stone Mountain State Park. The designated trail organizers look ahead at the weather to help determine the location for each Wednesday’s hike. “If it’s going to snow, we stay closer to home and avoid the steep trails, but it doesn’t mean we haven’t been hiking on some trails when there’s a bit of snow on them,” Zirkle says. 

Most hikes are planned for about three hours, with the group going out to lunch afterward. They’ve frequented restaurants from Rodie’s Parkway Restaurant in Glendale Springs in Ashe County to the group’s favorite Mexican restaurant in Boone, but the Brushy Mountain Smokehouse in North Wilkesboro is a regular dining place. “They reserve a room for us and pretty much know our order without asking,” Zirkle says.

 “Alvin always  said there was no better cure for one’s ills than getting out in nature, and said the hiking club was one of the greatest blessing of his life,” Zirkle says. Sturdivant passed away in 2016, but his work in promoting good health in the communities of Wilkes County continues to have a wide reach, not only through the Healthcare Foundation, but through the OFHC. What started out as a couple of men hiking on Wednesdays had grown to a group of about 40 active hikers, with around 100 on the mailing list, and an enthusiasm for the trails that continues to grow.