What fun we had in Colorado! Wish we could have stayed longer! I’m already planning to go back next year. Maybe then I can spend a few extra days in Estes Park, and visit Rocky Mountain National Park as well. The only downers on the whole trip were the nasty feedlots, and the equally nasty manager at the Super 8. I’ve stayed at dozens of Super 8s and have never before encountered a manager like that one. Am sure she has never contemplated the meaning of “customer service”.
After our fabulous day on Friday, Saturday was hotter weather-wise and cooler win-wise, although we still did quite well. Charlie went Reserve, Penny went Best Of Opposite Sex, Nena went 2nd in her class (she was 1st at both Specialties) & Argus walked. The judge spent way too much time on heads and ended up with dogs that tended to lack in muzzle strength, a common fault in Dalmatians. Being a Terrier person, the judge was apparently looking for long lean heads with no lip – but the Dal standard does not call for a long lean head. One of the things they discuss in judges education is that the judge should not bring “baggage” from his own breed into the ring of the breed he is judging, yet we see that all the time. No matter. We stayed for Group and cheered on the Best Of Breed winner, and saw lots of terrific dogs we do not normally see in the Midwest. It was very hot but the humidity was very low and we were not uncomfortable.
On Sunday we got up early, took the dogs for good walks and then headed for Estes Park so we could see some beautiful scenery – a feature distinctly lacking on the drive to Greeley. Wow! The drive through Big Thompson Canyon was absolutely amazing. Am sure we all over-used the word Wow! We stopped at the Visitor’s Center in Estes Park, purchased souvenir calendars (so we can admire the pictures next winter, I guess) and walked along the river. The dogs got a lot of out time which they needed before the long trip home.
One of my favorite dog show memories is running on the beach in Ventura with Torch, when we drove out for DCA over 30 years ago. It was my first visit to southern California and the first time I had seen the Pacific. Things were much less crowded then and there were fewer restrictions, so I took off my shoes and Torch and I ran along the beach through the shallow water. Torchie chased the waves and the gulls until he was exhausted and we were both soaked with salt spray. What fun!
Argus and I created new memories in that beautiful river in Colorado, as we walked in the sand, waded out to the little “islands” of sand and rock, and enjoyed the crisp air and brilliant sunshine. Tried to get some pictures of Argus blowing bubbles, but had to settle for pictures of him wading in the river. How I wish I had pictures of Torchie in the ocean, but the memories of that are just as sharp as if it happened yesterday.
We stayed in Estes Park for a only few hours as we had a long journey ahead of us, and the side trip had added another hour to the return trip. We only stopped for gas, dog walking and Subs on the way home, and we all ate Veggie Subs as the feedlots had left literally left “a bad taste in our mouths”. The most awful part of the feedlot horror was seeing a pen full of Bison. Bison! Not cattle that had been raised domestically for eons. And the feedlot was set on the edge of an enormous expanse of open area. Real plains, the kind that should be dotted with “buffalo”, not feedlots. Ugh.
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