"Jockeys" and "Ghost Rider"

There were heavy clouds everywhere this morning; they turned pink, silver and gold colors as the sun rose behind them. The Flat Irons to the west were clearly visible, but the sky behind them looked like creeping ground mist - it was an odd sight. I walked along the Boulder Creek Path this morning, so early that my only companions were ravens and raccoons - and it was beautiful, but so very dry. My kits are feeling feeling the pressure change and are being snarly with each other; but we only have a 50% chance of rain and/or snow late this afternoon.

There are two dogs from Colorado at the Westminster Dog Show: an Old English Sheepdog called Georgie Girl, and an English Spaniel called Katie. One of the numbers that came out due to the AKC show is that Americans spend over $43 billion per year on their household pets. I can easily believe that number without stretching my imagination - I know that my two kits are spoiled rotten.

Friday night I watched a new series on Animal Planet entitled "Jockeys". I'm still not sure how I feel about the series. It comes in 30-minute segments, and this past Friday they premiered the series by showing two episodes back-to-back. It seems that they are following the lives and careers of about 8 jockeys during the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita and on into the Breeders Cup Championship races. I recognized Mike Smith and Aaron Gryder and Corey Nakatani (who shattered his collarbone in the first race the series covered about him, and who was then sidelined for the entire meet). The audience was introduced to Chantal Sutherland, a Canadian jockey, trying to establish herself in California, and dating Mike Smith; Kayla Stra, an Australian jockey,also moving to CA; and Joe, a young man on the rise in the riding community. It showed the new jocks trying to get rides via their agents, showed the constant exercise and weight-watching the jocks go through on a daily basis, and also the ups and downs of being someone who has to "be in the money" at the finish line to make ends meet. I suppose that if I didn't know anything about jocks and the thoroughbred racing business that I would be enthralled; but I wasn't... and I kept wanting them to hurry up and get on with "the story." I'll probably continue to watch this series, but it's not on my Must See list....

Just before I sat down to eat supper last night, I was channel hopping to see what was on... and the movie "Ghost Rider" was starting at that time. I knew that Nicholas Cage was in the movie, and I thought that I remembered that Sam Elliott appeared in it too. I'm not big on comic books, and I was prepared to not like the movie and to switch channels as soon as I finished my meal. I sat and watched the entire movie. I felt some of the special effects were a bit over the top - but I really liked the movie a lot! I have to admit that I got a kick out of seeing Peter Fonda play the Devil, and Sam Elliott can always make me drool... and, dumb me, I never even tied the comic book and movie in with the "Ghost Riders in the Sky" song. Nicholas Cage was riding his motorcycle and Sam Elliott was easily keeping up on his mystical horse, snorting fire, in one scene near the climax of the movie and an electric bass guitar starting playing the song... I broke out in goosebumps and couldn't help smiling like an idiot. I thoroughly enjoyed this film.