[Fwd: [AJD] Our 115 mile Tractor Ride is done!]

[Ronald L. Cook]

It sounds like a good time.  However, once you start organizing things and 
making them large, or  long in distance, the troubles start.  I'm thinking 
we have less than 5 years to get this done unless you are very 
wealthy.  Already rear view mirrors, slow moving vehicle signs, licensed 
drivers, spacing.  Let me see?  Escorts?  Certain routes only on certain 
days?  Mandatory insurance?  Permits?(the govmints will need some money for 
this upsetting of traffic flow.  First the state and then federal when they 
see we are going from state to state.)  And who knows what will happen as 
soon as someone gets injured one of these days.  Whew!  I sure do hope I am 
wrong because I have not had a chance to go on a ride yet.  I signed up for 
a couple, but was too late to get in on one and my 11 mile an hour 40U was 
too slow for the other.  It was mostly red tractors and they wanted 15 mph. 
for traffic flow.  I'll bet some law official had a hand in that.  I was, 
however, offered an H Farmall that had a slot in the ride.  I stayed home.

Ron Cook
Salix, IA
>Rear view mirrors are manditory on our Iowa rides---Here in the flat land we
>have had some very interesting rides---I do one private 5day  10 man ride 
>upon
>which we cover 240 to 300 miles total where we pull our own sleeping wagons,
>a special chuck wagon[all food and drink] wood wagon for nitly fires and have
>minor repairs.We do this ride the last week in August and have it planned 
>well
>in advance. Our WAGONMASTER put out a flyer in Feb requesting ideas , input,
>and what revisions might be needed.We have held babies in church,visited
>health clinics[cut finger],made a 3 state tour  [Ia,Wisc,Mn.]and so many neat
>things that I could visit for hours. Cost runs 110$ per year [includes 
>pictures by
>our own photographer] plus hauling costs. This years ride will be the SW 3
>State Tour [Ia, Neb,Mo.]The cost also includes a tee shirt with our own world
>tractor tour 
>logo.
>                                                                       Our 2
>cyl club has a Fri,Sat . Sun. noon ride every year in the fall with 50-60
>members, wives, pets, and kids where all meals are catered and is all 
>camping. Our
>committee pre flighted part of this route last Sunday afternoon.
>     This  years 2 cyl ride is our 10th year and the tour is our 6th  and 
> have
>evolved into pure joy rides. It is amazing how few tractor problems happen
>and when a problem comes along everyone helps out and we keep going.
>Respectfully  yours----Neale 
>
>Neale A Cloyd
>
>26198 Sand Hill Trail
>Ames, Iowa 50010
>Too many 2cyls & too little time