My Bags are Packed and I'm Ready to Go...

(Ben at the Bluegrass in 2003, picture by Denise Wall)

I don't know the rest of the song that those lyrics come from, but it's sure been running through my head on a non-stop loop this week. It's been a busy few days, trying to get all packed and the camper ready to go, out on its first trip of the year. I'm keeping fingers crossed that everything is working okay and stays that way. Since i'll be gone for up to 12 days, it feels like i've pretty much moved everything i own from the house to the camper.

We leave first thing tomorrow morning, heading to Mike and Laura Hanley's Chinquapinwood Farm in Lexington, Ky. I'll set up camp tomorrow evening. Friday morning, the dogs and i are heading to Vergil and Anne Marie Holland's place for some extra dog work. I want to get the dogs on a bigger field for some outrun practice, something that's been sorely lacking from our trial prep this year. Saturday through Monday, Jet, Zac and Bill will be running in the Chinquapinwood trial, and then Monday afternoon, we'll pack up and head to Masterson Station Park to set up for the Bluegrass. I always get a kick out of driving past the soccer fields as we drive into the park - i played a lot of soccer games there when i lived in Lexington for grad school, and even lived on the "in town" end of the same road the park is on. Tuesday, we'll head back over to Vergil's for a little more tuning up, then the Bluegrass starts on Wednesday. Right now, i have only one Open dog in the trial, with the second on the waiting list. My plan is to run Jet rather than Zac, as she's working really well and the sheep will suit her, and she them. Hopefully, by the time the trial starts, i'll have my second dog in but i'm not counting on it. We're still 7th on the waiting list with a week to go. Bill will get lots of miles in on this trip. He'll run twice at Hanley's and he's entered in 6 classes at the BG - two Pronovice and all four Nursery classes. That'll be a lot of fun. The first 2 days on the novice field will have the nice sheep we just ran on at the Shaker Village trial. The second two will be run on sheep coming over from the Open field - fresh Texas wethers and a real challenge for some of the young dogs. I'm excited to see how Bill handles them.

I doubt i'll have a lot of internet access while camping, but i'll try to update the blog if i can. Here we go!!