2003 Coastal Trail Expedition

July 2: Mendocino CountySchooner Gulch to the Sonoma County line. 12.0 miles Today was another day devoted mostly to road walking. It being the middle of the week, traffic was fairly light. We started a half-hour earlier than normal so that we could finish the day early and be able to start our scheduled layover…

July 1: Mendocino County Stoneboro Road to Schooner Gulch. 10.4 miles Last night after our feast of abalone cakes, salmon, wonderful flowered green salad, bread, pilaf and ice cream, we were given a tour of the Point Arena lighthouse facility. Our guide was Jeff Gayles, who is managing the effort to properly restore this historical…

June 30: Mendocino CountyElk to Stoneboro Road. 13.6 miles In order for Mel to get the Melmobile back to Fort Bragg, repaired, and back in service to pick us up in the afternoon, we broke camp early and without having breakfast. We were transported back to Elk, arriving at 8, opening time for the Roadhouse…

June 29: Mendocino CountyMendocino County: near Buckhorn Cove (MP 46.3) to Elk. 12.2 miles The day started at Van Damme State Park with very wet fog — anything left out overnight was soaked. Our dinner the night before was made by many members of the Durney Family from SonomaCounty led by head cook Si Durney (who…

June 28: Mendocino County Pt. Cabrillo Lighthouse to Buckhorn Cove (US 1 MP 46.3) 12.8 miles Our camp at Van Damme State Park was approximately ¾ mile from the beach, and we awoke to a sunlit morning. But down at the coast itself, we were confronted with the first fog and chilly breezes in several…

June 27: Mendocino CountyMacKerricher State Park to Point Cabrillo Lighthouse.  14 miles Yesterday, on our layover day, we hit Fort Bragg like the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet hits San Francisco. Except that once free we didn’t head for bars and bordellos but rather to bistros and bookstores, ice cream shops and the laundromat. That all…

June 26: Menodcino CountyLayover Day in Fort Brgg Hi All, The only pictures for today are from the laundry. The shot of Steve in the laundromat, stripped down to trunks, was too good to resist. None of us had done laundry at the campsite, except maybe efficient Diana, since before the Lost Coast backpack; so…

June 25: Mendocino CountyWestport Union Landing State Beach to MacKerricher State Park. 17.2 miles All of yesterday’s hard walking seemed worthwhile last night as we watched the sunset over the Pacific. The breeze was mild, the fog was only beginning to introduce itself to us, and our tents were pitched not more than 10 feet…

June 24: Menodcino County 3 miles south of Usal to Westport Union Landing State Beach. 15.1 miles We began our day by missing our stopping point from the prior evening. The Melmobile stopped about 0.2 mile past our designated starting point, so those of us who were so inclined walked back to begin the day…

June 23: Mendocino CountyLittle Jackass Creek to 3 miles past Usal, 10.3 miles The 23rd presents similar terrain as the 22nd. It’s up out of Little Jackass Creek, across the upper slope of Northport Gulch, and down into Anderson Gulch.  One more up takes us to an elevation of approximately 1,100 feet and our high…