Sky and I went to an agility trial near Auburn over the weekend. It was sponsored by the Extreme Agility Team (EAT) and held at Argus Ranch for Dogs. Sky and I are a work in progress, still learning how to communicate and get through courses cleanly and quickly. Sky has a strong drive to do agility. however my skills are lacking to keep up with her speed and she often has to turn to me and say ‘what do you want me to do now? I don’t understand you.’ However, when it comes together, we can do very well.
Agility trials are lots of fun. Well, they are lots of fun if you like dogs.
Here is our Tunnels run. We did have a clean run that was fast enough to qualify, came in first and earned our Open title in Tunnels with this. However, to compete at the next, Elite level, we will have to eliminate the indecision and spinning in the middle of the run. We have to be faster.
This is a view of Brutus Hall at Argus Ranch from across the Green River. Sky and I and our friends stayed at Brutus.
Frannie gave Sky the coat off of her back. It didn’t really fit Frannie but was perfect for Sky
This is Bertie, a light colored border collie
Teddy is a miniature Australian labradoodle
This is Bisbee Blue, a cardigan corgi
Liberty went to National Championships last year. She is amazingly fast.
This lady had tried to get into Seattle for the big March but could not get close enough so she went to Argus instead. I love her hat.
Sky and I went to Loon Lake, WA last week for a NADAC agility trial. We met several friends there and had a terrific time. Out of fifteen runs, we had three qualifiers and three runs with only one error. For us, that’s a very good showing. We know our weak spots and what we need to work on before the next event.
Along the way in both directions, I stopped as often as possible to explore the landscapes. It is really a beautiful part of the state and with fall colors, even more so. We crossed the Loup (Loup Loup Pass), went down the lower Okanogan and across the Columbia, up to Grand Coulee and then south to Wilbur at highway 2. From there we went north at Reardan to Springdale and over to Loon Lake. There’s a lot of little towns in Washington and the highways don’t often go directly from one community to the next. This sounds like a complicated route but really, it’s the quickest way. On the way home, we went from Springdale to Fruitland and then down to Creston, making for a longer trip with an overnight stop but it was worth it to meet new friends and see the mountains between Springdale and the Columbia and various wildlife too. I saw lots of white-tailed deer and wild turkeys and a coyote and a porcupine. I also got to see some of the Carpenter Canyon wildfire that burned this summer.
On the way to Loon Lake
Heading down our road I realize I’m going to need new wiper blades in addition to a latte before I get out of town.
Up the Twisp River to drop Luna off with her friends Quincy and Frida til Ken can pick her up that evening.
Also along the Twisp River. Evidence of the fire that burned this summer. Retardant makes the trees even more colorful than usual.
We stopped to walk on the x country ski trails at the Loup.
The trails are carpeted with larch needles.
Larch needles on a rock.
Ponderosa pine cone and larch needles
Wolf lichen on a pine tree.
Oh look, Sky found a stick.
I think these are kinnikinnick berries.
Some larch needles remain on a small tree
Lichen at the end of a cut tree
More lichen
This is sort of like one of those silly Halloween images
Waiting for a treat
Is this a stick or a log?
Pine drops
Beautiful western larch treees
I love these sculpted by wind sand hills
Winter wheat in Lincoln County
Long straight road to Wilbur
Maple tree clothed in yellow
Mountain ash berries
Tiny mushrooms
A hydro power plant on the Spokane River
What do you mean we have to get back in the car? I’m just starting to have fun.
Last weekend Sky and I went to an agility trial at Mount Vernon, just across the Cascades from here. We stayed in the little camper at the venue and had a terrific time. Sky was impressive with her drive and enthusiasm for the courses and she even managed to get one qualifying run out of thirteen chances! We need to spend more time training but this is a process and it’s great fun for both of us.
In addition to the trial we got to spend time with an old friend and her dogs. Theresa took us to a couple of places for walks in the evening. We liked getting away from the venue and enjoyed some leash-free time. These images are from a low tide walk near the mouth of the Skagit River. While the dogs played I got to enjoy looking at some interesting plants and I watched for birds too. It was a nice break.
Pure happiness
Look! I found a stick!
Uh oh, I lost my stick.
Rex, can you help me find my stick?
Nope.
Here comes Becca!
It’s always good to be around someone else that loves dogs so much.
Camassica quamash. I didn’t know it grew along the coastal areas.
Common camas, Camassia quamash
An interesting lichen
DYC. Darned yellow composite
Serviceberry. Another surprise for me to find growing there.
Wild allium
Madronne tree
Can’t someone throw something?
Oh look! I found another stick!
There were Bald Eagles standing out on those exposed mud flats in the distance
High point
Becca teaches Millie about chasing butterflies
She says, this isn’t my pack
Ahhhh.
At some point, I’ll figure out how to get Sky’s videos uploaded and posted to the blog.
Before we went to the beach we attended an agility trial at Argus Ranch Facility for Dogs near Black Diamond. It was Sky’s very first trial. We started training last spring and gradually added more obstacles throughout the year and finally she was old enough and ready to give it a try. It was very fun! And it was a real learning experience. She and I have a lot to work on but right now she looks like she has great potential. Watching the videos it is apparent that the only thing slowing her down is me! On her first run at her first event she got a qualifying score and a blue ribbon. She had seven other chances over the weekend and while we both had a lot of fun, there were no more ribbons. Like I said, we have a lot to work on.
My Everyday Photos 