Big River

Our small but hardy runners and walker enjoyed the rain this morning. Bob, John and I walked briskly together and solved all the problems in Mendocino (we weren't ready to solve all the problems of the world.) We advised the Big River Park staff that they needed to take better care of the trail:  keep the rain water in the ditch on the north side, clear out ditches to the water will flow through, and remove the debris off the trail. We hope they heard our requests. We also saw that a bear had been around earlier. We watched the birds and the seals (sea lions?) , on the other side of the river. The seals were diving and jumping in the water as though they were catching fish for their breakfast. 

John Loomis provided the photos below:

 View of the bridge on a rainy day.

Can't see the seals, but they were right near the tip of 

the spit in the estuary of this photo.

Of course we have to celebrate Halloween!

SUNDAY, 11/13, BIG RIVER
SUNDAY, 11/20, 7th Annual Bin-2-Bin-2-Bin (local fun/charity run/walk)

NEXT SUNDAY, 11/6 @ 8:00 A.M.: NOYO HEADLANDS PARK - NORTH

EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN @ 7:00 A.M.: BIG RIVER LOGGING ROAD.

NAVARRO RIDGE ROAD

We had a small but hardy group of three runners and four walkers. The weather was chilly but spectacular. The sky was bright blue and yellow, colors from the sun and puffy clouds. Thankfully there weren't very many cars on the road so we had it to ourselves most of the time. And, of course, those who love the blackberry sauce for the pancakes enjoyed it. John Loomis took some fantastic photos that truly caught the beauty of the sky this morning. Enjoy his photos (some were taken another day) and hope to see more of you next Sunday.

  Distant barn with the golden sunlight.

Present were:  Bob, John and Jan, and Nancy & Rick and Toni & Joe. (7)

Closer image of the barn.

 

The same barn with fog rolling in behind.

Laundry drying.

SUNDAY, 11/6, NOYO HEADLANDS PARK - NORTH
SUNDAY, 11/13, BIG RIVER
SUNDAY, 11/20, 7th Annual Bin-2-Bin-2-Bin (local fun/charity run/walk)


NEXT SUNDAY, DATE @ 8:00 A.M.: BIG RIVER

 
EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN @ 7:00 A.M.: BIG RIVER LOGGING ROAD.

Caspar Logging Road

We had a hearty group of walkers and two runners. Luckily it didn't start raining until after we had breakfast at David's! Unfortunately, I hadn't entered today's hike in the right place on the blog, which sent John on to the Navarro Ridge Road. So we all missed him. Didn't learn what had happened until I got back home and read his email. Hope you had a great run all by yourself, John! I'll use your Navarro Ridge photos for next Sunday.

 A&W Road

I have posted some of my photos. The photo above happened to show what our sky looked like today! The photo was taken on the A&W Road, which is no longer available to us.

Present were:  Bob and Jan, Nancy & Rick, Nancy T., Toni, Joe, Susan, 

Gaye & Mark and Sam E. (11)

 Jackson Demonstration State Forest

Trail to the Caspar Weir

Jackson Demonstration State Forest 

Trail to the Caspar Weir

SUNDAY, 10/23, NAVARRO RIDGE ROAD
SUNDAY, 10/30, BIG RIVER
SUNDAY, 11/6, NOYO HEADLANDS PARK - NORTH
SUNDAY, 11/13, BIG RIVER
SUNDAY, 11/20, 7th Annual Bin-2-Bin-2-Bin (local fun/charity run/walk)


NEXT SUNDAY, OCT. 23rd, @ 8:00 A.M.:  NAVARRO RIDGE ROAD
 
 
EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN @ 7:00 A.M.: BIG RIVER LOGGING ROAD.
 

Van Damme State Park

The weather this week has turned on us. Yesterday, for those of  who live in Little River up about two or three miles, had a wonderful sunny warm day. Our photos are provided by John Loomis as usual. Hope to see you all again next week!

 Van Damme Bay

Today it was chilly at the beach,  in the mid 50's to low 60's. The parking area wasn't as full as it had been over the past four or five months. The camp grounds seemed pretty full and the trail as were went east became more wet and muddy.

Early Morning Spring Ranch

Tunnel to the Pacific

We had had six runners today including Chandra, Jan, John L., Bob, Laura and Jeff. The walkers (9) included Toni and Joe, Peter and Shari, Nancy T. and me, Nancy B., Susan and Bill and Jordan. We had a good group of runners and hikers/walkers today and six of us had breakfast at the Little River Inn.Hope to see you next Sunday!


NEXT SUNDAY, DATE @ 8:00 A.M.: Caspar Logging Roads

SUNDAY, 10/23, NAVARRO RIDGE ROAD 
SUNDAY, 10/30, BIG RIVER
SUNDAY, 11/6, NOYO HEADLANDS PARK - NORTH
SUNDAY, 11/13, BIG RIVER
SUNDAY, 11/20, 7th Annual Bin-2-Bin-2-Bin (local fun/charity run/walk)

NEXT SUNDAY, OCT. 9TH, @ 8:00 A.M.:  VAN DAMME STATE PARK
 
EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN @ 7:00 A.M.: BIG RIVER LOGGING ROAD.

NOYO HEADLANDS PARK - NORTH

A welcome change in the weather today, rain!  It wasn't much but it has been a long time since our last.   Here we are, it's 8:00, time to start, and John, always looking for a photo, sees an oil sheen coming from a drop of oil in the parking lot.  Thanks John, for all of the photos you supply for the blog.

a drop of oil on wet asphalt, J. Loomis photo

It was 53 degrees with just a little breeze and a light rain when we started this morning.   A couple of minutes after getting started, an out-of-town couple walking on the trail asked, "Where is Glass Beach?"  I only mention this because we were at Glass Beach.  It is not what it used to be and certainly not what Via Magazine and Sunset Magazine show their readers.  John's idea of getting a cement truck and tumbling a lot of broken, colored glass is a good one.  The beach could be replenished, regularly.

Egret, J. Loomis photo

Present today were:  Chandra, Jeff, Gay, Mark, Nancy B., Rick, Nancy T., Roger, John, Nancy and Tom (11).

Wall mural at The Depot, J. Loomis photo

A wasp trap in John's garden

Next week, we're going to try out Fern Canyon at Van Damme.  Cyd says that the trail has been opened up and is in "decent" shape.  Also note, that on the 23rd, we will be on Navarro Ridge Road.  It takes about 10 minutes (more than Van Damme) longer to drive there but it can be worth it.  There can be great views of the Navarro canyon and of the ocean and the Grange breakfast has always been great.  We're going there by request, so remember, we do entertain requests.


SUNDAY, 10/9, VAN DAMME STATE PARK
SUNDAY, 10/16, CASPAR LOGGING ROADS
SUNDAY, 10/23, NAVARRO RIDGE ROAD 
SUNDAY, 10/30, BIG RIVER
SUNDAY, 11/6, NOYO HEADLANDS PARK - NORTH
SUNDAY, 11/13, BIG RIVER
SUNDAY, 11/20, 7th Annual Bin-2-Bin-2-Bin (local fun/charity run/walk)

NEXT SUNDAY, OCT. 9TH, @ 8:00 A.M.:  VAN DAMME STATE PARK

EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN @ 7:00 A.M.: BIG RIVER LOGGING ROAD.