John Norris sent me this link this morning which I was very much surprised to see:

http://money.aol.com/bp_live

Although I much prefer the Ft. Collins of "old" when I lived in the area long ago before all the growth, it still is a pretty neat, diverse place with a tremendous variety of activity (although not as good as Western CO!). I still miss it at times even though I "complain" a lot about the changes! Whenever passing thru, I always hit some of the old training spots and sometimes head up the Poudre Canyon, over Cameron Pass to Walden and Steamboat Springs. Still, one of my very favorite rides. If I am not mistaken, the one and only Ken Erikson was once a "ski bum" in Steamboat in his youth.

And if you like retriever field trials and hunt tests, Ft. Collins has always been home to a vibrant community of competitive folks with two very well known and successful retriever field trial pros in Wellington, CO. Kenny Trott and Cherylon Loveland. Also, too many succesful amateurs to list.

Keith

What do say Kent?

Hey, if you hunt big game in Meeker, I should hook you up with Linda's (my significant other) family. She too lived in Meeker a long time with her kids growing up there and her daughter marrying into an old, established ranching family. Her 3 grandkids have grown up on the ranch a few miles from Sleepy Cat and right on the White River.Her son-in-law (Mike)has been guiding elk hunts since he was a teenager. Pretty good fly fishing on this property with the river running thru several hundred acres. Absolutely gorgeous country.

There is also some pretty nice retriever training around Meeker and some of it is directly across from Sleepy Cat on the way to Trappers Lake on public land, so bring your dogs.

Take care,

Keith

When I lived in Wyoming we always referred to that land called Colorado as the land "South of the Border". Nice place to visit, specially when the FCRC had the picnic trials at the gravel pits with the Hawaiian pig roast each summer.

Ed,

The Fourth of July 2 Day picnic trial at Swift Ponds in Ft. Collins with the pig roast was very well known to retriever clubs in Colorado for many years. John Goettl (still an active field trialer with Labs) was very intrusmental in the club and cooking chores for many years. Recently he was on the AKC Retriever Advisory Committee for field trials. There was once 100 members in the Ft. Collins RC in the 1980's and monthly picnic trials starting in Jan. with the licendsed trial in August. Not sure of the membership anymore but still a lot of really nice competitive,titled Labradors (and a few Goldens) running field trials in the area. Also, a very active group of Hunt Test participants.

Keith

PS. You too would have enjoyed my private duck and goose hunting spot (one of them was out my back door) during those years living on a farm about 3 miles East of Swift Ponds in Timnath. During the fall and winter when the weather was bad (and we had a lot more snow), sometimes I could take out greater canadas flying low right over my house and then head back inside to catch the Bronco game if it was Sunday and enjoy few beers and some hot chilli.

Keith,

When I knew John Goettl in the 1970's he had goldens. That weekend training trial and pig roast at the gravel pits was a big gathering back then. There were if I remember correctly big turnouts; my guess would be well over 100 people. Very strong golden contigent and a couple of flatcoats and Chessies.

Ed

And you know, one of the aspects I loved the most about the Ft.Collins area (Larimer & Weld Counties) is the diverse, eclectic group of people that lived there. From a variety of agricultural pursuits to the intellects at Colorado State University (nationally known vet school) and all the high tech folks at places like Hewlitt Packard (Ft. Collins, Greeley & Loveland) and Kodak in Windsor. Plus a whole lot more.

With CU in Boulder a few miles away, UNC in Greeley and the U. of Wyoming in Laramie, a lot of great collegiate football games were played on turf close by.

And from all that diversity came some "great minds" and laid back attitudes of some really down to earth PH'D's that loved to train retrievers. To a working guy like me, that impressionable fact has stayed with me for 25 years. I still think about Dr. William Lauenroth and his wife Jackie daily when I head to the mountains to train.

Ed, John Goettl was a close friend, training partner and field trial companion to Bill and Jackie Lauenroth for many years and is a retired biologist (fish) from the CO. Division of Wildlife.

Keith

Keith, keep mentioning the names. Brings back a lot of pleasant memories. When I was at Wyoming I spent two or some times 3 days a week at CSU, For a basically rural area with all the Universities, Etc. it offered tremendous variety. The regulars that met at the fun trials came from western Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado. It was a fun group and there was quite a bit of horse trading for special hunts each fall. Those of us living north of the border had some advantages with the early sage grouse season and of course the easier access for large game. Every year Chuck Sambrailo would threaten to fly up for some real hunting (not club shoots) but his doctor always nixed the trip to the high country.