Meeker on Monday

I left Heber City at 7:30 with grand plans that didn't pan out and without watching any of the finals at SoHo. I have a feeling that 9:30 tomorrow morning is going to come around early, because I'm getting a little tired after 5 days of Soho and about 1,000 miles of travel. I will be leaving here shortly for the Strang Ranch 2 hours away in Carbondale for the clinic in the morning. There I'm assured of a great meal and a soft bed. Just what I need to revive me.

Leaving Utah

When I left this morning, I was going to drop my trailer at Meeker, then head to Steamboat Springs 2 hours away and see if I could get Star entered in this afternoon's ranch and watch Bridget Strang run her 2 dogs, Treat and Rosie. Pulling a trailer, it's 5 hours from SoHo to Meeker over 8,000 ft Daniel's Summit, through the Uintah Nat'l Forest, and then a descent through snakey White River Canyon to town. By the time I got here I wasn't going anywhere, and the dogs really needed a walk. I took them all and went to the set out pen to have a look. It's been 3 years since I was last here, and it hasn't changed a bit. But, it's not the field that makes Meeker, Meeker. It's the sheep, the tradition and the warm hospitality.

Meeker and the White River Valley

I won't be back here until Wednesday night, and will miss the welcome pizza party and all of Wednesday's running. Besides the clinic at Strang Ranch, I'll be tuning up Mirk, he needs it, and giving Star a go as well on unfamiliar sheep and fresh terrain. Price and Mirk know how to travel. Star, Jed and Dexter have learned on this trip. Star was dragged all around SoHo by a number of willing volunteers and another handler commented Sunday night that Jed must be tired because he had seen him all over that place. He's not tired, believe me, and it was really good for him. Star was my demo dog and he did 5 in 3 days. By the last one, he knew the script and began setting up for each phase on his own before I asked him for it. He learned the size of the pen we were in, maybe 200x200 feet, and knew exactly where to quit driving, and when to flank. The idea was to show spectators how I train a sheepdog, and it was slightly diluted to have one so well trained. Dexter is just a good little trooper. He goes where I go and for the most part is no trouble at all. He's made a lot of new friends and influenced people, but none more so than me. He's my little man.

The trial field, bottom to top

There's a handful of campers here already and more coming in all the time. The trial at Steamboat is over today, and many of the hands that finished up there earlier are already here. It's likely I will beat Bridget back to the ranch, because I am much closer at this point. Then there will be the SoHo contingent that made the finals, 15 of them, and the others who stayed to watch. By the time I get back here on Wednesday this place will be humming.

Looking down from the set out

I have really good reception here and will be blogging daily as I did from SoHo. I might miss tomorrow from Carbondale, because there is no cell reception on the ranch, and I am hoping tobe able to live blog some runs as I see them from here starting Thursday either before or after I run.