2nd weekend at the Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum

On 10/25 we spent another fun weekend at the Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum. Cutest thing I saw there: Jack's solar-powered air-conditioned hat! 

Friday afternoon a few of us got on tractors and cub tractors and started riding around the grounds. The group grew and grew until there was more than a dozen of us. 

Saturday Randy taught me a little about driving one of Jack's tractors in an open field and Sunday Jack gave me another shot at it. I had a good time, but nobody thought it would be a good idea for me to drive anywhere other than the open field.

Randy and Teresa volunteered in the kitchen most of the time and Jack had his tractors to take care of, so that left me with time to wander around by myself. That always took me to the steam-powered steam roller. Saturday it was in the parade and driving around the grounds, but Sunday it was sidelined. One of the gears sounded just a little off, and that was enough for the engineers that maintain it to keep it off the road. They did, however, hook it back up to run the rock-crusher for demonstrations, while they were looking into the problem. They told me it looked like one of the original shims around the gear had finally slipped or disintegrated; it held for 100 years, so what more could you expect of it? They will probably replace it with another shim. I am so glad there are talented people with an interest in keeping this beauty in order.

I love these big old things. 

Most of the guys driving tractors grew up on a farm. Theirs may be the last generation to see these machines at work, so it is important to get younger people interested in them. Here you often see some of those younger people having a great time with these old machines.

Randy's brother Butch brought his wife Lina to the event on Sunday. Since Randy was driving one of Jack's tractors in the parade, he took Lina with him. She has a natural beauty-queen parade wave.

This weekend a 1937 Power Horse ran in the parade. This unusual tractor was created to bridge the gap between horses and machines. The tractor could be hooked up to the farmer's horse-drawn equipment and was controlled by reins, just like horses. 

There are always some wonderful old cars here, too, some of which are perfectly restored. I would love to have something like this!

The big tractors and steam engines move more slowly, like elephants coming through the fields; they don't need to hurry - everything gets out of their way!

When not in the parade, many tractors are used as get-around vehicles. They were everywhere, sharing the roads and paths with golf carts. Most of these older guys ride their tractor with the same ease and comfort as if they were on a horse. 

Cousin Jack sits on his tractor exactly as if it was his old mare Dolly. Dolly passed away a year or so ago, so it's a blessing that Jack has these tractors to enjoy.