Free Weekend!

We have a free weekend!  Ok, so I should be cleaning the house or doing laundry or something productive like that, but the day was just too nice to stay inside and clean.

Our day started by meeting up with Tammy for a 12 mile hike at Sanborn.  Tammy wore an 18lb weight vest because she's preparing for our future overnight backpacking trip.  I felt like a slacker since I was only carrying my daypack with 3L of water and a few odds and end.  It was probably 8 lbs at most.  She STILL left me in the dust on the uphills :).  

The hike is 100% on-leash, but we did let the dogs off for a few minutes to have a drink when we reached the 'stream' about 7 miles into the hike.  I am appreciating every glorious sunny winter day we have been having in No Cal, but WE NEED RAIN.    This 'stream' should be way larger than it is...

When we got home we rested for a bit and then I took the dogs to the park down the street to run around like crazy for a bit (mostly for Foster and Apollo who didn't get to go on the hike).  I used to bring the dogs here every day before work, but since my company was acquired by Roche and I started working with people in Europe, my days start way too early to take them to the park in the morning before work.  

I didn't feel comfortable taking 5 dogs, so Cassidy stayed home for this trip.

"

I've always wondered why people say I have long legs (I mean *I* think they are normal legs), but I guess this picture makes them look a bit long...

Foster and Apollo say, "That was fun!"

Rampage says, "That hiking thing didn't wear me out, but now I'm tired.

Border Terrier AKC

We went to 2 days of an AKC trial last weekend.  It was cccccold but fun.  I tell you, you don't get bored running 4 dogs, even at an AKC trial.  And of course it turned out that the 20" dogs were walking JWW right when I had to run Icon and Rampage in 26" standard.

Firstly I have to say Apollo is awesome.  He went 4/4 last weekend. Polly rocks!

One problem with running 4 dogs is that it's hard to make sure you also find people to video your runs.  Usually my friend Debbie is at the same trials I go to and I don't have to say anything, she just keeps track of my camera and films my runs.  But she's had miss miss some trials lately because Shadow was on the injured reserve list.  :(

So I bought what runs I could from 4 legged flix, I didn't want to buy ALL of them because that would cost soooo much, so how do I decide?  I got all of Cassidy's because I told Diana I would get hers on video, then I kind of randomly selected runs to buy.  I feel awful because it turns out I only bought one of Rampage and none of Apollo!  I only got 3 of Cassidy's because they missed our Sat JWW run (we had on off course, really my fault... but I'm sure people all over California heard me screaming her name and she went into the off course tunnel).  And I got 3 of Icon's, I missed his standard run on Sunday, which is the one we nq'd on.  I was a victim of the short chute and called too hard so he missed the next jump.  For Rampage I wanted to get his Saturday JWW run but got Sunday JWW instead, I'm not sure if I wrote it down wrong or if they read it wrong.

Anyway...  Here the videos....

Icon's Saturday Standard.  Good boy!


Icon's Saturday JWW.  Good boy!

Cassidy Saturday Standard.  After she was VERY pushy on the contacts the previous weekend, she was quite responsive this weekend.  Well, responsive in a pushy way.

Cassidy Sunday JWW. Oops :)


Rampage Sunday JWW.  Even though I didn't plan to buy this run, I'm glad I did.  His time was way off  and it's interesting to see why.  He's such a bendy dog, but he loses speed on bendy courses.  His speed has improved a bunch on the wide open courses, but we definitely need to continue working on speed out of turns.


Icon Sunday JWW.  Good boy :)


Cassidy Sunday Standard.  Good girl :)

It's that time of year again...

Time to buy new Pollyballs!



It would be really nice if companies would sell these under the name "Pollyball."  It would be so much easier for me to find them.

I think this time I may buy half of my Pollyballs in solid colors.  I bought some of these a few Pollyball purchases ago and I have a lot of them still hanging around.  The seem to be more durable than the other ones.  They are a bit cheaper too.

Boxerlicious

Last weekend Apollo was invited to a boxer party!  I love seeing him interact with other boxers.  I wonder what my household would be like if I had gotten 2 more boxers after him instead of two border collies.  Boxers are definitely a breed (species??) of their own.

Apollo got to meet Fia first because she can be a bit picky about who she likes.  She was fine with Apollo though, they've met before.  She looks like a puppy, doesn't she?  She's around 5 now.  She's tiny!  I really like Fia despite how picky she can be about her canine friends.   (Sorry, all photos were taken with my iphone so they aren't so great.)




Then everyone got to come out and it was boxer chaos!


Kahve showed me what Dexter did to the patio when they first moved in.  Dexter is one solid boxer!


Dexter!


Apollo gets harassed by that young hooligan Stash.


The young hooligan Kahve doesn't help.


I love seeing boxers in good shape.  I don't like seeing fat boxers, a lot of them are!


Stash is such an awesome puppy.  I love him!  I've already talked to Kay about Stash being a future puppy daddy.  I just hope Apollo is around to enjoy it.  I'm sure when Apollo is 15 he'll be as youthful as he is now :)


Treat time!


Kay brought out two Pollyballs, which had been sitting stagnant in their toybox for months with no one interested.  With the Polly influence suddenly everyone wanted them!  :)




Hi puppy daddy!


Polly!  (with his Pollyball)


We eventually moved inside and I was fascinated by the boxer sleeping bag.  Stash was SO CUTE in it.  Actually, all of the boxers took a turn in the bag except for Apollo (hmm, and maybe Dexter too).


Stash is soooo cute.


However, there were some technical difficulties with the bed.


We eventually sat down at the table for appetizers and then dinner.  Dexter was told, "Hey! That's Polly's ball!"


Apollo said, "Yeah, dude.  Give it back."


Stash tried to let us know that our roast was almost done.  It was a delicious, happy, grassfed roast.


Stash is such a good puppy!  He's telling us it's time for dinner.


The other boxers were all over that.  Apollo got dinner too (even though I was a bad mom and didn't bring any - he got to eat some of Kahve and Stash's kibble.  He thought it was a great treat.)


Holy crap, that's cute


Holy crap, more cuteness


Ooooh, naughty puppy!  (You can't really blame Stash, Debbie is a bad influence!)


Fia tried out the bed too!


Dexter almost took off with the dessert.


Apollo always gets the last word.  Goodnight!

Dreams and metaphors

Last night I had a dream that I was being chased by zombies.  Rampage was with me and he saved my life many times by letting me know when they were getting too close or if we were running the wrong way.  But at some point, the zombies must have gotten me because I felt something grab my shoulders and tear through the back of my neck just before I blacked out.  I eventually woke up (in my dream) hungry and looking for food.  I stumbled across a group of other people looking for food as well.  We introduced ourselves and after a brief chat they suggested some places that we could search for food so we started looking together.  After entering a dark building we cornered a fast-moving humanoid creature that attacked us, but the weapon it used was so weak that even when it hit us, it barely slowed us down.  We pursued the creature and killed it.  And then sat down at the dinner table to eat.

At that point I woke up for real.  I guess the metaphor hiding behind my dream is that you shouldn't be afraid of becoming a different person.  If you're ever chased by zombies, don't worry.  When you're caught and become a zombie yourself life goes on.

Looking back on 2011 resolutions

I've never been a big fan of resolutions but for some reason I've had them for the last 2 years.  They're not big, lifechanging, unatainable things, just small things that I think will make me happier.  It's been fun the last few years because after I make my resolutions I kind of forget that they are resolutions and consider them a way of life.  At the begining of the next year when I look back it's like opening a time capsule.  A bad memory has its uses.  Another good use for a bad memory is you can re-read a book a couple years later and it's like reading it for the first time!

1. I am only eating humanely raised and slaughtered meat.

This has been fairly successful.  I significantly cut down on the amount of meat I eat.  I only really eat beef anymore (I love my steaks) and only about once a week or once every other week.  People have asked me if I feel different for it, but I don't.  The only problem is it turns out the steak I was buying from Whole Foods is not as humanely raised as I thought it was.  Oh well, live and learn.  Whole Foods is not the great store it used to be.  I only buy my steak from ranches now, which is not as convenient.  Hmm, and I guess I should mention that I fell off the wagon when I was in Europe for 2 weeks.


2. I will only enter agility trials that have rubber contacts.
Total success!  It was pretty hard for me at the begining of the year when I was missing a lot of trials due to non-rubberized contacts but then I got used to not trialing so much and having a lot of extra money (entering 3 dogs is so expensive!)  But by September the last major equipment supplier who was holding out went ahead and rubberized.  There might be a trial or two this year where the clubs use their own non-rubberized equipment, but in general I think it's all rubber in my area.    I'm pretty happy with the state of US agility now that we have the 24" weaves, rubber equipment, and breakaway tires (although I'm not a fan of the lower tire and new 6' chute in AKC).  My one remaining pet peve about USDAA is the height of the a-frame.  I thought long and hard about boycotting USDAA this year due to it, but I don't think I'm ready for that quite yet.  USDAA trials are the most fun :)  
 
I had 3 New Years resolutions for 2012 (which I had to go back to my blog to look at in order to remember what they were - see?  bad memory) but I did think of 2 more to add.
4.  I will not get a puppy this year! Everyone and their sister is getting a puppy.  And they're all so damn cute!  I want a puppy!  Luckily having Cassidy stay here with us has reinforced that I cannot have 5 dogs. 
5. Uhm, I had one more but I can't remember it.  Oh well :)

Weimaraner AKC

We went to one day of an AKC trial last weekend.  Running 4 dogs was fun!  I only got Cassidy's runs on video (because I promised her Mom I would).  The only one who had a good day was Apollo, who got a QQ (love my Polly!)  Rampage had a bar in Standard and Q'd in JWW, Icon had a bar in Standard and blind crossed me out of a tunnel in JWW so we got a refusal (whaaa? Silly dog :)  and Cassidy and I don't quite have our act together yet, but there was some good stuff!

Cassidy Standard


Cassidy JWW

Today Apollo is glad he doesn't have hair

Well, maybe he wishes he had hair after all...

All Ohlone in the wilderness

On Thursday Tammy, the dogs and  I went for the 'big hike' that we have been working towards.  It was 29.1 miles with about 7800ft elevation gain.  Most people do the hike in 2 or 3 days, but not us!  We were determined to do it in one!  Some might call us pioneering and adventurous, but most would probably call us stupid :)

 A link to a larger map

And the elevation profile.

We met at Mission Peak Parking lot (where we will end the hike) at 6am.  It was still dark out and the parking lot was disturbingly busy considering it was 6am and still dark.   First things first, Tammy got her surprise  christmas present from her husband, expertly delivered by Santa Channan!  A Garmin Forerunner so we can keep track of our distance.  I have one as well but we knew the batteries last up to 8 hours max so one wouldn't last the entire hike.


Debbie also met us there because - awesome friend that she is - she offered to drive us to the start of the hike at Del Valle regional park.  Debbie has a big truck, but with 6 dogs and 3 people it was still crowded!



Gearing up. Thanks Debbie!


It was about a mile uphill before we came to the Ohlone sign-in panel.  They make us write our information so if we are eaten by mountain lions they can come and find our bones.


Then we continued up, up and away! We started somewhere down where that fog is. There wasn't fog when we started though, it rolled in after. Mt Diablo rises above.


Dogs are allowed off-leash in the Ohlone Wilderness. Icon was the first to be set free.


A blessed flat portion amidst the 10 miles of almost pure climb.


And then we let them all free (except Bridget)! And we didn't see them again until we got back to our cars 27 miles later.


Just kidding... They stopped and waited for us


But, oh, they had so much fun off-leash! Most places we hike in the Bay Area only allow dogs on-leash.


Tricki had the most miles during our hike. We figured Tammy and I did 29 miles, Derby and Icon probably did 35, Rampage racked up 40 miles and Tricki probably did 45! It's all thanks to his magical tongue.


Icon is so cute!


When we started heading down into Williams Gulch (only about 3 miles into our hike, I was already tired!) the dogs thought we were going way too slow and scouted ahead.  Little did they know the BIG BURN was coming.


Walking down into the gulch was very pretty.  It was cool and shaded (and downhill) and we saw the only flowing water during our entire trip here.  It would have been a larger stream if we had some rain....


But things that go down, must go up!  They don't call this section "Big Burn" for nothing.  Ouch.


Icon say, "Big Burn?  It's easy!"


Handsome Rampage!


On a mission...


There was mistletoe everywhere.  Believe it or not, I had no clue what mistletoe was until our Joseph D Grant hike the weekend before when Tammy pointed it out to me.  After that I saw it everywhere.


Cassidy!


Oh Tricki, what a big tongue you have.


We ran into some ice near the top of our climb on the hike!  Cassidy wasn't impressed.


Rampage thought it was pretty fun though.


We also passed by a whole bunch of disgusting stagnant ponds.  Rampage got in trouble for going into this one!  Icon is worried because Rampage got in trouble.  Poor Icon.


More ice!  And Tricki found a stick.


Great, more climbing.


Oh, that's kind of pretty.


The squirrel hunting has begun.


Yay, potty area for people!  I think this was Doe Canyon Horse camp, about 10 miles into our hike.  We thought the worst of the climbing was over at this point until we got to Mission Peak. Somehow it wasn't though!


The dogs MAY have been a bit thirsty (don't worry, we had already stopped to water them a few times before this).


Ah, refreshed!


Icon says treated water is for sissies.


Bridget was a bit tired!


The dogs try to decide, back to Del Valle or on to Sunol?


Sunol it is!


Squirrel!


Cassidy stops for a little scratch.


Oh dear, we have to climb that?


Just when we thought it would be all downhill


Our first view of Mission Peak! (above and slightly to the right of Tammy)


We're about to pass into SF Water District land, which is desolate aside from cow poop and squirrels.


But the dogs got some really good squirrel action




Mission Peak, our destination!


Squirrel!


Squirrel! (Rampage, COME BACK!)


The SF Water District section was also famous for steep climbs that make you feel like you are going to fall off the end of the world, followed by steep descents. The descents must have been greater since our overall altitude went from 4000ft to 1000ft but you could have fooled my legs.


Tricki and Rampage off hunting again.


Cassidy takes a moment to refresh herself.


Yeah, lunch time! We're at the boundary the SF Water district and Sunol Regional Wilderness, around 16 miles. Up until this point we had only seen one person. She asked to use my cell phone to call her husband and let him know she was OK and he could still pick her up the following day. Her cell phone battery had died. Luckily I had a signal when we met.






Rampage takes a dust bath.


And then a nap


Cassidy thinks napping is a good idea too.


And then we were back on the trail! The McCorkle trail, to be exact.


We started running into cows more frequently. Certain dogs (who shall not be named) got to go on leash for these meetings.  The cow above and to the left of Icon was number 388. She wasn't nice. Yeah, we remember you 388, you bitch (but she wasn't as bad as one was saw on the way down Mission Peak. It was too dark to get HER number).


These guys were pretty nice.


And then we were at the Sunol Visitor center! 19 miles and 390ft.


Yay, real toilets! Oh, wait... they were still pit toilets...


But REAL water to drink. It was even filtered (Yes, Icon, I'm a sissy)


But at the back of my mind the whole time we were there was, "STILL 10 miles to go and STILL about 1700ft to climb. Noooooooooo!"

However, despite joking about stealing horses from Sunol we had no choice but to buck up and carry on.


It started off pretty fricken awful, and to add insult to sore, aching legs, we got passed by a car who's passenger waved happily at us (car can be seen upper right just going behind the hill).


But then after about a mile the horrible uphill was replaced by a gentle, rising slope. It was actually quite pleasant!


Neither Tammy or I wanted to say anything about how pleasant the climb was because we both figured we'd have some more ugly climbs ahead of us.  But they never came! And then we rounded a corner to see Mission Peak! You can't see it in the photo but we could see the silhouettes of people climbing the ridge to the peak. I recognized the grove of trees below the peak from when I had hiked to the sign in panel on Christmas day. The end was in sight!


The sign-in panel! (or out in our case)


Where we came from


Where we're going. I knew from my christmas hike that from the Ohlone sign-in panel there were 4 climbs left until we started down the other side of Mission Peak.


Icon says, "Are we done hiking? Is it time to play?"


Last water break.


The fog rolls in as the sun sets


Passing to the west side of Mission Peak just as the sun goes to bed.  It's definitely all downhill from here!  I knew we'd be doing part of this hike in the dark, but I was pleasantly surprised to get this far during the day!


And then it was too dark for photos! Hiking down Mission Peak in the dark is not an easy task. It isn't very far (about 3 miles) but VERY steep. We had our doggy lights and headlamps so we were OK but I was surprised to see the number of people going UP the hill in the dark! They must be nuts. Unlike Tammy and me. :)

It took us 10.5 hours to go 29 miles. Not bad! Next on our list is to do an overnight backpacking trip. I can't wait!