Just about ready to head to CA

[Rick_C]

After a long unemployment I was fortunate enough to receive a job offer in Sourthern CA and started work on October 15th. Between then and now my wife and daughters have been working their butts off packing up the house in preparation for the move while I was working, spending evenings looking for rental homes to look at each weekend and finally signing the paperwork on a house Friday. We'll be moving to Ontario, CA this week. (not coincidentally real close to the Prado training grounds). We'll pull out Tuesday, get to my in-laws place just outside Marysville, CA Wednesday and spend Thanksgiving with them (for the first time in 11 years) then stay through Saturday and get to our new house Sunday.

I'm very excited about this new chapter in our lives though I am sad about leaving so many good people that I've met through the dog games over the last several years. I'm hoping I can still see some of them when they're on their winter trip to So Ca and I'm looking forward to meeting new people in the Southern CA area. That said, I've received a couple of offers already to train with folks in the area which I really appreciate. Anyone else that trains at Prado or the general area that could use a new duck thrower to join their group, I'd love to meet up with you. I'm just training one dog at this point and have an ATV I'll be happy to bring along to take care of set up and take down. We've had a long lay off from training but I hope to be tuned back up to finish masters for the spring tests.

On to warmer weather!

Rick Curtis

[Dman]

Good luck Rick. Hope everything works out great for you and your family.

[labsforme]

Rick, Glad to hear the good news.You're not that far from Niland either.A two hour drive.I grew up up in So Cal. A lot of good fishing too.I used to train at Prado way back when.
Keep us posted.

Jeff

[BonMallari]

Rick, I grew up just 8 miles from Disneyland....Ontario-Rancho Cucamonga is a nice area, believe me you could have landed in much worse just a few miles away....freeway commuting is a way of life in So Cal so the sooner you master the freeway system the easier the transition.....

I have not been to Prado in a few years, but if its any consolation there was a man who developed a couple of champions there when he lived in So Cal back in the 80's...his name, Jack Vollstedt...

I know that Jewell Easter still lives in the area and the members of the Calif South Coast RC will stretch from San Diego to Lost Hills..you are only about 120+/- miles from the FT grounds in Niland

Congrats on the new opportunities for you and your family......oh and it hardly ever rains in So Cal

[Rick_C]

Rick, I grew up just 8 miles from Disneyland....Ontario-Rancho Cucamonga is a nice area, believe me you could have landed in much worse just a few miles away....freeway commuting is a way of life in So Cal so the sooner you master the freeway system the easier the transition.....

I have not been to Prado in a few years, but if its any consolation there was a man who developed a couple of champions there when he lived in So Cal back in the 80's...his name, Jack Vollstedt...

I know that Jewell Easter still lives in the area and the members of the Calif South Coast RC will stretch from San Diego to Lost Hills..you are only about 120+/- miles from the FT grounds in Niland

Congrats on the new opportunities for you and your family......oh and it hardly ever rains in So Cal

I really like the Chino/Ontario area. There has been a lot of new construction, both in homes and retail over the last 10 years or so (from what I'm told) so I think we'll fit in just fine there.

I've not had the opportunity to get out to Prado yet to check it out but from all accounts it's pretty nice training grounds...and only 20 minutes or so from where we'll be living so that'll be nice. From what I've found online there's 3 or 4 retriever clubs that use Prado for training and tests so I'm looking forward to getting in a good club or 3. If there's any members of local clubs here, let me know please. As I said before, I'm hoping to finish up Ace's master title this next year but also hope to run some more quals too.

I've been staying with my Aunt and Uncle in Simi Valley and driving into L.A. every day for 5 weeks so I've be initiated to the freeway system. Am I thrilled to have an hour to hour and a half commute, not really. But it is what it is and I'd rather drive 1 to 1.5 hours each way to work than not have a job to go to at all.

Spokane doesn't get much rain generally. Most of the precipitation falls as cold white stuff here. And we won't miss it a bit.

[Jennifer Henion]

Good luck and congratulations, Rick! Sounds like you've just survived a hump and it must feel good to start new! I'm up in the northern part of Cali, but have explored the southern half many times on vacation. You're not far from Santa Barbara wine country, San Diego and the works. It's a great part of the country! Don't envy you the freeway driving, but there's lots of good stuff to compensate for that.

Anyway, I do envy you the new adventure and opportunity to meet new dog people and grounds!

Jennifer

[Mary Lynn Metras]

Good Luck to you!!

[Pat G]

Rick
Met you briefly at a PSLRA hunt test when your dog was just a pup, good luck to you and your family
Pat

[Margo Ellis]

Rick
The Prado area is great, there are several clubs there that will welcome you with open arms. Lisa Griggs posts on here hopefully she wil see your post and get in contact with you. She is the Treasurer of the Prado Basin HRC.

[Kelly Greenwood]

You will probably want to get an annual membership at Prado ($800) vs paying $15 a day. Prado does not allow the use of Quads unless you have a medical condition that requires it. They also do not allow bikes. The annual covers you and your wife, kids under 16 or 18 (can't remember which) are free. Prado is open Tuesday thru Sunday from about 7:15-7:30am gate is closed at 5:00pm but you can stay till about 8:00pm if you are already inside. Starting off on the right foot with Prado is key to a good relationship...always go and check in at office before stopping anywhere in Prado , speed limit is 10MPH , Do not drive out into fields stay on the roads, If you do something that is deemed to be wrong appologize and don't do it again, arguing is never a good idea. And never hunt on Prado grounds.