Eureka!

I left here Friday morning and drove up to Eureka for the weekend. That's about 300 miles away, and yes I am nuts for driving 300 miles to show chickens. Compared to the last show though (Stockton, where I showed 30 birds and brought the art) this was totally kick-back and relaxing. I really enjoy going up north for this show, it's like a vacation. Normally this time of year it would be pretty darn chilly, and I seem to remember freezing my buns off up there before. But I could not have asked for better weather this year, it was a gorgeous trip. I wouldn't say that I like to drive, but I like certain drives, and this is one of them. I like to drive alone, I don't like to drive other people around. So spending 6 hours in the car with myself is quite fine with me, I do a lot of thinking, I can sing along to the radio so much it makes my jaw hurt, I apologize out loud to my car ever time I make it go up hill (that's quite a bit, by the way), and apologize even more when I make it pass someone while going up hill. My car is not fond of hills. I made a point to take some pictures of the scenery this time, since I see so many beautiful things along the way. Unfortunately some of the most spectacular views are while crossing over the rivers, and there is absolutely no way to pull over. And 101 is crawling with highway patrol...



That's what it looks like to drive through a redwood forest (an experience that everyone should have in life. Redwoods are amazing). I didn't manage to get a photograph of the area on this scenic route with the biggest trees, because I was a dork and thought "there will be more" and then I didn't want to turn around and go back, but you get the idea. There was nobody else on the road so I just stopped the car...


Off 101, looking west, somewhere around Willits...just south of there I think.


Off 101 (I'm parked overlooking it actually), facing east. I don't remember where I took this, maybe 45 minutes or so south of Eureka. I'm not too good with the concept of time and distance...

So yeah....the poultry show... I don't know what the total bird count was there, but it's not a huge show. There were a lot of really good birds though, and I just love to visit with the people (poultry people are the best in the world!). It was a very relaxing weekend. No art sales, no clerking, no working, just schmoozing, sitting around, looking at birds, and drooling over the Friesians that are boarded at the fairgrounds... Oh, and no parties to report on either (or at least not that I was aware of!). I know, how dull. ;-)

I was helping with the Avian Bowl competition while the RCCL class was getting judged, so when I finally got a chance to go see how the birds had done I was *quite* pleased to see that I'd won Best RCCL with a Black pullet AND Reserve RCCL with a Black cockerel. Woo hoo!! Normally championship judging is done on Sunday morning, but at this show they present the awards at the Saturday night banquet, so they pick everything Saturday. Both judges said to me "you will be happy." Hmm. I'm not one to read too much into this. I'm happy to get a bird up on Champion Row with a class award, so I would be really happy to take Best Bantam, and that's what I thought they might be hinting at.

So, before too long it was evening and banquet time and award time, and people were called up there for class awards.. And then I was called up for Best Bantam, "on a beautiful black Rosecomb" as G.A. said every time he announced it at the award ceremony. Woo hoo!! The wheels in my head were starting to turn a bit, and I was getting a couple of the ole butterflies in my stomach after Reserve of Show was presented to the owners of the beautiful Egyptian Goose, and I started to wonder if perhaps I had another award coming my way....

And sure enough...

"Best in Show, with a Beautiful Black Rosecomb..."

HOLY CRAP I WON!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

It's such a rush. Oh my gosh. Totally awesome. Totally totally awesome. Thrilling. Exciting. Rewarding. Gratifying, hand-shaking, hugging-everyone awesomeness.

But don't worry, it hasn't gone to my head yet. ;-) At least, I don't think so! I will try to get some pics of the bird(s) up here this week. My pics I took of the female while at the show didn't turn out all that great (out of focus) so I will shoot some at home tomorrow if I get a chance.

Two more shows to go, and time to set up breeding pens!