Canines 'N Ewe: June 2012

It's a long road to the Dry Lake trial...1700 miles round trip for a weekend out with the sheepdogs...we make the best of the long drive if we have time to do so!

Our route takes us up Hwy 395...A lot of gold in dem hills...a lot of history too! Our first stop on the road is Bridgeport Reservoir..we met up with an old retired "mule packer" last year who didn't seem to mind the dogs taking over his rv park..this year was no exception.

Bridgeport Reservoir

Bout time we got here..Let's play!

As you can see the "Canines" are really bummed to be here!

So we stay 1 night in Bridgeport (debated 2 nights) but decided we best hit the road for Oregon in the morning!! Next destination Bonanza, Oregon to good friends Shane Harley and Molly Belding's place! We will stay over one night and work dogs in the morning before we set out sights on Dry Lake!


A little "shack" we happened upon traveling through the Valley in Bonanza Oregon..

Shane and Molly were great hosts to us and the 12 dogs on board! They have beautiful barns and covered arena to keep all the pesky canines from wreaking havoc on the ranch! There were beautiful pastures all around..and a great steak dinner cooked by none other than Mr. Ron Ewers that night! We finished off a superb night with country music and S'mores...Gosh why leave?! We worked dogs in the AM and decided we best hit the road! A few small errands on the way to the trial would save us from having to leave once we arrived!

A few things we learned on the road...(thus far)

1. There is NO Diesel between Susanville and Aiden

2. Eagle lake is a nice campground and even nicer when you are able to beg Diesel fuel off them in order to make it 20 more miles.

3. Aiden doesn't own the Diesel pumps, so you will have to turn back and look for the red barn..

4. Bonanza, Oregon is a VERY small town...

5. Our trailer is too tall for the Mini Mart gas station in Bonanza, Oregon...(New ladder needed, fascia and gutter repair needed)

6. Word travels fast in Bonanza, Oregon...(ie: (text from Shane) "How's the Mini Mart"?

That said after hitting the gas station canopy with our rig destroying our ladder on the roof, getting chewed on by the grumpy old lady inside the mini mart... we thought best to just GET OUT OF TOWN..errands will have to wait until further a doo! Back on the road, laughing...dry lake here we come! (Hope there are no canopy's)

Arrival.... You probably haven't been to this trial...It's just a dog trial, no frills, just a dog trial in the most beautiful setting nature has to offer...Geri Byrne and (friends) do a great job at this trial and if you haven't attended well you best get to it!

View of the trial field from our camper

Our front yard..

The weather at this trial is at best NOT GOOD...but we don't go for the weather, we go for the sheep, the field, and the camping! The trial part was good, for the girls being ill-prepared they ran great. the sheep are set out at 625 yards on what looks to be a relatively flat field...WRONG..nothing flat about it! It's hard to see the sheep in a whiteout but we managed to get it done.

A brief..recap of the runs..All the dogs were good..added points on all the open dogs...but really No one really cares about my dogs like I do so we will leave the details out!

It's always sad to leave dry lake trial, by the end of the trial the weather has changed to beautiful and you seem to forget about the first 3 miserable days that lie in the past!

The trek home is just as long (imagine that) ..we had to make it from Oregon to Diaz lake..a good jont.

We are taking backroads down 395 again...but beforehand..we had to endure these guys..

In the middle of the forest..no fence in site..these guys hang out in the road?

Okay another good laugh and onward to the red barn (the gas station that saved our ass on the way North..will now get us started on our way South!)

Onward Diaz Lake here we come.. After 11.5 hours on the road..and Ron being "over it" even went as far as honking at 2 pedestrians for walking too slow..Diaz lake "SEEMS" like the perfect spot for the night...there is no one around for miles, you slip your 20 bucks in and envelope and find a beach! Yippee the dogs are gonna get to run.


Diaz Lake

From our beach..no one around just perfect..Almost..

offloaded..head straight for the shoreline..before the big run..BUT

Swooping in out of virtually nowhere..comes a jeep and it's flying..the dogs are running toward the jeep and he aint slowing down..this was a man on a mission..his mission to kick us out..(We've only been here for 10 minutes) the fucking leash law...oh yes, the fucking leash law...because you see this is 300 acres and we are the only one's in the park (a Tues. night after memorial day) but this rent- a - cop is bound to have us removed.. Ron handles these "types" of situations you see he is WAY MORE DIPLOMATIC than I..but then again that's why he's a cop and I am not! Ron cast his spell over the retired CHP and all is well in the neighborhood again..carry on.."have a great night"...."Ron" I say are we in or out? ..Ha ha ha We are ok!

Appropriate shirt for what just happened..

A few buzzing mosquito's..a few sudsy beers (suddenly the mosquito s become no problem) a big campfire, a bunch of loose dogs playing in the lake...ahhhh paradise..and only 450 more miles home!

On the road again..

As we cruised down 395 I read stories to Ron about all the history up and down the corridor. There are ghost towns everywhere, old mining camps, old mines...There was a Japanese imprisonment camp during the war..all of this history keeping it interesting!