[AT] Saskatchewan tractor trek

[Ralph Goff]

----- Original Message -----
From: Indiana Robinson <robinson at svs.net>
To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 8:11 AM
Subject: Re: [AT] Saskatchewan tractor trek


> I have driven the Deere 45 combine I used to own as far as 10 miles for
custom work (at
> about 9 MPH) and I have driven tractors a little further. I am here to
tell you that such
> boredom approaches being terminal for me...   :-)   > Here is a picture of
a 1926 Fox:
> http://www.cityblm.org/library/fire/pic-7ai.jpg
>
> --
> "farmer",

Long drives on machinery are part of life here in the wide open spaces of
Sask. A neighbour once bought a JD 55 combine and it was way across the
province. He took along a driver when he went to pick it up and between them
they drove it home over the space of a couple of days or so. Good thing gas
was cheap in those days. One of the first jobs I got was driving a tractor
for a neighbour waaay back in 1970. He had bought a DC4 Case at a farm
auction sale some 40 odd miles away and needed it driven home. I'd never
been to that part of the country before and actually found it not a bad
drive. On paved highway for a good part of the way and the April sun was
getting powerful enough that it was comfortable riding except for the wind
and sunburn that I didn't notice til late in the day. As I recall it took
all of a long afternoon to make that drive with no stops.
After that I quite often got work driving tractors for neighbours. A
Cockshutt 50 diesel pulling hopper wagons of grain to town. A good ten mile
run, well actually twenty round trip. Later I graduated to big power, the
930 Case and two wagons. I don't recall ever having trouble staying awake in
those days on the open tractors. Now in the comfortable cabs and air ride
seat it can be a battle to keep awake cruising down the gravel roads at 17
mph.
BTW, nice picture of the Fox truck. I have seen Ertl replicas of an Aehrens
Fox fire truck, not sure of the vintage but it was an old one.

Ralph in Sask.
http://lgoff.sasktelwebsite.net/