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Recreation
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LAKE COUNTY – The US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 88 of Lake County, will provide free vessel inspections on Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The inspections will be performed at the launching ramps at State Park, Red Bud Marina in Clearlake, and Lakeport. Your vessel can be inspected trailered or dockside.
Boat owners are encouraged to take advantage of this free inspection of their vessel. Valuable information regarding vessel safety, current laws, regulations and requirements will be provided.
For additional information, please call the Flotilla’s information line at 707-513-5122.
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The Lake County Milers’ signature event will bounce back for its seventh year on Saturday morning, May 30, with a new course for the 5K and 10K, a kids’ 1K, and – also new this year – cash prizes for male and female winners of the youth division 5K.
The Milers, a running and walking club that promotes outdoor fitness and exercise, is also pleased to announce another first for this year’s event – half of the net proceeds will benefit Operation Tango Mike, the Lake County-based charitable organization that sends care packages to servicemen and women overseas.
The May 30 event’s 5K and 10K courses have been relocated this year to the Crazy Creek Glider Port, a short drive from the junction of Grange Road and Highway 29 near Hidden Valley Lake. Both courses cover mostly flat, scenic terrain and end on a paved stretch before the finish line. The kids’ 1K is flat and mostly paved.
Prizes will be awarded to the three top male and female runners overall in both the 5K and 10K races, which begin at 8:30 a.m. Additionally, medals will be given to those who place first, second, and third in their age and gender divisions for the 5K and 10K. Ribbons will be given to the first-, second-, and third-place winners in each two-year age division of the kids’ 1K.
New this year are cash prizes of $75, $50, and $25 for the top three male and top three female winners in the 5K youth division (ages 19 and under). “We talk a lot about youth fitness and getting our teenagers out here to join us,” said Milers President Jeanine Burnett. “With these cash awards, we’re putting our money where are mouth is.”
Burnett noted that the kids’ 1K, which starts at 8:10 a.m., aimed to encourage the younger set to participate. “We’re a family-friendly club,” she added, “with opportunities for all ages and levels.” In order for parents of kids in the 1K race to run in the 5K or 10K, the Milers will host a supervised “Wildflower Corral” after the 1K, with refreshments and relay races for kids.
All event participants will be encouraged to join Jazzercise instructor Beth Rudiger for a pre-race warmup at 8 a.m.
Early registration for Spring Has Sprung runs through May 22, offering discounted entry fees, an event T-shirt and a sports drawstring bag. Fees range from $20 for adults, $15 for youths ages 19 and under, and $10 for kids ages 5 to 10, with a special family rate of $60 (two adults, two youths ages 10 to 19, and one kid age 5 to 10). Fees for late registration (after May 22 through event day) go up $5 in every category ($10 for the family rate).
For an entry form and other instructions, call 707-987-3229. For a small additional convenience fee, participants can register online at www.lakecountymilers.com/shs.html. Or they can simply print out the registration form on the Web site page and mail it.
Star Sponsors for the 2009 Spring Has Sprung run are Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District and Crazy Creek Glider Port. Silver and Bronze Sponsors include Happy Smiles Dental Practice, Hardester’s Markets, St. Helena Hospital Clearlake, Hidden Valley Food Mart and Shell Station, Airport Auto Brokers, Hidden Valley Lake Auto Body, Morgan Lane Real Estate, Century 21 House of Realty, Chic Le Chef, and Langtry Estate Vineyards and Winery.
The Milers running and walking group meets in the parking lot of Hardester’s Hidden Valley shopping center (Hartman Road exit off Highway 29) at 8:30 a.m. every Saturday, and the public is warmly invited. Additionally, a new group of walkers and runners meets in Kelseyville Saturdays at 8:30 a.m., in front of Studebaker’s Coffeehouse, 3990 Main St.; call 707-279-8913 for information. To find out more about the Lake County Milers call 707-987-3229 or visit www.lakecountymilers.com.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
CLEAR LAKE STATE PARK – Get some exercise and see what's bloomin', returnin' or just plain hangin' out at Clear Lake State park. You might even see a delightful brush bunny along the trail.
Enjoy “Spring Observations along the Boardwalk Trail" with retired park ranger Val Nixon at 9 a.m., Sunday, April 12.
Meet at the park visitor center ramp for this guided nature walk. Wear walking shoes for this easy walk. Rain cancels the walk.
Years of giving campfire programs, instructing children in the wonders of nature, and introducing adults from all over the world to our unique corner of the earth makes Nixon an excellent guide.
Several guided walks are scheduled during the Wildflower Brunch and Heron Festival weekend of April 25-26.
Visit www.heronfestival.org for complete weekend program. Listen to jazz, attend programs in the visitor center, tour the museum, visit vendor booths and attend a wild raptor show.
All events are free except brunch and pontoon boat trips. Reservations for the omelet brunch and boat tours can be made on line.
There is no entrance fee to the park for participating in walks or attending the festival. Clear Lake State Park is located at 5300 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville.
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- Written by: Editor
Permits are $5 per cord of wood, with a minimum purchase of four cords for $20. The permits are good through Dec. 31. Use of firewood permits on the Covelo Ranger District is permitted through Nov. 30.
The wood does not have to be cut at the same time. All firewood removed must be dead and down. It is illegal to remove firewood from the National Forest without a valid permit.
Permits must be purchased in person from one of the forest offices.
If a person is unable to cut the wood themselves, they can obtain a third party authorization that will allow someone else to cut or gather the wood. However, the permittee must still purchase the permit in person.
The Mendocino National Forest only accepts cash or check as payment for firewood permits and sales are final, with no refunds. Permittees will receive tags and a map of the forest.
Permit holders should be aware that federal and state quarantines to prevent the spread of sudden oak death (SOD) are in effect for Lake and Mendocino Counties. Any firewood cut in these counties can only be transported into other SOD quarantine counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Marin, San Francisco, Monterey, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma.
Firewood permits can be purchased from the following offices:
Mendocino National Forest Supervisor’s Office/Grindstone Ranger District Office
825 N. Humboldt Ave., Willows, CA 95988; telephone 530-934-3316
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Stonyford Work Center
5171 Stonyford-Elk Creek Road, Stonyford, CA, 95979; telephone 530-963-3128
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-4:30 p.m.
Covelo Ranger Station
78150 Covelo Road, Covelo, CA 95428; telephone 707-983-6118
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Upper Lake Ranger Station
10025 Elk Mountain Road, Upper Lake, CA 95485; telephone 707-275-2361
Hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Gathering firewood is important to many individuals and families surrounding the Mendocino National Forest.
Following are some tips for a safer experience:
Plan your trip – Check the weather, bring plenty of warm clothes for spring and fall through winter cutting, water, emergency food, and the appropriate gear for the season when you are gathering firewood. Make sure you have a full tank of gas when you leave and are prepared for changing conditions in the mountains! Also, let someone know where you are going and when you plan to be back.
Keep vehicles on designated roads and be aware of changing weather and road conditions. Wet dirt roads can quickly turn to mud, making it possible to get stuck and causing damage to road, soil and water resources. If there are puddles in the road, mud flipping off the tires or you can see your ruts in the rearview mirror, consider pulling over and taking a hike to look for wood, or turning around and finding a different area to cut your firewood.
As we enter fire season, be aware of fire restrictions or closure order than may be in place restricting where you can go. Make sure you have a spark arrester on chainsaws and any other mechanical equipment being used.
Make sure you are cutting firewood on the Mendocino National Forest and not from other federal, state or private lands.
For more information, please contact the Mendocino National Forest or visit www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino.