MENDOCINO HEADLANDS

We had a nice morning for walking and running around the Mendocino Headlands.  A solid cloud cover and a light southerly breeze flattened out the ocean and gave it a pretty jade green color.  I think it looked like good diving water.  It's supposed to rain this afternoon and that's just how it felt.  My grass won't dry out for mowing until just before a rain.  Joe explained to me today why that is.

John couldn't make it today but invited me to use some of his old photos.  Remember, you can click on any of the photos to open up a larger image.  The old logging remnant of a post and beam from the Mendocino Landing is from John.  The old wooden things are still there but after a hundred years of weather, are beginning to lean down and toward the ocean.  They probably won't last another hundred years.

We like to go to Morro Bay each year.  The photo above was taken a couple of years ago while Nancy pondered her run to Morro Rock.

We drove thru Chetwyn, Yukon five years ago.  Wood carvings such as the one above were displayed about every hundred yards along the highway.  They come from the annual carving competition and are just amazing.

Further up the highway, we passed this bear that was hiding in the lupine.

Present today: Kim, Doug, Charlene, Fran, Mark, Jean, Diana, Jeff, Toni, Joe, Barbara, Nancy and Tom (13).

By request, next week we'll run and walk on JSF Rd. 450.  With rain coming today and fair weather the rest of next week, I think the road should be in good shape.  

SUNDAY, APRIL 3RD @ 8:OO A.M,  GROUP RUN, WALK AND BIKE, JACKSON STATE FOREST ROAD 450 ( Go east up Simpson Lane [traffic circle] for 1.9 miles). You can always click on the "Our Routes" button at the top of the page to find directions to the location. 

EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN/WALK @ 7:30 A.M.:  Beginning behind the Fort Bragg Fire Station.

COASTAL TRAIL - MIDDLE

It was cold and windy at our start this morning.  You may not have noticed it or felt anything, but right in the middle of our walk/run, at 8:33 exactly, it was the Spring Equinox!  Don't you feel better now?  John noticed, and sent the following photo.

I think that maybe that labeled photo above,  was edited from this other one that John sent:

Present today: New for our Sunday walk/runs, Ang (sp?).  Ang has walked and ran with us mid-week Fog Dodgers for several weeks.  Also present: Cindy, Fran, Charlene, Toni, Joe, Gay, Mark, Diana, Jeff, John, Shari, Nancy and Tom (14).

Yellow Daffodils

A woman from the school called John and said she had this model of the old Noyo Bridge that he and his son had built.  He donated it to the railroad museum.

Having trouble with Blogger today, so I can't label John's photos or arrange them properly on the post but you get the idea, it's Spring!                                                                        

Tangerine daffodil

SUNDAY, MARCH 27TH, @ 8:OO A.M,  GROUP RUN, WALK AND BIKE, MENDOCINO HEADLANDS AND TOWN. You can always click on the "Our Routes" button at the top of the page to find directions to the location. 

EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN/WALK @ 7:30 A.M.:  Beginning behind the Fort Bragg Fire Station.

Russian Gulch

Russian Gulch is where it was at today. Always well worth an outing just to view and marvel at the beauty of the Fredrick W. Panhorst Bridge. Built in 1939-40 for $109,000.

John Loomis photo

It is truly a combined work of architecture, art, and engineering. Notice how the spacing of the columns gradually widen as they get taller.

John Loomis photo

There was a smattering of rain last night, the temperature was 42 degrees at the start. Usually the canyon floor is colder than the rim but today that was not noticeable.

Most everyone that showed up had a stick in the spokes of their circadian clocks, biorhythms battered by the the change to to Daylight Savings. Yesterday there was 11 hours and 48 minutes of daylight. Today there will be 11 hours and 50 minutes of daylight. Not much light was saved by moving the hands of the clock. There were a few tales of interest from those that struggled to remember how to change the time on their devices and from some that overslept. But all in all everyone was in an exceptionally good mood and it was a great start to a good morning. In attendance today were Mark, Gay, Toni, Joe, Fran, Jean, John, Diana, Jeff, Barbara, Shari, and Bob.

John Loomis photo

As usual we have some wonderful photos from John Loomis that always make the blog more colorful and help tell a story. Thank you John.

How did Russian gulch get it's name? One theory is that the name was given to the area by U.S. government surveyors in honor of the Russian fur trappers who founded Fort Ross. A more likely story, according to locals, is that a deserter from Fort Ross lived at Russian Gulch.

Just for fun if you want to know a little more about the history of Russian gulch and the bridge go to the Fog Dodger blog archives to Sunday August 18, 2013.

John Loomis photo

SUNDAY, MARCH 20TH, @ 8:OO A.M,  GROUP RUN, WALK AND BIKE, COASTAL TRAIL - MIDDLE (behind the F.B. Fire Station). You can always click on the "Our Routes" button at the top of the page to find directions to the location. 

EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN/WALK @ 7:30 A.M.:  Beginning behind the Fort Bragg Fire Station.

POMO BLUFFS PARK

It was a beautiful morning!  A little cold at the start, 36, but by the time we finished, I think we all wore too much clothing!

Present today: Kim, Doug, Cindy, Fran, Charlene, Jean, Barbara, Toni, Joe, Gay, Mark, John, Bob, Nancy and 'Tom  (15).

I've taken a couple of pictures out of the archives this morning, thanks John!

Next week, by request, Russian Gulch.  There are options at Russian Gulch, so it's good for everybody.

SUNDAY, MARCH 13TH, @ 8:OO A.M,  GROUP RUN, WALK AND BIKE, RUSSIAN GULCH.  Remember that  it's Daylight Savings Time! You can always click on the "Our Routes" button at the top of the page to find directions to the location. 

EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN/WALK @ 7:30 A.M.:  Beginning behind the Fort Bragg Fire Station.