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Day 7 of our DSL outage.
morning run:
Alice
Posey
George
Tuesday
Zoot
Steve McQueen
Hazel
Tori
(8)
Hidden trail: ~8k. Alice and George kept up well; it was cloudy and a bit cool from the recent rain but thankfully still no bugs. I took Tori again because she needs it and it clearly is helping her assimilate; she doesn't need much help as far as the other dogs are concerned but she is getting better about listening to and obeying commands and she is absolutely insane for the water. Any water. I had Tuesday on the whole way and she did in fact get paranoid on be before we even got to the beach; there is something about this particular route that seems to make it worse - I'll have to avoid it with her in the future. Alice and George kept the pace down a little and we took back trails and only stayed on the beach until Au Soleil Couchant so it took a little longer than normal. Everyone was really good.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Zasu
Miles
Henry
Lucy
Tito
Bette
Blue
Monkey
(8)
Roni took this group out for a walk out to the charcos north of the dead goat trail with plenty of time and space for meandering and having a good time; she took everyone to the beta site first and actually went in and looked around a bit to get everyone (*cough* Miles) more used to the idea. Everyone had a good time and behaved themselves.
GRADE: A
Day 6 of our DSL outage
morning run:
Ginger
Gracie
Frijolita
Rufus
Elewah
Lily
Twiggy
Lex
(8)
Northern charcos: ~8k (shorter route home via the swimming hole). Everyone was perfect for most of the run. We left via the route we've been taking the last few times but since we came back via the swimming hole we ended up coming back over the alt. land bridge; sadly I had forgotten that the fellow with the little shack on the corner had left a couple of chickens there. When I saw him doing it I thought he must be planning on securing them somehow but it turns out he didn't and something got to them long before we arrived; my guess is that it was one of the foxes Roni and I have seen around here recently. There were two or three small strays hanging around because of the dead chickens and my charges gave them an extended greeting; Twiggy, Ginger, Frijolita, Lily, Elewah and Rufus all charged off into the monte to the south of the road there and there was a lot of barking and screwing around in the "magic" pond. Everyone got back to me within 30 seconds or so. I heard no sign of hostilities but there was an injury: when we got home I noticed that Twiggy's front right leg was wounded just below the knee. It had not been that way before we ran into those strays and dead chickens. Roni and I think she ran into some barbed wire in those woods; there are a lot of old fence-lines down or partially down and nearly invisible due to leaf litter and debris and the wound looks like one Otto had a while ago that was due to barbed wire. The wound isn't too bad; Roni fortdermed/bandaged it and she's had a meloxicom because it must hurt and we want her to leave her bandage alone. If I had put Rufus on the leash by that point the rest of them might not have charged off so hard... it is probably a good idea to avoid that corner for a while. Other than that it was a great run. It was mercifully cool and overcast and everyone was really up for it. We saw very few people and everyone was good about it when we did; I rode Elewah especially hard verbally to keep her on the straight and narrow around salt workers but at least that's all it took.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Truman
Osita
Frankie
Molly
Daisy
Mega
Petey
Tori
(8)
Hidden trail: ~8k. We took our now-usual way north although there really aren't any salt workers on the road we usually take - it's just kind of fun to go a different way for a change and everyone enjoys it. We left with nobody on the leash and everyone was extremely excited early on but calmed down and stayed with me; half of them ran back to get me on the trail before I got to the shrimpery and everyone listened well. I had Tori on the leash for a couple of stretches but I also tested her verbally at many points and she always stopped and circled around to me when I called for her; I also had Mega on the leash on the hidden trail proper because he was starting to get too far ahead - he gets excited when he realizes we're getting close to the beach and I didn't want everyone so strung out as Daisy and Frankie aren't as fast. Molly was really up for it; she just went a couple of days ago but I felt she needed it and her behavior has gotten better over the last few months. Osita was a good girl and showed no signs of bolting on me; I think she must be over that, whatever it was. Every single dog on this run was overjoyed about going to the beach; Osita swam the least but even she couldn't help getting swept up by Tori's enthusiasm for the water. We nearly swam the whole way from where the hidden trail lets out to the tortuga sign, or so it seemed. I had Tori and Mega on either end of the leash on the coco trail just to keep the pace down and everyone together at the end.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Lucy
Shirley
Otto
Ernie
Lily
Maggie
Ziggy
Bosha
(8)
I took this crew out for a walk to the north, out to the shack next to the charcos to the north of the dead goat trail and then following the little path to the road that leads back to the triangular intersection and home. Everyone was really enthusiastic and had a good time.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Blue
Eve
Reggie
Gowron
Rufus
Jack
Hazel
Tori
(8)
Northern charcos: ~8k (took the short route home via the swimming hole). I thought maybe I detected a hitch in Hazel's step about halfway through the run so I took the slightly shorter route home; after watching her at home and talking to Roni I think maybe she just has a bit of a rolling gait because of the injury to her leg when we brought her home... she must've broken it as a pup before she got here. It doesn't seem to affect her much on a run: she keeps up easily and doesn't have any problems but I want to keep an eye on her nonetheless. Reggie was hilarious in his enthusiasm and Rufus was a good boy; he left on the leash but wasn't terrible at the gate and came off the leash within the first 2km. Tori had such a blast it is hard to describe but she also behaves herself. I generally have her on a leash in areas where I think we'll run into workers and vehicles because I'm still not sure about her reactions but we saw nobody on this run.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Zasu
Miles
Henry
Tito
Lucy
Bette
Godzilla
Linda
(8)
Roni took this crew out for a walk to the charcos to the north of the dead goat trail. Everyone was good.
GRADE: A
morning swims:
Greta
Bette
(2)
Angels.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Frijolita
Rita
Archie*
Molly
Monkey
Twiggy
Luna
MoMo
(8)
Short northern beach loop: ~6k. Archie bailed on me early, right at those first charcos to the north; it turns out he had a limp and decided to go home on his own initiative which is pretty smart, but at the time I didn't realize it and spent a good 10min trying to find him on all of those little trails between charcos. I finally realized he must've gone home since he's too smart to get lost, so I carried on with the remaining seven for a shorty out the parallel access road to the beach at Au Soleil Couchant and home the way we went out. Everyone was really good and stuck with me while I was looking for Archie. I was irritated with him but it turns out he did the right thing; we need to look into why he's constantly coming up lame.
GRADE: A
afternoon gallop:
Rufus
Jack
Amber
Tori
(4)
To the tortuga sign on the beach and home in the monte: ~2k. Another tired/stressed work day but Roni suggested a run up the beach would be good for Rufus and a little crew so what the hell - Roni helped me sneak out with these four when the wind and the surf were high on the beach side with Rufus on the leash. The strays at the soldiers' gave chase until we got past the HoJo and my charges were good about it - we were hauling ass into the wind so it was difficult to hear anything but we got barked at a lot and everyone just kept moving. I let Rufus off the leash after ~800m and everyone settled down. Tori and Amber are not the least bit bothered by high surf and swam into the ocean out as far as I cared to lead them; Rufus came out a little and Jack preferred the shore... why is it the girls are always braver? We went into the monte at the tortuga sign because I didn't want to run the gauntlet by the solders' again and now that I know a shorter way the heat is a little more bearable, but just a little... once we left the beach the heat was incredible, scorching our feet and pounding the crap out of us. We kept a decent pace anyway mainly due to Tori's enthusiasm. She was a good girl and listened well the whole way. I put her and Rufus on the leash when we got to the middle of the coco trail because I needed everyone to slow down a bit and come home under control. Everyone did really well.
GRADE: A
mid-day swim:
Greta
(1)
I was too pressed for time today but Roni and I really want to get our puppy-liebling out for as many swims as possible. She's losing weight on her diet food but she needs a little push... good girl.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Ginger
Gracie
Posey
Truman
Chester
Tuesday
Elewah
Daisy
(8)
Northern charcos: ~9k. Out via the now-usual way and home again via the same route after looping around the northern charcos; I thought about hitting the long and winding road but I didn't want to be gone that long... even though it isn't that much farther it is a bit more arduous because of all of the obstacles. I had Tuesday on the leash the whole way; I probably should have let or off a bit when we were far to the north but it never felt right somehow. It wasn't because of people because there was nobody out there - we beat everyone to the monte today and only saw salt workers just arriving as we were reaching the shrimpery on the way home. This group was really together and up for it. Daisy lagged a little near the end so I made sure she had lots of water. Ginger did well with no sign of a limp and no lagging.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Alice
George
Archie
Ziggy
Maggie
Stella
Molly
Tori
(8)
Short northern beach loop: ~6k; same route as on 14.05.13, taking the back trails just for fun. Stella was on the leash the whole way as usual; she started to dig her heels in a little at the very end but otherwise she was good. Nobody else was on the leash until the very end when I put Tori on at the shrimpery to keep her from running into the road. She's a good girl and listens and needs some discipline early to form good habits; she is truly a water dog and a strong swimmer. Maggie didn't lag at all and did a fair amount of swimming herself. The humidity had everyone drinking lots of water from the bottle but no matter, they all had a great time.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Zasu
Miles
Henry
Lucy
Tito
Blue
Otto
Monkey
(8)
Roni took this crew north the same way I went earlier but it was significantly hotter. Otto was on the hook briefly at the very beginning but came off on the other side of doce and was an angel throughout. Lucy is a little too interested in marmot poo but then who isn't? Everyone had a good time and behaved themselves.
GRADE: A+
morning run:
Godzilla
Gowron
Mega
Lex
Zoot
Petey
Amber
Steve McQueen
(8)
Northern charcos: ~9k. We took the scenic route I've been taking recently but it probably wasn't necessary - we only saw a single salt worker way out north. Still it was nice to take the back trails and it is a hit with the dogs as there are lots of marmot tracks and things to smell. Nobody was on the leash at all until the very end when I hooked Mega up on the coco trail just to keep him honest; it probably wasn't necessary. It was already pretty humid and everyone drank a lot of water on the way but nobody lagged; we ran into two people on motos and everyone was good - no barking, chasing, etc.
GRADE: A
morning swims:
Greta
Tori
Bette
(3)
As usual recently I am slammed with work and lack of sleep but at least Greta could get out for a swim on a quiet morning. Roni suggested I take Tori out with her and it was a good idea: Tori never left the water and swam circles around us, came out with us every "lap" and generally had a blast in the water. Greta was a bit nonplussed by her hijinx but was a good sport about it and they both had fun. I took Bette out on a leash after I got the first two back in and she had a nice time horsing around in the shallows and chasing me out where it was deeper.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Ginger
Blue
Frankie
Monkey
Twiggy
Linda
Hazel
Tori
(8)
Short northern beach loop: ~6k. This was Tori's first run so I took her on a shorty with a lot of her buddies to check her out. She is great on the leash - I had her on about half the way because I wasn't sure of her reactions to people and their poo and I wanted to see how she was about going on and off the leash. Naturally she was a champ and was perfect throughout, including drinking from the bottle, which she immediately understood. We went north from the dead goat trail the way Roni and I have been going recently, took the tortuga road east in a loop to Au Soleil Couchant, came south on the beach, back into the monte at the tortuga sign and home the way we came. We ran into one older salt worker on a bike and Tori didn't even sniff at him. I took Ginger on this one because I made her sit out the last time her regular group went and she looked good - no signs of a limp or anything but her usual mischievous self. Everyone really behaved themselves well and had a blast everywhere.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Zasu
Miles
Henry
Lucy
Tito
Bette
Reggie
Lily
(8)
Roni took this crew for a walk north to the same charcos I ran through earlier. Lily ran ahead early and spent some quality time on the leash as a result but she cleaned her act up by the end. Reggie on the other hand crapped on things at the very end by running ahead on the trail home and dragging Miles with him, resulting in some screwing around in the road that Roni wasn't too happy about; Reggie won't be off the leash like that for a while as it isn't the first time he's ignored Roni on a walk. It was already hot and that bag of filth near the shrimpery is really starting to annoy us. Everyone else was good and had a good time.
GRADE: A (one bad apple)
morning swim:
Greta
(1)
I just had to get her out for a quick swim. It was choppy and the bottom was strange so we had to go out far; she was a trooper and an angel.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Gracie
Posey
Truman
Frijolita
Osita
Rufus
Elewah
Daisy
(8)
Northern charcos: ~8k. I had Ginger in the launchpad and was ready to go but upon observation I thought I detected a limp; I'm still not sure but I didn't want to chance it so she had to sit this one out. Rufus was out of his mind on the porch and really wanted to go so Roni released him into my care and we took off with him on the leash. We went north the same we we did yesterday via the newly discovered route to the tortuga road, cut east into the monte and took the back way to the hidden trail heading east to get to the northern charcos. On the way back we cut south to the swimming hole and came home via the alt. land bride and the dirty road. All of my machinations to avoid people were completely unwarranted today - the monte was empty except for us.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Rita
Godzilla
Gowron
Archie
Monkey
Twiggy
Luna
Hazel
(8)
Short northern loop: ~6k (not sure, need to check but I'm sure it was at least 6k). Since yesterday I realized that I can get through to the tortuga road a new way today I did that with this group. It was my intention to go to the beach at the tortuga sign, head north to Au Soleil Couchant and come home via the monte but it did not work out. When we got to the beach I could see an annoying person to the north with their dogs and I didn't feel like dealing with them at all; this group is actually all good about everything it was definitely me. I turned us around (was a bit difficult, PupG turned her ears off) and instead took a back-road and small-trail approach to getting to the parallel access road, turned back south and came home the way we went out via those charcos to the north. I put Twiggy and Luna on the leash for a bit to keep them with me and Hazel on at the very end when she turned her ears off to go roll in filth but otherwise everyone was really good.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Linda
Daisy
Tori
(3)
Kaya and Olle took these three out to go on a walk with Xmul and Guy on the beach to the north. Everyone obviously had a blast.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Lucy
Osita
Frijolita
Shirley
Ernie
Ziggy
Maggie
Bosha
(8)
I took this group out for a walk to the charcos north of the dead goat trail, where Roni has been going lately. I decided to see if it is possible to punch through to the north all the way to the tortuga road and it is indeed. There are a bunch of trails all around there that link up to the road I usually run north on and the tortuga road - kind of cool to discover them. There were a lot of salt workers on those roads today, which is why I was avoiding them; we could see and hear (and probably smell) them from where we were so I kept my charges close to me. I kept Shirley on the leash the whole time because she was just too excited but we jogged a little and she didn't seem worse for it. Everyone was really good.
GRADE: A
morning swims:
Greta
Bette
Tori
(3)
I took Greta out and Olle took Bette out on the leash at the same time; both did their typical routines. While we were out Guy walked by heading south with Xmul; Kaya came out right around then so I introduced them all. Guy mentioned that he thought Xmul was a little depressed since he got back and I suggested that Tori might come out to go on walks with Xmul some mornings, which he thought was a good idea. Roni came out with Tori a couple of minutes later, after I brought Greta back in, and there was some general fun in the ocean for a while.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Eve
Truman
Blue
Chester
Reggie
Tuesday
Molly
Lily
(8)
Southern charcos: ~8k. There haven't been as many salt workers to the south recently so I decided to try my luck heading out the land bridge again; we were mostly alone as I thought we would be all the way to the palapa where there was a van with some people working. This group is good so I wasn't really worried about their behavior but I was worried about the usual issue with the salt workers. There were a few clustered around the palapa and a couple other groups of them scattered through the monte - we took back ways a few times and everyone was good about following me until the very end when Chester turned his ears off as we were running along the edge of the charco just east of the cut-over; I had to go back for him to get him to drop whatever he was into and come with us. At the very end Lily barked at a soldier on doce as we were crossing it after I said a word to her and it seemed she was going to be good; he was walking north and I said to him that they don't bite as he was crossing in front of us when Lily acted like an ass. I was not happy with her. Tuesday was on the leash the whole way and was really good; everyone behaved well.
GRADE: B
morning walk:
Zasu
Miles
Henry
Lucy
Bette
Otto
Tito
Posey
(8)
Roni took this crew out to that strange and interesting charco north of the dead goat trail again. Posey ran ahead too far and needed some time on the leash but otherwise everyone was good.
GRADE: A
morning swims:
Greta
Bette
(2)
Angels.
GRADE: A
evening walk:
Frankie
Twiggy
MoMo
Tori
(4)
Kaye and Olle took these out for a walk. All good.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Rufus
Jack
Mega
Lex
Zoot
Petey
Amber
Steve McQueen
(8)
Around the swimming hole: ~7k. I took another tortuous route to avoid large clusters of salt workers. I took us over the land bridge and north on the main road through the intersection. When we got east of the intersection I could see there were not many people working in the southern charcos so I planned to take us across the bag end land bridge and head south on the palapa road. Steve put the kibosh on this plan when we got to the intersection - he got The Fear for some reason and refused to turn onto the palapa road, instead skulking back and hiding by a salt pile. I wasn't sure why he felt this way - there was nobody around but us, he had been on my heel the entire way so far and everyone seemed to be having a great time. No matter, he was freaked out and I didn't want to fight with him so I took us north instead on the road that goes past the swimming hole, all the way to the Au Soleil Couchant road and came home in a big loop along the main road the way we came. Steve was fine once we turned away from the palapa road and I'm really not sure what provoked his reaction. Rufus left off the leash but I put him on early for a couple of kilometers just to calm him down - he was perfect thereafter. Everyone behaved themselves and listened well.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Zasu
Miles
Henry
Lucy
Tito
Bette
Monkey
Tori
(8)
Roni took this crew out for a walk in the charcos. She went out the coco trail to the charco to the north of the dead goat trail and came back - too many salt workers hooting and hollering in those nearby charcos right now. Tori left off the leash and Bette on but Roni let Bette off quickly and put Tori on on the coco trail because she runs ahead too far. Everyone else did well and Miles was not quite as annoying as he can normally be.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Zasu
Miles
Henry
Lucy
Tito
Blue
Gowron
Linda
(8)
Roni took this crew for a walk around the cow pasture. Lucy seemed a bit lower energy than normal but everyone was good and had a good time.
GRADE: A
evening walk:
Frankie
Stella
Luna
(3)
Kaya took these three out at dusk for a little walk. They were all good.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Alice
Godzilla
Rita
George
Otto
Archive
Maggie
Ziggy
(8)
Southern route: ~6k. It is cloudy and breezy today and the bigger/slower/fatter dogs needed to go so this seemed perfect. Maggie and Ziggy are both sporting new haircuts so it was easier for them than last time. There are salt workers in the near charcos but there was nobody on the land bridge so we went out that way and took the road south and the turn east like we were doing the southern charcos; we cut north just past the green arch as if we were heading to the greenway but then went east to catch the nearest serpentine that runs north/south, headed to the intersection, around the lip of the charco just east of the cut-over, across the ridge and home via the land bridge again. This tortuous route avoided most of the nastiness that may have been left in the monte and everyone had a good time because it was something new. Nobody lagged except for the usual screwing around. Archie now has a limp ~2 hours later; it wasn't far or fast so that's not it... we'll just have to watch him and get him checked over.
GRADE: A
evening walk:
MoMo
Hazel
Tori
(3)
Kaya and Olle took these three out for a walk on the beach and report that they were angels on and off the leash.
GRADE: A
morning walk:
Zasu
Miles
Henry
Lucy
Blue
Rita
Tito
Reggie
(8)
Roni took this crew out for a walk in the monte. It is probably the case that some of the faster dogs scared some strays down on the trail between the shrimpery and Gary's early on; we all heard a noise back here and Roni said it was pretty obvious what happened but she didn't see it herself. Her charges came back to her quickly and carried on so it wasn't very serious just a little noisy. After that she took everyone down the dead goat trail to the end but there are a lot of salt workers on all sides there right now so she just turned around and went back, heading by that little charco near the cow pasture that everyone likes. She said they were all angels (Tito and Rita got special mention).
GRADE: A
evening walk:
Frankie
Twiggy
Tori
(3)
Kaya took these three out for a walk with Tori on the leash the whole way. Good girls.
GRADE: A
morning run:
Ginger
Gracie
Frijolita
Osita
Truman
Rufus
Elewah
Hazel
(8)
Northern charcos: ~8k. We took a slightly shortened route that probably brings it under 9k; Ginger was affected by the humidity and wanted to cross the farthest charcos earlier than we usually do so I decided to take her suggestion. I gave her lots of water on the way but she definitely lagged a bit past the halfway point; she also went for an extended romp in some garbage early on and had to be called out when everyone else was with me so she probably just gassed herself out screwing around and had nothing left in the tank later. Hazel was off the leash the entire way for the first time since she was a tiny pup; she was really good and had a great time. This is also the first time Osita has gone the distance on a run in several months. I made a point of paying attention to her and telling her what a good girl she is. Rufus left off the leash but I put him on early and kept him on for the first ~2km; I put him on at the very end on the coco trail but he was good the rest of the way off the leash. My toe was good enough to run but is not 100% so we were not the speediest today. It was humid and unpleasant in parts but still a good run.
GRADE: A
morning beach walk:
Frankie
Stella
Luna
Shirley*
(4)
Kaya and Olle took Frankie, Stella and Luna out with Stella on the leash. The went for a walk north on the beach. When they got back they put Stella and Luna back in the yard and intended to go some swimming with Frankie but Shirley shot out of the gate while they were attempting this and Roni ended up chasing her down to the "pier" at the soldiers', Shirley's intended destination (ducks!). Roni sorted them all out a bit and came back in with Shirley while our two HelpX'ers swam a bit and hung out with Frankie on the beach.
GRADE: A
