Down in Cool Carmel

SUMMARY: USDAA weekend again

It's supposed to be approaching 100F (38C) on Saturday here at home, but only in the high 70s F (25ish C) in Carmel-by-the-Sea, where this weekend's SMART trial is being held on the beautiful Quail Lodge turf.

I guess I shouldn't be counting my chances for Top Ten points, since we crapped out so thoroughly last weekend. BUT--I will anyway. Two each gamblers, snooker, jumpers, and Standard.

For some reason there are always more dogs in P3 Snooker than in the other 3 classes. Are people keeping their dogs in Snooker to get elusive Super-Qs before they retire completely? It's a puzzle to me.

Boost, well, sigh, we need Super-Qs and Jumpers Qs.

This week I did one day in the park where I jogged and sprinted. That's one day more than I've done in months. In class Tuesday night, my legs were so leaden I couldn't even run a complete in-course class. I don't know how I've deteriorated so badly. Seems like I've never recovered completely from 2 weekends ago, followed by my evening hike 2 days after that. It's odd.

I've been practicing "outs" and gambles in my back yard, a little. Pulled out some old gamblers course maps from my files. I dunno why--it's Jumping I need to work on with Boost. But hard to do in my back yard.

Excuses, excuses.

I will go, I will work the score table, I will run, I will enjoy not being at home in the un-air-conditioned house, I will have fun with my dogs and my friends. That's the plan, anyway.