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SANDY — Luke Mulholland has barely looked at the schedule facing Real Salt Lake over the first 15 days of August.
It's not that he isn't worried about a trip of more than 11,000 miles, three countries and two competitions with games at D.C. United, Guatemala's Municipal and Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
It's just that he's trying to focus on one game — and he doesn't want to do laundry, he joked.
"I see it as an opportunity to catch up on some sleep, maybe start a new series on Netflix. But I'm looking forward to it," Mulholland said after the team's jovial training session Monday morning. "We're breaking up the trips into D.C. and Guatemala, then Vancouver, then the Open Cup in Kansas City. We'll come back here between them."
Breaking it up into smaller segments makes the travel less daunting, and the schedule more manageable, too.
"Just trying to stay as healthy as possible and recover as much as I can," said defender Aaron Maund, who has played in all but six minutes of the squad's last 10 games in MLS play. "One of the things the coaching staff is trying to do is get us into a good position off the field so we (are ready to) go on the field."
Maund said he's never experienced the sheer volume of games RSL (7-7-8, 29 points) will play over the next month. But the first-time visitor to Guatemala is looking forward to his first foray into the CONCACAF Champions League with Salt Lake.
BECKERMAN EN ROUTE — RSL coach Jeff Cassar said team captain Kyle Beckerman is fresh off Gold Cup duty with the U.S. men's national team, and he expects the midfielder to rejoin his teammates Tuesday at America First Field. "I spoke to him last night," Cassar said in his media briefing Monday. "He just needs some time to get his bearings at home. He'll be ready to go tomorrow."
Beckerman, along with goalkeeper Nick Rimando missed the month of July with international duty, and hasn't played with his RSL teammates since a 2-2 draw against Columbus on June 27.
Rimando flew to Denver to be available for training and other commitments ahead of the MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday against Tottenham Hotspur at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The MLS all-time leader in shutouts joined RSL teammate Tony Beltran as the team's representatives on that squad. Cassar said both players will meet up with RSL ahead of Saturday's game at D.C. United.
Defender Justen Glad is also in Colorado this week, getting ready for Tuesday's MLS Homegrown Game against Club America's U-20s.
Among the players not in Colorado or active at training Monday were defender Chris Schuler, midfielder Luis Silva and utility player Jordan Allen, though the latter reported for conditioning work around the edge of the field.
That doesn't necessarily rule any of them out for Saturday, either. Cassar said the injured players could still be in contention for the weekend.
"I'd like to see them on the field, for one," he said. "Just because you are available to play doesn't mean you are ready to play. They'll have to get in training soon to make themselves more available."
RETURN TO THE SABO — When asked about defending RSL's all-time leading goal-scorer Alvaro Saborio on Saturday, many of the RSL players were a bit flummoxed.
Mulholland even visibly sighed.
"You know Saborio is a handful," Mulholland said. "I'm sure he'll be keeping our defenders on their toes all day.
"He does his job. He's also technically a great forward between the lines. It's going to take a good shift to keep him quiet."
Kickoff Saturday is scheduled for 5 p.m. MDT at RFK Stadium.
