Day 17

We were packed up and away from the campground at 7:20 a.m. Monday after four memorable days at the Penfield Historic Field Days.

After the crowds and the many stalls and exhibits, it was strange to see the area almost completely desolate, just tracks where the parade had traveled and the few like ourselves who were making their departure.

Travel arrangements do not always go to plan — it had been decided to “make some miles” to allow more time for sightseeing in Nashville, Tenn. All was progressing more or less to plan when the traffic turned into a car-park as a result of a fatal accident some mile or so in front of us. For two and a half hours the only progress was to replace those vehicles which had turned around! When the road was eventually reopened, our group was separated and the front-runners continued on to Bedford, Ind., while three vehicles diverted to Heltonville, Ind., where we had a RV park booking at a picturesque national park forest. To end the day off, one of our tractors had a flat tire!

The good news of the day was that Jeff’s 9G had made a full recovery and was heading toward us, expecting to catch up in a day or so. Wendy and Jeff Fordham and Jeff Smith arrived from Australia near the end of our stay at Penfield, and Jeff and Cumber were able to organize a lift back to Stryker where the tractor had been undergoing repairs. We look forward to having a full contingent of five tractors again very soon.

Day 18

Those of us who had stayed at Heltonville made the trip into Bedford to catch up with the balance of the crew at the Wal-Mart store.

Morning tea seemed like a good idea, and soon it was 10:30 and we were late getting underway. A quick trip to Paoli and a chance to check out the best route options with Joe, a local sherriff. This conference resulted in the choice of Route 150 which was a two-lane road with fairly heavy traffic. This necessitated many stops to prevent the backlog of traffic and the day was suddenly behind schedule.

The route was scenic down 31 West, but the weather was very hot and we were all very glad to reach our chosen destination of Cave City, Ky., quite late in the day. Word from Cumber and Jeff was that they camped up for the night and should catch up Wednesday.

See photos and read more on Ron’s website,  TransworldTractorTreks.com .

Day 14

The weather started out overcast and looked a bit threatening but did not rain, to the relief of the I&I Antique Tractor and Gas Engine Club’s Historic Farm Days organizers who do not want the tracks to turn to mud.

The ladies took advantage of the offer by Lois Harms to take them shopping in Rantoul, Ill., while the men stayed behind and Ron, Peter and Neville chatted with the press. We have had excellent response from the media everywhere we have gone — word seems to spread like wildfire and here at Penfield there is a large contingent of press.

When the 1 p.m. parade started on this second day, Cumber was invited to be lead tractor and there was quite an array of large TV cameras focused on our tractors. There are quite large spectator stands at the starting area which is also used for activities such as tractor pulls etc. These stands were packed and when the parade was due to start, the U.S. national anthem was played while everyone stood to attention — it was a very stirring moment. The Americans are indeed very patriotic people, as well as being extremely friendly and welcoming.

Attendances on this second day of the four day event were high, with a huge number of golf buggies driving around the grounds at any time. Tractors double as “horses” in pulling sponsored covered people movers so no one has to walk further than they desire.

This was quite a relaxing day and gave members of the group a chance to check out the many exhibits or take the short trip into Rantoul. Late in the afternoon, Bill and Patty Swope from Perrysburg visited the Farm Days event and we caught up to share a meal. Patty’s mum Margaret once again showed her wonderful cooking abilities by sending chocolate chip cookies for each of our group.

Day 15

Day three of the Historic Farm Days started out looking dismal and very soon the rain came down in torrents and everyone found an indoor place to shelter.

By the time it eased up in the early afternoon, the tracks had all well and truly turned to mud and it was mid afternoon before the daily parade could be run. Once the sun came out, the crowds reappeared in large numbers and the fun continued.

After the daily parade of tractors, the various classes of tractor-pull commenced and ran until dusk, then the Steam Engine Spark Show was held at dusk — the fuel used is evidently sawdust and when lit up it sends up a plume of bright orange flame — a truly spectacular sight against the night sky. Then it was time for the fireworks, an amazing display and a truly wonderful end to a very full day.

Day 16

Sunday morning was a bright and sunny and cool, and once again the grounds were thronged with visitors, though not as many as the previous day.

Both the local churches, Catholic and Methodist, had services and three of our ladies attended the gospel music service at the Methodist church where there were several talented musicians in attendance, led by local celebrity Marvin Lee. None of this group read written music but gave us wonderful renditions of many favorites on instruments including the piano accordion and mouth organ, also a steel guitar, all in all seven musicians and vocalists.

The local who represents “Abraham Lincoln” so well joined in and gave a rendition of “Just an Old Rugged Cross” on a saw — quite amazing! In real life this gentleman is Mr. Gerald Bestrom from Hastings, Mich. We hear that he is soon to be entered in an Abraham Lincoln look-alike competition. We cannot see how anyone else could possibly look so authentic in the part.

The last day’s parade was really special as “Big Bud” was primed up and ready to roll as lead vehicle with the Chamberlains next in line. Second up was Sherry Schaefer, editor of the Heritage Iron magazine, who was driving Darius Harms’ Chamberlain Canelander, a rarity in these parts. Ron took the passenger seat to get a good vantage point for taking video of the event.

As the afternoon wore on, more and more of the stallholders disappeared, and there was a steady stream of vehicles towing tractors moving out of town. Our group was able to host a small group of people who we have come to know over the past four days and who have all gone out of their way to be helpful. We were indeed fortunate to have genuine fried chicken from Rube’s Country Cooking, who was a stallholder at this event. This was an opportunity to say thank you to these helpful people who have made this stopover so enjoyable.

See photos and read more on Ron’s website,  TransworldTractorTreks.com .

Day 12

We were underway by 7:45 a.m. for the long drive to Penfield, Ill., for the  I&I Antique Tractor and Gas Engine Club ’s  Historic Farm Days .

The day had started out bright and sunny but became quite overcast late in the morning and light showers became heavier as evening approached.

It was great to catch up with our good friend from our last visit to this area, Darius Harms, who is vice president of the I&I antique machinery club. Darius and his wife, Lois, came a short way out of town to meet us and bring our contingent into the show-grounds, already filling quickly with all manner of tractors etc.

Day 13

After a night of heavy rain, we awoke to find the grounds teaming with every conceivable machine and many people making last minute preparations.

Our tractors have had a very enthusiastic reception and many people have been around to ask questions about these unusual machines. Once again the press and TV were in attendance, and then at 1 p.m. it was time for the parade of tractors and this was again a lot of fun. Our Aussie tractors were invited to join the parade which they did with pride. The crowds are quite large but if the rain keeps away, tomorrow should see an even larger crowd.

One of the special exhibits at this year’s event is Big Bud, an absolutely huge tractor shipped in from Montana. This machine was built in 1977 and only retired last year and is a truly awesome piece of machinery.

In the evening most of the group joined some locals for a few quiet drinks and lots of fun at the Deer Club. Word has it that some trekkers continued on to another local establishment!

See photos and read more on Ron’s website,  TransworldTractorTreks.com .

Day 10

All the members of our group had been looking forward to visiting The Henry Ford at Dearborn, Mich., but the distance was too great to take the tractors.

We were therefore very grateful when Bev Miller (of Miller Tires) arranged for three locals to drive us in their vehicles to the museum near Detroit in Michigan. So at 7:30 a.m. the convoy of three vehicles and some 18 people made the two-hour trip to Dearborn.

What a fantastic place this is — one would need a week to do it justice. The Greenfield Village alone would take a day to see properly — everything from a working farm of the 1860s to a village of eight workshops featuring glass blowers, tinsmiths, printers, potters, etc., to a steam train trip around the extremity of the extensive property. Then there were the shops — authentic reproductions of the milliner, candy store, etc. A whole section of the village has recreations of different homes of the various periods and features Thomas Edison’s homestead. Along the streets meandered couples in period costume, always willing to stop and have a chat about the period of time they represent, and for a small fee, one could take a ride in a T Model Ford, or a horse-drawn or old-fashioned omnibus. The 96-year-old carousel was very popular with the younger visitors.

Next it was time to go to the separate Henry Ford Museum — an enormous building extending over 12 acres. This building houses every conceivable motor car, from the Kennedy Presidential Limousine to the smallest vehicle, a Quadricycle. There is the “Goldenrod” which was clocked at an average of 409 mph, favorite cars of the stars, various planes from man’s earliest attempts to master the skies, and the biggest exhibit of them all, the Allegheny Locomotive. Built in 1941, it’s one of the largest steam locomotives ever produced.

Then there are the tractors — every size and shape, and the farm and steam-powered machinery. Apart from the vehicles and machines, there are displays of silver and pewter ware from the 18th century onward, furniture, house designs, clockwork, jewelry — the list goes on and on. The feet run out of steam before the opportunities and here again one needs more time — many days in fact.

It was a weary band of travelers who returned to Archbold around 7 p.m.

Day 11

The day was again clear and sunny which gave good conditions for the press photo shoot before we left Carlos and Raffaela’s property with our thanks for their hospitality.

Allan and Carolyn made a direct trip to Ford Wayne for a specialist check up for her eye problem and the rest of the group made a leisurely trip via Hicksville and over the border into Indiana. Here, for the first time, we noticed evidence of lower rainfall over the last couple of weeks. The tomatoes, corn and soy plantations were looking a little stressed and the grass was browning off. This seemed to be fairly isolated however, and down the track the corn was bigger and greener than ever.

The short trip to Fort Wayne was accomplished in time for lunch and most of the afternoon was taken up with shopping and general chores, and giving interviews to press and TV. Ron was given the job of filming the presenter in the tractor with Cumber — he does not know how those cameramen (and woman in this case) hold those heavy cameras for such long periods of time. Unfortunately, the signal under the heavy canopy of lovely green trees at the Johnny Appleseed Campground was not strong enough to pick up the Fox channel, so we have not seen the results of our efforts.

We were happy to see Allan and Carolyn back late in the afternoon, and Carolyn was relieved to have been given a good report. Then it was a relaxing meal around the BBQ while watching the video of the July 4th Parade.

See photos and read more on Ron’s website,  TransworldTractorTreks.com .

Day 8

Breakfast was served on the patio at 6:30 by Margaret and her happy band of helpers — a wonderful array of cooked foods followed by pancakes, strawberries and maple syrup. 

This was a great start to a great day. We needed to be on the road by 7:15 a.m. to make the relatively short trip to Archbold. This was a lovely run on quiet roads through wheat, corn and soy bean crops. Bill Swope (Margaret’s son-in-law) guided us from Perrysburg to Pettisville where Carlos joined us and guided us to his home at Stryker, near Archbold.

Arrival time was 9:15 a.m., which gave us just half an hour to be looking our best before heading to Kunkle for the 4th of July Parade in which we had been invited to participate. This was a treat we had not been aware off, so it was with great excitement that the four operative tractors, Carlos’ wagon and our good friend Ed Roth’s vehicle made the journey to the small town of 400–600 residents (dependant on who is telling the story) for what turned out to be a fantastic parade — horses, wagons, trucks, tractors and our small contingent which raised a lot of eyebrows and much interest. A greeting of “Good-day, mate” to a small lad was answered with “Wot?”

The figure given for the numbers lining the streets was around 3,500, a large percentage of whom were children who were all merrily waving their American flags — we flew our Australian flags with pride, but all the tractors also carried some decoration in the red, white and blue which adorned almost every home and certainly every participant in the parade. Ron decided to video the whole parade so the rest of the party could see what they were missing, and it was only after the vehicles had driven a few miles down the road that it was noticed that he was missing! Some half an hour later he was delivered back to us on a quad bike! This was indeed a memorable event and one which none of us will forget.

Once back in Archbold, we were guests at lunch at the Sauder Barn, joined by Ed Roth and his friend Merle who entertained us with their music, then most trekkers went to the Sauder Village to have a look around before relaxing around the campsite at Carlos and Raffaela’s property.

Day 9

When Ron and Kerry last visited Archbold in 2008, they were made very welcome at the Mennonite Zion Church, so it was nice to be invited back again this trip.

A group of six trekkers were driven by Bob Frey and Ed Roth to the church for an enjoyable service which focused on the peoples of the world, so it was appropriate for our visit. Several of their members are joining some 3,000 Americans for a World Conference in Paraguay this month.

George and Cumber left at 1 p.m. to take Cumber’s nephew Brad to Detroit for his flight back to Phoenix. Brad had traveled with us for about a week and we really enjoyed his company.

Then it was party time again with a “meet and greet” at Carlos’s place. The local tire company, Miller Tires, supplied wonderful roast beef and all the locals brought a plate of salads or desserts to share — enough food for an army, let alone the large crowd who attended. Ed Roth and his band of musicians again entertained, along with other talented groups.

An effort by our members to represent Australia was well received but the fact that two song sheets carried different versions of “Waltzing Matilda” made for a rather garbled result! Dick and Allen entertained with a demonstration of sheep shearing while we sang “Click go the Shears” and we rounded off with “Advance Australia Fair.” Good fun but would not win any prizes! All round a really good day, and our thanks to Carlos and Raffaela for their efforts in organizing this event.

See photos and read more on Ron’s website,  TransworldTractorTreks.com .

Day 5

The day started out cool and damp, but soon brightened up.

Our early start did not take us far, just to the Historic Roscoe Village next door to the RV park. This is a small time capsule of the 1800s when the USA was serviced by a series of canals which were the only mode of transport between the early settlements. The Ohio and Erie Canals are long gone, but some of the buildings have been preserved as living history, and a section of the extraordinary stonework and one of the many locks has been incorporated into this village, as well as a museum and video presentation of the history of the canals. A couple of very enjoyable hours were spent there.

We were now in Amish Country and many buggies are in evidence, also very busy clothes lines — washing day for the large families of these interesting people who live such a simple lifestyle in a very efficient manner. Most families run businesses and we were indeed fortunate to have Carlos introduce us to Marvin, a wheelwright in the old-fashioned methods of making wheels in sizes ranging from T-Model Fords, through wagons to a large chandelier frame — truly amazing what they do with steam and basic but efficient machinery.

Trip continued northward through Berlin and Mt. Hope and we arrived in Wooster at 6:30 p.m., taking advantage of the opportunity to camp at the Wal-Mart store. It goes without saying that everyone had a shopping list — it is no wonder Wal-Marts are so generous!

Day 6

Day started out wet again, but showers were not heavy and we made it to New Haven in time for morning tea.

At Willard we turned north and joined the “Multi-Lane Divided 20” for the trip into Fremont, arriving mid afternoon. Unfortunately our patched up tractor decided to throw another “sicky” and has gone to Archbold for repairs and will rejoin us there. Bob Kline from the Sandusky County Restorers of Antique Power Inc. (SCRAP for short, what a great name!) kindly guided us into the fairgrounds — another helpful American. We have been offered powered sites at the fairgrounds — a chance to catch up with charging all the phone batteries. Mobile phone coverage has been very patchy and Internet access extremely limited.

Day 7

Once again we awoke to gray skies, but rain has kept away and the sun has made several appearances.

Bob collected us all at 8:30 this morning and gave us a run around the local area, mainly to those folk who collect old tractors and machinery — there were some really interesting machines, with many over 100 years old.

Then it was back to Fremont to collect our tractors and caravans and off to meet another enthusiast who had contacted us on the e-mail from an article which appeared in the Farm Collector magazine a few weeks ago. This chap, Bill Swope, has a mother-in-law, Margaret Sheldrick, who said she would love to have us all come and have a get-together with her family and friends and that is where we are now, enjoying the very best of hospitality at Perrysburg, Ohio. We are camping here overnight and heading further west in Ohio tomorrow.

So we have reached the end of our first week and have covered some 680 miles over really good roads.

See photos and read more on Ron’s website,  TransworldTractorTreks.com .

Day 1

Everyone was up early doing their final checks on trailers and tractors to have them look their very best for the 9 a.m. departure.

The convoy proudly took to the road for the first time, arriving at the Carroll County Farm Museum at 10 a.m. Quite a crowd of spectators had gathered to see these Aussie creations and tell their stories of their own tractors, and we were presented with calendars, books and other interesting material.

Our next destination was the Howard County farm museum where John and Virginia Frank made us very welcome and again we were guests at a wonderful spread, followed by a tour around the farm property on the back on a trailer pulled by a John Deere tractor. This farm museum is a work in progress, capturing the history of the area. Local school children, scouts, etc., have the opportunity to spend time here and learn the old-fashioned farming ways. This is an inspiring living museum and we really enjoyed our stay there.

Day 2

Our journey today is across Maryland through Frederick to meet up with a gentleman who contacted us by e-mail and has offered help with arranging guidance through the very hilly terrain on off-roads.

A head gasket problem with one of the tractors saw an emergency (tractor) operation in the main street of Hagerstown with the procedure taking a mere two hours before the convoy was on the way again. Despite this delay we caught up with Tom and his daughter Mary at Indian Springs and he introduced us to Chuck who would be our guide as far as Hancock.

The countryside is very beautiful and a rich shade of green after a particularly wet spring. The 11 miles of secondary roads takes us through areas not often visited by tourists and it was a very enjoyable experience. Once Chuck left us at Hancock, Mary took over as far as Cumberland, and then we were joined by an interested local, Steve, who offered to keep us on the right track right through to the Little Meadows Lake and campground at Grantsville.

A highlight of the day was an encounter by Barbara with a local, Patricia. They chatted about Barbara’s problem with sunburn on her arms causing discomfort and next thing, Patricia has taken off her protective long sleeved shirt and insisted Barbara wear it — another generous American, who like most we meet is excited at the news of just how far we are traveling.

Day 3

The hills are even steeper west of Grantsville, but are successfully navigated, again with the help of Steve who has volunteered to accompany us for the day.

Our journey takes us through Oakland where we have Neville’s exhaust welded courtesy of George at Allegheny Welding & Machine Inc. — again the generosity of the people we meet is incredible. After crossing into West Virginia we continue west through Grafton and Bridgeport before camping at West Union. Steve leaves us with our sincere thanks, and now Carlos has joined us and will take over as guide in his home state.

Day 4

Today was cool after quite hot and humid weather over the last few days and there were some fairly light showers.

Everyone we meet comments of how wet the spring and early summer have been, and we offer to have some precipitation sent down our way!

We continued down Route 50 West through Parkersburg, W.Va., and into Ohio. After the steep hills of West Virginia, it is a pleasant change to drive through undulating country on 338 North, then 83 North from Waterford through Cumberland and New Concord to Coshocton (pronounced “cshocton” as all the locals informed us).

Arrival at the Lake Park RV park was close to 5 p.m. and we were joined by a reporter from the Ohio Farmer, Tim White, who was intrigued with our happy band of Aussies and enjoyed some relaxing time with us as well as taking photos and making notes about our plans. A second reporter, Diane, from a local paper also came along so our presence in Coshocton, Ohio, was well noted.

See photos and read more on Ron’s website,  TransworldTractorTreks.com .

Seven members of the crew arrived in New York mid June and spent the next few days staying in New Jersey while looking around New York, organizing local phones, etc., before heading to Rhode Island to collect the Bywaters’ RV (motor home).

While there, four other crews chose camper trailers (caravans) to be their homes for the next three months and arranged to have them transported to Arcadia where we were to spend a couple of nights. Then it was south again, this time in the RV with seven passengers to Westminster where we all stayed at or behind the Boston Inn.

Allan and Carolyn arrived in their RV, and next morning Anne and George joined us after flying into Baltimore, so our numbers now stand at 11 with the final three members due early July. Four team members took the opportunity to travel to Niagara Falls while others stayed in Westminster and almost cleaned out the local shops with setting up their vans. We relocated to the Maryland Steam Historical Society Inc.’s headquarters at the Arcadia Showgrounds where we had arranged to have the camper trailers delivered.

Our four tourers rejoined us there after their very enjoyable trip to Niagara and Gettysburg. More shopping at the local Wal-Marts and we are starting to look and feel well equipped for the next three months. Eight of the group spent an enjoyable day in Washington D.C., a truly beautiful city with many spectacular memorials and monuments to commemorate their history.

A visit to the Arlington cemetery was a sober reminder of the price of war and the eternal flame of JFK’s resting place made for reflection on his sad premature loss. Starting out at 5:30 a.m. avoided most of the traffic, but the return journey to Arcadia took 2-1/2 hours for the journey of 60 miles (100 km).

The tractors eventually arrived on June 26th after many delays. The owners all looked proud and relieved to have their machines arrive in good order. Many hands were busy with last minute preparations to have everything ready for the start.

While staying in Arcadia, we had the assistance of Ken Warehime, the president of the Maryland Steam Historical Society Inc., and he and many of his society members could not do enough to help us and provided any assistance required, from adjustments to the tractors to BBQ plates and flagpoles. Then as a wonderful surprise on our last evening there, Melinda and her group of helpers hosted us to a fantastic spread in their hall. These people will always be remembered as good friends during the first often trying days of preparation.

See photos and read more on Ron’s website, TransworldTractorTreks.com.

Trace the adventures of a group of intrepid Australians as they cross the U.S. from east to west — driving classic Australian-built Chamberlain tractors. Estimated at 5,000 miles from start to finish, the trip is expected to take 10 weeks, ending in September. Here’s the first post by Ron Bywaters, originally posted on TransworldTractorTreks.com:

One of the Australian-built Chamberlain tractors that will make the trek across the U.S.

The first part of the adventure has already commenced with the five tractors having been loaded into sea containers on May 1, 2009.

The loading took place at the Westrac premises in Welshpool, which was part of the original Chamberlain manufacturing site.

The ship is now on the high seas with an expected arrival in the Port of Baltimore in mid June – Crews are busily packing their bags in readiness for their respective flights which will also see most crews arrive in the USA in mid June.

Final preparations are being made for the official send-off which will be from the town Westminster in Maryland on Saturday, June 27, 2009.

See photos and read more on Ron’s website, TransworldTractorTreks.com.