Retired Biker

Knowing that we would be driving through Waterloo, Iowa, Fred suggested that we stop for a tour through the John Deere factory. Checking in my AAA Tour Book, I found the JD factory did give tours at 8:00, 10:00 and 1:00; reservations required. I called from Minneapolis; the 1:00 tour was full; 'Well,' I said, 'might there be some cancellations?' 'Hmmm,' she said. 'Not likely. But stop by anyway.' We stopped, waited... Most of the tour group was there and ready to begin. Then, two visitors entered and reported that the other two members of their group would not be coming. So we took their place in the tour!
Pictures could not be taken during the tour, so we were content with some outside pictures.

All tractors assembled at the Waterloo plant are custom orders. Members of the elite 'gold key' program were allowed to watch their tractor being assembled. When assembly was completed, the 'gold key' members have the honor of being the first to start their tractor!

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We were one of the first to arrive at Mt. Rushmore. The early morning fog was thick.

It seemed like we were so close.

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We walked the President's Trail around the statues.

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This huge Ingersol Rand compressor housed in this building was one of three that powered the jack hammers that carved the statues.





The Avenue of Flags.

The columns with the flags had the names of each of the 50 states.





We had a relaxing breakfast in the cafe before continuing our adventures.




This is what the surrounding area looks like. The huge rock to the left is similar to the rock into which Mt. Rushmore was sculpted.

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Then we were off to see the Crazy Horse Memorial.


Crazy Horse is a work in progress. Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear, representing his fellow chiefs, asked sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski to carve Crazy Horse. Korczak's "Paderewski: Study of an Immortal" won first prize at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Korczak started work on the mountain in 1949. "My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know the red man has great heroes, too," wrote Chief Henry Standing Bear.
The scale model of Crazy Horse. "My lands are where my dead lie buried."

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We drove through Lead (pronounced LEED), Deadwood and Sturgis.



Lead was founded during the great gold rush of 1876 and was sustained by one of the richest veins unearthed.

As we left Lead, the temperature dropped twenty degrees and a cold rain started to fall. The temperatures remained about 16 degrees below normal for the rest of the day!

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We drove along I-29; the Lewis and Clark trail along the Missouri River.

This is a sculpture that we saw along I-90.





We stopped in Mitchell to see the Corn Palace.
Every fall a new design is put on the outside of the Corn Palace. A new design was not put on in 1944 because of WWII; and not this year because of the drought.
The rest area before Chamberlain, on the East side of the Missouri River, had a nice Lewis and Clark display.
A keelboat was positioned both outside and inside the building.
Some scenes from the Badlands.
We made two more stops. The first at the Wahl Drug Store where you can get free ice water. The second at the South Dakota Air and Space Museum.

Stay tuned for more adventures....

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Here we are in Moline, Illinois at the John Deere Pavilion.


The cast iron plows were not working for the farmers on the prairie soil. They had to stop every few yards to scrape the sticky soil off the plow.
John Deere made a self scouring steel plow that began a new age in agriculture.
A chain driven three wheel John Deere and a restored John Deere bicyle.
John Deere purchased both the Waterloo Engine Company based in Waterloo, Iowa and the Lanz Tractor Company based in Germany.




We ate lunch at the 'Maid-Rite' in Williamsburg, Iowa after touring the Amana Colonies.

The Amana Colonies were settled along the Iowa River by members of a religious sect mostly from Germany. There are seven quaint and closely united villages: Amana, East Amana, High Amana, Middle Amana, South Amana and West Amana. Knowing that a railroad line was about to be built through the near-by settlement of Homestead, the Amana Society purchased this village.

From a workshop where beverage coolers were made, Amana Refrigeration,Inc. has grown into a manufacturer and international marketer of kitchen applianes and heating and cooling systems.

Stay tuned as the adventures continue...

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The grandparents of the twins stopped for a visit on their way to see the
northern Ohio grandchildren. We had nice weather with temperatures in the low 80's.

There were no machinery shows Thursday for the brothers to 'check out', so we were content watching the deer come out of the woods in the evening.

The morning before the grandparents left, we watched the deer as they grazed closer and closer to what remains of the tomatoes in our garden. First thing we knew, all three of the deer were feasting on the tomato plants. Goofy deer.



We watched the deer for a short time before urging them out of the garden. Then we were surprised to see a coyote walking along right where the deer had been. I don't know who was more surprised: the coyote seeing the deer or the deer seeing the coyote. Both animals 'jumped'; the deer headed across the road while the coyote loped along behind.


We tried to talk the grandparents into stopping in Wilmington to see the Clinton County Corn Festival. The Antique Power Club of Clinton County has one of the best antique machinery displays in Ohio. But no, they had one mission in mind: the grandchildren.

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The Clinton County Corn Festival has a great variety of machinery. As well as many, many tractors. John Deere, Minneapolis-Moline, Allis Chalmers, Farmall, Oliver, Case, White, Ford, Silver King, IHC, on and on...






The two tractors on the left were made by the Cleveland Tractor Company; one was sold by Montgomery Ward, the other by General Tractor. The tractor on the right is a Deutz.




This 1917 Heider has friction drive.








Some other unusual features that we saw include the horns on the Farmall
and the vice-grips for the gas shut-off on the John Deere.





The gentlemen in the saw mill were hard at work. They were teaching the art of sawyering to those who might be interested...

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What better way to begin the Labor Day weekend then by attending 'Harvest Fest' presented by the Butler County Antique Machinery Club? (A bicycle ride out in Brown County might have been better except for the cool temperatures and the constant threat of rain.)

Even though the featured tractor this year was the Minneapolis Moline, there
were a fair number of John Deere tractors present.


This particular model has all the right features: wide front end, power take-off, power steering, three point hitch and the 'right' sound.







The B.C.A.M.C. along with the Chrisholm Historical Farmstead, where Harvest Fest was held, is in the process of rebuilding the old Rosemont barn.




These vintage beauties were also part of the show.

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Sunday, we celebrated Janice's birthday with brunch on the deck of the Captain's Quarters which is
located along the Ohio River. Omlettes made to order, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, waffles, yummy muffins, assorted lunch items plus desserts.



Noah, the Birthday Girl, John, Kaitlyn and Jim
The deck of the Captain's Quarters is in the background.






Then, off to the playground to 'run' off some of that delicious food we had eaten.
Kaitlyn atop the cement pyramid.
Noah was happy enough to walk to the top of the 'grassy' pyramid. At the top, he requested some 'alone' time to watch the older children roll and do somersaults down the hill.



I see you...









Then home, for the lighting and extinquishing of the many birthday candles,
singing 'happy birthday,' making birthday wishes and opening presents. And eating the lemon birthday cake.

A butterfly visited our birthday party.
The butterfly was looking for something good to eat on Kaitlyn's hand. Maybe a taste of the yummy lemon cake.

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We concluded Labor Day weekend listening to the West Chester Symphony presenting its '10th Anniversary Celebration'.

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