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, July 27, 2014

Big River Logging Road

"You don't need any skill to run.........Every 3-year old knows how to run." -- Amby Burfoot, The Runner's Guide To The Meaning Of Life

I failed to heed my own advice from last week, forgot to use mosquito repellant!  I don't think they've ever been worse!  I theorize that it was because Bob and John ran out just a little in front of us, stirred  or woke them up and then along came us, the victims!  Usually, we run away from the little guys as soon as we start running, but not today, they stuck right with us!  Other than the mosquitoes, it was a perfect morning, 56 degrees, calm and a little sunshine thru the high clouds and fog.

Thank you, John, for this morning's pictures.

Van Damme Anchorage, J. Loomis
Sarah came back for her second run but I think her son, Andrew, slept in.  It's nice to have another runner.  Pat and Leon were there, and I see that their names were on last week's blog, even if I was told they weren't! (I think someone is trying for a little extra credit!)  Also present today:  Geri, Nancy B., Nancy T., Roger, Joe,  Neil, Zelda, Cheryl, John, Bob, Nancy and Tom (15).

J. Loomis
Pat wants me to remind everyone that walkers are also invited to our midweek runs/walks at Russian Gulch and Van Damme.  I know, 7:00 am comes early for walking.   It's nice though, because it gets your day off to a good, early start.  If you want to walk on Tuesday or Thursday, I suggest that you get in touch with Pat, probably easiest by leaving a comment below.

It's been awhile since we've gone up to Ten Mile River.  It should be just right for picking blackberries, and so,

NEXT SUNDAY,  Aug. 3 @ 8:00 A.M.:  TEN MILE RIVER LOGGING ROAD, see "Our Routes" above.  Bring a coffee can or plastic bag or something if you want to take home some blackberries.  There should be gazillions there!

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, July 20, 2014

Caspar Logging Roads

Fitness has to be fun.  If it is not play, there will be no fitness.  Play, you see, is the process.  Fitness is merely the product. -- George Sheehan
J. Loomis







Oh, where to begin.  Toni and Joe had many family and friends here to celebrate their (Toni and Joe) marriage.  I picked up a half dozen names but have now forgotten them and I apologize.  It takes me several attempts, usually, to remember names.  I can do a few on first try but today it was overload.  It was so nice though, that they all came and what a nice family!

Also, Gay and Mark came with Mark's daughter, Sara.  She has been here with us before.

Fog Dodger regulars today:  Gay, Mark, Nancy T., Roger, Cheryl, Neil, Cindy, Jim, Nancy B., Rick, Pat, Leon, John, Shari, Peter, Greg, Toni, Joe, Nancy and Tom.  At David's Restaurant, there were 20 of us and 13 of the above names were not at breakfast, so I'm thinking that there must have been 33 people this morning!  How nice is that?

Kira continues to do an amazing job of accommodating customers at David's.




Caspar house, J. Loomis






We met at Caspar Logging Road this morning.  It was another perfect morning for walking or running, 55 degrees, calm and a thin overcast.  By the time we finished, it was mostly sunny.  Road 600 has seemed pretty nice in the recent past but I guess
the culverts were old or undersized, so the entire road has been
recently graded and tore up, so walking and running on it isn't
the best right now.  It will soon be fine though.










J. Loomis
Thanks to John Loomis for our  photos.  Don't forget that you can click on them and see them full sized.   John has a good eye for things that seem interesting.

Hope to see everyone next Sunday at Big River.  If it's 50 degrees or above, don't forget the mosquito repellant.

Oh, and thank you to Rick B., for alerting me, just yesterday, that the blog for last Sunday had not been posted.  I guess I didn’t click on “Publish” hard enough or something, it was still in the “Drafts” folder.



NEXT SUNDAY, DATE @ 8:00 A.M.:  BIG 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.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Ward Avenue

"Running is a thing worth doing not because of the future rewards it bestows but because of how it feeds our bodies and minds and souls in the present." -- Kevin Nelson, The Runner's Book Of Daily Inspiration
Didn't look like it to begin with but it sure ended being a perfect morning beach run or walk.
It was very foggy and damp when we met.  You can tell by John's rose here below.

J. Loomis

 But as soon as we started north up the beach,  the fog ceiling lifted, revealing the long, beautiful beach, pretty clouds and mountains.  The tide was very low and other than bird and small mammal tracks,  the beach was pristine.  It is really very interesting, all the different little patterns in the sand, left by receding waters and the seashells, glass fragments and whatever else the ocean has delivered.

J. Loomis

Thanks to John, for this morning's pictures.  Below is one of the "complete" sand dollars found this morning, very pretty!

J. Loomis

Present today, oh BTW, Amber from last week was Charlene's d-i-l (or was that "future") and not daughter:  Charlene, Cheryl N., Neil, Bob, Greg, Nancy T., Roger, Toni, Rod, Bob J., John, Bob, Cheryl, Nancy and Tom (15)

NEXT TWO SUNDAYS, JULY 20TH @ 8:00 A.M.:  CASPAR LOGGING ROAD
                                            JULY 27TH @ 8:00 A.M.:  BIG RIVER LOGGING ROAD

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, July 6, 2014

Big River Logging Road

"On my first day as a runner, I owned nine motorcycles, two cars, a camper, a garden tractor, a riding lawn mower, and a gas-powered weed whacker.  I was never in danger of  having to exert myself." -- John Bingham,  The Courage To Start
Except for the mosquitoes, it was a great morning at Big River.   It was a bit foggy at the start but the sun broke out just a little ways up river.   Thanks to John for all of this morning's photos.
Big River, J. Loomis
                                   

It was 51 degrees and calm, with the sun trying to break through, when we started at 8:00.   When we finished, it was sunny, warmer and the mosquitoes were swarming, causing us all to rush off a bit sooner than we would have liked.


J. Loomis
It was nice to meet and run with Charlene's daughter-in-law, Amber, and good to see Pat and Leon back for the summer.



J. Loomis
 Also present today:  Charlene, Cheryl N., Neil, Tom T., Bob J., Geri, Shari, Peter, Cheryl, Rod, John, Toni, Nancy T., Roger,  Bob, Nancy and Tom (20).


J. Loomis
Six of us enjoyed breakfast at a very busy David's Restaurant.  Kira was running a mile a minute, dragging chairs and tables and greeting all customers.

J. Loomis
I'm not sure, but I think John took these beautiful flower photos at home.  Besides being a good photographer,  he has a "green thumb".

J. Loomis
 There's a really good low tide next Sunday morning and I would like to run on the beach again.  Walking south from our starting point and going out on to Laguna Point is also a good option for those not wanting to walk the beach or those that have their dog with them.

NEXT SUNDAY, JULY 13TH @ 8:00 A.M.:  WARD AVENUE,  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.