10.11.10

morning run:
Bette
Oscar
Otto
Archie
Chester
Rufus
Truman
Reggie
(8)

An energetic and fun group. I dealt with Rufus today by forcing him to calm down on the leash inside the yard, and then not opening the gate until everyone was quiet. This took a little while, as Bette and Rufus were both incredibly wound up. However, true to form, by the shripmery intersection Rufus had calmed down, and Bette was having a good time. We went the long and winding road to the northern charcos, the "right" way (counter-clockwise if viewed from above). At the place where you must turn off of the road to playa maya and go west back into the charcos, there is a mini-charco not 20m off of the "road". Usually it is empty, but today we left early and there were at least 100 huge birds of all kinds jammed into it in the morning cold. Flamingos (little ones), egrets, lots of those little birds that follow them both around, ducks ... they were silent, and so were we, but we couldn't help startling about 50 of them into flight just by walking by single-file. Quite a sight. Nice to go early this time of year. Everyone was stellar.
GRADE: A