I spent most of today on the road - leaving home at 5am to drive to Portland for a meeting and to collect two alpacas who were in Portland for breeding's. One was our own Latte who is now safely home and the other was Abby for some friends of ours who farm in Grants pass.
By the time I was home it was almost midnight and I was well and truly bushed... another great insight into the alpaca lifestyle!

My meeting in Portland was with Mike Safley of NWA. We talked about the IAC programme and how the first EPDs were going to be previewed the following day at the Parade of Champions Auction truly exciting times in the US alpaca industry.

The trip was fortunately uneventful. However, there were some interesting distractions along the way that meant I had no chance of falling asleep. I did see what is without doubt the biggest pick up truck I have ever seen on the road. Someone had taken the tractor unit from a big rig and made it into his personal pickup truck.....well check out the picture below.

As quickly as they arrived the storm warnings have now been lifted and so its time to mow that hay field.......there was talk of a crop circle forming but John Pierson got here with his mower and two hours later it was leveled.



This is a shot looking along one of the rows with the grass still standing on the left and the newly mown grass on the right....the grass dries out and then we can call it hay. But I bet you knew that anyway...didn't you?

I have kept hay out all year this year and it fascinate me that there are times when the alpacas prefer the hay to fresh pasture. I don't discourage this eating of hay as I am sure it helps to keep their stools firm. But thats just my theory.

Off to Portland and back via Grants Pass in one day tomorrow so I need to gas the truck and prepare the trailer. Everything has to be connected and set up as i want to be on the road no later than 5am tomorrow so there is no opportunity to start sorting things out in the morning.

Here is my trailer preparation check list;

Tire pressures including spare.
Safety chains
Electrical connections (lights indicators etc)
Emergency brakes
Battery for cooling fans and closed circuit TV
Halters and lead reigns
Temporary fencing (in case of breakdown)
Alpaca first aid kit
Fresh water
Fresh pellets
Hay
Wheel jack
Tire iron
Instant tire repair.
Road flares
Torch (latern as Americans call it)
AAA membership and cell phone