No Brakes!

 

                             Well I should have known it would be a disaster. As I have to go out at lunchtime, I decided I would only take two dogs training instead of the planned 4. So which ones to choose? I decided upon taking the Krazy Kodiaks aka Hektor and Paris. This was my first mistake. They are both absolutely hyped up and raring to go. I should have known to take them out to the van one at a time, but decided to take them both out at once. They charged through the door, slamming me into it and scraping all the skin off the back of my hand. I managed to get them into the van and off to the trail. Now the trail starts with a very steep uphill, which I knew from yesterdays runs that it really slows the dogs down and they never really get going. So instead of starting there I drove up the hill to the flat bit where I could get a better start. This worked well, they went off like rockets. Well they would have done except the snub line dropped onto the mesh bit of the footplate and the hooky bit got stuck in it. I then had to reach down with one hand to unhook it and try and keep a hold of the rig with the other while H and P were banging into their harnesses and screaming like banshees. Some how I managed it and stayed on the rig. Now after about a quarter of a mile there is a very steep downhill. Just as we were cresting this hill, I remembered the thing I meant to remember from yesterday……WE HAD NO BRAKES!!!!!!!!!!

 

                    Somehow, and I still don’t know how, we made it down in one piece, the hill then goes up again very steeply and they pulled me right up it at a full out lope. I can’t believe how strong these dogs are. We proceeded at a lope for the next four miles with me clinging on for dear life, wasn’t much else I could do. They finally slowed to a trot on an uphill section and I began to enjoy it a little bit. We came to a place where we normally do a gee, but today I thought I’d take a haw, just to see what was along that trail. This was my second mistake. It is a very nice trail, but after a mile it goes rapidly downhill and is pretty rocky and bouncy. They flew down this bit, and yes I know that you shouldn't yell at them when they are out of control as it only makes them go faster……..I know that but,……… I’d be surprised if you didn’t hear me! There was a sharp bend coming up and I knew I’d never make it, so took the only course of action and steered into the brush on the side where we eventually came to a stop. There was no way I was carrying on down there, so I managed to get them turned round (MUCH to Hektors annoyance) and going back up the hill. At the top of the hill was another trail off to the right ‘ooh I wonder what’s down there” I thought. Do I never learn?! Actually that was a pretty nice trail and not too hilly, though it ended in a dead end and we had to come back. We were halfway back and I was musing how I’d had a good life so far and I couldn’t complain too much if I didn’t make it back alive, when Hektor stopped dead for a poo. Having no brakes I ran right into the back of him and over the lines. Astonishingly, for the first time ever I didn’t come flying off the rig when I’ve run over the lines. In fact we came to a gentle stop. Even more astonishingly we weren’t in a horrendous tangle and I managed to extricate the lines fairly easily.

 

                   So off we went again, they were still pulling like trains after about 6 or 7 miles. We got to about a mile from the end, and it goes downhill quite gradually for about half a mile. They were charging along flat out at this point and I was gaining momentum on the rig, so much so that I passed them, with a sharp left hand bend in front of me. No way could I stop, all I could do was pray. Somehow we made it round that bend. I don’t know how and I can honestly say I’ve never been more terrified on a rig in my life, I really thought the end had come for all of us. Thankfully this turn of events had the effect of literally scaring the sh** out of Hektor, which caused him to pause momentarily and I was able to once again steer into the side to a stop.  Now at that point there is a VERY steep downhill again. There was no way on Gods earth I was taking them down that on the rig, so I unhooked them and walked them the quarter mile back to the van. Never have I been so relieved to get the dogs back safe and sound into the van! Then I had to walk the quarter mile back for the rig and bring it back to the van.

 

So here we are home, all safe and sound, and a great time was had by all. Well most of us anyway. As Meatloaf said ‘two out of three ain’t bad”. I want my Trelowens back!!!

 

Louise