Amanda: Enjoying the In-Between

Today is quiet and in between. I run dogs here in Cranbrook this morning, stock up and head south to Utah. The coffee is waking up just from the smell. The Blossom Dearie, dulcet. Bev and I stayed over, after a dining at Cranbrook’s schnitzel house in the entertaining company of Kristi Oikawa.

The trial featured two competitions so some of the group shots you see may be those running only for the Canadian championships, like Bev and I or others who ran for the Western Canadian Championships.



The first gather to right was straightforward, with very few dogs needed insurance redirects, spotted with horses, so very visible. The trick was, that the horse remained visible when the dogs were sent back for the second gather. Most settled on the first horse, with a cross following shortly afterwards, only a couple of dogs going back cleanly. The second gather was blind and long way back with the spotting horse buried in a swale. The sheep remained a good test throughout the trial, demanding authority and control, to move around the course. The morning started off very cool and deteriorated to hot by noon. The afternoon dogs were disadvantaged but still produced the winner late in the day, Scott Glen and Don.



On Saturday afternoon I took a spectacular break from the dog running to go fly fishing on the St Mary’s River. The scenery was breath taking. I was guided on a rafting trip starting at St Mary’s Lake and floating miles downstream, fly rod in hand. I snagged a couple of merry little cutthroats, and there was lots of swirling activity on my fly. I missed the handlers’ dinner. As regrettable as that may have been, it was worth it. What a trip.



The long trip to Utah is underway. The part through Montana was enjoyable this time with all is vistas, its bright mountain lakes and rushing rivers, looking like places you would like to stop and stay for while. I am Utah bound. A couple of days at Shauna Gourley’s, and onto Soldier Hollow.