|
GREEN
and RED,
YELLOW and
ORANGE,
BLUE and
GRAY and a few other
colors, too, they wound their way along the historic Illinois
and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor in Will, Grundy
and LaSalle counties for three days in June, bringing back
memories to many – and making new memories for many more.
The 2002 Heritage Tractor Adventure
drew 189 drivers (including 10 women) and their antique
tractors from eight states to participate. The furthest
participant traveled with his tractor from Carefree, Arizona.
The oldest tractor in the ride was a
1933 Case C. Some unique brands also were represented with a
1958 Cockshutt, 1952 David Bradley, 1949 Shebbard and a 1939
General on hand.
More than 8,000 people are estimated
to have attended the six major events along the route,
including more than 2,000 at the "Noon at Night" stageshow at
the Grundy County Fairgrounds, according to Ross Ament,
president of the Heritage Corridor and Visitors Bureau, the
event’s organizing group.
Off to the races
In what one newspaper account termed
"the slowest lap ever at the Chicagoland Speedway," WGN Radio
farm broadcaster Max Armstrong, perched atop his Farmall Super
M, led a contingent of tractors partially around the Joliet
track to begin the ride.
"Gentlemen – and ladies – start your
engines . . . if you can," he joked before leading the group
around the NASCAR oval. Armstrong, who also lends his voice
talents to 1st FCS’ radio spots on WGN and other stations
across the association’s territory, is an antique tractor
enthusiast and was the event’s primary catalyst, leading the
group from start to finish along the more than 100 mile
course.
According to Ament, 11 communities,
three counties and 14 associations, community groups and
businesses assisted in hosting the ride. City, county and
state law enforcement agencies led and trailed the tractors to
help ensure their safety on the roads. The drivers were
organized into 10 groups based on ground speed, with the
slowest group averaging about six miles per hour.
The FS System of member cooperatives
was the presenting sponsor of the event, with affiliated
GROWMARK, Inc. donating all the fuel used by the tractors.
About 3,500 gallons of gasoline, 900 gallons of soy-enhanced
diesel fuel and 12 gallons of LP gas were used to power the
parade of vintage tractors, according to GROWMARK.
Supporting AITC
The Heritage Tractor Adventure began
with a parade in Joliet on Sunday, June 9. The ride began the
next day, traveling from the speedway to Minooka and ending in
Morris at the Grundy County Fairgrounds for a pork dinner
sponsored by the Grundy County Farm Bureau.
As one of the businesses assisting
in the hosting of the ride, 1st FCS team members were on hand
at a display during the "Noon at Night" program at the
fairgrounds featuring Armstrong and fellow WGN Radio farm
broadcaster Orion Samuelson.
The highlight of the evening was the
auction of the 1939 Farmall F-20 once owned by Samuelson’s
father – the first tractor driven by the farm broadcaster.
Proceeds of the auction went to support the statewide Ag In
The Classroom (AITC) program. Samuelson had last operated the
tractor in 1965.
The rusted tractor – or what was
left of it -- was "rescued" from a Wisconsin field. Spirited
bidding ended when Darrius Harms of Plattville, Illinois
submitted the final bid of $6,750 on behalf of Robert
Schoenbeck of Richmond, Illinois. Harms is the president of
Illinois Chapter 10, International Harvester Collectors Club
of Central Illinois. Schoenbeck is a club member and he and
other members plan to restore the tractor.
Other fundraising activities during
the evening pushed the total for AITC above the $10,000 mark.
Along the Illinois
The following day, the tractors left
Morris, travelling to Seneca and then on to Ottawa to the
LaSalle County 4-H Fairgrounds where the county’s Farm Bureau
sponsored a barbecue and the Corridor Canallers and
Gallimaufry Singers presented a history of the I & M Canal in
re-enactment and song. 1st FCS was again on hand with a
display.
The final day saw the tractors split
into two main groups, with the slower one departing for
Streator and the
faster ones making its way to Streator via Utica, Starved Rock
State Park and Grand Ridge. In Streator, Max Armstrong wrapped
up the event with an awards ceremony.
It is hoped the ride will become an
annual event, particularly by many of the drivers, says Ament.
In fact, one driver was quoted as saying, "This is the best
experience since my honeymoon! |
