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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2006-06-23          131312


Over the past few years the organized tractor rides have really becom a popular thing around here, three or four so far this summer. Most last for three or four days covering a couple hundred miles or so. The county fairgrounds or anyone with lots of parking room is more than glad to have them come thru town for all the motel, food and refreshment business it generates not only from the riders but tons of people show up just to look at all the old tractors. I just wondered if this is a midwest thing or if other parts of the country have them too. Frank.



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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2006-06-23          131314


It's a midwest thing I think, a local fella tried to organize one here a few years back to drum up free publicity for an annaul steam & old tractor show.

Both local politicians and the police were against it. Being so close to a big city they figured it would create a commuter nightmare.

We have had several this past year as protests though. Sure gets the medias attention when we shut down commuter highways with convoys of tractors and farm trucks heading to the legislature building!!! Every machine has a big sign in the back window, usually something like "Farmers feed cities!!" or "If you ate today, thank a farmer!!".

Very few do anything but support, although it's amazing how many people think we're number 1 as they go by!! LOL.

Best of luck. ....


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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2006-06-23          131315


Several "ole geezers" me included, but I'm not an OG, will drive the old iron around the townships on a Sunday afternoon here. Speaking of which gotta get the M out.

We have many more antique tractor pulls. Plus all the farm shows during the summer. We also have the steam engine/tractor shows with reaping threashing jump balers etc.

And currently the major draw is "GRASSCAR" souped up lawnmower racing... ....


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BillMullens
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 649 Central West Virginia
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2006-06-23          131344


We had an organized tractor ride just about a month ago. Only about 12-15 showed up, but the organizers are planning to promote it better next year. I took my Farmall A, but turned around early and did about 15 miles of the planned 20-some mile trip (The A is slow and rides stiff-next year taking the Super C). This was on single-lane county roads with little traffic, and we pulled over occasionally to let cars by.

There are a few informal tractor "shows" during the year, no prizes or judging, just guys bring their old tractors and sit around in the parking lot of local businesses. Usually have a pretty good turnout.

Bill ....


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Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 955 Central Iowa
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2006-06-25          131358


Iowa has a pretty big one each year. You have to sign up early to get a spot. It's a multi-day ride. I think maybe 5 days? I could be wrong. A friend of mine drives it a day or two each year with his dad. It always makes the news and looks like a good time. ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2006-06-25          131360


A ride started this morning from Dubuque to Sioux City then back to Waterloo by next weekend. That is close to 450 miles with 100 tractors. Last week one went thru eastern Iowa with 450 tractors. I did'nt believe it either, but yes 450 tractors. I haven't gone on one yet, a worn out back and an "H" Farmall don't mix too well for that long of a trip. Seems like soon as one is announced the reservations are sold out in a day or so. Most all are sponsored by a farm radio station with pretty stringent rules far as mirrors, safety equipmment, etc. Have a brat and a suds watching to old iron roll past. Frank. ....


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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2006-06-26          131366


In my part of the southeast I don't know of tractor rides other than as part of parades (normally in Christmas Parades). In viewing the JD videos it seems they are shot in the midwest given support to the idea they are big in the midwest.

Totaly guessing here but farmers here are very busy in the summer with tobacco, watermelons and other crops that are harvested then or require a lot of spraying or such to the point they not able to take off. I think the nature of the crops has some impact with the regions.

....


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shortmagnum
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 848 Wisconsin
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2006-06-26          131374


There was a nice one along the Mississippi on June 2&3 this spring. I saw them heading north through Prairie Du Chien WI on Saturday while I was heading south on my motorcycle. Then on Sunday when I was heading north across the river near Harpers Ferry IA they were heading south. It was at least 50 miles from where I saw them the day before.

I would say there were 50-60 in total. Fords, Farmalls, Allis Chalmers a few green ones (JD and Olivers), a couple of Minneapolis Molines. Most of them had sunshades mounted over the seats. I spent 10 minutes waving at them all and they all had big smiles on their faces. I'd say they were having fun. :)
Dave ....


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Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 955 Central Iowa
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2006-06-27          131436


I remembered this post yesterday as I was stuck in the FSA parking lot as the tractor ride rolled through main street in Newton, IA. I figured what the heck, so I walked to the sidewalk and watched them go buy. Only cost me about 10 minutes or so. Some people have them rigged up for travel pretty nicely. Like the double seats so the wife can ride behind you. Some very nice old tractors.

I'm going to miss that if I have to move. ....


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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2006-06-27          131440


On this side of Michigan we have the "Gera Tractor club" that has an annual tractor show corresponding with the Bavaria Festival located in Frankenmuth something like the 2nd weekend of June. Gera is a berg about 4 miles North of town. The neighboring bar owner has an outdoor brat stand. His mom makes an awesome brat and brat sauce combination complete with sauerkraut. If you type "gera tractor days" in google you can read about it. Believe they have an annual tractor drive going from bar to bar in neigboring small towns/villages.

It don't get no better than that. Tractors, beer & brats!! ....


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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2006-06-27          131442


Iowa,

You almost give the impression there are NO tractors in Mich. You could start up a tractor drive to Iowa. ....


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Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 955 Central Iowa
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2006-06-27          131453


I lament a bit, but I know each area of the country I have lived in has it's own unique charms. I guess my point is I wouldn't expect to see tractors driving down mainstreet in Benton Harbor or St. Joe.

Each place is nuice so it's sad to go. But this is the longest I've lived in one area since in the last 20 years. Been pretty mobile. So it's nice knowing you know where to go and who to talk to for anything you need. You move, you gotta start all over again. ....


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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2006-06-27          131458


Iowafun,

I have been very blessed. Live within 6 miles of where I grew up and within 35 of where I was born. Now two of my sisters had rollers under their furniture and they will relate to your experiences and heart aches very well. When we moved 6 miles 5 years ago that was enough for me! ....


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shortmagnum
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 848 Wisconsin
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2006-06-28          131482


Maybe if everyone had to use tractors to relocate, people wouldn't move so far... :)
Dave ....


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Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 955 Central Iowa
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2006-06-28          131503


It's hard. I know which store has the best meat counter. I know where to go to get lumber at the best prices. I know who to bug when I want manure. I know who I can borrow farm equipment from. We know where to get our dry goods. We know where to go to get to concerts, etc.

It is nice to discover new places, but then we know exactly what we'll get when we order pizza from so and so. When I need something in an emergency, I know exactly where to get it. That's pretty nice.

But we'll learn again in a new spot. Such is life. People have been moving for millenia. One more won't kill us. Except we have much more crap now. ....


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DenisS
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 367 NJ
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2006-06-28          131506


Iowa et al.,

Moving sucks - plain and simple. Just moved my sorry ass this past weekend. No professional movers involved, just me and my father. The only positive thing I got out of it is what I lost - 4 inches off my waist. I'm back into pants I wore 5 years ago. : )

....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2006-06-28          131509


Pete, there's an old guy that lives near my shop, he is (one of) the town drunks. One of those pleasant, funny drunks, the kind that is everybody's goofy friend.

Anyways, his favourite trick was to go from work, to the Legion hall and drink his dinner before heading home. He got stopped for DUI so many times they finally took his licence away (this was many years ago). This never stopped him, he just kept driving, then one fatefull night he got hit by a train on the way home, and lost both legs at the knee.

Being the never say never type of guy, he merely switched his means of transport. He bought a good used 40'ish HP utility tractor, put an SMV placard on the back of the tractor, and made up a carryall bin for the 3pth!!!

Now he could still be mobile, didn't have to worry about DUI (there was no such thing back then for farm equipment, etc.) and started a little business doing light contract farming work for people in the area. Bush-hogging, tilling, plowing, etc., and roaded that little tractor all over creation.

To this day I still see old Lloyd running around town every now & then, in fact it looks like he has the contract to cut the grass at the legion now, I saw him the other day with a little box trailer on the back of his Ford 3000 with a riding mower, a 19" push mower and a line trimmer in it!!

He even put a PVC pipe 'holster' down each side of the hood to hold his canes while drives.

God Bless him, he sure is a sight to see...

Best of luck.
....


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shortmagnum
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 848 Wisconsin
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2006-06-30          131585


There was a big one yesterday in Plainview Mn yesterday. They were setting up at the local JD dealer when I went past in the morning. When I went through town again at 5:00 a parade of them were makeing their way back through town to the dealer's lot. I think they had different cops and squad cars along the route directing traffic. Even the people who's cars were stopped and couldn't make a turn on to the highway had smiles on their faces. All were having fun. Maybe they need a tractor parade on the freeways of California to lighten them up too??? :)
Dave ....


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shortmagnum
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 848 Wisconsin
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2006-06-30          131587


Witnessing two of these tractor rides in one month makes me wonder, did the old Farmalls (M's, H's, etc) have rear wheel fenders when new? If so, why do most of the ones I see have no fenders? Was there some reason that farmers took them off? It seems like it would really increase the risk of injury. Most of the other old tractor makes seem to have theirs on still.
Dave ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2006-07-02          131627


Shortmagnum, Rear wheel fenders were an option on Farmall "H" and "M" tractors. some of the tractor mounted impliments used in those days would'nt fit with the fenders in the way so lots of them ended up in the corner of the shed. The fenders were a safety factor, but not as much concern was placed on safety then as is now. Frank. ....


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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2006-07-03          131649


If I heard the news correctly there is a tractor parade planned in Canada soon by farmers who say the new government has not fulfilled the support promised.

....


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unit5alive
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 250 Latrobe Pa
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2006-10-11          135861


Haven't seen anything like that around these parts . ....


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