It's summer at RUSSIAN GULCH. The blackberries, nettles, wild cucumber, etc. are reaching out into the trail. Hiking were Charlene, Jean, Fran, Diana, Jeff, Deb, Sam, Eric, Nancy, Tom, John, Kelly (toting a pack for extra exercise), Joe, Sky, Beth, and Bob.

On our way down the hill we heard lost of complaints from what sounded like a baby osprey. One of the parents was patiently roosting on the edge of the nest standing guard. Presumably the other parent was out over the ocean attending to breakfast. The nest is at the top of a tall dead pine tree, so have a look if your out that way. The babies should be fledging shortly, but will still depend on the parents for chow for quite a while until they face up to the cold plunge into the ocean to catch their own.

Afterwards ten of us ate at the Good Life cafe. 

John's photos are from Caspar Beach this time:

Blue-Heron-Duo-Accompanied-by-White-Egret (I believe the bricks in the foreground were the foundation of the furnace of the old Caspar mill. Steam powered almost everything in the mill and supplied electricity to Caspar)

Caspar-Bay-June-Low-tide

Caspar-Creek-June-Marine-Layer

Caspar-Point-June

Caspar-Old-Garage-holding-on

Caspar-Old-Hiway-Bull

Caspar-Real-Estate

NEXT SUNDAY, July 6 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, CASPAR LOGGING ROAD. You can click on the "Our Routes" tab at the top to get directions, if needed.

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

GLASS BEACH

This time we went to GLASS BEACH. It was a beautiful Sunday and the wind was mild, a relief from the previous days. Hiking were Diana, Jeff, Kelly, Eric, John, Pat (back from Texas, with Leon staying with the car), Nancy, Tom, Kim, Doug, and Bowie, Jean, Sky, Fran, Joe, and later, Beth and Bob.

Afterwards some when to the nearby Denny's while six of us went up to Navarro Ridge to the Whitesboro Grange breakfast. It was encouraging to see that the grange breakfast was very well attended so hopefully they will continue to offer this breakfast option in the future. I am planning the hike for Navarro Ridge on the fourth Sunday in July.

Here are John's photos for the week:

Glass-Beach-Trail-Beggar

Fox-Glove

Glass-Beach-Blackbirds

Greenhouse

Sun

Moon

NEXT SUNDAY, June 29 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, RUSSIAN GULCH. You can click on the "Our Routes" tab at the top to get directions, if needed.

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

WARD AVENUE

Today we walked at WARD AVENUE, our northernmost route since losing access to the road at Ten Mile. A smaller group than last week was in attendance. Hiking were Jean, Nancy, Tom, Shari, John, Mark, Eric, Toni, Joe, and, briefly, Fran. Sky also came along later.

No breakfast group this time as many were going to the Compche BBQ.

As usual, John sent some pictures:

Mackerricher-Lake-in-June

Mackerricher-Bird-Portrait

Fox-Glove

Fog-Dodgers-on-way-back

Bird-in-the-Bush

Nyes-Organic-Garden 

NEXT SUNDAY, June 22 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, GLASS BEACH. You can click on the "Our Routes" tab at the top to get directions, if needed.

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

MENDOCINO HEADLANDS

Yesterday we hiked the MENDOCINO HEADLANDS. A goodly number of us showed up at Toilet Point (as the plein air artists refer to it). Hiking were John, Chris, Dave, Jean, Deb, Sam, Eric, Nancy, Tom, Joe, Shari, Sky, Claudette, Bob, Beth, Bob, and Mark. Interestingly, of the eleven cars used by our group five were EVs and one more was a hybrid. Change is coming.

Afterwards most of us went to Tony's (St Anthony's for their breakfast offerings. The table was crowded.

John's photos:

Chapman-Point

Mendocino-Icons

Mendocino-Headlans-east-view

Mendocino-up-the-hill

Mendocino-Headland-farmhouse

Ford-House

Presbyterian-Church-June-25

NEXT SUNDAY, June 15 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, WARD AVENUE. You can click on the "Our Routes" tab at the top to get directions, if needed.

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

SOUTH HARBOR

The walk this week followed the usual route at SOUTH HARBOR, We walked up river on the south shore of the Noyo to just past Dolphin Isle and then back to the lower boat launch ramp. We noted that electric fence standoffs and wire had been installed on the dock where, in the past, many sea lions had contested for a resting place. The electric fencing seems to have done the trick - no sea lions on the dock. Hikers were Deb, Sam, Toni, Joe, Kelly, Eric, Diana, Jeff, Sky, Mark, and Charlene.

This time we have photos from both John (who did not hike with us this time - had to go to the film festival) and Diana.

First Diana's:

Geese

Mergansers with ducklings in tow

Osprey nest

resting Harbor Seal

Trespassing seal

Hiking back down the hill

Look, Ma. No sea lions!

Now John's:

Noyo River April 6th

Noyo River Commercial Dock

Noyo River

Noyo River East View

Noyo River Fishing boat headed out

Noyo River Fishing Boat out at sea

Noyo River Fishing Boats

Noyo River Fishing

NEXT SUNDAY, June 8 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, MENDOCINO HEADLANDS. You can click on the "Our Routes" tab at the top to get directions, if needed. Note that the Mendocino Headlands location was chosen by request in spite of the the fact that we hiked there on the second Sunday in May just 3 weeks ago. Previously I had been asked to make sure there was variety in our location choice by not repeating any location frequently, but being able to eat at St Anthony's is also a priority for many, so compromise seems in order this time.

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