LITTLE RIVER HEADLANDS - SPRING RANCH

After a bit of confusion about where the hike was to take place, a group of ten of us ended up hiking at Spring Ranch/Chapman Point. Hiking were Sky, Charlene, Diana, Jeff, Deb, Sam, Shari, Toni, Joe and John. We started from the parking area across from Gordon Lane to avoid the muddy section of the Spring Ranch trail near its start at the Inn at Cobbler's Walk. I only found out about the mud on Friday and had changed the hike's location to Van Damme State Park only to find out that that park was closed, so charged again to Spring Ranch starting a little further up the road. After descending a steep section at the start of our hike, we came across several intense patches of spring flowers. It was a nice hike, though a bit wet with drizzle.

Here are some photos John provide (but none of the flower patches we encountered):

Chapman-Point-Bay--on-a-sunny-day

Flowering-Cherry

Flowering-Cherry 2

Flowering-cherry-Springtime

Road-out-to-Chapman-Point

NEXT SUNDAY, May 7 @ 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.

PUDDING CREEK TRESTLE

Changing the planned route BACK TO SPRING RANCH via Gordon Lane parking area (NOT to Van Damme). Well it turns out that Van Damme is still closed, so we will try to gather in the parking area across from Gordon Lane and then hike Spring Ranch. Toni informs me that this start for a Spring Ranch hike will avoid the muddy areas. I will post myself in the parking on Peterson Lane on the west side of Highway 1 at the Inn at Cobbler's walk to redirect those who don't get the message in time. Hopefully not too many of you will go to Van Damme based on my earlier blog edit.

 

Several Fog Dodgers braved a misty morning to walk the haul road starting at the south end of the Pudding Creek Trestle. Present were Sky, Jean, Charlene, John, Diana, Jeff, Toni and Joe. A nice walk, but on the return some were surprised at the uphill grade coming south from Virgin Creek. We didn't remember the downhill on the way out. On the way out the fire pits at the Beachcomber Motel were all blazing and without motel guests so it was tempting to stop and warm ourselves by the fires (but we didn't). It was nice to be walking on pavement rather than the mud one would find on a wet dirt trail.

Afterwards 6 of us had breakfast together at the Laurel Deli.

Here are John's photo's for the week (not all from today):

Pudding-Creek-Bridge

Pudding-Creek-4-23

Pudding-Creek-3-5-23

10-Mile-Southern-views

Cherry-Blossoms

Noyo-Bridge-Fog

NEXT SUNDAY, APRIL 30 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, Spring Ranch, but starting from parking across from Gordon Lane. 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 AND TOWN

I don’t know who is posting for the group today but it was a small gathering. Charlene, Skye, Jeff, Diane, Cindy Jean & myself walking through beautiful Mendocino!

Shari

Thank You Shari for the Fog Dodger Report.  Many were out and about enjoying the Spring Weather

I will enclose a few iconic Mendocino Pictures of town.

John

NEXT SUNDAY, (4/23/2023) @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, (Pudding Creek Foot Bridge-north of Glass Beach at end of road at foot bridge). 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.

POINT CABRILLO LIGHTHOUSE

This Sunday Morning was a brilliant sunny greeting for the Easter Holiday.  Some celebrate with religious ceremony, others hunt for chocolate easter eggs, and some just celebrate the Springtime season.  Gardening, enjoying some dry mornings, blue skies, and warmer temperatures.  The Fog Dodgers celebrated this Easter with a nice casual walk down to Cabrillo Point Lite Station.  The sky was a brilliant blue, the tan, green grasses and daffodils were up, the ocean was like the sky and quite a site to see.  No damage was seen on the Light Station from the past recent storms other than a boarded-up ocean facing door.

                                                Caspar Lite Station with sunrise moon set

                                                       Caspar Bay looking west

 

                                                        Caspar Creek looking east

                                        A favorite Caspar Pond usually with duck, and geese

                                    And of course, the partial deer herd in Caspar

It is nice to see the insects about and early morning daisy's.  It is Springtime Happy Easter

                                                                    Easter baskets

                                                                    small group today
Present today:  Kim, Doug, Charlene, Shari, Peter, Nancy, Tom and John (8).

NEXT SUNDAY, April 16TH @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, MENDOCINO HEADLANDS, starting from the Heeser Drive restrooms.

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

COASTAL TRAIL - MIDDLE

Middle, meaning the middle access point for our beautiful Coastal Trail.  That's where we started this morning, under blue skies, sunshine and a little chill.  It was a beautiful morning and maybe that is why everyone seemed a little happier!  We have certainly had our share of grey, rainy days.

                                       

                                          The Guest House Museum in Fort Bragg

Thanks to John for all of today's photos.  They're all from the local area or from Highway 20, just east.

                                                 "Busy" Franklin St. in Fort Bragg

It was nice this morning for me, Tom, to see:  Nancy, Kim, Doug, Shari, John, Sky, Cheryl, Scott, Charlene, Jean, and Bob (12).  It's "travel time" for many of our group.  Good weather (?), flowers and the kids are still in school (mostly), so there may be fewer of us on Sundays, but keep on coming, it will always be good.

Town Hall and Courtyard.  Do you remember when the library, sheriff's sub and courthouse were in this building?

          The Little Red School House, used not too long ago.  It's out Hwy. 20, milepost 17.5

Another Hwy. 20 shot.  This barn (milepost 30) once stood on walls but now lays on the ground.  It is almost completely down now.

I'm not sure where this was taken but I'm guessing that it is another creation by John.  He says it is, "Big Copper Fish".

Now the hard part:

I'm trying to figure out where to meet next Sunday.  It's about time to pick some place around Mendocino  but we did Big River last week, Van Damme's Fern Canyon is closed due to trail damage, parking at Russian Gulch is too muddy, it will be Easter, and I tend to avoid town on holidays.  How about, 

 

NEXT SUNDAY, April 9 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, POINT CABRILLO LIGHTHOUSE.   This one is not listed in the "Our Routes" file but I think everyone knows where it is. We'll start from the parking lot on Point Cabrillo Dr., just above the lighthouse.

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