VST Test Eve

Greetings from Western Montana where the weather could not be better and the sky is a stunning blue. I did a mountain bike ride that I had wanted to do for a long time this morning, and also worked more on an exciting website that I am doing with Galen and Cassie (and others) -- more on that soon.

I am waiting for Vicky Whitney to arrive -- she volunteered to lay tracks for the VST test tomorrow and so I am hosting her for the night.

Yes, tomorrow is the Big Day -- Asia and I will be doing our first VST test. I am looking forward to it very much, and just having a dog ready to enter is an amazing accomplishment -- I am very proud of her :)

We have worked consistently and with commitment for months, training at least weekly with Teressa and Nara, our training partners. Teressa and I scheduled our sessions weeks in advance and not once did we cancel a session -- I am as excited for Nara as I am for Asia.

And something else that is just as important as training is conditioning. It can take well over an hour to run these tracks and it is hard physical and mental work. Asia is as fit as she has ever been, and yesterday we did her last conditioning 4+ mile hike -- today she is resting :)

Later today I will give the plus-size model a bath -- you know our motto: look good, feel good, do good. Her tracking line is in the wash and the Lucky Hanukkah socks are clean and ready. Tomorrow morning at 4:30 we will leave for campus and I will try not to cry when it is our turn in the test, because just being able to do this with her is such a privilege and accomplishment and I feel emotional just thinking about it.

Lisa gave the girls a great tug toy -- here are four of them playing with it -- that is Asia in the middle.


Cadi scared everyone off except Zoey, who told her, "growl all you want -- I am the girl who loves too much so I am used to it."


Cadi and Zoey...


I hope your weekend is a wonderful one. Think good thoughts for us tomorrow -- and remember that each journey has success all along the way -- all we have to do is notice...