The dogs enjoyed it

"Top results are achieved only through pain  But eventually you like this pain."-- Juha Vaatainen

Melissa said, "the dogs seemed to like it", and that should be today's blog topic.  The comment came about as we were all standing around the finish, whining about our aching stomachs, ankles and bodies in general.  The dogs seemed to enjoy their walk this morning, and I suppose the hikers did too, but for some reason, the runners were suffering.   Ahhh, but it's all good and we are better for having done it.

Thank you, John, for more nice pictures:
                                                                 

Navarro Ridge last week, J. Loomis

Navarro Ridge, J. Loomis

                                                                       
                                                                           

Caspar barn and lupine, J. Loomis

This morning, we ran and walked the Caspar Logging Roads.  It was a nice Spring morning, blue skies, calm and about 50 degrees.




Present were:  Suzanne, Henry, Nancy B., Fran, Zelda, Donna, Cheryl, Neil, Linda, Tom T., Greg, Gay, Mark, Charlene, Ron, Geri, Toni, Joe, Melissa, Nichole, Katie, Nancy T., Roger, Bob, Joel, John, Nancy and Tom (28).

Peace horse, J. Loomis

Next week, there's a pretty good low tide at 11:30.   I think that Ten Mile Beach (from Ward Ave.) will be really nice for walking and running at our 8:00 a.m. start.  The beach isn't best for everyone, or for dogs, but for them, the Haul Road and MacKerricher trails are now really nice.  No matter which way you choose to go, the views are spectacular.   Hopefully, the winds and rain will cooperate.

Twelve of us had a fun (and delicious!) breakfast at David's.

NEXT SUNDAY, April 6th @ 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.

Navarro Ridge and Whitesboro Grange

"Since I'd read Walden in high school, I had been haunted by Thoreau's charge that when I came to die, I might discover that I had not lived.  If I ran a marathon, I thought, I will have lived.  I also thought I might die." -- Benjamin Cheever, Strides

This morning wasn't quite the "spring-like" morning I was hoping for on Navarro Ridge.  I guess that even though the calendar says that it is Spring, not everything changes all at once.  There weren't the wildflowers that I was hoping for but a few are starting to bloom.  John got a couple of nice daffodil photos and I'l post them next week.  For today, I thank John for these three nice pictures:

Driveway mirror,  J. Loomis

Maybe someday Roger will teach me how to compose these
blogs so that I can put photos and text where I want and not
where "blogger.com" wants things.  I'm sorry for the poor
layout and blank space everywhere.

 It was 38 degrees with clear blue skies, when we started at 8:00 this morning.  A slight breeze kind of hurt my hands and ears.  It was fun running though, as we were able to meet and talk with a new runner, Jan.  She lives locally and hopefully will be returning regularly.  Others present:  Bob, John, Fran, Nancy B., Rick, Donna, Zelda, Toni, Joe, Nancy T, Roger, Nancy and Tom (14).




Still a little frosty-  J. Loomis





Navarro Ridge is such a pretty road.  Maybe we'll try it again next month.  Thanks to those that said we haven't been going there enough.

I'll have to figure out a ballot initiative or something, a way that everyone can have a chance to vote for Bob to blog more often.  My asking for a raised hand or saying "aye" didn't work out too well.

Dark Gulch,  J. Loomis

NEXT SUNDAY, MARCH 30 @ 8:00 A.M.:  CASPAR LOGGING ROADS , 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.

The Ron Jahelka Trail (Big River)

"On days when I'm not motivated, I reason that I'd rather put in one hour of drudgery to gain 23 hours of bliss.  Bliss means that for the rest of the day, I'm not guilty about drinking a beer, watching a football game, taking a nap."-- Stuart Witt

Hmmm, where to start.  I think I'd like to start by nominating Bob to write the blog much more often. If you don't know what I'm saying, you need to go back and read last week's blog.  All those in favor, raise your hand or say "aye".  Thanks to Bob and to Roger for blogging in my absence.  And again, thanks to John, who continually takes the photos that make this blog look good.  Here's a couple more of John's Van Damme bridge series, taken recently.

Van Damme, Bridge 2, J. Loomis

Van Damme, Bridge 3, J. Loomis

It was a bit chilly at Big River this morning, 45 and overcast, and with a breeze that made it feel colder.  It didn't seem quite Spring-like, as these photos from John would suggest:

J. Loomis

J. Loomis

Present this morning:  Greg, Gay, Mark, Bob J., Toni, Joe, Nancy B., Rick, Charlene, Ron, John, Fran, Donna, Nancy T,, Roger, Faye, Geri, Nancy and Tom (19).

Here's one we haven't done for quite awhile, since August 25th, or 30 weeks ago,  Navarro Ridge.  You know, it's just about 10 minutes further than going to Van Damme State Park.  The views from the roadway and the Grange Pancake Breakfast should make it worth your time.  It should be the perfect place to witness Spring!

NEXT SUNDAY, MARCH 23 @ 8:00 A.M.:  NAVARRO RIDGE 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.

Daylight Delight

"Walking is falling forward. Each step we take is an arrested plunge, a collapse averted, a disaster braked. In this way, to walk becomes an act of faith. We perform it daily: a two-beat miracle--an iambic teetering, a holding on and letting go." Paul Salopek 

This was the first morning of the onset of daylight time. You know that biannual artificial disruption of the fall of darkness and emergence of light. A self inflicted crack in chronobiology, a bump in biorhythm, a poke in the pendulum of the circadian clock consequently sustaining an insidious assault of living systems. Otherwise it was a beautiful morning.

Participants were greeted with a very comfortable 54 degrees, no wind, and only an occasional drop of rain. The forest floor was clean, quiet, and soft displaying refreshing signs that recent rainfall was replenishing the the moisture depleted soil. This made for a basically good smooth trail but for a few slick spots around puddles which did grow larger near the far end  of the road but none were impassable. Mud slung evidence of the journey was visible on splattered shoes and tracks up the back side of legs. In my case the mud went all the way to the shoulder blades. Not because I ran fast but that I fell down hill skidding on knees and elbows, then barrel rolled to finish the slide on my back relatively unharmed. Indeed Paul Salopek is correct, walking is falling.

Present today were John, Melissa, Nichole, Joe, Mark, Toni, Peter, Sheri, Bob, two others arrived seconds after we set out but I wasn't able to get their names, and the Smart one in our midst Tonya who ran at the normal time. Others that were absent may have stayed home to reset their circadian clocks.

I'm taking this opportunity to give recognition to, and appreciation for, Tom and Nancy in maintaining the heartbeat of the Fog Dodgers. They are always there when you need someone to run or walk with and put much effort into blogging and reporting information to the group. Thank you Tom and Nancy we are grateful to you for your work in making it so easy for the rest of us to simply show up when we can to join other nice people for a pleasant walk or run.

Photos by Loomis. Thank you John


NEXT SUNDAY, March 16 @ 8:00 A.M.: Big River. Aka; the Ron Jahelka Trail
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.

Caspar Logging Road

"The only exercise I take is walking behind the coffins of friends who took exercise"
- Peter O'Toole

Sorry Tom, just more my type of quote!  For this week, I thought I'd add a couple of 'picture' quotes:

I guess it's the wrong time of year to call it an Indian Summer - but the weather continues to come from the south, making it warmer than most summers here on the North Coast.  Yesterday the temperature reached a balmy 70°, and our rain gauge has crept up to nearly 12".  Still a long way down, but a big improvement on a week ago.

So this morning we met at one of my, well to be truthful, Abby's favorite walks.  Thanks Tom for selecting this location.  I'd also like to thank Tom for writing this blog every week.  I really don't enjoy writing, but I do look forward to reading Tom's report every week.  So keep being a Vulcan so you may "live long and prosper" to keep up the excellent work.  Oh, I guess I meant Vegan!

I don't have any photos of Caspar Logging Road, so here's one of our coast:

Although the weather was a bit drizzly this morning, it was very warm and we had a good turn-out.  Enjoying the morning air today were: Bob C., Donna, who brought her friend Nancy 4 (sorry - best I could do), Fay, Fran, Geri, Joe, Toni, Joel, John, Peter, Shari, Rick B., Nancy B., Roger and Nancy T.  Nine of us went to David's for breakfast, where we all got seated around one of those new round tables.  Great move Kira - we love those round tables.

Having said I don't have photos of Caspar, I just received some from John - thanks John.  so here's one of John's photos he took this morning.

John also wanted to mention that:

This Week, First Fri. and Friday the 7th is open House at the College of the Redwoods Art Dept.

Being as we have quite a few people in the group who concern themselves with healthy eating, I thought you might like this book (in pdf format) that gives a list of the many brands of different food products that are certified GMO free.

So, with some luck Bob will be writing the blog next week, and in the meantime, if, Neil and Cheryl you get time to read this, I hope you're having a great hiking trip in New Zealand.

NEXT SUNDAY, MARCH 9TH, JACKSON STATE FOREST ROAD 450,  the one off Simpson Lane, see "Our Routes" above.  Hopefully it won't be too muddy.

SUNDAY,  MARCH 16TH,  BIG RIVER 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.