Quite a few Fogdodgers showed up at the Inn at the Cobbler's Walk for the SPRING RANCH hike this Sunday. Hiking were John, Sky, Eric, Jean, Charlene (who walked form her house), Fran, Shari, Deb, Sam, Nancy, Tom, Diana, Jeff, Toni and Joe. The trail made its way winding through the woods for quite a ways (lions and tigers and bears, oh my!) emerging onto the bluffs overlooking the Pacific. Lots of bull kelp is starting to come back - a good sign. Many pelicans were gliding low over the water, riding on the ground effect. The sky was dark in several places, promising rain. Several of us went over to look at the blow hole which is set back a fair distance from the shore. The hike was not too long but it felt good to be walking on earth, though the trail was eroded a bit deeply in places. This is not a good trail in the spring, when it tends to be muddy, but very nice in the fall. I hope everybody checked themselves for ticks (though Toni and I did not find any).

After the walk five of us headed way down to the Whitesburough Grange for their pancake breakfast with the local blackberry syrup, flavorful and not overly sweet. Another group went to the Good Life.

John got a chance to take lots of photos. He will be switching to an iPhone 15 to avoid having to carry his heavy camera.

Spring-Ranch-Blue-Sky

Spring-Ranch

Spring-Ranch-View

Spring-Ranch-View-of-Mendocino

Spring-Ranch-Pelican

Spring-Ranch-Oyster-Catcher

NEXT SUNDAY, October 1st @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE,COASTAL TRAIL - NORTH (GLASS BEACH). 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.

This Sunday's walk at Pudding Creek featured a smaller cohort of Fogdodgers. Present were Jean, Charlene, Toni, John, Sky, Eric and Joe. A very pleasant morning out past Virgin Creek and back. On the Pudding Creek trestle some of us spotted a large steel cross bolted to the bridge edging, presumably a memorial. There were lots of birds on the beach at Virgin Creek including many of the pelicans that have been visiting the coast of late all resting along the shoreline. The weather definitely feels like fall is non the way.

Afterwards 3 of us went to the Homestyle Cafe for breakfast.

Here are some photos from John:

Fog-Dodgers-rear-view

Signs-of-Spring

Virgin-Creek-Cattails

Virgin-Creek-West

Virgin-Creek-White-Egret

NEXT SUNDAY, September 24 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, SPRING RANCH (park on the west side of Highway 1 across the dirt drive from the  Inn at the Cobbler's Walk). 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.

Today's walk started from the Laguna Point parking lot at MacKerricher State Park. There was light fog up and down the coast. Most walkers initially went out the haul road to the south, while a few went out to Laguna Point later cutting over to the haul road where all were united once more. Today's Fogdodgers were John, Jean, Cindy, Toni, Joe, Sky, Nancy, Tom, Charlene, Diana, Jeff, and Eric. It's been a while since we took this hike and it's nice to see it again. The pine forest was haunting in the mist.

Here are some photos from John:

Mackerricher-Pond

Spiders-Web

Nye-Farm-Stand-Dahlias

Mackerricher-Horse-Ranch

NEXT SUNDAY, September 17 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, PUDDING CREEK TRESTLE (HAUL 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.

POMO BLUFFS PARK / NOYO BAY

The middle of a 3-day Labor Day Weekend with great weather and where else would you rather be?  The Mendocino Coast is hard to beat.  It was a rare morning, shirt sleeves at 8:00 a.m.

Thanks to John for all of today's photos.  The one above, I think, is the NA Morse Bouy.  If that is correct, then it's a mile out from the mouth of the Noyo River and what mariners use to line up with the Noyo anchorage/river.  It's also a Bell Bouy.  Sea lions love it, as do boats in the fog!  The next bouy coming in is the Whistle Bouy, which is a half mile out from the entrance and the one we often hear.  Good telephoto shot, John! (Or, was he in a boat?)

                                                    Noyo River Sunrise

Present today:  Diana, Jeff, John, Deb, Sam, Shari, Eric, Kim, Doug, Bob, Nancy and Tom (12).

By request, next Sunday we will walk and run at Laguna Point, MacKerricher State Park.  We'll start from the parking lot at the end of Mill Creek Drive,  From the start, you can go any of 3 different ways, N, S or W.

A couple of new sightings this morning, a new navigation bouy in Noyo Bay and a nice,    new, F-350 pickup truck, driven by one of our members!

NEXT SUNDAY, SEPT. 10TH @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE,  LAGUNA POINT, MACKERRICHER STATE PARK. You can click on the "Our Routes" tab at the top to get directions, usually but not this week! We'll start from the parking lot at the end of Mill Creek Drive.

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