Dog Hair is My Favorite Condiment

"Dog hair is my favorite condiment" was a phrase overheard at the handler's lunch potluck this past Saturday. I am quoting it with permission from its original source too! We were all hungrily gathered around in a cool kitchen to seek relief from the blistering heat outside at the Last Chance SDT up in Tulelake/Malin on the Cal/Oregon border. And what a tasty potluck it was too. I didn't find any dog hair in my lunch, but then I wasn't being too particular at that point either. Thanks Amy for the great quote!

One of the highlights of any trip up to that area is a much-appreciated stop at the Grass Lake rest area on route 97 at about 5,000 feet elevation. It has one of the nicest places to walk your dogs and get them out of their car crates for a few minutes when you are on a long trip. And it also has beautiful vistas of what is truly a lake made of grass. There are some beautiful tall trees and who would have thought - sea gulls - panhandling from picnickers. It also gives you a chance to walk around and start to adjust to the huge change you have just made in altitude.

Stopping at Grass Lake

The other highlight of the drive is of course all of the many different views that we get of Mt Shasta. There are just not words and certainly no cruddy photo from my phone does it justice.

Miss Mt Shasta in all her glory!

The Last Chance trial was a no-frills version but fun and of course very ably run with some of the most experienced trial organizers in the country doing all of the honors. The sheep were awesome not-quite-yearling replacement fine-wool ewe lambs belonging to the Rowleys. It was a very challenging trial. I was glad to see everyone that I normally do not see until the early spring events more local to me such as Zamora and Sonoma Wine Country. Sorry I do not have any actual sheepdog trial photos. It was so hot out I didn't even think about getting my camera out of the car...the heat does funny things to my brain. Coal and I did not do very well, but then the fine wools are the type that brings out his extreme eye the most and we have no chance to practice on that type of sheep. So I am trying to look at the whole thing as a practice and I have another long list of things to work on. We were very graciously hosted by dear friends and that certainly made the weekend. I hadn't been up to that area since the 2009 Finals and I hope to get back up there before the 2012 Finals! It is certainly a wonderful place to be for a dog trial.