I just want you folks to know that I live for the fun runs. Whether it is 3 of us or 30, you can't beat sitting in the middle of no where, listening to the hounds run, eating over the fire, enjoying good fellowship with friends, new and old, swapping tales, and watching other folks hounds run!!! Some people want to go to the beach for a vacation. No wayyyyyyyyyyy!!!! Give me a fun run any day.
I left home on Wed and stopped in at Red's place in TN. He was gonna show me his honey hole. All I can say is that me and Red show have stayed in bed that day. With Red's water line leaking, my young hound looking for giant rabbits, rock hitting my windshield, Red loosing a filling, trapsing thru a jungle, things were not looking too good for awhile. But all in all things turned out okay and we did enjoy the beautiful weather.
Thursday we met up at SB's club. We all turned 2 of our hounds loose and man what a ran. That rabbit's circle kept getting smaller and smaller. I think he was really glad when we finally pulled the hounds off. We saw that rabbit cross the trial several times waving a white flag.
Later that afternoon my blueticks and I got to run with fas trac aka Daniel Hill and his family. We went back a brush pile that the hounds kept loosing the rabbits in. We sat down on the side of the hill listening to the hounds work that brush pile. After awhile they would bust the rabbit out and off they would go. We could hear them circling the hollow and then right back to the brush pile. 10 more minutes and digging and off they would go again. Daniel and I just sat around talking dogs and enjoying the music. It was fantastic!!! I loved his bluetick and his hounds ran well with mine.
Later Thursday afternoon I got to watch Cuttingedge and SB's hounds work a rabbit over. They matched up real well and they kept that rabbit going for a long time.
Friday morning when we got up it was pouring rain. And I don't mean a little sprinkle either. There were some die hard beaglers that unloaded the hounds and rowed right in there. Guess you can tell I sat in the truck until it quit pouring. What is that old saying about coming in out of the rain???? lol After the rain slowed down a bit, Cuttingedge, Cover, Tommy, Chat, and I went up the logging road and put the hounds down. Cover's dog went up on the ridge to run a rabbit with Bunnie's hounds. Poor Cover. He took him awhile to find the hound and he was already worn out from the trip down from Penn. We couldn't scare up a rabbit so we loaded up and went back up the road a bit to Jkidd's honey hole. We weren't there 10 min and the hounds were on a rabbit. We had a great race and alot of fun. KG, we might have to think about that cross with your tris and my blueticks.
After lunch, Red, Ohlinger, TC, Gap, Hillbilly and I put some hounds down. Man, what a ran. It was fantastic. Those hounds were pounding that rabbit thru the deep water and thick briars. They pushed that rabbit across a creek. I had to throw one of my hounds and one of Reds in the creek so they would follow the other hounds across to run the rabbit. Red and I sat on the creek bank just listening to the music. Before too long, here came the rabbit right back to where it had crossed before. Stopped for about 2 seconds and jumped in. Climbed out on the bank not more than 4 ft from Red. That was a special moment watching that rabbit just like we weren't even there. The hounds all crossed on their own back over to our side. Man, am I glad. That creek had to be 3 ft deep and I sure didn't want to wade across and get those hounds. After we caught up the hounds, Red sat on the hood of his truck and played his guiatar for us. He is one talented preacher. Those folks are really lucky to have him. Preaches and leads the singing both!!
Friday night we all met back at SB's club for a fantastic meal cooked on the grill and the campfire. Swamper and Ms. Swamper can cook some fantastic deer burgers. The secret is to put bacon bits in the ground meat. SB and George also worked hard of feeding us poor beaglers. We sat by the campfire and listened to Jkidd's puppies running the hair off a rabbit.
Sat was a beautiful day. I ran my hounds around the camp for a bit. The scent was not as good as it had been the two previous days but they ran a couple of rabbits. Lunch was prepared by our board chef, Gbeagle. I look forward to this meal every year. You can't beat his cooking. After lunch, Jack, Ohlinger, and I took our hounds up on the mountain to run. They found some rabbits and ran up one side of the mountain and down the other. We sat up in the pines on some pine straw just listening to the hounds echoing thru the hollow. It was beautiful up there. With the echo, it sounded like we had 50 hounds down. Jack told us some of his deer stories and we just sat back and relaxed.
I am sure I have left out some important details. I tried to remember as much as I could so Rim wouldn't feel left out. Next year, Rim, you better be here. Things are just not the same without you and Harry.
I want to say a special thanks to Katrina, George, Joey, and Jason for holding this event for us. Also to all the beaglers that made this such a great event by feeding us..... Swamper, Ms. Swamper, Gbeagle, George, Katrina. Thank you to all the beaglers who shared their hounds and stories with me. It doesn't get any better than that.
Below are some pictures I took.
Red getting soaked in the rain on Friday.
Swamper and Ms. Swamper making burgers for us on Friday night.
Jason Kidd sitting around the campfire listening to his pups run.
Katrina flipping burgers so us hungry beaglers wouldn't have to eat them raw.
George looking purdy!!! lol
Katrina socializing with the yanks, John and Troy
Wesley from NJ chilling by the fire.
Gbeagle eating some of Bunnies sausage.
Joey helping out at the camp.
Bunnie serving sausage.
White, Gbeagle, and Ms. Swamper listening to the hounds run.
Katrina and TC exchanging tall tales.
White taking a break.
John, Bunnie, and Jack taking a pepsi break.
Ohlinger, TC, and Jkidd pondering, lol
White, Joey, Gbeagle, Ms. Swamper, and Katrina chewing the fat.
Eight ball back from a run.
Andddddddddd last but not least the legendary pink dog Rowdy tip toeing thru the briars, lmbo!!!
