The Fog Dodgers invite all residents and visitors of the Mendocino Coast to join us on our weekly group runs and walks. We have runners and walkers of all abilities (and even some bikers) and we have only one "rule" - we start at exactly 8:00 a.m. on Sundays. Exercise at your own pace (1/2 hour out, 1/2 hour back) and experience the fresh Mendocino coastal air.

Fog Dodgers provides a fun, safe way to explore some of our local trails and back roads and to meet new friends. You can find out where we're going to be by reading the bottom of last week's post, then clicking on the "Our Routes" tab above. We average 15-20 persons each Sunday and typically half will go to breakfast together afterwards at a nearby restaurant.

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Ten Mile River Logging Road

I just finished writing this blog and in the process of "copying and pasting" it over to our Yahoo Fog Dodger site, deleted the blasted thing.  So, this may be short.  John has always been very good at contributing photos and his time, gasoline, etc. for the blog.  For this reason, I'm giving his Ceramics Show a little plug here:
If you can make it by the Art Center, you will be amazed at the beautiful works.  I believe that most are for sale.  John is very talented and I say thanks, John, for today's photos and for all the others.

If you were being observant today, you may have seen all of the subjects of these photos.

Osprey with fish


Osprey nest





































 With us today, John, Ginny, Terry, Melissa I., Greg,  Neil, Suzanne, Henry, Nancy T., Roger, Shari, Peter, Fran, Nancy and Tom (15).  Seven of us had a very good breakfast at Cafe One.

NEXT SUNDAY, MAY 5TH @ 8:00 A.M.: VAN DAMME STATE PARK, see "Our Routes" above.  Dogs not allowed in Fern Canyon but you can get a good walk by checking out the upper and lower campgrounds.  Lots of wildflowers!
 
EVERY TUESDAY @ 7:00 A.M.: RUSSIAN GULCH STATE PARK, beginning on Point Cabrillo Drive, 1/10 of a mile north of its south end.

EVERY THURSDAY @ 7:00 A.M.: VAN DAMME STATE PARK, beginning at the beach.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

MacKerricher Haul Road

Mackerricher Sunrise over the Lake
A beautiful day on the coast - the clear blue skies of the past few weeks but without the wind.  As MacKerricher is so close to home, we left it a bit tight in leaving the house this morning (you know - it's just down the road, no need to hurry!) so only just made it for the start.  As a result, I was still taking names as people were moving off at 8:00am , so I may have missed someone.  Those I saw were Bob J., Craig, Marc, Terry, Ginny, John, Peter, Shari, Henry, Suzanne, Toni, Joe, Rick, Nancy B., Steve, Ora plus friend Heidi, Roger, Nancy T., Randy and a surprise appearance of Kim and Addie (used to be regulars before moving to Colorado). - with apologies to anyone I missed. 
Mackerricher Lake Heron in Flight
In my hurry, I also forgot to look at the temperature.  However, as we left the house it was 39 and given how many people were down to just their tee shirts on the way back, it was probably over 50 by the time we got back.  As always, you get a beautiful view of the ocean from the haul road, and today it was particularly pretty - good waves, clear blue sea framed with that wonderful fine white haze and no wind.  In fact the wind was so light, there was an ultalight flying over the wave tops, something we don't see here that often.

As Tom mentioned, Nancy and I missed the walk a few weeks ago as we went to Bodega Bay for a Battle Cruise on the tallship the "Lady Washington".  It was a great 3 hour sailing adventure with much firing of real canons (no canonballs) and plenty of "Avast ye scoundrel.."  The first photo shows the crew up the foremast, unfurling the sails.  We even had Captain Jack Sparrow on board - as you can also see.

John got up early this morning and took some beautiful photos for us - once again, thanks John.


NEXT SUNDAY, DATE @ 8:00 A.M.: TEN MILE RIVER LOGGING ROAD - see our routes above
EVERY TUESDAY @ 7:00 A.M.: RUSSIAN GULCH STATE PARK, beginning on Point Cabrillo Drive, 1/10 of a mile north of its south end.
EVERY THURSDAY @ 7:00 A.M.: VAN DAMME STATE PARK, beginning at the beach.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Van Damme State Park


Van Damme Osprey
I'm guessing that this is one osprey.  Help me out Ron!  John takes the photos and I put them in the blog.  Thanks, John.

It was beautiful this morning!  49 degrees, I think.  I barely made it in time and so I thank Roger for taking down names.  We had two new people this morning, Jan and Mike (not together).  Also present:  John, Bob C., Tanya, Ginny, Terry, Suzanne, Henry, Gordon, Shari, Tonita, Charlene, Ron, Bob J., Gay, Mark, Cheryl, Craig, Nancy T., Roger, Nancy and Tom (23).

Terry

 Not trying to embarrass anyone, as I said, John takes the photos for me and I put them in the blog, usually.  Hope Terry doesn't mind!

It wasn't too windy in Fern Canyon, or even on the beach this morning and the Spring wildflowers are beautiful.  Hopefully, next week's walk/run at MacKerricher isn't too windy either.  It's Spring and the winds are normal.  The flowers should be really pretty.
 
NEXT SUNDAY, APRIL 21ST @ 8:00 A.M.: MACKERRICHER HAUL ROAD, see "Our Routes" above.

EVERY TUESDAY @ 7:00 A.M.: RUSSIAN GULCH STATE PARK, beginning on Point Cabrillo Drive, 1/10 of a mile north of its south end.

EVERY THURSDAY @ 7:00 A.M.: VAN DAMME STATE PARK, beginning at the beach.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Big River Logging Road

Big River Run/Walk April 7, 2013







It was another great morning for running and walking.  We met at Big River and it was 53, heavy overcast and calm.  John's pictures this morning show it perfectly.  Thank you, John!

It is very gratifying to be part of a group that likes what we are doing so much that when they have family and friends visiting, they bring them along also!   Thanks, Mark, for bringing your brother, Paul, this morning and thanks to Cheryl and Neil, for bringing along visiting and very long time friends, Heather and Jeff.  It was a pleasure to meet another new person this morning, Gordon.  He will be back next week and probably won't walk out 5 minutes too far!  Henry and Suzanne, he really was there, just a little in front of and then behind you.

This morning, we missed Nancy and Roger T., as they were out on The Tall Ships, doing "battle" in Bodega Bay.  Hopefully, Roger will have a picture of that when he does the blog here in a couple of weeks.





Main Street, Mendocino
Mendocino Street Art
 Besides those mentioned above, present this morning were:  Bob C. and Bob J., Toni, Joe, Cheryl W., Ginny, Terry, Tom T., Nancy B., Rick, Charlene, Ron, Suzanne, Henry, Gerri, Greg, Craig, Rod, John, Sarah, Shari, Peter, Nancy and Tom (31).

I think that we're supposed to have pretty good weather this week and that should dry out the Fern Canyon Trail at Van Damme.   Dogs are not allowed in Fern Canyon but a great walk can be had by doing both of  the lower campgrounds and the Upper Meadow Campground.

NEXT SUNDAY, APRIL 14TH @ 8:00 A.M.: VAN DAMME STATE PARK, see "Our Routes" above.

EVERY TUESDAY @ 7:00 A.M.: RUSSIAN GULCH STATE PARK, beginning on Point Cabrillo Drive, 1/10 of a mile north of its south end.

EVERY THURSDAY @ 7:00 A.M.: VAN DAMME STATE PARK, beginning at the beach.