TRAN 2021 REVIEW

Because it was a special year and we wanted to honor all the founders of NAFA, we based our drive out of the Legacy of the Plains Museum in Gering, NE.  The museum is where we ended our first drive in 2012 so it seemed to be the perfect place to return.  We started our drive each day from the Legacy so no one had to move ahead each morning and we reduced the days of driving to five.

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June 4, 2021 - Participants of the drive started arriving in Gering at the Legacy of the Plains Museum to unload on Friday afternoon.  As participants arrived they were greeted with bags filled with information and giveaways.  Those that had campers checked in at the Robidoux RV Park just down the road from the Legacy.  Others checked in at their hotels.  The Monument Inn & Suites extended a special rate for TRAN participants.  They also donated water and ice for the drive.  Trailers were parked across the street from the Five Rocks Amphitheater.  If you had a golf cart or side by side you could take the road through this parking lot and the cemetery to get to the Legacy without traveling on the main highway.

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Day One:

June 5th, 2021 - We traveled 68 miles and had 64 people registered. A driver's meeting was held at the Legacy at 7:45 AM.  The first break was taken at 10:00 AM at CR H between CR 6 and CR7 where there were some entertaining prairie dogs.  After the break, we headed to WYO Wine-Table Mountain Vineyard in Wyoming.  as we crossed the state line pictures were taken of each tractor.  Arriving at the winery at lunchtime we were served hamburgers, chips dessert water/tea/coffee for $12.00.  The owners also told us a little about how they came about operating a winery and we enjoyed a wine tasting.  Several people bought wine to enjoy later.  As we crossed the State line pictures were taken again.  A break was taken around 3:00 PM at CR R and Stegell Road.  As we returned to Gering we all drove to the gas station for a mandatory fill-up.  We then traveled to the Legion Post 36 for supper of Tastee sandwiches, french fries salad, dessert, iced tea, and water for $6.00.  The tractors were parked so that the public could view them.  After supper we all headed back to our campers and hotels

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Day Two:

June 6th, 2021 - We traveled 2.6 miles and had 71 people registered.  At 9:30 we had a non-denominational church service outside the Legacy of the Plains Museum.  Scotty Andreason and Steven Fisher were our pastors for the morning. A bulletin had been prepared with the songs and readings for the attendees. Services were over about 10:30 and we proceeded to set up the Legacy of the Plains open foyer area for our brunch and presentations.  Brunch started at 11:00 AM served by caterers from the Gering Civic Center.  There were egg casseroles, fruit, pastries, croissant sandwiches of chicken salad, beef and ham, strawberry spinach salad, broccoli bacon salad, potato salad, iced tea and coffee for $15.00.

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Presentations of plaques and photo books were made to the founders that attended, Jim Russell, Gary Metzger, Howard Raymond, and Jack Preston.  The founders each told us a little about how they started NAFA.  Banners from previous TRANs were silent auctioned and proceeds went to OCW.  Past photo books and scrapbooks were available for members to look through, along with the plaque of those who have passed.  At 3:00 PM everyone went to their tractors to take a drive up to Scottsbluff National Monument.  The tractors were unable to take a drive up to the top of the Summit Road, however, members were shuttled up with pickups to take in the beautiful view.  At 6:00 PM everyone came back to the Moormeier Nebraskaland Trailer at the RV park to have a supper of burgers, brats, chips, salads, cookies water, and ice cream that was sponsored by the Nebraska Antique Farming Association.  There were items from Steiner that were auctioned off and proceeds again going to OCW.  It was a good day and seems that many liked the relaxing Sunday.

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Day Three:

June 7th, 2021 - We traveled 54 miles and had 64 people registered. Everyone had breakfast on their own. Driver's meeting at the Legacy of the Plains at 8:15 AM. We left the Legacy at 8:30 and headed for the Wildcat Hills area. We took County Roads about 12 miles and came into the back entrance of Wildcat Hills Visitor Center. We took a break at the first road that we could turn off and viewed the beautiful scenery. We then traveled onto the Visitor Center and toured the center and observation deck and gift shop. At 11:30 we left the Wildcat Hills visitor center and traveled Highway 71 for approximately 12 miles to Laura Lee's Double L Country Store. Laura is normally not open on Monday's, however she opened especially for TRAN. We enjoyed a lunch of fried chicken, potato salad, coleslaw, dinner roll, iced tea, and water. The meal cost participants $7.00 and NAFA paid the additional $5.00 from monies that were donated from Steiner Tractor Parts. We could purchase pop and beer and many bought pie and/or ice cream for dessert. At 2:30 we left to head back to Gering. We ended up taking the highway because of the high winds that made the Country Roads very dusty. We stopped again at Wildcat to get a group picture. We had scheduled a mandatory fill at the WTT Truck Stop however we will be going past it in the morning so instead we headed to the Log Cabin Restaurant for supper. We had a meal of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, vegetables, dinner salad, iced tea and coffee for $10.70 plus tip. After supper, everyone headed back to their motels or campers.

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Day Four:

June 8th, 2021 - We traveled 45 miles and had 63 people registered. Breakfast was on our own this morning.  We changed our starting time to accommodate a mandatory fill-up that we did not do last night.  we had a driver's meeting at 7:30 and headed to fuel at the WTT Truck Stop at 7:45 AM.  After everyone filled we headed to the nursing homes in Scottsbluff.  It was hard to gauge what time we would be at the nursing homes because of traffic, lights, etc.  We ended up at the Western NE Veterans Home at 1102 West 42nd Street a little early. We then traveled to Monument Care Rehabilitation Center, Emerald Court, Well Life at Scottsbluff, Heritage Park, and Residency at Northfield Community where we took a break.  We had lunch at Shari's Cafe around 11:15 AM.  We were served hamburgers a side, cola, tea or coffee for $10.00.  Many enjoyed a delicious piece of pie also.  At 12:30 we left for Lake Minatare.  We arrive at the Lighthouse and had interviews with the Vanderfords for Pure Nebraska.  we also had pictures taken by Andrew Smith of Adventure Photography.  We left the lighthouse around 3:30 and again had a mandatory fuel fill as we went past the WTT Truck Stop.  We arrived at the Union Bar around 6:00 PM for a taco bar supper.  The Vanderfords were celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary with us that night at the bar.

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Day Five:

June 9th, 2021 - We traveled 48 miles and had 42 people registered. American Legion Department Adjutant Dave Salak, Executive Assistant Amanda Washburn, and Media Specialist Kylea Pestel joined us on our travels today. A drivers meeting was held at 7:45 and we left for Chimney Rock at 8:00 a.m.
We took a break along a county road at 9:00 and arrived at the Chimney Rock Museum around 10:30. Drivers enjoyed touring the museum and some drivers drove up the road a little bit to get their pictures taken by Andrew Smith from Adventure Photography. We left Chimney Rock around 11:45 and headed to McGrew to the Pink Palace for lunch at 1:00 PM. We had hamburgers, salad, chips, tea and coffee for $10.50 tax and tip not included. We left the Pink Palace around 2:00 p.m. and took a break along a county road at 2:45. We arrived back at the Legacy of the Plains around 4:00 p.m.
The total monies that were collected for OCW were counted and a "BIG" check of $4,900 was presented to Dave by our treasurers Rich Wilton, Steven Fisher, and President Ron Moormeier. Dave talked about the good that this check would do for the vets and also about a program that was specifically for the Nebraska vets. Dinner was on our own this evening and some loaded up and headed home and others waited until the next morning to head back home. At our next meeting, we voted to add an additional $100 to the donation for OCW, so a total of $5,000 was sent to the American Legion.

THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE 2021 TRAN.

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