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morning run:
Ginger
Gracie
Frijolita
Posey
Tuesday
Frankie
Molly
Daisy
(8)
Northern charcos: ~9k. Same route as yesterday; I was kind of thinking we might see that wild pup out there but we didn't - I'm sure it's long gone. I let Tuesday off the leash for a stretch when we were way out there and she was good; I put her back on as we were reaching the swimming hole because I thought maybe she was getting a bit paranoid. This was pretty much a perfect run until we got home. Molly bolted for the beach just as we got to the final corner. I made a quick judgment call and thought I should catch her before she got to the shack to the south because I had Tuesday with me (fast) and I didn't know who or what was on the beach (Easter) so I took off after her. Sadly I was wrong and could not catch her; we all ended up on the beach and Molly pulled out all the stops to get away from me. I ended up freaking Tuesday out and she slipped out of her collar and ran around to the north shack while I tried to wrangle Molly... a total flaming disaster at the very end. Roni had to go out and fish Tuesday out of the weeds on the lot to the north of us while I searched in vain for Molly's collar on the beach. Molly cannot be off the leash coming home. She's improved as far as not barking at people and not chasing vehicles but she still cannot be trusted especially close to home. It sucks because until that point there had not been a single negative thing. Everyone else was really good including Tuesday who can't be blamed for getting freaked out given her bizarre emotional nature. At least there wasn't anyone on the beach or anything for anyone to get into.
GRADE: C (at least we all came home together)
morning run:
Archie
Gowron
Mega
Lex
Zoot
Petey
Amber
Steve McQueen
(8)
Northern charcos: ~9k. I took us on the route to avoid people but we ran into a couple anyway; it was early and it's Easter weekend but still somehow there were a few hardy dudes working in the salt swamps. Way out near the farthest point north just as we were starting back south I saw what looked like a small white dog, probably a pup, running like a lunatic to get away from us in the brush about ~100m ahead. None of my charges saw it so I quickly pulled us off the trail we were on and took us around the perimeter of the charco it bordered to the west, keeping the tall bushes and grass between us so the tribe wouldn't freak out and give chase. It worked and I got us back to the main road without running into the little thing but I had the feeling we might have been followed for a stretch after that. Zoot bolted back once just east of the intersection and I thought maybe it was that but he came back quickly when I called. Other than that it was uneventful. Amber was off the leash for a while out in the deep monte and she was a good girl; she was also good about letting me get her back on the leash. Coming home I put Mega on the other end of the leash with her and everyone was really good getting home.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Lucy
Rita
Osita
Shirley
Ernie
Bosha
Linda
Hazel
(8)
I took this crew across the ridge between the land bridges and home via the dead goat trail. I put Hazel on the leash just south of the ridge because a salt worker was near; his wheelbarrow squeaked loudly every time he pushed it and I was absolutely amazed that nobody even flinched. When a moto passed us going the other way on the coco trail coming home I just grabbed a hold of Hazel but didn't put her on the leash; she made no move towards the moto so maybe she's really getting more trustworthy. Everyone else was really very good and had a nice time.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Alice
George
Chester
Otto
Lily
Stella
Monkey
Twiggy
(8)
Northern route: ~8k. Identical to 24.03.13 except that we took the back trails north from the tortuga crossroads both directions; we took this route back on the last run but I didn't mention it. A large patch was recently burned back past where the actual trail ends so it's strange and interesting in there. There were salt workers close by in the charco directly to the east when we were coming back but everyone was good about it. I had Stella on the leash the whole way. I put Lily on the other end far out to the north when our route was obviously going to take us close to someone working alone in one of those charcos; she was good about it and I left her off the leash the next time we went by people, with good results. It would be nice if she was over her barky stage. Chester has come up lame after the run and we're not sure why; he showed no signs of any problems while we were out there and led most of the way. Maybe he twisted something and it got worse as he cooled off - we're watching him. Otherwise no problems and everyone was great. It was chilly this morning and it energized everyone.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Lucy
Shirley
Ernie
Ziggy
Maggie
Bosha
Linda
Hazel
(8)
I took this crew for a walk between the two land bridges and across the ridge as on 25.03.13. Shirley was on the leash the whole way. Right where the ridge starts there was a salt worker in a little cove of that charco so I put Hazel on the other end of the leash to keep her honest; she likes to bark but she seems to be getting better. I left her on for the rest of the walk just because she needs the discipline - she still had a great time, as did everyone else.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Ginger
Gracie
Truman
Posey
Elewah
Jack
Daisy
MoMo
(8)
Northern charcos: ~9k. One of these days I'll just keep going and hit the long and winding road but today was not the day. This group was fairly good but rambunctious; I had to call Ginger, Elewah, Daisy, Jack and Truman out of the bushes several times along the way. They all insisted on rolling on that pile of filth on the Au Soleil Couchant road which STILL has not completely dissipated. It was cloudy, chilly and a bit blustery; we got rained on in the last km home, in part because Daisy and Elewah insisted on screwing around in the brush there on the dead goat trail. Still everyone was up for it and we ran as fast as we could; my foot is still bothering me a little so this is not as fast as it used to be. I had to put Daisy on the leash at the shrimpery because she insisted on going back for dirty doubles of whatever horrible dead thing someone dumped by the side of the road but otherwise the leash was unused.
GRADE: B (too much screwing around)
morning walk:
Lucy
Rita
Osita
Ernie
Maggie
Stella
Bosha
Linda
(8)
I took this group out for a walk in the monte. We went across the land bridge, over the ridge and back over the alt. land bridge and the coco trail. Stella was on the leash the whole way but was really good about it; I was tempted to let her off but she's screwed me over too many times close to home. If she behaves herself on a run sometime soon maybe I'll let her off on a walk. They were all angels. The fellow who maintains that little corner lot where the dead goat trail ends was there today and the dogs behaved themselves perfectly; he even commented on how obedient they were being while we talked for a minute. It's blustery and cloudy and everyone was glad of it. This is the first time in a while that Osita hasn't gotten freaked out on a walk or run and bolted home; she was in a good mood and had fun with Rita. Perhaps she's over whatever made her paranoid.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Frijolita
Blue
Archie
Ziggy
Molly
Monkey
Luna
Hazel
(8)
Northern route: ~8k. Instead of the full "northern charcos" route I've been taking I cut it a little shorter by heading east directly from the turn to the hidden trail; this cuts off the loop to the north and results in a slightly shorter run. Monkey was already breathing fairly heavily when we got to the turn onto the hidden trail and the humidity was taking its toll on everyone so I thought a slightly shorter run was a good idea. The last two days have been muggy and hot like August, not March; we didn't leave particularly late but it was already pretty thick. Ziggy had a hard time the whole way and was really lagging by the end; he usually has boundless energy and is never far from me on a run so I took this as a sign that we should not go so fast or so far. Hazel was off the leash from the hidden trail until we got back to the the road west and she was good; I had her on for the rest of the way because there are so many people and vehicles in the monte right now but she seems to be cleaning up her act and can probably be trusted a little more. I put Archie on the other end of the leash with her at the intersection with the palapa road because he was screwing around too much in the bushes with his ears turned off. He needs to be checked on the leash every so often to keep him honest otherwise he skates by on his "good boy" reputation. Molly also screwed around WAY too much and bolted for the beach when we got home; I had to go down and collect her after I put everyone else in. An unbalanced and annoying run in parts but in the end everyone had a good time.
GRADE: A
mid-morning security patrol:
Alice
(1)
Alice and I took a jog down to the beta-site to check the perimeter. It was really hot but Alice was playful and funny both ways. On the way back she ran almost the whole way. Cute.
GRADE: A
mid-day swims:
Greta
Bette
(2)
I did the same thing as yesterday in similar conditions. Bette's hips are really bothering her but swimming makes her happy, so yay.
GRADE: A
mid-day beach run:
Rufus
(1)
To the tortuga sign and back: ~2k. Roni suggested I take Rufus out for a quick run on the beach since there was nobody around and he was a little pent up. He was good getting out of the gate and we stopped for nothing except a bit of swimming. When we weren't swimming we were flying. He was an angel.
GRADE: A
late morning swim:
Greta
Bette
(2)
It was starting to get a little choppy but this was the first day I was clear enough of work and that the weather was nice enough that I could take them so I did. The water is warming up and is at least not chilly any more. I made Greta swim into my hand a lot because the bottom was strange and I didn't want to wade out too far with her. She worked hard and had a good time. I then brought Bette out on a leash and she swam circles around me up and down the beach like a water.angel. What good girls.
GRADE: A
evening security patrol:
Alice
(1)
I took a quick spin on the bike down to the beta.site to check on things. She had fun running alongside the bike and checked the place over with me.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Otto
Godzilla
Rita
Reggie
Tuesday
Gowron
Frankie
Twiggy
(8)
Beach/swimming hole loop: ~8k. Two days ago Xmul got mauled by what was probably a mapache on her morning walk with Marie and Nicole. Xmul is fine now, I saw her yesterday and since Marie told me they would not be walking up the beach for a few days I figured I would go there a bit. I took us to the beach at the tortuga sign via the monte and stayed on the beach until Au Soleil Couchant, then took that access road to the swimming hole and came home via the cut-over and the coco trail. PupG got into some nasty swamp water right off the bat so taking her to the ocean was a good idea. I had Tuesday on the leash the whole way; my foot is still bruised so I am not at my speediest but she didn't seem to mind today. She wasn't paranoid but she wasn't as hyped up for a run as she usually is and we didn't fly like normal. We saw some salt workers but I didn't have any worries with this group. The only real barker is PupG and I had her close to me the whole way.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Truman
Eve
Mega
Lex
Zoot
Petey
Amber
Steve McQueen
(8)
Northern charcos: ~9k. Same route as last time except I took off north for the hidden trail as soon as I could from the Au Soleil Couchant, along the periphery of the charco that straddles both of them. There was a lot of traffic on all the major trails and everyone was still a bit fired up at the beginning so I decided to take the hidden trail going east to avoid it. Even so we ran into a lot of salt workers and vehicles and everyone was really good. I had Amber on the leash for a lot of the way but I let her off when we headed north from the hidden trail and she was a good girl. I put her back on as we got to the cut-over because she had been lagging a bit and acting skittish; I threw Mega on the other end of the leash at the shrimpery.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Ginger
Gracie
Chester
Rufus
Elewah
Lily
Jack
Daisy
(8)
Northern charcos: ~9k. I kind of wanted to go 10k on the long and winding road today but we got started late and I didn't want to take all day; I also wanted to avoid all of the salt workers in the southern charcos (mainly due to poo issues). We took a route similar to that on 25.02.13 but learned from our mistakes on that day. Instead of trying to push through east across two nasty charcos we kept to the tire tracks and picked up the proper trail that winds through that part of the monte; it lets out right where Chester's shortcut from the long and winding road appears, just northwest of the turn to no-man's land. I put Lily on the leash when we turned north from the Au Soleil Couchant road because she led the charge with Jack and Elewah to go sniff poo where the Au Soleil Couchant road splits into a "T"; she frequently manages to escape the leash so this time I wanted to put her on for a spell to keep her honest. She was good about it and wasn't on for very long. Rufus was only on for the first ~2km and at the very end at the shripmery; I can probably start skipping this with him as he seems to be over his bad behavior. Daisy needed the leash for a bit in the last 2km because she kept lagging too far behind; I don't think she was tired, just screwing around in the bushes. Ginger, Chester and Gracie are always champs and Elewah was really good.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Alice
George
Gowron
Monkey
Twiggy
Luna
Linda
Hazel
(8)
Terreno federal road: ~6k (approx, have to look). Today was the first day my heel hadn't hurt in a week so a group that doesn't go very far was necessary. We left heading north as though we were going to the swimming hole but I wasn't sure where to take us because of all the salt workers in the charcos right now. As we got to the parallel road a couple of trucks passed us and Linda got separated; she was on the rough little road that runs parallel there and a little freaked out. I tried to get her to come over but she would have none of it so I turned the rest of us around to go fetch her; at this point Hazel was already on the leash and being a good girl. I quickly realized that Linda was more freaked out than I thought and was in fact bolting for home down the road to the cut-over; I picked up speed to run her down and it became a foot-race down that overgrown road. Twigs and Luna helpfully charged off ahead and slowed her down and when I finally caught up (almost to the cut-over) she had calmed down and started responding to me again. I decided to go for an in-between route to avoid more vehicles: east through the intersection then immediately south along the periphery of the charcos just north of the terreno federal road. We went all the way south and came out on the main road, turned back north and came home across the land bridge. Everyone was good once we caught Linda and calmed her down.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Zasu
Miles
Henry
Lucy
Tito
Blue
Osita
Frijolita
(8)
Roni took this crew out for a walk in the monte. They went down to the shore of the charco just northeast of the dirty road. Frijolita ran ahead a bit too much on the way home because she saw that little black and white stray but she didn't catch up to her and there were no shenanigans.
GRADE: A
morning beta-site patrol:
Zasu
Tito
Godzilla
Blue
Eve
(5)
Roni took these down to survey the beta site; I came shortly thereafter and everyone at home seemed like they were good while we were gone. Eve appears to have the same religion as Miles and really did not want to set foot inside the fence but Roni prevailed and all was well. I came home first with 'Zilla, Eve and Blue and Roni came a few minutes later with Zasu and Tito.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Lucy
Bette
Ernie
Frankie
Maggie
Ziggy
Stella
Bosha
(8)
I took this crew around the cow pasture the long way with Stella on the leash the whole way. I had to go back and get Lucy after I opened the gate and everyone was pretty good about it; Stella didn't fight me and Ernie led the charge across the road and waited. My heel is still bruised from what I think was an injury sustained while off-roading on 06.03.13 so I was a bit tender at times and didn't want to run; everyone was good about it and stuck with me. Ernie even listened to me when I wanted him to stay closer around people and vehicles.
GRADE: A
morning jaunt:
Alice
(1)
Alice went down to the shrimpery with me again to open it up for the workers one last time. They finished the fence today. Hurray!
GRADE: A
evening security patrol:
Zasu
Monkey
(2)
The workers finished up the fence at The Facility today. I purchased two locks for the exterior gates when I dropped them off earlier and I took Zasu and Monkey with me to lock up the gates. The shrimpery is now officially under our control... mwahahaha. Zasu acted like an ass on the way home and bolted far ahead of me and into the road just as a truck passed. Irritating but still this counts as a victory.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Ginger
Gracie
Eve
Rita
Godzilla
Frijolita
Reggie
Molly
(8)
Southern charcos: ~8k. A really good group on a slightly chilly morning. Reggie was so fired up out of the gate he was killing me with his antics; making his little "YIP!" noises and bumping into everyone. I had Molly on the leash a couple of times when we were around a lot of salt workers and vehicles but I also left her off a couple of times when a moto went by us and she didn't chase or pay any attention; it looks like she is over that phase. Unfortunately she does like to screw around A LOT and was on the leash just to keep her with us for a bit; she's an anchor on the leash so that kind of sucks. Reggie really seriously rolled in some absolutely awful poo about halfway through the run; I had to grab a stick and knock the more solid aspects of it off of him because it was making me sick. Other than that a nice run.
morning inspection jaunt:
Alice
(1)
Alice went down to the shrimpery with me to open it up for the workers.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Lucy
Frankie
Shirley
Maggie
Ziggy
Bosha
Linda
Hazel
(8)
I took this crew for a walk around the cow pasture the long way. We went across the alt. land bridge and started to head south to the main land bridge but when we were up on the ridge I saw there was someone working right there and I didn't feel like dealing with reigning Hazel in or with potential poo issues; instead I turned us around and came back across the alt. land bridge and home via the dirty road. Someone just burned the brush on the ridge so it was strange and neat up there. Everyone was really good and had a good time.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Otto
Blue
Chester
Archie
Rufus
Lily
Jack
MoMo
(8)
Southern charcos: ~8k. We went north first and took the Au Soleil Couchant road all the way to the palapa road, went all the way south and came home via the land bridge. Rufus has been a little better getting out of the gate mainly due to our new Rufus-management technique. I let him off the hook when we got to the Au Soleil Couchant road and only put him back on at the shrimpery on the way home. I had Lily on the leash out on the palapa road because she needs some work when there are people around; she wants to bark at them, especially if they are on vehicles, and this cannot be allowed. We came across a few salt workers and she showed no signs of wanting to bark at them so I let her off as we were crossing the southernmost charco on the way home and she was good the rest of the way. This morning was a little cold and I was a bit stiff still from injuries but it turned out to be a nice run.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Zasu
Miles
Henry
Lucy
Tito
Bette
(6)
Roni took this crew for an inspection tour of the new facilities and then down the coco trail and around the charco to the south. Bette was a good girl off the leash; we are now watching to see if she develops a limp. Miles was good but his religious conviction against stepping foot on the shrimpery will have to be overcome... maybe he requires a consecration ceremony? I'm guessing it will involve lentils. It was really hot out but everyone had a good time.
GRADE: A
afternoon swim:
Greta
Linda
(2)
It was a little choppy and cold but Greta persevered and had a good time. Linda swam a bit, larked around on the beach a bit and was generally good.
GRADE: A
morning jaunt:
Henry
Alice
(2)
These two walked down to the shirmpery with me to unlock the storage room and get the workers going on the fence. All good.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Frijolita
Twiggy
Mega
Lex
Zoot
Petey
Amber
Steve McQueen
(8)
To the swimming hole: ~7k. We went the usual "long" way; Amber was on the leash the whole way and was a good girl. Mega led the charge to say hi to a couple salt workers near weathertop hill as we were coming home towards the intersection but they didn't bark and they came back to me quickly. Steve McQueen is a little barky with bicycles and needs some more work on the leash but he isn't awful and listens well. Twiggy was comically enthusiastic the whole way and Frijolita had a blast. I am still a little beat up from the last run (and from tripping on a dog toy and wiping out hard - HILARIOUS); their high spirits quickly made me forget and we had a nice fast run.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Ginger*
Gracie
Posey
Truman
Tuesday
Gowron
Elewah
Daisy
(8)
Hidden trail and then some: ~8k. Ginger came up lame almost immediately, before we even got to doce out of the gate; I brought her back and went on and the rest of my charges were all really good about it. She probably stepped on something because she had no trace of a limp before we left. It was a bit cold and everyone was fired up so we really hit it for the first few kilometers; this is the default modus operandi with Tuesday along. When we got to the beach I could see the French Canadian fellow who has a dog and a puppy now just south sitting on the beach with his dogs. I thought he must've known we were there but he made no move to assert more control over his dogs and I didn't feel like having to reign in Elewah so after a bit of dithering I decided to take us north on the beach; I figured I know the monte well enough that I should be able to find a place to get back in and over to the hidden trail going east. Sure enough a couple hundred meters up the beach I saw a break in the brush for a fence-line so I took us east and followed the fence posts. We ended up coming out at the northern tip of the charco whose southern end coincides with the end of the hidden trail; we then just ran the perimeter of that charco heading south to pick up our trail going east. On the way back I cut south along the charco that joins the hidden trail with the Au Soleil Couchant road; this is also where that lingering pile of offal resides so everyone appreciated having a second crack at that. Lovely. Truman took me down early as we were heading out and I caught a few spines and such while we were off-roading so I'm fairly beat up now. Still everyone behaved themselves and worked with me in a strange situation.
GRADE: A
morning jaunt:
Miles
(1)
I took Miles to the shrimpery with me to meet up with the workers who are putting the fence in. Miles approved of their work.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Alice
Rita
Eve
George
Maggie
Molly
Monkey
Hazel
(8)
To the swimming hole: ~7k. We left with nobody on the leash but I put Hazel on while we were still on the coco trail; I left her on until just before the swimming hole and then had her back on by the time we got to the tortuga crossroads. We didn't run into anyone but I wanted to make sure I had her under control and she's really good on the leash. Everyone else was stellar on a cold morning.
GRADE: A
morning walk #1:
April
Stella
Twiggy
Bosha
(4)
M&Z took these out with no problems; April and Stella were on the leash.
morning walk #2:
Luna
Twiggy
Daisy
Linda
(4)
M&Z had Luna and Daisy on the leash the whole way. Good girls.
morning walk #1:
Frankie
Stella
Ziggy
MoMo*
(4)
Mike took these out alone with Stella on the leash. Mo got spooked by a truck just south and bailed on him so he went on with the other three. No problems.
morning walk #2:
April
Bosha
Linda
(3)
Mike then took these three out for a stroll with April on the leash. Good girls.
morning run:
Blue
Chester
Archie
Rufus
Jack
Lily
Molly
Lex
(8)
Hidden trail: ~8k. Rufus wasn't too bad at the gate due to Roni's management abilities and a little bit of foresight on our part. Lily barked at someone walking in the monte right at the 1km mark; she has to be broken of this habit. I had her on the leash on the way home when we got there and kept a closer watch on her in general. Molly was off the leash the whole way and behaved herself. It is a stormy day and there was nobody on the beach but I still came off at Au Soleil Couchant just so we couldn't get caught by surprise. Everyone was good.
GRADE: A
morning walk #1:
Frankie
Luna
MoMo
Linda
(4)
Mike took these out by himself as Zöe is not feeling well today. All good.
morning walk #2:
Zasu
Miles
Henry
Lucy
Tito
Maggie*
Bette
Monkey
(8)
Roni took this crew out for a walk in the monte. We thought Maggie might ditch her and indeed she did, early on: this is becoming an issue for Mags. She goes on runs with me but doesn't ever stick with anyone else; all she does is come straight home, but it is annoying. Bette left on the leash to keep her from harming herself; she had a great time but we'll have to see how she's doing in a few hours. Miles behaved like an idiot around a truck near the shrimpery but otherwise everyone was good.
GRADE: A
