6:29 AM

The sun cleared the coastal hills at 6:29. I spotted this cat during my morning walk. I've noticed the Ravens are up first, then the cats while the dogs sleep in!

By the way, Fort Bragg made the New York Times!

I'm Back!

We rolled into Fort Bragg Monday afternoon and I had to drive up Franklin Street to see how the tree installation was coming along. I spotted Terry's truck and knew work was in progress.

Here is Terry loading up what looks like Lake County volcanic rock for the topping over the dirt. He was putting the finishing touches to the last tree he installed.

Here is an example of the finished product by City Hall. The trees look great!

Speaking of looking great. The Furniture Mart on Franklin has finished it's re-do.

And the Mendo-Lake Credit Union is in the final phase of construction. They too did landscaping and added street lights that look the same as those along Franklin.

They even have a clock that now WORKS!!!

If any of you are wondering how that rocket I built worked. Here is a photo of lift-off!! We estimated it went half a mile up and a quarter of a mile down range out there in the Mojave Wilderness! I will have our complete Spring Break 2008 travelogue up on my webpage later today in the Where I Go section.

It's Time for Spring Break

Although two of these clocks have the wrong time and the last one is missing, it is time for our 20th Annual Spring Break!! This time three Vanagons are heading for the Vast Wilderness of the Eastern Mojave, Death Valley, Pamamint Valley and the Alabama Hills. Ten days of camping, hiking and gawking around. This blog will resume the 29th of April.

Oh yeah, I did build a little something to take along to help break up the boredom!

Here are our previous Spring Break travel stories.

Reflecting on Reflections

A very clear but cool 37 degrees this morning.

Thoughtful Tuesday

And now, if only I could be a kid again. Wait! I AM!!

Mystics, Mistake, Mushrooms, Make-over and Mars

The Celtic Cross on the roof of Saint Michels Episcopal Church with a moody morning sky. We may have finished a run of perfect summer weather but we could use some rain.

Someone missed the corner and took out another fence. There seems to be quite a bit of centrifical force around Fort Bragg as this happens quite often.

I have no idea what this mushroom is. Sort of Inky Cap like but not. Help!

This house on Whipple is finally getting a make-over.

This is Phobos the larger of the two moons circling Mars. It was photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope. The reason I include it this morning is because I have my computer screensaver set to display daily photos from Astronomy Photo of the Day and some mornings, like today, I am greated with a photo that just stops me with wonder!

The Day After

The Birthday "Business" out of the way I settled down to a nice little four mile walk out the Ten Mile Haul road and back. We have been having a series of spectacular mornings, day and nights. First light on a coastal cliff with the Lost Coast in the distance is spectacular. Wonderful lighting.

An indignant duck landed short of the pond!

The first to bloom Rhody beside the City Hall parking lot is in riot!

The Franklin Street tree installation is now in progress. First the existing dirt needs to be taken down three feet. Fresh planting material will replace the removed soil. Then the ornamental plum trees and Catalina Iron-wood trees will be planted. Note: USA means (Underground Service Alert)

Day Ten. Happy Birthday Minus Happy

I see several people and a bicycle beat me to the Pudding Creek Trestle Bridge this morning!!

My plan for my actual Birthday was to walk out to Happy Lane and stand beside the sign but, no! Someone ripped off the Happy sign!!

I see the locals made a temporary sign.

Here is what it looked like last year.

This is the first sign I have noticed that actually mentioned the Haul Road.

My walk wouldn't be complete without a shopping cart photo. Some fool tossed this one off the Pudding Creek Highway One Bridge!

My ten day walk marathon is now complete. A total of 67.67 miles!! Woo Hoo! I feel great!

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The following award given by my Brother and Sister. Thanks!

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I discovered there are exactly 100 days from January 1 to April 10, 2009. Now if I walked 6.8 miles each of those days it would add up to 680 miles!! Hmmmm.

Day Nine. To Pomo Bluffs Park and Back

I can see summer vacation is getting closer!

The sun cleared the coastal hills at 6:56 AM. Lighting the North Cliff motel known locally as the "Too Tall Motel".

And the winner is...... !

A fishing boat heading out to sea from Noyo Harbor. Getting to be a rare sight.

One of the Pomo Bluffs Park reader boards. Being read by a White Crown Sparrow.

Thar's the Pacific!

It is now " Ab Season". That means the season is open for Abalone and the "rock pickers" are out picking during low tide. The red arrow points to a couple of 'em, pickers, that is.

My little Canon S3-IS camera tried to bring them in. Not bad for a hand held shot!!

The average height of the bluffs along here is around 90 feet.

Returning home I "caught" another shopping cart for my photo collection.

Here's this morning's route. I made it short, only a round trip of 4.27 miles, in order to leave exactly 6.7 miles for tomorrow's final Birthday walk!

My original plan for tomorrow was to walk out to Happy Lane, take my photo leaning against the [HAPPY LN] sign and walk back home but I recently noticed someone stole it!! That kind of takes the "HAPPY" out of my Happy Birthday walk plan but I'll figure out something!

Day Eight. More Talking Less Gawking

Johanna (in the middle) and my wife Lolli joined me for my walk this morning. It was very nice to walk and talk for a change. Plus, we left at 8:00 AM instead of my usual 6:30 so we met more walkers on the Ten Mile Haul Road most of whom Johanna or Lolli knew! Here we are on the Pudding Creek Trestle Bridge.

By the Baxman pond we discovered a fresh batch of ducks! Mom keeping a close eye on her brood.

Pop hanging near by.

We spotted this guy on lookout. I think he thought we couldn't see him if he held really really still!

The ladies soon had to head home to do important stuff while I peeled off to finish my daily goal of 6.7 miles. A very beautiful morning. Perfect temperature. Perfect friends.

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Only 11 more miles to my goal of 67!