Alas; the end of the 2020 season!!!

The last race was at Riviera Ouell and since the dogs had looked good both times we had done 2 short "fun runs" during the week we thought it might be the best race of the season (though it would be hard to beat getting 4th the first day at St. Luc!!!).  Left at 10am on Friday to get to the race 4.5 hours away and got there without a hitch!

Saturday morning was pleasant (though it had been quite windy the nite before as we are just a short distance from the St. Lawrence Seaway and the land is very very flat............) and got up quite early to water dogs as the race for the open was at 10!  Got everybody ready to go and the trail looked pretty good from the starting chute - Randy ran 14 dogs and that included Rusty (whom we thought was back in shape mentally and physically............) and he went out 15th - he didn't really have any trouble on the trail but again, Rusty was not pulling her weight and slowed the team down - so he actually came in 15th -

Sunday was even warmer out and we hoped for better results and left Rusty back - well, for some reason everybody else in the team seemed "flat" - as Randy put it- and not only did he not move up, he actually went down to 18th - which wasn't even in the money - soooooo, not a very good way to close out the season, but that's the breaks of the game!

Had farewell dinner with Bellerive's on Monday nite and left Tuesday morning (after we bought some more dogs..........do you suppose that means we intend to race one more season???  This was #48 for Randy and he would like to make it "50"!!!!).  Got as far as London, Ontario (it was murder going through Montreal) and open the night in the parking lot of an all nite semi garage!  Made it through the border in Port Huron (the easiest crossing ever!!!) and home by 4pm!!!  Dee had already started a fire in the wood stove for us so it was nice and warm in the house!

In looking back on the 2020 season, it was good, not great, but good - thankfully not injuries to speak of (except maybe my broken nose) and met new people and of course, renewed many old relationships both in Quebec and at Laconia - and of course, as any dog driver will tell you....."next year will be even better"!!!!!!