Monday, 9/17

Caged dogs

As we cleaned up from breakfast a few vehicles drove up to the cafe to stop for a morning coffee. One was a “ute”, which is an Australian pickup truck and is very common Down Under. A ute is similar to a pickup in the front, but has a flat aluminum bed with one to two foot high sides and back that can be lowered and raised. Utes come in all sizes, from small Toyotas and Nissans with a bed six feet long to big utility trucks with dual rear wheels and beds over 16 feet long.

The ute that drove up that morning had a large cage on the back of the bed with four large tough-looking mongrels loaded up inside. They were cross breeds and varied in appearance, including a dirty white short-haired giant that must have had some bull mastiff in him, a couple big cattle dog variants, and a muscular dalmatian cross. Two guys hopped out of the cab and went into the cafe, returning a few minutes later with coffee cups in hand. We were about 30 yards away from their truck and I was a little alarmed when one of the guys opened the cage and let the dalmatian out. But he was so glad to have his freedom that he just loped around the man, hopping up on him, and ran in the yard in front of the cafe. An older lady came out from the cafe and went to the cage and talked to and pet the other dogs, who wriggled in happiness. Whatever these dogs' business was, they weren't vicious man trackers. (I later learned in talking to Jake and Gary that they were most likely used for hunting feral pigs, a real problem in Oz as it is in many parts of the US).

Road kill

Driving through Wollemi NP we saw a stout gray furry body lying at the side of the road. At first I though it was a wallaby or a kangaroo but as we passed and I thought about it, the lack of any long parts such as legs or tail made me shout out, “I think it was a wombat!” I turned the LC around and we drove back. Sure enough, dead wombat.

Wo-Man

Our Australian road atlas has symbols denoting 'Big Things', such as a big banana, a big guitar, etc. much like on the Blue Roads of the US. Soon after passing the wombat we saw the Big Wo-Man. At a lonely roadhouse that had a burnt out interior and roof we were amazed by a big stainless steel sculpture of a naked person, male on the road side, female on the other. The artist had other whimsical creations placed about the property too. I'll have to look him up on the internet.

What a big Wo-Man!

No junk mail here, mate!

The Hunter Valley

After the Appalachian-like Wollemi NP we drove for a couple hours through the Hunter Valley area of NSW. The lower valley has a more open terrain and is dominated by huge open pit coal mining operations and power plants. But the Upper Hunter Valley has expansive horse farms, green alfalfa fields, a few vineyards, and rolling countryside with tree-covered mounts. Very pretty.

Upper Hunter Valley

We stopped for lunch at Burning Mountain, and after eating leftovers hiked the mile and a half up to see the spot where a subterranean coal seam has been burning for 1000 years. As the seam burns the affected area moves up the mountain at about a meter a year. There was no steam or smoke or flames, but the air about the vent shimmered from the intense heat and soil around the active vent was white or brick colored and devoid of life. Blackened tree stumps edged the vent.

Nearing Kim's house we saw a Spiny Echidna ambling across the road. We didn't turn back for a nearer look since we were already running late, but they are the most widespread mammal in Oz so we'll probably see another before our trip is over.

We finally arrive at Kim's

We had originally hope to make it to Kim's house by around 3 or 4, but travel time estimates need to be adjusted with me behind the wheel of the LC. The lanes of Australian roads are a couple feet narrower than American roads, and generally there is no shoulder. In fact the edge of the most of the roads is rather ill defined and unmarked with a white stripe. The LC is a bit wider than most cars and utes, and with the larger wheels and all our possessions in the back I drive about 15 miles an hour slower that the general populace.

We got to Kim's just after sunset. It was great seeing her after the two year gap since we had met when Sam and I were headed out for a training ride at Bennett's house. Her Blue Cattledog-Keltie cross Bo enthusiastically greeted us. It had been raining off and on during our drive and Kim said, “If I'd know you'd be bringing rain with you I would have bought your airline tickets long ago.” The welcome rain partially refilled her 5000 gallon above ground tank, and hopefully will go part of the way to boosting the growth of grass in her sheep paddocks.

Kim's 17 year old son Jake rode up on his motorcycle a few minutes later, just back from his after-school job at a bike shop where as he said he's paid mostly in new parts for his bike. By the way, in Australia a bicycle is called a 'push bike', which seems somehow a little less dignified than 'road' or 'mountain' bike, but oh well. I wonder if that's what Cadel Evans calls his bike.

Kim had fixed us a great meal of lamb stew, green beans, and corn, all from her herd and garden, and the four of us ate together and talked about school calendars, sports, and Jake's amazing kangaroo accident that broke the foot peg from his motorcycle and nearly broke his leg. Makes my altercation with the cat seem rather silly. There are photos of Jake soaring over ramps on his dirt bike on the wall and Kim's computer screen, and medals and trophies of his success at the races, so it's no surprise that the 'roo didn't managed to put Jake and his bike on the ground.

After several glasses of fine Australian red wine and more talk, we went to bed.