A TEENAGER’S VIEW OF VALLEY CENTER SHOW

decided to slide behind the wheel of our Cadillac for the five
hundred fifty mile trip. We felt bad that our little engine
couldn’t be with us on our trip. We didn’t want to leave it
behind in the shed all alone.

On Saturday morning, we started out bright and early at 5:00
a.m. The first two hours of the trip weren’t very exciting.
Watching the pavement whiz under the car lights was about all there
was to see. After the sun came up, one could now see the
fascinating fence rows outside the window. For breakfast, we
stopped and had some chalk and paste pancakes at a fast food cafe
along the way. After breakfast, we headed back south again. We kept
hoping that, around the next bend, Wichita would miraculously
appear. It didn’t. We arrived at our hotel at 5:00 p.m.
According to the car’s climate center, the outside temperature
had cooled back down to 105 degrees. Sometimes it is best to arrive
a little late.

The show was great. There were the ‘outlaws’, carousel,
crafts, model airplanes, the incline, model steam engines, and of
course, BIG steam engines. All our steam buddies were there. The
Burds were present. Mahlon was around, too. If you looked hard
enough, you could even catch a glimpse of Tom helping someone out
of a fix. We thoroughly enjoyed the two days of the show we saw.
Tom knows how to throw a steamer party.

Our trip home was just as exciting as our trip down. Upon
arriving back on the farm in Iowa, we started using the new ideas
we found in Kansas. First to be done was the construction of a
water wagon for our steamer. It was operational four weeks after
the show. The incline test Tom performed at his show impressed me
quite a lot. It has me wanting to drive up every hill or rise I
find.

The show taught us quite a bit. I hope that everyone interested
in antiques and steam engines has an opportunity to visit a show
like the Terning’s show.