09.12.13

morning run:
Gracie
Gowron
Rufus
Jack
Daisy
Petey
Hazel
Tori
Murci
(9)

Southern charcos, short route: ~7k. We've been tired and for one reason or another we just haven't been able to get out for a couple of days so the dogs were a little wound up at the gate; Rufus, PupG, Hazel, Jack and Tori are all noisy on the best of days. I put a crate in the launch pad and stuck Tori in it while I was rounding up the rest of the team and that helped a bit - maybe one for Rufus next time as well. The group that went was also not the fairest but after a couple of days everyone forgets who's gone recently and the fact is that Tori, Murci and Hazel are young and have a lot of energy to burn. In spite of all the energy we left with nobody on the leash again and it worked well; they settled down quickly. We left a little late but there was nobody in the monte and we hauled ass most of the way. We went out the land bridge and came home via the alt. land bridge as usual; it's all still flooded, as is most of the monte, but some of the mud is beginning to dry out a little in places. There was still plenty of opportunity (and in fact necessity) for swimming and slogging and we did a lot of both. The conditions are slippery and dangerous in many places; this was not a run for newbies and I almost fell three times, only avoiding it because I know the monte so well... plus I was a little lucky. We took the middle road and skipped the swimming hole to keep the distance down a little. Everyone did really well the whole way. I put Murci on the hook as we were crossing the alt. land bridge on the way home and I put Hazel on the other end of the leash as we were nearing the shrimpery to keep her from dragging everyone ahead on the trail home. This all worked out well and everyone had a good time.
GRADE: A