NOYO MOORING BASIN

We hiked a new route this time - along the south bank of the Noyo River as far as Dolphin Isle. It was a bit exciting to go someplace new. There had been concerns about traffic on the narrow road, but no problems were encountered. There were very few vehicles. Hiking were Jean, Sky, Fran, Tom, Nancy, John, Toni, Joe, Sam, Deb, Eric, Kim, Doug (and Bowie). There was no wind, so the river was mirror-like with our spring overabundance of Broom reflecting in the water. Many harbor seals were checking us out along our way. We started at Tommy's and then walked up river, walking out on the first pier. Further up trees shaded the path as we crested the hill and looked down on the site where the junk boats used to lie in disrepair (now all cleaned up). On the way back Deb spotted some baby ospreys in their nest (see Toni's photo below).

Afterwards seven of us went to the Home Style Cafe for breakfast. 

Here are some photos from John:

Abe's Propeller

Dry-Dock-Winch

Girl on Swing

Harbor-Dry-Dock

Hot Diggity Dog

And one from Toni

Osprey Nest

NEXT SUNDAY, June 11 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, RUSSIAN GULCH. 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.

JACKSON STATE FOREST ROAD 450

We hiked this week at one of our routes that we have not visited for quite a while, JACKSON STATE FOREST ROAD 450. While this route is short on vistas, it was a pleasant hike and quite beautiful with this year's over-abundance of broom in full flower. In places it was like passing though a tunnel of broom. We had a sizeable turnout with Jean, Sky, Fran, Tom, Nancy, John, Toni, Joe, Sam, Deb, Eric, Charlene, Diana, Jeff and a new couple, Mary and Drew. I have heard that this part of Jackson Demonstration State Forest will be the subject of a new "treatment" program to reduce fire risk by reducing fuel load, so things may change a lot in the near future.

Afterwards eleven of us went to the Home Style Cafe for breakfast. In spite of the holiday weekend and a lot of customers, the restaurant was able to seat all of us at one long table with very minimal delay. We were lucky! 

Here are a couple of photos of turkey vultures by Toni, taken at the Slack Tide Cafe:

And here are some from John:
Wild Iris

Water-Wheel-at-Headwaters-of-Hare-Creek

 Simpson-Lane-Gate

Flowering-cherry

Fern-Floral

NEXT SUNDAY, June 4 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, a new route, SOUTH HARBOR. Head east on Hwy 20, turn left on South Harbor Drive (3rd left), park in the large lot at the bottom of the hill. 

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

COASTAL TRAIL - SOUTH

We got some sun this morning for our walk north along the coastal trail from it southern parking lot. Eleven were on the hike: John; Sky; Diana; Jeff; Nancy; Tom; Toni; Joe; Kim; Doug (and Bowie); and a new hiker, Eric. Several of us ended hiking a few minutes extra after the turnaround time had passed.

Afterwards seven of us ended up going to the Laurel Deli for breakfast. We originally planned to go to the Homestyle Cafe, but it was pretty crowded.

John's photos for the day:

Harbor-Seal-and-the-river

Signs-of-Spring

Seagull-Perch

Early-Morning-Harbor-View

Drag-Boats-at-Dock

Logging-Truck

 

NEXT SUNDAY, May 28 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, JACKSON STATE FOREST ROAD 450 (the pullout 1.9 miles up Simpson 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.

CASPAR LOGGING ROAD

Some folks were back from various trips so there were quite a few Fog Dodgers at this Sunday's hike at the Caspar logging road. It was a beautiful day and we were far enough inland that there was no coastal fog. Hikers were: Jean, Fran, John, Shari, Charlene, Deb, Sam, Nancy, Tom, Toni, Joe, Doug, Kim and Bowie (13). We all hiked east on the logging road, but actually Toni and Shari had just done a 9.75 mile hike from the same starting point on Friday morning, heading south instead (so they were pretty tired).

Afterwards several hikers went to breakfast at the Good Life Cafe in Mendocino whereas Joe and Toni went to Cucina Verona for the buffet breakfast.

 John has submitted several very nice photos to accompany this week's blog post:

 Albion-Strawberry

Caspar-Pond 

Early-Morning-Horse

Fern-Creek-Headwaters

Flowering-Hawthorne

Salmon-Rhodedendron

NEXT SUNDAY, May 21 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, Coastal Trail South (across from Taco Bell). 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.

WARD AVENUE

It was a beautiful day at Ward Avenue and a goodly number of Fog Dodgers showed up for a morning walk. Present were John, Charlene, Cindy, Jean, Fran, Sky, Shari, Jeff, Diana, Toni and Joe. The wind was light. There was some sunshine among cumulus clouds. The ocean was calm. The harbor seal pups were resting on the rocks. The road out to the parking area at the beach had been cleared since the storms. All in all very pleasant.

 Seven of us went to breakfast at the Home Style Cafe. 

John's photos for the week:

 Fog-Dodgers-ahead-of-the-pack

Mackerricher-Beach 

Mackerricher-Heron-Drawing-on-Bridge

Fog-Dodgers-Mackerricher-on-the-way-back

Happy-Smiling-Fog-Dodgers

Mackerricher-in-full-glory

Mackerricher-view-of-headlands-and-bay

NEXT SUNDAY, (May 14 @ 8:00 A.M.: GROUP RUN/WALK/BIKE, CASPAR LOGGING ROAD (JACKSON STATE FOREST ROAD 500). 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.

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.