BevLive: Colorado or bust

This view from Soldier Hollow doesn't do it justice.

Two-thirds of the handlers had left by the time we got back from dinner last night. At 8:00 a.m, I was one of the last to pull out. Before leaving I took the boys for a nice long walk. We climbed up to the top of the trial field, and I took a picture of the deserted Soldier Hollow. All done for another year.

Taken from where the sheep were spotted toward where the audience sat.

I'm always sad to leave my favorite trials knowing I won't be back for a year. But the next one is always there waiting. On to Meeker!

Soldier Hollow field from the now-empty grandstands.

The drive from Heber City, UT to Meeker, CO is only 250 miles, but it's a hard drive. The road is twisty, no shoulder for much of it and a lot of climbing and descending, so it's a long drive pulling a trailer.

After a brief stop in Vernal, CO for groceries, I arrived in Meeker at 2:00. Drove over to the City Park to dump and get water and met up with the Soldier Hollow judge, Don Helsley and his wife, and one of my duck competitors, Jeannie. The City Park is a necessary stop for almost everyone, as we are all  coming from other trials (either Soldier Hollow or Steamboat or Kaycee), so it was only natural that Stormy and Pat Winters should pull in behind me. Meeker is as good as the Finals for meeting old friends.

Meeker is also the hardest trial in the country to park at. With 125 dogs running plus vendors, there are at least 60 campers parked here on the side of a mountain with only enough flat space for the first ten arrivals. They have had a lot of rain here this year, and many of the big rocks are obscured by tall grass, increasing the challenge of parking without damage to camper, truck or temper. With a little help from Alison Holmes, I soon got level enough not to get winded while walking from one end of the camper to the other. Off to see the field and exchange information on everyone's performance at their last trial.

The grass in the field is the lushest I have ever seen it. The whole field had been mowed, but where they stopped mowing is very tall and I doubt a dog will run into it. Kind of tight on the top end. So which way to send–always a tough decision here??? The mountain and hills on the left. Much more room on the right, but also past the letting-out pen and a big deep corner to get lost on. Hard choice. The outrun Is over 500 yards. Unlike Soldier Hollow, we have a choice to make here about which side to send. Well, I don't run until Thursday–I'll see how the running goes tomorrow.

Amanda and Marie had a little camper trouble and pulled in at 5:00, just as we were all headed down the hill for the complimentary pizza and beer party. More visiting and bed. Lovely cool day, going to be a frosty night.