12-20-08

Esperance to Albany

I took off this morning and hadn’t gone too far when I passed this cattle hauling trailer. You can see that they load from the side. I saw several more of these rigs and they sure do look odd.

Here is a huge gran hauling trailer. I just rode by it and it was very long and had lots of tires under it. I see smaller grain trailer that follow and load from the combines dump into these rigs. The trucks then load out of these big bins. It is serious grain harvest time here now since it has dried out. Lots and I mean lots of big road grain trains and smaller trucks hauling too.

They tow these things down the road too and even I have to get off the road to let them go by.

I saw this grape vineyard and interesting windmill in the back.

This was just beautiful piece of work.

Ten years to make it.

I had always wondered how they worked inside.

The Southern Cross I got to see the other night when it was clear.

This is how you turn it into the wind. Today it was blowing like mad and it would have been a good day to grind some flour. It got me thinking about my grain mill and how much I miss eating my own bread.

The detail work on this structure was first class for sure.

The sails were all rolled up but ready to go when needed. I would love to see, hear this thing in operation.

I took the long way to Albany by way of the Sterling Range. It was a really nice little road with little traffic as most roads down here seem to be. There wasn’t any mountains or even large hills but mostly stayed in the lower lands that were wheat and grazing. As I got closer to Albany I got into more grazing lands and things really greened up. Different trees and bushes too. They put up some hay here too.

I found the YHA hostel and it is very nice place. My room is $22 or 24 since I am a member now. I have stayed in these hostels for ten times and they give a free membership. I took a walk down to the local IGA grocery store to get milk for breakfast cereal and passed this really nice church. Across the street from this church is the oldest house in town. The house was built in 1832.

Next to the church is this really nifty looking house with five smokestacks.

I have been seeing these flowers all across the country. They seem to be a national favorite.

Figs were coming on nicely.

Lots of flowers here.

I like the pottery finals on the smoke stacks.

This bird I have been seeing along the road too. They usually are a lot more timid than this guy. Hell, I had to walk around him when I was walking down the sidewalk. I turned around and tossed him a little piece of licorice. He looked at it carefully and then tried it several times. Here he is spitting it out for the third time. I walked on and don’t know if he ate it or not. I have been trying all the different kinds of licorice that I have been finding. I have been looking carefully too. Most of the stuff isn’t that good and I am disappointed as I thought I would be able to get some really top quality stuff here. actually I think the Australian stuff that I get at home is better than anything I have found herer. The Finland stuff is hard to beat and I may have to go to Finland and check their products out.