The Windmill Museum, Lubbock, TX:
Not to be confused with the new windmills, actually wind-generators: These are south of Houston.
And are BIG
Not to be confused with the new windmills, actually wind-generators: These are south of Houston.And are BIGThi9s is the hub/generator/controller
But this museum is for the old ones, which pumped water for the stock and irrigation. This is a Nichols Centennial Double-section. Note that while the wind generators have only three blades and arre thin - they are designed as airfoils and sort of fly thru the air, these old mills go much slower, against greater resistance, and are bascially pushed by the wind. They do still make them, but they were crucial in the past.
But this museum is for the old ones, which pumped water for the stock and irrigation. This is a Nichols Centennial Double-section. Note that while the wind generators have only three blades and arre thin - they are designed as airfoils and sort of fly thru the air, these old mills go much slower, against greater resistance, and are bascially pushed by the wind. They do still make them, but they were crucial in the past.
An Ellipse windmill. They do work, apparently, but are not common.
Aermotor tilting windmill: You could hinge it to bend over so that maintenance could be done on the ground, without climbing up the tower. Detractors called it 'the women's windmill.'
Aermotor tilting windmill: You could hinge it to bend over so that maintenance could be done on the ground, without climbing up the tower. Detractors called it 'the women's windmill.'
Unfortunately, when the works were tilted sideways, the oil tended to spill out. They were only made for about eight years.
A Dutch-windmill type...
Stinson #1, another popular brand - minus the mill itself.
A Wincharger electric generator - these typically were 6-12 volts, to recharge batteries
Some of the larger ones needed a specialized crew to repair them: a repair wagon.
A Dutch-windmill type...Stinson #1, another popular brand - minus the mill itself.
A Wincharger electric generator - these typically were 6-12 volts, to recharge batteries
Some of the larger ones needed a specialized crew to repair them: a repair wagon.
See a bullfight! One of my bucket list items. Well, in America, they aren't allowed to actually kill the bull, which seems to take some of the popularity out of it. Nevertheless, there is this ring in Texas (Santa Maria is a really small town).
The ring was built by Fred Renk, a businessman and onetime bullfighter himself.
A poster for a previous fight:
The chapel - there's always one at every bullring
The bulls. There is a slight problem: These bulls have fought before. The problem doesn't arise if you kill the bulll the first time, but these, of course, weren't killed. They did, however, get an idea of what to expect, which makes things a bit awkward for the torero.
The Torero, Enrique Delgado. This was a benefit for him; the reusing of the bulls was to save money.
Delgado talking to Fred Renk, Jr, an accomplished torero himself.
Trying to get the bull to charge. He looks a little skeptical; he's seen this before---
But there we go:
Sometimes he decides to ignore the red cape and go after one of the assistants; There are these handy walls to hide behind.
Persuading the bull to attack, again
And, there we go. Notice the red flower on top of the neck...Instead of killing the bull, the torero reaches over the neck as he goes past, and pulls loose the flower. Not quite as dramatic; Couldnt get a picture of this actually happening.
The ring was built by Fred Renk, a businessman and onetime bullfighter himself.A poster for a previous fight:
The chapel - there's always one at every bullring The bulls. There is a slight problem: These bulls have fought before. The problem doesn't arise if you kill the bulll the first time, but these, of course, weren't killed. They did, however, get an idea of what to expect, which makes things a bit awkward for the torero. The Torero, Enrique Delgado. This was a benefit for him; the reusing of the bulls was to save money. Delgado talking to Fred Renk, Jr, an accomplished torero himself. Trying to get the bull to charge. He looks a little skeptical; he's seen this before--- But there we go: Sometimes he decides to ignore the red cape and go after one of the assistants; There are these handy walls to hide behind. Persuading the bull to attack, againAnd, there we go. Notice the red flower on top of the neck...Instead of killing the bull, the torero reaches over the neck as he goes past, and pulls loose the flower. Not quite as dramatic; Couldnt get a picture of this actually happening.Having made the 'kill', he was in this case awarded two ears (This is done, apparently, not by the judgement of the judges but by the applause of the onlookers. Being gringos and not appreciating the finer pooints, they were a bit more generous than an audience of real aficionados might have been; but then again, be had to fight experienced bulls)...
Texas Museum of Science & History: a copy of the Pinta, one of Columbus' ships. The Spanish Govt sent replicas of all three on a tour over here on the 500th anniversary, in 1992. The response here, for some reason, was sensational, better then anywhere else, so the Spanish govt left them here. Unfortunately, all three are badly deteriorated; Neat anyway. These ships are not very big! Had to be determined to sail who-knows-how-far in one. 
