PT CABRILLO LIGHTHOUSE

This last Sunday we went to PT CABRILLO LIGHTHOUSE, a location we haven't visited for quite a while. The hike there is pretty short if one just goes down the road and back up so our group split up with some hiking north along the trails before turning to return to the parking lot while others lingered around the lighthouse and went south a short distance to the pond. At the pond some were lucky enough to spot a family of river otters who are making the pond their home, at least until the fish supply runs out. According to report baby otters are really cute.

Hiking were Deb, Sam, Nancy, Tom, Sky, Jean, Fran, Doug, Kim, John, Barbara Joe,Charlene, and Chris.

Afterward a group of nine of us went to the the Good Life for a very nice breakfast.

And for those interested in the bumblebee story I told, here is an article with a video:

bumblebees using balls as stepladders 

John's photos:

Caspar-Lite-Station

Caspar-Lite-water-pond

Caspar-Lite-Station-Residence

Trail-to-Caspar-Beach

Neighborood-Horses-Sunning

NEXT SUNDAY, June 14 @ 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. 

And for the week after that perhaps COASTAL TRAIL – SOUTH.... what do you think?

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

PUDDING CREEK TRESTLE

This past Sunday we walked starting from the south end of PUDDING CREEK TRESTLE. A medium sized group of long-time Fogdodgers did the walk: Nancy, Tom, John, Joe, Deb, Sam, Charlene, Kim, Doug, Sky, Eric, and Mark. Beth and Bob joined us a bit later.

Afterwards I gather most Fogdodgers went to Denny's for breakfast.

John took some beautiful photos:

Pudding-Creek-Bay

White Crowned Sparrow (at the limit of cell phone camera zoom)

Pudding-Creek-Bridge

Guest-House

Pudding-Creek-Trestle

The-Skunk

Train-Yard

NEXT SUNDAY, June 7 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, PT CABRILLO LIGHTHOUSE. 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.

NAVARRO RIDGE

As usual for the fourth Sunday of the month we walked east along the road at NAVARRO RIDGE. This time it was mostly the fogdodgers who have been with the group for a long time. Hiking were Charlene, Tom, John, Joe, Eric, Deb, Sam, and Fran. Nice cool weather and lots of spring flowers. There were a couple of California Quail parents with lots of very recently hatched chicks at one driveway along the road.

Of course almost all of us attended the grange pancake breakfast. 

John's photos:

Navarro-Ridge-Barn

Navarro-Ridge-Fog-Dodgers

Navarro-Ridge-Fried-Egg

Navarro-Ridge-Cattle

Chapman-Point

Jug-Handle-Farm

NEXT SUNDAY, May 31 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, PUDDING CREEK TRESTLE. 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

I could not have predicted the wind when I selected WARD AVENUE for this week's hike, but it turned out to be hella windy today. In order to minimize the wind some of us actually hiked east on Ward Avenue rather than the usual path south along the road at the coast. The wind made it chilly but otherwise it was a beautiful day. Hiking were Nancy, Tom, Diana, Jeff, Eric, Joe, John, Charlene, Fran, Jean, Zelda, Kim, Doug, and Mark.

Seven of us went to breakfast at the Laurel Deli and were able to use the back room - always nice.

John got some good photos:

Windswept-Mackerricher

Deer-in-the-dunes

Haul-road-north

Deer-out-of-the-wind

Ward-Ave-Blooms

Mckerricher-sea-wall-remains (made of old railroad rails)

Ward-Ave-Rhodedendron 

NEXT SUNDAY, May 24 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, NAVARRO RIDGE (let me know if you all are getting tired of NAVARRO RIDGE every fourth Sunday). 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.

VAN DAMME

We hiked along the rough trail at Van Damme State Park. Who knows wen the park might do some repairs along the trail.The weather was nice and cool. It had been raining lightly earlier in the morning but the sun was out along the coast as we finished. On the hike were Sky, Joe, Deb, Sam, Nancy, Tom, John, Diana, Jeff, Charlene, Mark, Jean, Fran, Shari and Eric.

Then, as usual, most of us went to St Anthony's for the pancake breakfast where we were joined by Peter with Bob and Claudette stopping by.

John's photos:

Happy-Mothers-Day-Fog-Dodgers

Goosey-Gander-goslings

Big-River-outlet

VanDamme-Wild-Columbine

Van-Damme-overcrossing

Van-Damme-River

Van-Damme-Wild-Flower

NEXT SUNDAY, May 17 @ 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. We might be able to see some harbor seal pups in the rookeries along the coast. It's that time of year.

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

BIG RIVER

8:00 a.m., Sunday the 3rd:  It was 54 degrees, thick overcast making it dry-like, no breeze and just a few mosquitoes.  It was a good morning for walking at Big River.  Present were: Sky, Mark, Mary, Fran, John, Jean, Eric, Shari, Barbara, Nancy and Tom (11).  Eric, Nancy and Tom turned around shortly after the start and headed to Boonville to do the Boontling Classic 5K.

Thanks to John for today's photos, all from Big River.

Big River Hwy. 1 Bridge

Big River looking west

Big River looking east

                                                         Big River wildflower

                                                           Big River Star Thistle

                                                         Big River wild flowers
Next Sunday is Mother's Day.  I'm not sure what that will do to the Pancake Breakfast crowd at St. Anthony's but everyone likes going there on the second Sundays so, we just walked Heeser Dr. and around Mendocino, so I'm picking another venue nearby.

NEXT SUNDAY, MAY 10TH, 8:00 A.M., GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, VAN DAMME STATE PARK.

EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, 7:30 A.M., COASTAL TRAIL MIDDLE (BEHIND THE FORT BRAGG FIRE STATION).

NAVARRO RIDGE ROAD

It was a nice overcast and warm morning on Navarro Ridge.  53 degrees at our start but then turning a little cooler on our way back, and we even got just a few raindrops in the second half.

John has again given us some very nice photos, thank you, John.

                                                               Hare Creek Beach at sunset

                                                                View of the Navarro River

Navarro River Barn

                                                                              Wild Rose

                                                                       Belted Galloway

                                                                      Navarro Barn

Present today:  Fran, Jean, John, Deb, Sam, Sky, Beth, Bob D., Charlene,  Eric, Nancy and Tom (12).

Next week, several of us are going to do the Boontling Classic 5K.  It starts at 10:00, so we will walk for a little bit at Big River but then head to Boonville.

NEXT SUNDAY,  May 3rd @ 8:00 A.M.:  Group Run/Walk/Bike, BIG RIVER LOGGING ROAD.  You can click on the button, "OUR ROUTES", for directions if needed.

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