On Thursday, December 5th, we met at Auburn Cinema. I asked Nadine to set us a TDU-like track, so I can gauge whether Gimme is ready for a TDU test. This was more like a VST track. Even with Nadine's best efforts, it has a lot more hard-surface than Gimme would see at a TDU. It also occurred to me, we've never run a track this old (1½ hours) on this much pavement. It was cold, damp and only a slight breeze, but it proved a substantial challenge.Gimme started well on the first leg, zigzagging along it and crossed the first road without hesitation. I'd asked Nadine to run the track up the stairs in case we got a track with stairs, which placed the track end too close to the first corner. Gimme overran the first corner; no doubt drawn in that direction because of the end. When I didn't go with her, Gimme came back and found the turn up the side of the building and had no trouble indicating the sock-article at the corner of the building.
She got to the sidewalk parallel to the back of the building and started into the parking lot, but then came back. She checked every possibility in the area of the red circle, before finally committing to cross the pavement. I was pretty sure the track went across the parking lot, but I wanted her to make the decision, instead of helping her. It took quite awhile.
She turned early for the next turn and followed parallel to the track (about 12' off), along the curb of the landscaping strip. We crossed one island and then she angled out until she rejoined the track and found the eye-glass-case-article just before the corner. She overran the corner a bit, but then came back to find the corner.
She had no trouble with the next turn on the edge of the sidewalk-grass. She did a lovely job following the track on the grass and bark. She sailed along and found the cloth-purse-article in the bushes.
She went out into the parking area and sniffed around, then came back and picked up the track along the curb. The actual track was right up next to the building, about 4' away. She made the next turn without issue and soon found the tiny glove hidden in the grass.
From there she followed the track down the sidewalk. The next turn was up the steps and she seemed to know it was there, but wanted to go around by way of vegetation. There were a dozen people waiting in line for tickets to the movie, including a couple of rowdy young children. She loves children, but in this situation I think she found them distracting and was trying to avoid them. I encouraged her and she went up the stairs and quickly followed along the metal pole railing.
At the end of railing she went straight, toward the building. She didn't find anything there and as she got back to the grass, she picked up the track and drove straight to the last article, a leather glove.
Gimme did well enough, especially considering all the challenges. It took her a half-hour to run this track. If this were a test, I am sure we would have failed - as much me as she. Clearly WE are not ready for a VST, but I still don't know if we are ready for a TDU.
Nadine and I planned to meet at Game Farm tomorrow to see if Gimme is ready for a track more like what we'd see at a TDU test. Unfortunately Nadine has strained her ankle. I'm sending in our entry anyway. We have until Saturday the 22nd to cancel if I want to. So I've "instructed" Nadine to get all better by next Thursday. Cross all the body parts you can spare.
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