Desolation Row

As promised... Colorado State Hwy 94. Somewhere between Ellicot and US-40. Not many people.. lots of Kamikaze flying insects, as shown on the windshield. Photo by Margaret. 

Buffy & Fanny See Gran'pa

This is the image that was supposed to appear in a previous post. We took the girls in to the Greyhound Hall of Fame to see their very famous relative..




As you can see, they were duly impressed, shocked, and awed.

Not sure why these images wouldn't load in the previous post, but they made it here. The mysteries of Java script, I guess.

ASFA II - Weekend's Best Images!

Pharaoh Hounds are not true "coursing hounds". But they are sighthounds- that is, they hunt by sight. Their true hunting style is similar to the Ibizan Hound, which hunts in heavy cover by leaping high to get a view of the prey. This Pharaoh Hound, "Emma", made the mistake of getting offline, and ending up in the dry "pond". I waited, for her to re-appear, and was rewarded with the following sequence. Up in the air, and looking for the lure.








There are more. When time allows. Most of the good stuff happens when the dogs cheat. Just a fact of life in lure coursing.

Travelling East.... and pictures!

This is why we ain't going to make it to Lexington, KY for the Saluki specialty this year. Yesterday we left Falcon, CO- site of the 2006 ASFA International Invitational. Possibly the most low key so-called "premier event" in my memory; at least since the last one held in Falcon.

Anyway, we travelled a whopping 200 miles. All the way to Quinter, KS. We took the "scenic" route. Sane people heading East, would drive the 3 or 4 miles back to US-24 in Falcon, and follow it Northeast through the relativly "civilized" ..ie: populated, areas to Limon, where you can then hop on I-70 and go downhill into Kansas. Not us. We meandered a few miles East on Falcon Hwy, to Peyton Hwy, then South about 6 miles to Colorado 94. Back on I-70 East, several days ago, I noticed the billboard trumpeting this as the "most direct route to Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak area". So we took it as the most direct route back to I-70. Makes sense, right? Once we got on 94 and headed East, we were confronted with the white-knuckle billboard: "No motorist services, next 95 Miles". About halfway to the intersection of 94 and US 40, I found myself humming Dylan's "Desolation Row". Not only were there no motorist services, there were damn few people. Between the last population center of Ellicot, and Wild Horse on 40 there were only the crossroad villages with maybe 30-50 hardy souls, total. The rest was filled with miles and miles and miles of nothing. Beautiful big country. And you get a real understanding of why it's called "Big Country". Images are still in the camera, but we'll try and show some of it when we get them loaded.

Once we got on 40, things picked up. We even went through Kit Carson, Colorado! When we finally hit Oakley, we were rewarded with the bigger than lifesize Charlie Norton bronze of Buffalo Bill and the Buffalo....

Full disclosure: I didn't take this picture. I found it on the Internet. We didn't stop.. we were more interested than normally in finding a gas station. But it was quite an impressive piece. Apparently, Mr. Cody was born 20 miles from here.

Once we got enough fuel to move forward, we stopped at the Castle Rock RV Park in Quinter. A pleasant, honor system park, which, if you're not observant, would appear to be closed for business. But we read the sign, and had the whole place to ourselves. Except for the numerous cottontails and ground squirrels that drove the dogs crazy all night.

Today, we drove another 200 miles to Abilene. (See why we wouldn't make it to Lexington?). As I sit here, we're enjoying free WiFi and cable TV at the Covered Wagon Campground. Not a bad deal at all for twenty bucks. Tomorrow, before we leave, we'll head on out to the National Greyhound Association headquarters to pick up a squawker, and maybe some new muzzles for NOTRA and LGRA racing, and we'll see what other interesting stuff they have for sale. Last week, on the way to Colorado, we stopped at the Greyhound Hall of Fame. We've been there several times in the past, but this is the first time we took Buffy & Fanny in to see Grandpa:

(there'll be an image here eventually... having trouble uploading it)

Eventually, we'll end up at the SLASH LGRA racemeet at Purina Farms in Missouri. More later.. I still want to put up a couple of images from the II.

Time again to catch up

Not in this post, however... Margaret didn't let me get near the computer today, (she's trying to earn us some money!), so all the thoughts I had planned on putting down have blown away in the gusting Kansas wind.

So much has gone on since the last posting... the quiet death of California AB2110, a couple of NOTRA race meets that Rally did well in, the recently completed ASFA II that Rally did very well in, all the travel to get from the Deerhound Specialty to the race meets in Indiana and Illinos, and the long haul from there to Falcon, CO and the II.. Whew! It's been an exhausting couple of weeks. I do want to get in a review of this II... hopefully in a couple of days. But, at this time, I can at least congratulate my friends, Teri and Jack on their IG, "Miller" winning the whole enchilada. And here he is:

More thoughts on the II and other stuff when it's not so freakin' late.

Life Imitating Art

We spent last week in Michigan's "Little Bavaria".. also known as Frankenmuth, a big-time tourist trap; known variously as the home of Bronner's, "The World's Largest Christmas Store", and Zehnder's Restaurant and the Bavarian Inn- two parts of the same family, vying for "Famous Chicken Dinners" supremacy.

The purpose of this self-imposed hell was not to be touristas, but to photograph the performance events at the Scottish Deerhound Club of America's Centennial National Specialty... (actually, according to the catalog, the first national specialty was onlyh in 1965, but the club's been around since 1906). I also wanted to make another trip to the Frankenmuth Brewery.. an excellent microbrewery and pub, overlooking the Cass River.

But, I digress... I was shooting the ASFA lure coursing trial when this altercation broke out (precipitated by a misunderstanding in the previous corner)


When I looked at the image.. it reminded me of something. Something very much like this:



Not exactly like this, but I couldn't find an image on the web to match what I was thinking of.. at any rate, picture fighting Chinese dragons. It was brief, but loud, and intense. Cooler heads prevaled and both dogs were dismissed to sit in the corner and think about their transgression.

If you like Scottish Deerhounds (and who wouldn't?), there are lots more images of them (behaving themselves for the most part) on our website, and if you want to know who won the various events, you can see them here

I'll leave you with my favorite shot of the whole week, and it doesn't even show a Scottish Deerhound doing anything... other than getting groomed prior to the big Parade of Champions on Saturday. I just like the way my new Nikon SB600 flash lit up the piper perfectly.

Therapy Dogs

"Therapy dogs" carry infectious diseases. They're brought into some hospitals to put patients in a better mood, but a study says 80 percent of the dogs have infections that could spread to humans, including salmonella and drug-resistant E. coli."

So goes the opening paragraph in today's Human Nature column by William Saletan at slate.com. Read the rest here, including links to past Human Nature columns about dogs- including how tasty they are.

More Great Journalism

Yet another positive piece on live coursing. The backlash against the wacko's may be in full swing. Thanks again to Steve Bodio's Querencia blog via friend Margory in California, keeping the faith.

Ultimate Cellular Service

This has been driving me crazy. Can anyone tell me why Jack Bauer's cell phone never needs a battery charge, and never goes out of range? Even when he's 2 miles under the earth's surface? How many any time minutes do you suppose he has?

The Dog Press Fights Back!

This article was just posted to a number of dog lists. Imagine... balanced reporting on a subject like live coursing! KGO in San Francisco should be so ethical. Now, if the author, M. J. Nelson would have given me the photo credit I'd be a hell of a lot happier with the article.

...And then there's the thousand dollar mint julep.

Ready to sit on the edge of your seat tomorrow to watch the Kentucky Derby? Then read this article, then ask yourself why. A different take on the race, to make you think. But I suppose we'll watch anyway.

More of Margaret's Pictures.. as promised.

These were all taken at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.. on a day while I was off hunting with Fanny about 30 miles away.

Self Portrait 

The Biggest Penis

We were enroute from Crown Point to St Louis, and decided to stop for the evening at one of our favorite stops... Prairie Pines Campground in Rantoul, IL; a very nice city-owned campground. Nice amenities, including huge, private shower rooms. Rantoul also has a pretty good Mexican restaurant- Sol Azteca. That wasn't what it was called last year, but the change in ownership had no effect on the Camarones a la Diabla. As hot and tasty as they were the last time.

Rantoul is also the home of a friend; a successful Urbana retailer... shoes and orthotics. He's had a '65 Shelby Cobra for a couple of years, which he really enjoys. But when I called to invite him to dinner at Sol Azteca, he had news. Big news. The Cobra is on the block. He's purchased something more... um, more. He said he should cruise by the campground in it. I asked what... the new Shelby GT500 Mustang? No, he said, more than that. I said not a GT!?!? Yup.

So here is the ultimate phallic symbol. 550 supercharged, intercooled horsepower; a top speed somewhere north of 200mph (although our friend will admit to only 145... so far). The engine is a work of art. The interior, positively cocoonish. The body... well, see for yourself. All the cues from the legendary GT40 that smoked the Ferraris at LeMans in the '60s are there. It's just 4 inches taller; right about even with my hips at 44 inches.

We spent a good 45 minutes, looking over the beast, and taking these pictures (and believe me, this is a small sample). A local guy stopped and asked permission "to drool". He kept congratulating our friend, and shaking his hand... like, did he just plunk down 160 large on transportation, or did he win the Power Ball lottery?

Anyway... we were too hungry to take a ride last night (!!!???), but we're on the next time we pass through the area, and call ahead.... yeah; steaks on the grille and 100mph+ joy rides on the back roads. Does life get any better? Oh, probably, but what's wrong with the occasional indulgence? 

John Lennon Would Love It!

While not as poignant, or serious as My Strange Nation, "I'm The Decider" is certainly a hilarious parody. But where can one get off calling Bush the "egghead". I thought eggheads were brainy.

Death Wish?

Is this the dumbest bird in the history of the natural world? Sure, birds fly into windows all the time, you're saying to yourself. But have a listen...

We were in the mud up to our rims at the Boone County fairgrounds, following the BCOSW lure coursing trial over the weekend. We decided to let the ground dry, and see if we could get out on our own without an expensive road service call. So, we spent a couple of nights there.

Around daybreak yesterday, I was awakened by a rapping on the bedroom window. The shades were down, but occasionally I could see a shadow corresponding with the rapping, pulled open the shade, and saw this young robin... not accidently, but purposely attacking the window, which is, not coincidentally, mirrored on the outside. So what he was doing was endlessly attacking his own reflection... which he must have assumed was a rival that had to be driven off at all costs. We began to think he was going to drop dead from exhaustion, but that didn't happen. With only occasional forays out for worms, he kept this up until we left the fairgrounds around 1PM! Now that's what I call a really slow learning curve! And if that's the case, what does that say for Gabriel on the inside? He was there for all those hours as well...

Updates, Updates, Updates

California AB2110

This odious piece of legislation has passed out of committee. I'm not sure when it will come before the full assembly, but people in California are advised to not give up now. It squeaked out on a 4-3 vote, with the bill's sponsor "sitting in" to fill a vacancy and break the tie on her own bill. Interesting.

Also interesting is a reported last minute amendment that will narrow the bill's scope, possibly banning only "competitive" open field coursing. Details are too sketchy now, but if this is true it should be considered a major victory, and probably more than the dumb asses who brought this all on themselves deserve. More here when details are known.


Shot On Site Schedule..

Getting back to the mundane... here's the latest on where we're going to be over the next several weeks..

• April 9 - GLIWA, Racine WI, ASFA trial. Irish Wolfhounds only
• April 15-16 BCOSW, Belvedere IL. ASFA
• April 22-23 WCLCC, Crown Point IN. ASFA
• April 25-29 Irish Wolfhound Club of America National Specialty. ASFA, LGRA, etc.
• May 8-13 Scottish Deerhound Club of America Nat. Specialty. ASFA, LGRA, etc.
• May 20-21 CCRR, Other Breed NOTRA, Carthage, IN
• May 27-28 Unknown
• June 3-4 ASFA International Invitational, Falcon CO
• June 23-25 "Ridgeback Rodeo" somewhere in Pennsylvania..

That's the news for now. See you out and about.

I'm Never Going Hunting Again

This news column by Eric Sharp, the Detroit Free Press outdoors writer, in today's issue, has helped me see the light!

EKOJASTI -- The state Natural Resources Commission voted today, April 1, to impose $1 surcharges on hunting and fishing licenses to help an animal rights group develop nonlethal methods of reducing the state deer herd.

At a special meeting in this Upper Peninsula village, the NRC also voted to ban antlered deer hunting in the eastern UP and create a spears-only zone in Ann Arbor. The ban on antlered hunting was approved in an attempt to increase buck numbers. The spears-only zone was created to learn if the most primitive hunting method can reduce urban deer populations without upsetting vegetarians.

Read the whole thing here.

I can now see clearly that if an entire state, like Michigan, which has a rich heritage of hunting, can make the kind of sacrifices outlined in this article, then I can make my own small sacrifice... So, on this First Day of April, in the year 2006, I make this vow: That I will never again release my hounds on a living animal. I will join P*TA, and the H*US, and will deliver to them the names and contact information of every person I know, (and those I don't, and those I will make up), who hunt with their hounds. I will turn over all of my hunt photos to ABC, CNN, and the above organizations, to be used for the greater purpose of ending worldwide hunting, including the hunt for Osama. I will work for the passage of AB2110 to ban coursing in California, because some coursers in that state have already shown they have the intelligence of a box of jelly donuts- minus the jelly- and shouldn't be allowed out of their houses unattended. That is my solemn vow. You will all thank me some day.

Margaret Knows Her Way Around A Camera, Too.

Lately, this space has tried to be political punditry, film and book criticism, and satirical slapstick... among other things. We've lost track of the fact that we're primarily about photography! We've seen a lot of my stuff here, and for more of that there's always the website

But Margaret's been stretching her photographic legs lately, too, so we'll be posting some of her interesting work here. Much of her stuff is shot from the righthand seat of a moving vehicle,(She shot the "Impeach Bush" yard sign for the previous post). So here's some more from that perspective: These were taken on the mountain south of Jellico, TN on I-75. We were going north and seeing our first snow in nearly 48 months! That would account for the extreme concentration on the part of the driver... I really like the use of negative space in the above shot.. it gives it a feeling of true desolation. (Which is how it felt at the time!)
Will post some of Margaret's good abstract nature work in the future. Watch this space.

Home Sweet Home

After spending the last 7 months in Red (NC, MO, SD, NE, OK, TX, GA, FL, TN, OH) and purple (NM) states, it's good to be back in a good old Blue state.. in this case, in our home town, Ann Arbor. These signs are pervasive here... conservatively, no pun intended, in about every 5th yard in the neighborhoods we drove through today. While the sentiment is noble and just, the reality is that it ain't gonna happen... terminal stupidity is not a "high crime and misdemeanor", and since the alleged president is not having an affair with an intern or page, it's not likely to get the attention of the congress. The people have an alternative, however, as writer Kevin Phillips explains here. There may be hope for our "strange nation" yet.

Incest and Vomit and Bestiality Oh My!!

I love Netflix.com. Since many theatre chains refused to book
The Aristocrats, I was only able to see it courtesy of our Netflix subscription. Without going into details that would gross out even the least squeamish of our readers, it's a documentary, produced by Penn Gillette (of Penn & Teller) and Paul Provenza (shown below demonstrating Drew Carey's punchline gesture). It's the deconstruction of a 100 year old Vaudevillian joke, that comedians still tell to each other, (but rarely to the public- when you see the film you'll know why. Film critic David Edelstein says, "If The Aristocrats doesn't shock you, there's something deeply wrong with you. You need to be locked up—now." And that from a positive review!). It features 100 comedians from Robin Williams to Gilbert Gottfried, and from Rita Rudner to Whoopie Goldberg... all putting their own spin on this classic underground joke. My favorite? The special South Park animation sequence; and in a segment you'll have to see*, the joke is told by a mime! There are moments where you'll be asking yourself, "what th....??", and others where you'll be, like Rob Schneider at the Friar's roast of Hugh Hefner, on the floor in gut-busting pain. I guarantee it. I'll let Margaret have the last word.. "It was completely disgusting, but I still enjoyed it". What more do you need? Check it out.

*He was a mime after all...