It's easy to love this country...lofty snow-capped mountains, deep and mysterious sea lochs, dramatic coastlines and off-shore islands, lush green and fertile rolling hills, ancient castles, abbeys, and "thin places" everywhere. There is an elegance and an orderliness, mixed with a small dose of delightful cheekiness, in Scottish society. A simple greeting along the running path or village sidewalk is met with a smile and a enthusiastic "nod" that expresses both warmth and physicality.
AND..they have the coolest tractors. :)
Here's a John Deere 7310R...yeah, I'll bet it runs "like a deer", all 352 hp, with CommandView lll cab, 10" touchscreen, hydraulic joystick, telematics, and Remote Display Access. Oh man...and I know where the ladder is. Hehe!
But if that tractor doesn't stir something deep inside the soul...this one might.
To have an hour in this black and white Valtra T4 "bad boy" would be pretty awesome! The company describes it as "reliable, robust, and versatile", I'd call it "unbelievable". There was a display of Porsche automobiles nearby...boring!)
Joan, who doesn't normally get overly excited about combines, took a real "shine" to this T670 HillMaster, and with the isochronous engine governor who wouldn't?
The ultimate machine at the Royal Highland Show had to be the Lexion 600 APS Straw Walker...it was gigantic, and (on the "runway") would hold its own with the most sophisticated, supersonic aircraft.
The Lexion has "tracks" on the front end! How cool is that?
The technology on display was worth the visit.
But there was so much more at this massive four-day country and agricultural event, showcasing Scottish farming, food, drink and rural living...and it's the largest such exhibition in the United Kingdom. Here's a wee sample...
There was music...
and there were magnificent horses...
and demonstrations of show jumping.
There were livestock competitions...
and cool looking sheep..."Bleu de Maine".
There were the gorgeous, long-haired Highland Cattle...wait a minute! Joan?!
Educational displays demonstrated the sophistication of Scottish farming.
There were pole climbing competitions...
and some potential real estate opportunities...this one was big enough for two!
And sweeties...lots of sweeties,
and, you know, the other stuff... :)
Crafts and handiwork...and wooden ducks wearing boots!
A miniature scene...
Trucks that made the heart skip a beat...
and this, what an awesome Kayak Transport Vehicle (KTV) it could be with room for lots of boats!
Extra gear and kit? No problem, we could just pull this little puppy behind.
And then...we found something that we could definitely use...every single day: A self-propelled "breakfast smoothie / green drink maker"!
The 175th Edinburgh Royal Highland Show was simply an amazing day out.
Will we trade our small fleet of kayaks in for a Valtra T4 or a John Deere 7310R? Well, probably not...but for a ride in the mega machine, the Lexion 600 APS Straw Walker, it's just a little tempting! ;)
*The 2015 Royal Highland Show, at the Ingliston show ground in Edinburgh, runs June 18 - 21.
Some very large equipment there! It looks a bit like our Exhibition here in our little town but with way more sophistication and on a much grander scale. Maybe someday you'll get to take one of those tractors for a ride. Glad you were able to get out and have a fun Scottish day!
ReplyDeleteThanks for that, L, it truly was amazing and I never thought we'd enjoy the displays so much. It gives us a much better understanding of the rural area in which we live and how agriculture is conducted...it's sure high tech! Warm wishes to you. D. PS We are keeping the kayaks! :)
DeleteHi Duncan and Joan
ReplyDeleteGood to see that you had a good day out at the Royal Highland Show. I look forward to any American responses about having bigger machines back home for their back yards!!
Just shows you that there is always something interesting going on in Scotland when you are unable to get out on the water.
Good to see you both last week.
MG Mike
Haha! Thanks Mike! I don't imagine, even in Texas, the farm machinery gets much more impressive! We'll await any such comments. Great to see you too. Warm wishes from us both. Duncan.
ReplyDeleteGreat day out Duncan... it's said that one sign of getting older is when Policemen start looking younger, but perhaps that could equally apply to tractors getting larger?! :o)
ReplyDeletewarm wishes to you both
It sure was an interesting day, Ian. I have to say I'm now experiencing both situations...the police look VERY young and, as for the tractors, well the picture tells the story! :) Thanks for that and warm wishes. Duncan.
DeleteReally cool tractor designs...interesting...how does the juice maker work...you pedal and make juice for energy?...
ReplyDeleteHi Maria, great to hear from you. Yes, the tractors were very cool, indeed. More like giant "hot rods" that work for a living! The juice maker is something we're going to have to figure out. :) You just pedal and somehow it's geared into an old blender. We'd have to pedal hard, but it would work up an appetite! Warm wishes to you. Duncan.
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