As the title states, we are on hold until this light film of smoke blows out of our area. We are going to need a good strong sustained wind to clear up the skies before we can proceed any further, the birds health and welfare always comes first.
As advertised, we are going to have 6 races this year. We also advertised a optional 400 miler but have serious concerns as to if we are going to be able to pull that off before we get snow this year, not necessarily right here in central Washington where we live but down in southern OR and in northern CA right north of Mount Shasta where our 400 mile station would be. Of course we want to have this 400, more money in our pocket, but we will not try to have a 400 miler when the ground is covered with snow, rain and snow in the air and icy roads. We will do everything within our control to have this optional race, just want to address this now so if the weather proves too bad to have a 400 it is not a total suprise when we make a decision as to have or not have this optional race.
For the time being, the birds will be allowed to come out of the loft daily and to take baths until the smoke clears.
Rick & Olga
Light smoke in the area, we are forced again to wait until it clears out before we can proceed.
Birds are being kept in today and being fed now, that way they are all on the same playing field and should trap faster the next time we train if that is tomorrow. If we can not train tomorrow due to there being smoke still in the area we will let them loft fly and bathe.
The birds were released today from the same place we released yesterday, up on top of the ridge overlooking Toppenish below the big iron cross. The birds arrived before our helpers expected them and they still had some maintenance to do within the loft, once they put the feed in the rest poured in. This will not happen again!
The birds were released starting at 0845 in 4 groups 5 minutes apart so last group was released at 0900. When I pulled in to the driveway most were still outside flying around which they will do on these short tosses where they are not challenged, not thirsty yet, and have not really burned off any calories. On longer tosses we all know they trap faster as these have done this year on the longer tosses.
We will progress further south along HWY 97 in the coming days. The birds will receive a few tosses at 45 miles, a few at 60 miles, then one at 75 before the 100 mile activation race. These birds have already been to those distances but on the east side of the ridgeline, we are now training on the west side to get them on a more direct line with the upcomming race stations. Since they have already been trained on the east side of the ridge there should be no big suprises on training tosses, if they happen to drift over there with a west wind they will at least of already been over there.
Everyone have a great day!
This morning we released the birds up on top of Toppenish Ridge about 2 miles further up the road from Pumphouse Road so the toss was actually about 22 miles not 20 as listed on Wincompanion. We will release here at least one more time and start training the birds on a more direct southerly route than the SE route we have been using this year. The purpose of this is to get the birds more on the line of flight with the first few race stations and when we do cross the Columbia River again it will be a narrower spot than where we think they tried to cross on Saturday. If they do what we want them to they should shoot right over the river, then we can have the Activation Race in about 8-10 days.
Remember everyone, we have not made any money at all this year because we did not charge a perch fee up front. Believe me when I say this, we are doing everything within our power to get the highest percentage through activation as possible so we can make a profit and so that we have a big pot for the prizes.
Hopefully we do not take any more big hits in training and we can get most of these birds to the first race, that has been and will always be our goal.
Also, the birds have been fed heavy the last few days so trapping was slow. We released in 4 groups starting at 0845 5 minutes apart. Thought I should mention this before we get any emails and texts on why the birds are not trapping quickly.
Ever feel like someone kicked you where the sun don't shine, well imagine that ten times in a row and you will know how I feel about now!
We normally train the birds due south down HWY 97, this year we decided to train SE bypassing Satus Pass hoping for better results, up to yesterday that held true as we still had 93% of the birds we started training with. Yesterday it was sunny at release with a very slight E wind. The birds had about a 25 mile head start at crossing the Columbia River, our greatest obstacle and is every year. We assume that as the birds got closer to the river the E wind probably picked up which it often times does in the Columbia Gorge pushing the birds west in to unfamiliar territory where the river widens and the ridgeline is higher. Some birds figured out that the only way to get home was to cross the river yesterday and made good time, some eventually figured it out and returned by the end of the day, some are returning today, then there will be some who just will never cross the river. I swear, flying in central Texas again sure sounds tempting where we simply never lost any young birds!
Just a few minutes ago I was informed that a NW club released just south of where I released yesterday. I had no clue that NW clubs were still racing as they usually start in September on Labor Day weekend and are done by now, thus the reason we start up with longer trainers and eventually races in October.
We will take a few days to let the birds recoup by early morning loft flying and early morning feeding. When we feel the birds are ready to hit the road again we will start training again and are rethinking some of our training locations.
The birds were released 10 minutes apart starting at 0830. Obviously from the returns they got broke up today, lets hope they all return!
We had our first single toss today, it was overcast/patchy clouds at release with NW winds and about half way home it cleared up to the occasional patchy cloud with no wind. Most of the birds are in and most were under 30 minutes of the first, the rest should trickle in throughout the day.
Providing the weather forecasts are correct, we will be releasing in Oregon on the other side of the Columbia River Saturday.
Please read previous updates for information on making payments to activate your birds, very important especially if you are part of a team/syndicate.
If the sun is shining through tomorrow the birds will have their first single release from 56 miles, same spot as yesterday. If they struggle we will release again from this spot on their next toss. If they excell we will start training on the Oregon side of the Columbia River for their next toss, our biggest obstacle on this course.
We truly appreciate those of you who have already started sending in your payments, we have you marked as paid next to your bird's number.
For those of you who have not paid yet via PayPal or through the mail, please pay attention to the following.
If you are in a partnership or syndicate, please have just ONE person send us the payment. If you plan on paying via check then send your half or portion of the check to your partner and have them send the checks together in the same envelope, this really cuts down on the confusion on this end. Same with PayPal, PayPal your partner and have them send one payment and make sure that your Loft Name is included in the transaction.
When sending a check put your Loft Name on the check in the left hand bottom corner where is says Memo or For, make sure that the Loft Name you put is the one you are entered under in the Apple Cup, not other races. We do not need band numbers or anything else there in the bottom left hand corner, just your loft name.
Training has been going great thus far with still very few losses overall. We believe this is partially due to them having some though tosses due to very hard head and cross winds early on in their training and the "dummies" being gone from the flock. We are also doing some things differently this year, mainly training around the mountains instead of trying to force them over as we did in the past on the line of flight. Lets pray this continues for all of our sake!
First toss from 56 miles today right up next to the Columbia River on the WA side. Thought process is to get them used to seeing the river from this side so when we release on the OR side they will not balk as they approach which racing pigeons will sometimes do if they have never had to cross a body of water. In other words, we do not want them to be released on the OR side and as they approach the river they freak out and refuse to cross which we believe has happened in the past.
Game plan moving forward is to repeat from this same spot at least one time, possibly a single release but depends upon the wind and cloud cover the day we set the birds up for their next toss. After one more toss from this same location they will be jumped to 80 miles on the other side of the Columbia River, most likely released in 4 groups as we have done on every single training toss thus far, possibly a single release just depends upon our gut feeling that day when standing out on the hilltop Olga and I picked out for a good 75-80 mile toss on the line of flight with our previous stations and the spot picked out for the Activation Race.
The birds were released in 4 groups today, 0850, 0900, 0910, 0920, as always video was taken and posted to Facebook after the first group was released.
After 24 tosses, many short ones around our loft and up and down our valley before going over the ridgeline that is 5 miles to the south of our loft, then several short tosses on the other side of the ridgeline forcing them to go over the ridgeline, we still have about 94% of the birds we started training with. Our goal is to get at least 90% of the 2541 birds we started training with over a month ago through activation. That was a pretty lofty goal we set for ourselves this year considering our course, however the way the birds are responding to training we now feel this is totally within our grasp.
Entry fees are not due until after the Activation Race, however we do appreciate those of you who have already sent your fees in or have same in the mail. If you plan on mailing after the Activation Race please use Express Mail. We would really like to have the first race as close to 7 days after the Activation Race as possible, we do not want to be tracking breeders down for weeks like in the past which is very frustrating and not fair to everyone because we can not post prize monies until everyone's payments are in and checks have cleared.
Lets hope this good luck we have had thus far keeps up!
Thanks for everyone's kind words on how training has went so far this year, we really appreciate it and are having a lot of fun!
The birds had their first toss today from 51 minutes, they were released in four groups starting at 0850 5-7 minutes apart depending upon how fast they cleared out of the area. Most of the birds made it in great time, this tells us they are ready to go to the next station.
The birds were released about 6 air miles north of the Columbia River today. The next station will be 56 miles and will be just a few hundred yards from the Columbia River on the WA side. So far they have been released in four different groups, the next toss will most likely be the same however once we cross the river on the OR side of the river we will do at least one single release before the Activation Race which will of course be a single release. Knock on wood, no birds have come home with broken legs or busted chests this year, but a few have returned showing evidence of being hit by birds of prey. By releasing in smaller groups it greatly reduces the chances of birds hitting wires and us having a smash toss.
Once the birds show they are ready to cross the river we will jump them to 82 miles. We have a spot picked out way out in the middle of know where and the birds will be released at least once from this location, twice if needed. The Activation Race will be 103 miles and as stated will be a single release, we will only have this race when we feel the birds are ready.
We deeply appreciate those of you who have already sent in your Activation Fees. The Activation Race should be within the next 7 days so if you know you are notoriously late then go ahead and start sending your fees in now, any birds that do not make it through the Activation Race will get a full refund. As we advertised, if your bird does not make it through the Activation Race we make zero!
If you are going to wait to send a check or some form of paper payment after the Activation Race send it Express Mail through the US Postal Service, not regular mail as regular mail has been slow for several years now. We will not accept last minute pictures through text and email of sent checks, if the check is not here then your birds will be offered for sale 7 days after the Activation Race. If you wait until the last minute then send your payment through PayPal. If you do not have a PayPal account then create one or have a family member or friend who has a PayPal account to make the payment for you and you can pay them later. Make sure that your LOFT NAME is on the PayPal transaction or check if sending same, makes it very confusing if your signifigant other makes the payment for you and their name is no where to be found in Wincompanion.
The ONLY electronic payment we are accepting is through PayPal, and yes you can use a credit card through PayPal. As stated before, there are fees involved so if you want to preclude the added fees send a check, just send the check Express Mail not regular mail.
Weather is supposed to be great next week, if the birds keep excelling then the Activation Race will be right around the corner!
Everyone have a great Sunday!
