Soldier Hollow - A Hollowing Experience

Okay, so we (being Gin, Creed and I) got to Soldier Hollow with a small amount of problem - I do GPS the old fashioned way, that is, I read maps. I know, I know, get with the times...but sometimes I think reading maps is a lost art. Who would have thought Salt Lake City was large enough to have 5 lanes of traffic. No finger raising was done to me, no honking...so I guess it wasn't that bad. I wanted to stop at Bountiful and visit the Blackwell family, but there were too many in the directory.
I checked into the motel owned by Mac, and went out to find the field trial the next day. Holy smolies...challenging course. Apparently trees were removed for the fetch, cause there is nothing worse than sheep running up a pine tree...many points can be lost. I found out I was going to run Gin in 15th spot the next day, so I quickly found the practice field, and reminded her what a comeby outrun was, and what a stop was. Creed was put through the paces as well...what the heck, he may suprise me! I had lunch with the two ladies running the field and then went quickly back to the trial field to find my marker trees. Easy Smeasy, I know where the drive line is! A good night's sleep, and a handler's meeting and the first day was on it's way. Wilda and Grace came up on top early, and was getting excited for my run.
I sent Gin out, hoping of no excessively wide outrun, or crossover on her left side (has to be her in heat brain melting her neurons these days)and she went out without a hitch. She even stopped up on top when I whistled. Then I thought I would be fancy and whistle her around a bit, which she took. When am I going to learn to shut my mouth...I think she would have got them through the panels if I had left her alone. In any regards, the sheep were brought down, many points taken off and the drive started. Okay, pull the old britches and do something. Sheep were going fairly well to the first drive and then...bingo, the no hear zone hit, and panels were missed again. Okay, let's find that drive...wait, they are about 2 trees too high, bring them down....now they are too low, send them up. Oh for f---- sake, now I can't see the trees for the forest (or is that the sheep for the trees)! Oh, here they are, and....yup, miss those panels as well. Okay, the third leg of the drive should be easy....not. Where is that hole in the earth that you need to swallow you up sometimes. Shedding...let's just take the front two, the judge will figure that out. Run to the pen quickly....Ta Da...a little bobble, but they are penned. Yippee...a spectacular score of 58!!! No wonder drinking comes easy for me.
Heck, if trialing dogs were easy, everyone would do it. The night was ended with going into town with Scott, Jenny, Louanne, George and Claudia at the Cafe Pizzeria who was a major sponsor. I had my gluten free pizza and a beer (which is not gluten free) and will end the night itching myself to sleep. Tomorrow Creed runs 15th and Gin is 35th. Let the fun continue!