HIGH COUNTRY CRANK-UP

really did need the rain, and people who attend our show regularly
know to expect rain sometime during their stay. After a
two-hour-and-fifty-five minute rain that afternoon, the joke at the
show grounds became, ‘Do you know how to make it rain in
Boone?’ The answer ‘Plan an engine show!’

Our records show that the majority of our exhibitors and vendors
were from Florida to Colorado. Our local park ranger decided on
doing something other than a split-rail fence, which involved just
as much physical labor. He took a rather large cherry log and hewed
a very nice mantel, which turned out to be ideally suitable for a
log cabin. It sure looked like a lot of hard work! He not only made
lots of wood chips and shavings, but he attracted lots of
onlookers.

Of course, so did Lynn Castle with his log saw rig. Lynn’s
picture, along with the saw and his brother-in-law, Ben Wine
barger, are featured on page 13 of this year’s 1999 Steam
and Gas Show Directory. Ben’s son Neal, was also nearby
with a nice collection of small hit-and-miss gasoline engines, one
of which he used to power his shingle mill.

Mack, Kyle, and John Hodges used some of their engines as well,
for their corn meal grinding and antique wood lathe demonstrations.
All of the above mentioned displays are always conveniently located
near the food service area.

We try to reserve our front row of ‘gasoline alley’ for
our own club members, so everyone can see how much fun they are
having! Also, they can be easily located if they are needed for any
assistance or emergency. Look for my husband, John Hodges, in this
area. He usually has some kind of unusual eye-catcher. This winter
he had been working on a really weird contraption involving part of
his oiler collection.

Every time I pass by the steam engines, I find a crowd around
father and son Marvin and Raymond Scholl. They’re always
patiently answering questions, explaining how things work, where
they came from or what they were used for. Vendors were selling
most everything from all types of food, hand-crafted items, toys to
tarps.

Other interesting and impressive displays are the antique cars
and tractors. Rick Watson and Jeff Hodges, who take care of the
annual tractor parade, are already making plans for some additional
activities in this area for our special 20th annual show this
summer. Hopefully there will be a few other little changes,
too.

The Carolina Fly-Wheelers Engine Club and their family members
enjoyed our annual cook-out/picnic in September, as well as a train
ride on the Great Smoky Mountain Railway in November. We all had
such an enjoyable time that we’re thinking of making it an
annual event, too.

Come help us celebrate our 20th anniversary. Make plans now to
head for the hills to enjoy a great little engine show on July 23,
24 and 25, 1999. For information contact Raymond Scholl (828)
297-4406 or Betty Hodges (828) 264-4977.