[AT] How had the group changed

[Dean Vinson]

Lots of good memories all around.   I remember thinking, around 1996 or 1997, that it’d be a waste of time to search the internet for stuff about old tractors because the kind of folks who tinker with old tractors wouldn’t be using their stubby, dinged-up, oil-stained fingers on something as frivolous as setting up web pages.   I was of course pleasantly surprised to be so colossally wrong.  :)

 

I later set up a couple of pages about the 98 gathering and the travels of the ATIS boxes.    Not exactly high-tech or high-res, but still kind of fun to look back on.

 

http://www.vinsonfarm.net/portland98_atis.html.

http://www.vinsonfarm.net/atisbox.html.

 

Hank Wessell was another of the early members, and was a big John Deere fan as I recall.   He stopped by my dad’s farm in northeast Ohio one summer day and helped me and my brothers and dad rebuild a little stone wall at the base of an embankment behind the house.   He was a complete gentleman.

 

And Ken, wow, yes… Ray Crispen.  That was an unusual period alright.   Was it him that came back briefly as “John Kennedy” after Spencer politely explained that his services were no longer needed?

 

Dean Vinson

Saint Paris  OH

 

 

 

From: AT [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Ken Knierim
Sent: Sunday, December 15, 2019 3:40 PM
To: Antique Tractor Email Discussion Group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Subject: Re: [AT] How had the group changed

 

I came aboard in the late 90's but I think it might have been after Forsyth. All I remember for sure was Ray Crispen flaming my introductory message but I didn't realize it until several others basically told me privately that he was special. It's always been a great group and about 10 years ago I finally made it to Portland, got my "plow the net" pin and got to see the spectacular show and met a couple of the Dotson brothers there. 

I recall the world traveled Blue Handle Fence Pliers, the updates on the boxes among other epic escapades (like Cecil and the Firetruck). I found out that I had a neighbor (Larry Molitor) that lived about 1/4 mile away as a fellow list member. 

 

I made it to Tulare before that and got to meet Karl Olmstead who "knew a guy" that got me a "parts" tractor. Turns out it was Case DV which was somewhat rare and I decided to see if it was salvageable. Well, I backed it off the trailer, fixed the bad bearing on the bevel shaft and had to look for other "parts" tractors since that one was suddenly a runner. I did finally get the DH running but still haven't gotten it painted. My son likes these old tractors so I'm trying to raise a future "list member". :)

 

Dean VP visited me and I also had one of the Waugh brothers visit. Every one I've met from this august list has been great and I would like to meet more so I guess I need to get back to Portland again. :) 

 

Thanks again Spencer for all your ongoing efforts!

 

Ken in AZ

 

On Sun, Dec 15, 2019 at 12:56 PM Indiana Robinson <robinson46176 at gmail.com <mailto:robinson46176 at gmail.com> > wrote:

Dave Merchant was an early regular I believe as was Blake Malkamackie (sp???) the Cletrac guy. I think I met Don Bowen fairly early at Portland. Was the lady in New Zealand Dorothy Parsons? She and a group of ladies she was traveling with visited the farm here one time.

With only a couple of exceptions this list has always been amazing and I was honored to have some pictures of a few of my old tractors in one of Spencer's books. That involved a very nice visit.

Every good memory stirs up several more...

******

I think one of the things that hurt us as a group more than about anything was when the Portland club quit letting us show all of our tractors all in the one busy place and shoved us over "behind the shed" at the far corner away from about everything. That was when the show lost much of its magic for me...

 

 

 

On Sat, Dec 14, 2019 at 10:46 PM Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com <mailto:meulenms at gmx.com> > wrote:

It may be hard given the number of people in some of those pictures, but can someone put faces with names in some of the photos? 

Mike M

On 12/14/2019 10:33 PM, Richard Walker wrote:

Portland 1998, the year of the boxes.  

-  Richard Walker 

 

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