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, February 8, 2026

MENDOCINO HEADLANDS

We had a large group getting together for our walk along the MENDOCINO HEADLANDS. It was cloudy and a little breezy as we walked along Heezer Dr and then through the sleepy town. We saw about 3 people, 2 cars and 1 cat. On the walk were Eric, Kelly, Sky, Barbara, Deb, Sam, John, Mark, Lynne, Chris, Diana, Jeff, Joe, Fran Jean, Richard (new), Nancy, Tom, Kim, Doug, Beth, Bob, Charlene, Eve and Gary (25).

The many of us went to the St Anthony's Pancake Breakfast in Mendocino afterward.

Photos by John and Gary:

  
             I need to keep an eye on this group                                         Yes, this group!
 
               Did anyone see Jessica Fletcher?                          A great gathering place
      The flowers are already blooming in Mendocino                         Going to breakfast?

NEXT SUNDAY, February 15 @ 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.

Sunday, February 1, 2026

VAN DAMME STATE PARK

The walk up the creek at VAN DAMME was nice and cool as might be expected this time of year. The path is pretty eroded from flooding of the creek but we did not encounter any broken bridges, though signs warned of such. one wonders if the trail will ever be restored. Hiking were Barbara, Tom (no Nancy), Beth, Bob, Charlene, Mark, Sky, Eve, Gary, Jean, Fran, John, and Joe (13).

The breakfast was at the Good Life Cafe in Mendocino.

John sent us some photos:

Vandamme-Geese-in-Little-River

The-green-pond
Fog-Dodgers-heading-back
Little-River-High-Tide 
Big-River-High-Tide
Owl
NEXT SUNDAY, February 8 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, MENDOCINO HEADLANDS (this time the standard route). 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.

Monday, January 26, 2026

NAVARRO RIDGE

NAVARRO RIDGE was bit cool this Sunday because of a breeze but at least there seemed to be fewer vehicles to dodge as we walked east. Fogdodgers were Beth, Bob, Jean, Nancy, Tom, Charlene, Eric, Mark, Deb, Sam, Sky, Eve, Gary, Zelda, Joe, Shari, and John (17).

Afterwards most of us attended the pancake breakfast at the grange. This time there were about twice as many people there as had attended in the past. And the grange was trying a new system of serving - buffet style, which cause a few hiccups as the pancakes turned out to a bottleneck and they were running out of some items intermittently, but all turned out generally OK and they still had the blackberry pancake sauce if you were lucky and patient enough to get your pancakes.

Here are some photos by Zelda and John:

Daffodils

Old wine barrel planter
Farm shed
Barn-on-Navarro-Ridge
Deer-in-the-woods
Grassy road up a hill
Needs a new roof
Double decker water tower
Sunrise thru the mist 
NEXT SUNDAY, February 1 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, VAN DAMME. 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.

Sunday, January 18, 2026

POMO BLUFFS

Several of us braved the fog and hiked at POMO BLUFFS. There was fog along the coast, thick in places, but the sun was shining from the east underneath the fog down on the Noyo River as there was very little fog down at river level. The visual effect was stunning. Hiking were Nancy, Tom, Diana, Jeff, Eric, John, Joe, Shari, Deb, Sam, Jean, Fran, Charlene, Eve, Gary, Kelly, Mark, and Zelda (18).

Afterwords eleven of us enjoyed breakfast in the back room at the Laurel Deli.

John's photos for the day:

Sunrise-Noyo

Noyo-Harbor
Pomo-Park-Visitor

Noyo-Bridge

Urchin
NEXT SUNDAY, January 25 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, NAVARRO RIDGE. 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.

Monday, January 12, 2026

MENDOCINO HEADLANDS (NORTH)

We tried a new route this time. Starting at the usual spot for a hike on Heeser Drive on the Mendocino Headlands we walked North along Lansing Street and then north over the Jack Peters Bridge using the new footpath recently added on the west side of the bridge. Then we got off the highway and followed Route 500D to its end just to the south of Russian Gulch State Park. Hiking were John, Nancy, Tom, Shari, Deb, Sam, Eve, Gary, Eric, Fran, Kelly, Lynne, Jean, Mark, and Joe. We were shortly joined by Bob who was running down Lansing. Later we learned that Sky had attempted to join us, but had taken the old Mendocino Headlands loop instead. Fran also had taken a shorter hike.

Most of us went to breakfast at Tony's (St Anthony's) for their pancake breakfast. There we were joined by Claudette, Beth and Bob.

John's photos:

Fog-Dodgers-on-Jack-Peters-Bridge

View-from-Jack-Peters-Creek
Chantrelles-HedgeHog-and-Yellow-feet
Frog-on-a-log
Mendocino-Headlands
Hunting-for-Treasure
NEXT SUNDAY, January 18 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, POMO BLUFFS. 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.

Sunday, January 4, 2026

SOUTH HARBOR

The rain gave us a break for our hike at SOUTH HARBOR, though this might be the last time we walk there. A gentleman informed us that the road is private property starting at the hill pretty near the parking lot. Anyway the walk was well attended: Nancy, Tom, Eric, Deb, Sam, Lynne, Charlene, John, Joe, Kelly, Eve, Gary, Sky and Jean (14).

Afterwards eleven of us crowded around the table at Denny'.s

John's photos:

Fog-Dodgers-1-4-2026-South-Harbor-Trail

Noyo-Harbor-View
Noyo-Basin
Noyo-Mooring-Basin-SeaLion
Noyo-Red-Shouldered-Hawk
Noyo-Sportsmans-Mooring
SeaLion-with-Ball
NEXT SUNDAY, January 11 @ 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 neededIt was proposed that we meet at the regular spot but hike north across Jack Peters Bridge rather than our normal hike along the headlands just for variety.

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

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

CASPAR LOGGING ROAD

I good sized post Christmas crowd assembled for our walk at CASPAR LOGGING ROAD. We lucked out with the weather after all the rain we've been having (Toni and I just got our internet back this Monday). Hiking were Eric, John, Kelly, Nancy, Tom, Lynne, Deb, Sam, Eve, Gary, Sky, Shari, Fran, Doug, Kim, Joe, Mark, and Zelda.

Several went to the Laurel Deli for breakfast. 

John's photos:

Caspar-Sunrise-Deer

Fern-Creek-Pasture
Fern-Creek-Sunrise
Smokin-Horses
Asphalt-Floral 
NEXT SUNDAY, January 4 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, SOUTH HARBOR. 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.