Week ago last Friday we went to Rantoul IL for the Half Century of Progress show. First time we've been. It's a tractor thing ... We decided it was a test to see if we could still "do it". And we lasted until well into the afternoon. I have NEVER seen such a large tractor show! The demonstrations were awesome with combining, picking, plowing, discing, tilling, planting ... on and on. Lots of flea markets. Lots of food booths. Lots of TRACTORS. Tractors of every age. There was even draft horses working in one area. The show took place on the old Chanute Air Force Base. Does that tell you anything? there was not a tree in sight. And it was in the mid-80's. (It's still in use as a municipal airport and National Guard place.) I'm posting a few pix below.
Funny thing happened. When we got in and parked there was a school bus picking people up in the lot. We figured it must be some distance to walk in so we got on. After the bus chugged along and picked up people until we were loaded, we proceeded to drive the distance of perhaps 1/2 a block as the crow files and they dropped us off at the admission gate. We could have walked in and seen half the show in the time it took us to be shuttled in! (Well, that might be an exaggeration.) Perhaps if we hadn't been on the front row of the parking lot the shuttle would have been useful (?). Just a good laugh to us to start the day. The number of people on golf carts and atv's was amazing. Don't people WALK anywhere anymore?! No wonder our country is in such a mess physically! (And I'm not slinging stones because you who know me know I could use a good walk every day ... and that day I got a good one.) It was annoying to be dodging the golf carts though, and we decided "been there, done that" when the day was through.
We went through Elnora's show grounds last night. Both of us had been so sick of being sick we had to get out for a drive. That steam/tractor show doesn't open for a few days and it is already about filled up with exhibits and campers! Amazing! The way we're both feeling, we will not be working much, perhaps Saturday only. But it made me excited about going through the flea markets and seeing some of the demonstrations Saturday before I have to work in one of the admission gates. I see it's going to be hot that day though; 87 degrees! ARGH! I hate to sweat! LOL!
Am getting ready for some hookers to visit next week. Hope we have a good evening. And decide what our future will be ...
Have a blessed week, what's left of it, and I hope you don't catch my cold! Here's a few pix from Rantoul.
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| Here's a Case tractor from 1976. We ALWAYS have to check the Case equipment area very carefully ... |
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| This guy was "driving" his tractor from a really old wagon. The huge flag shown in the background is the largest flag I've ever seen! It was hoisted and held between two cranes. We could see it from several miles out; we knew we were headed in the right direction when we spotted it. |
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| "Jeeps on the Farm" was a special tented exhibit with Willys jeeps adapted to several different uses. This one with the sickle bar mower was unique I thought ... |
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| Here's a soybean field being harvested by several different pieces of equipment. I wanted to ask someone how they got the corn and beans prematurely ready for harvest like this but didn't want to show my ignorance. All around the landing strips at this airport were fields of mature crops ready for the demonstrations. Awesome! These fields would be just LINED with golf carts and atv's with people SITTING and watching... |
