VAN DAMME STATE PARK

Mendocino Bay, J. Loomis photo

It was a beautiful morning at Van Damme State Park.  At our 8:00 a.m. start, it was 50 degrees, calm and cloudless, blue skies.


Thanks to John, for all of today's photos.

Mendocino Headlands

Showing up today were:  Fran, Catherine, David, Nancy B., Rick, Cheryl, Neil, Bob, John, Jennifer, Joe, Nancy and Tom (13).   Ten of us enjoyed the Champagne Breakfast at the Little River Inn afterwards.

Mendocino Headlands looking toward Point Cabrillo

Next Sunday, we will begin at Pomo Bluffs Park and go across the Noyo Bridge and then out along the South Noyo Headlands Trail and back.  Last I heard, they were going to connect the north and south halves of the Headlands Coastal Trail together this month.  That doesn't seem to be the case but maybe next week, we will be able to get a glimpse of the work and get a better idea of it's progress, or lack thereof.

Sunday, October 1st, Pomo Bluffs - Noyo Bay
Sunday, October 8th, Caspar Logging Roads
Sunday, October 15th, Lake Cleone (starting at the lake parking lot)
Sunday, October 22nd, Mendocino (starting at the Heeser Drive restrooms)






NEXT SUNDAY, OCT. 1ST @ 8:00 A.M.:  POMO BLUFFS - NOYO BAY

EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN @ 7:00 A.M.:  MENDOCINO HEADLANDS AND AROUND THE TOWN.   Beginning at the Heeser Drive restrooms.

WARD AVENUE

And new this week:  Catherine and David, welcome!

Thanks to John, for all of today's photos.  The picture to the right, shows just how pretty the morning was.  When we started, it was 47 degrees with clear and windless skies.  Another perfect morning for a walk or a run.

Summer is over and the early morning foot traffic much less.  You can certainly see the changing angle of the sun. 

At this time of the year, many of us are traveling and our numbers are smaller.  Present today:  Cheryl, Neil, Fran, Joe, Tony (breakfast only), Charlene, John, Nancy and Tom.  About three minutes into our run, we met Heather, a great surprise!  Though meeting her was just coincidence, I'm counting her because technically, she will always be a Fog Dodger!  (12)

These pretty apples are growing in John's back yard.  Don't tell the bears!  

Us mid-week Fog Dodgers, have now ran around Mendocino Headlands and the town several times and we're enjoying it.  I mentioned before, that it might work out for Sundays also, it does.  There's parking at the Heeser Drive restroom for a half dozen or so cars, and then as they do when there's a good minus tide, they park along the edge of the roadway.  Traffic is so light at 8:00 a.m. that it should all work out very well.  You'll love it!  I've scheduled it for Oct. 22 and if everyone likes it, we'll do it often.  Also, by the end of November, Big River should again be open and the mosquitoes dormant.


Sunday, September 24th, Van Damme State Park
Sunday, October 1st, Pomo Bluffs - Noyo Bay
Sunday, October 8th, Caspar Logging Roads
Sunday, October 15th, Lake Cleone (starting at the lake parking lot)
Sunday, October 22nd, Mendocino (starting at the Heeser Drive restrooms)

NEXT SUNDAY, SEPT. 24TH @ 8:00 A.M.:  Van Damme State Park

EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN @ 7:00 A.M.:  MENDOCINO

PUDDING CREEK TRESTLE

Thanks to John, for all of today's pictures.






It was a beautiful and perfect morning to run or walk along the ocean.  We met at the Pudding Creek Trestle and went north from there but then doubled back to also run on the new North Coastal Trail around Glass Beach.  It was 55 degrees at our start with sunny and calm skies.

Enjoying the morning were:  Ron, Bob, Jan, Pat, Bill, Cheryl, Neil, Nancy B., Rick, Nancy T., Roger, Joe, Shari, Peter, Nancy and Tom (16).

Again this morning, John was busy finishing up
a roofing job.  He did though, send me these nice
    photos taken around Pudding Creek.  Thanks,
    John!

This past week, the Tuesday/Thursday Fog Dodgers, tried  a new venue.  We ran around Heeser
Drive and the streets of Ukiah.  At 7:00 in the morning, traffic is a non-issue.   I think that it will work well for 8:00 starts on Sunday mornings.  You can expect to see it on the schedule soon.  I need to recheck the parking.  We were beginning near the restrooms on Heeser, but could just as well start at the foot of Main St. or Harvest Market at Mendocino.  It will be fun to check out the houses and the headlands.

Sunday, September 17th, Ward Avenue (not a low tide but still has good hiking/running)
Sunday, September 24th, Van Damme State Park
Sunday, October 1st, Pomo Bluffs - Noyo Bay
Sunday, October 8th, Caspar Logging Roads
Sunday, October 15th, Lake Cleone (starting at the lake parking lot)

 See "Our Routes" above for descriptions of courses and starting points.

NEXT SUNDAY, SEPT. 17TH @ 8:00 A.M.: WARD AVENUE

EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN @ 7:00 A.M.:  Mendocino, beginning at the Heeser Drive restrooms.

CASPAR LOGGING ROADS

John couldn't run this morning because he's got a big roofing job going and wanted to get in a few hours before the day warmed up too much.  Hard to believe, that in Fort Bragg, we'd be working our days to avoid the heat!  From his archives, John has sent in these interesting Caspar photos below.  Thank you, John!

Caspar Creek

Our little car doesn't have a thermometer, so I can only guess that it was about 63 degrees at our start, which unbelievably, would tie a record for us.  It was nice starting out warm but you had to keep your mouth closed, or risk swallowing a fruit fly, or whatever those little guys are.

Soda bottles, not sure if they're in Caspar?

It was really nice to have Erin and Tim with us today.  Erin first ran with the Fog Dodgers in 1999, but then moved to Boston.  She's done the Boston Marathon 10 times now!  She hasn't changed a bit.  Also present today:  Sara, Jan, Bob, Rod, Neil, Nancy B., Rick, Nancy T., Roger, Charlene, Nancy and Tom (14).

Caspar horse

Construction starts this week on the Big River Road bridge, just west of the rock quarry.  They say that construction should wrap up by some time in November.   This week, the Mid-week Fog Dodgers are going to see what it's like at 7:00 a.m., around the Mendocino Headlands, beginning at the restroom on Heeser Drive.  If it seems doable, maybe we'll try a Sunday 8:00 a.m. walk.  I think that it should be okay at that hour, except on mornings with minus tides.

Caspar hubcaps

Sunday, September 10th, Pudding Creek Trestle
Sunday, September 17th, Ward Avenue (not a low tide but still has good hiking/running)
Sunday, September 24th, Van Damme State Park
Sunday, October 1st, Pomo Bluffs - Noyo Bay
Sunday, October 8th, Caspar Logging Roads
Sunday, October 15th, Lake Cleone (starting at the lake parking lot)

 See "Our Routes" above for descriptions of courses and starting points.

For this week, Tuesday, Sept. 5th and Thursday, Sept. 7th, Group Runs, 7:00 a.m., beginning on Heeser Drive at the restroom (north side of the Headlands).


NEXT SUNDAY, Sept. 10th @ 8:00 A.M.:  PUDDING CREEK TRESTLE

VAN DAMME STATE PARK

Craig Strobeck Photography photo

Nothing to do with this morning's run/hike but I thought this eclipse photo to be very nice.  It was sent to me by a friend in Oregon and taken by a professional photographer there.  You can look at his web site for  more of his great photos.  The eclipse was one of the bigger news stories of the week, along with  Hurricane Harvey and the Donald.

J. Loomis, Raven on a fence

This morning at Van Damme, it was sunny and calm and 53 degrees, very nice!  Present today:  Fran, Cheryl N., Neil, Nancy T., Roger, Charlene,  Ron, Jan, John, Nancy and Tom (11).   Eight of us enjoyed the Little River Inn's Champagne Breakfast.

Spring Ranch home, J. Loomis

Little River Creek, J. Loomis 

We checked out the Big River Road on the way home this morning.  Road closure/bridge construction has not started yet but appears imminent.  There's a large sign describing the project and it says the construction period would be done between August and November.  Right now, the mosquitoes would still be a problem anyway.

Mencocino water tower, J. Loomis

Sunday, September 3rd, Caspar Logging Roads
Sunday, September 10th, Pudding Creek Trestle
Sunday, September 17th, Ward Avenue (not a low tide but still has good hiking/running)See "Our Routes" above for descriptions.

NEXT SUNDAY, SEPT. 3RD @ 8:00 A.M.: CASPAR LOGGING ROADS

EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN @ 7:00 A.M.:  RUSSIAN GULCH STATE PARK.

Noyo Headlands North (Glass Beach)

This week was Noyo Headlands North (Glass Beach).  Breezy & a little hazy this morning - just a little damp.  Temperature was quite comfortable - once you got moving.  A large group of walkers and just 3 runners.  I am, once again, "attempting" the Blog.  Still new to me, so thank you for your patience. Thank you to Roger & Nancy for email assistance.

                                                                   Glass Beach - Always a nice place to visit.

Gay, Maddelyn (visiting from Montana - her and her parents used to be part of the Fog Dodgers before moving), Jan, Bob, Roger, Nancy T, Nancy B, Rick, with his sister from Texas - Merry, Donna and her Niece Kayleigh (whose staying here for 4 months - so hopefully we'll see more of her), Cheryl and Neil. (13)                                                                                    

                                                                                                                              High Surf at the North Trail

  Otsuchi Point

                                                And the yummiest photo of all - berries from John Loomis' garden - thank you John!

Last I overheard, the count was 9 were going to breakfast at David's Deli this morning.


Next Week:  Sunday, August 27th, Van Damme State Park
Sunday, September 3rd, Caspar Logging Roads
Sunday, September 10th, Pudding Creek Trestle
See "Our Routes" above for descriptions.

Next week, August 27 -Van Damme State Park @ 8:00 A.M.: See "Our Routes" for directions.
EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, GROUP RUN @ 7:00 A.M.: Russian Gulch until
August 29.

LAKE CLEONE

When Nancy and I arrived at lake Cleone the carpark was empty.  Had we misread this weeks meeting place?  So we drove past the car park and I took this picture of lake Cleone.  What a beautiful morning. Then John came along quietly and took a photo of me "Caught in the Act"!

In spite of the warm sun and blue ocean, we didn't have a lot of folks with us this morning. However, what was great, was to have Neil back walking with the Fog Dodgers, now that he's well down the road of recovery after his recent, serious illness (see Neil's blog here ) .

So today's walkers/runners were John, Joel, Fran, Pat & Leon, Neil & Cheryl, Roger & Nancy along with our grandson Logan, who's mother sent him to us for 2 weeks of excitement in Fort Bragg!  Here's a photo of Neil and my grandson Logan, and behind them you can see the always inspiring blue Pacific Ocean.  Not being interested in listening to Neil and I yakking on, Logan with his eagle eye saw a whale spout, and we stopped and saw quite a few spouts very close to the shore.

Pat and Leon had their last Fog Dodgers walk before heading home week - so bon voyage, and see you both next year. 

Sunday, August 20th, Noyo Headlands Trail-North (parking lot by Glass Beach)
Sunday, August 27th, Van Damme State Park
Sunday, September 3rd, Caspar Logging Roads
Sunday, September 10th, Pudding Creek Trestle
See "Our Routes" above for descriptions.

NEXT SUNDAY, AUG. 20th, Noyo Headlands Trail-North (parking lot by Glass Beach)

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