Another 137,000 Word Blog

These pictures is the trip to Meeker in a nutshell-get a cup of coffee, get comfortable - there are a lot of pictures to go through.

The trip would start with loading up Chris Jobe's (aka Thelma) camper for our trip.

 Thelma would drive all the way.  I did not complain with this arrangement.

 Montana went by quickly.

 With the fires, the smoke got in the way of the landscape.

 Even with the smoke, it was nice scenery.

 There were some green found along the way.

 The road in which Thelma took, notice you can\t see on the other side of the hill - I tried not to notice that fact.

 Our first night - a campground north of Sheridan 

 And free ice cream to boot!

 Honey showed us where to park.

 It was a good place to renew our juices (through sleeping, the nectar of the gods would be the next night).

 On the road again.

 One more state to drive through!

 Smoke signals in the distance.

 If you look carefully, you can see Randy and Val Dye's trailer at these fairgrounds with the ropers.

 The trip went quickly as we sped along.

 The dogs slept.

 This is the spot - mile number 219 - where we had to call AMA for some diesel to make it to Casper, Wyoming.

 As we waited, somebody had a bath.

 I thought the FBI was after us (after all, this was Thelma and Louise's big adventure, there should be some cops in the show).

 Our saviour of the day....

 ...Brad Pitt...no James.

 Fill 'er up Jim.

 Off and running again - even with the handle out.  We stopped to put this back in, and Brad called to ask if we were okay - chivalry is not dead.

 Made it to Casper, Wyoming.

 As we drove, different landscapes were seen.

 But there was still smoke in the air.

 Here we stopped to let the dogs out - little did I know it was Independence Rock.

 The antelopes didn't seem to realize either.

 The navigator of the trip.

 Only about 5 hours left!

 Here is the police chasing scene of the adventure - thankfully he wasn't chasing us.

 As we got closer to our destination of the night - Steamboat Springs - the sky got darker.

 The rainbow showed where we would sleep the night....and consume some nectar.

 In the morning, I did a little vet work for Marianne.

 The golden fluid.

 We would not get to Meeker without being rampaged by the fire department in their blitz - we gave well.

 Last hour until Meeker.

 Our home away from home.

 Blocks - important for camping.  Here I thought it was blocks of ice that were important.

 Neighborhood get together.

 Floss and...

.... Gin could stretch their legs.

Morning breakfast with the Dyes. 

 Clearing out the cobwebs at the training field.

 Randy's Sweep.

 Isla the sheep lady.

 I went to town - uphill both ways.

 In the library you find books.

 That is Books the cat.

 The girls arrive to the field.

 Pizza night for the handlers.

 Here we have Randy Dye and his twin Ron Enzeroth (otherwise known as Stupid).

 Stormy and Kate was one of the first to go.

 Serious discussions.

 Notso (Jim) Swift and the Stupid brothers.

 Randy and Sweep.

 Now, I had asked Val Dye to take pictures of my run with Gin, but in the end, there were only sheep in the pictures.  So here I am with our sponsor.

 Exhausting could be exhausting.

 The lucky loonie.

 Buried in the center of the shedding ring.

 Hopefully it would be good luck for the Canadians.

 Joann Zoerb and Mik

 Faansie Basson and Don.

 First time for Floss...total time on field - 3 minutes.  A little too much fun up on top.

 Thelma and Fly.

 The art show.

 People's Choice winning painting.

 I thought this would make a good poster - I was wrong.

 Entertainment for the night.

 Socializing is hard work.

 What is harder is getting the strawberries used for the sangria.  Well, actually it wasn't hard, I took the jar, barely noticed of course, and retrieved the fruit.  The rest of the night is kind of fuzzy.

 Handler's with their best duds on.

 More spectators and vendors fill the area.

 Gin and I helped Thelma do demos for the crowds.

 "You want to know if heelers can do the same job? Let me word it this way."

 We didn't know the Grand Canyon was so close.

 Vendors move in.

 Randy and Tuck - the dog that doesn't cross over.

 But we can be humbled at times.

 Handler's supper.

 Magic show.

 Abracadabra!

 Now, for the dangerous part of the show.

Sawing Terrianne Warner in half.  Now trip 20 pounds of fat off of me and that would be magic!

 Oh God, help me!

 Jean seemed to have lost her bra.  Oops.

 The next day starts with coffee.

 The Semi finalists.

 The peanut gallery (note the peanuts).

 4H kids selling programs.   Get your program!

 Blow harder!

 Yet more fans!

 Taking a break from watching.

 Nice snakes boys. (as I said this, the lady in the next row got up very quickly)

 Taxi services available.

 Dancing during the break.

 Faansie doing a demo.

 What to do, shop or eat?

 Saddle making.

 A close up of Viki Close and her next work of art.

 Making pottery.

 The exhausted exhausting crew.

 The crowd for the arena trial held that night.

 Shed three from a flock and do a course and pen them.  Stormy and Kate pens.  I think Gin and I will take up quilting.

 The twins go out to do the team event.

 Marianne holding down the rock.

 View from other side of field as we hold the first lot of sheep during the double lift - well that was the intended job, but the sheep never came close.

 Spectators.

 Mr. Gellings, do you know there is a loonie under your foot?

 How about you Amanda?

 Don't take your guns to town (can you finish the words to this Johnny Cash song?)

 Finally done their job.

 The winners.

 Top five - okay guess I will have to put a Toonie in next time.

 Faansie and Don and his loot...including the lucky loonie.

 Andrew Dickman the judge getting his ticket back home to Scotland.

 Ray Crabtree the announcer gets announced to the crowd.

 On the way back home - Independence Rock.

 More smoke signals in the distance.

 The Thelma and Louise Bridge - notice the pilot car now in existence.  Yup, that was us.

We stopped again at the free ice cream camping spot and got back home all in one piece.  Now to work a few days and head back to Alberta to work for a week, and then....the National Finals!!!  Poor Thelma will have to stay behind - but be sure her sidekick will have fun in the next few weeks!!