Vol. Mmieditor: Lloyd Johnsonissue: July

Vol. MMIEditor: Lloyd JohnsonIssue: July

Past Events:

The Sunday picnics have slowly gained popularity. I estimate that thirty or so people are eating their meal off our grill. In the last month I have seen the following foods go on our grill: hamburgers, hot dogs, sweet corn, corn dogs, sausages, zucchini, cube steak and chicken. We have had the fire going from about 1-5pm.

Future Events:

We have decided to extend Sunday picnics through July. We will continue to set up a grill for general use. We will provide the fire, but you will bring your own food. Look for our grill in front of the new landslide.

July 4th, I will be coordinating a joint picnic with Black's Beach Bares (BBares) and the Camping Bares (CBares). BBares will be providing the grill and condiments. I will be making ice cream and looking for volunteers to crank it. Please volunteer to bring some food. We will have some extra boogie boards for general use.

July 9-15 is National Nude Week. Please try to spend the week nude. We’ll do our best to make the whole week a party here at Black’s.

The Naturist Society is having their gathering at Swallows July 12-15. They will visit here July 13th. We are planning a picnic that will be a repeat of the July 4th picnic. And, we will again provide extra boogie boards.

We may continue the Sunday picnics into August, but we will have to see how it goes in July before making that commitment.

We will be hosting yet another picnic Labor Day. We will be looking for volunteers to bring food. I’ll be making ice cream again.

If you want to make a particular flavor of ice cream, talk to me about it and bring that flavor on an ice cream day.

Cook your own on our grill.

July 1

July 8

July 15

July 22

July 29

Picnic with Camping Bares

July 4

National Nude Week

July 9-15

Picnic with TNS

July 13

Labor Day Picnic.

September 3

Why just picnics?

There is plenty to do on this beach. We’re not going to try and organize your fun here. We will try to facilitate your visit and make it as enjoyable as possible.

Our website will help you find the beach. The photos of the trail will help you decide if you can make the hike.

We have been known to share an umbrella when we see somebody in dire need. We have also been known to share a boogie board and sand castle molds.

We are not solely responsible for the cleanliness of the beach, but we do have much to do with it. Feel free to do your part. Pack your own trash out and pick up some of the trash that constantly washes up here.

We do what we can to ensure your visit is a positive one. Spread the word and come back with friends.

Parking:

Many are noticing that the parking lot needs to be graded. The glider port owner tells me the city is planning to do it soon. No date was offered.

I noticed the east lot is open now. The no parking signs are down. I wish I could take credit for that, but it looks like the city simply recognized that the time of year has arrived to open that up.

Lifeguards:

The lifeguards are on their summer schedule now. They built a mound near Indian Canyon for their semi-permanent station. They patrol in their trucks and they have a jet ski for water rescues. They keep a lookout from a perch near the Goat Trail.

Sunsets at the Beach:

I’ve seen a few sunsets on the beach or from the trail. One of the best was June 24th.

I watched the sun go behind a cloud. The crescent moon added to the spectacle. Then the sun showed its' face between two cloud layers and disappeared again. Then it emerged again between two more cloud layers.

I saw what appeared to be a star. Then I realized it must be Mercury. Then I realized it was too far from the ecliptic; it was actually north of the sun. This "star" was fading in and out, so I didn't quite get a good look at it. I got my friends to see it as it faded in briefly, then out. It moved horizontally to a point above but south of the sun, then it went north again. I also saw a second "star" before sunset.

Not losing track of the sunset all this time, we saw the sun take on almost a pyramid shape. The "stars" must have been aircraft or satellites reflecting sunlight.

I climbed the Burro Trail and saw Mars in the southeast. It looks like a bright orange star. It was about 8:30 when I left the parking lot.