Road Trip part 1
Or could also be titled, Ode to Salmon gums and rusty things.
The weather has started to be a little cooler here in the Perth area of Western Australia. So, I thought to bring up the idea of an outing or a road trip to John. I explained to him that I would love to revisit the lovely salmon gum trees that I saw on our trip to Wave Rock.
Yes, I’ve fallen in love with Australia’s trees, and one that I really love a lot are Salmon Gums.
Eucalyptus salmonophloia is able to grow to a height of 30 metres (98 ft) with smooth salmon-coloured bark in the summer months that changes to a white-grey or grey-brown colour in the winter months. The leaves are long, lanceolate and tapered with a glossy grey-green colour and contain fragrant oils.
Eucalyptus salmonophloia flowers in spring between August to December with white to cream blossoms.
The tree exhibits an erect form with branches that spread outward and upward forming an umbrella-shaped crown.This species of Eucalypt is known to have a life span of over 150 years.
Plus, they’re extraordinarily pretty. 
Maybe it’s because they’re so different to our trees in the U.S.
Some time ago I would tease John about him being my tree-hugger, but it appears it’s me that loves Australia’s trees more. I delight in them from the moment their tops can be seen from the plane when touching down, and look at them mournfully at take off.
I’d like to say that we plotted our course carefully, that we brought supplies enough for a day, that we had enough cash for the trip, and everything that goes with travel…but we didn’t. This was however, our final loop that we ending up making.
We knew the trip wasn’t going to just be about Salmon Gum trees though…it was going to be about where the road would take us, about being together, and stop at times when we felt it was something interesting to look at and take photographs. That’s how we are.
But first may I repeat something I have said in the past? Australia is the BEST in providing public toilets. I don’t care how far from civilization you go, how small the town is, how big the city is, you can find a place to go to the bathroom.
And this is pretty important if you’re me. This isn’t a girl thing, or an age thing, this is something that has been crucial to me since I was a little girl. Ask my sister and mother, it wasn’t a trip until I had been to all the bathrooms in the place. I always had to go. Australia is so accommodating to a lady like me!
So one of our first stops was this broken down shack….of which we saw many in our little road trip,
One thing I have learned knowing John, men love rusty old things. I learned it even greater when I hosted a photography site, many men photographers love taking photos of rusty old things.
This one had an added charm of having its mirror tied on with wire. As far as the FARGO name, I had never heard of it. Here is a brief history of Fargo Trucks.
Aren’t they just alluring and mighty?
Places like this dot the landscape every so often, It makes you wonder about its history and the stories it could tell if it could talk.
A field, a gum tree, and a windmill. Might have to come back here for a sunset photo.
Interesting how you can drive and see almost nothing but stretches of flat yellow grasses and then you come upon this oasis of salmon gum trees in clusters.
One more rusty old thing.
Stay tuned to part two of our road trip… for now a slide show of Salmon Gum trees:
