The 2017 TRAN Tractor Drive is now in the books. We were planning on having a tractor parade on Friday, June 2nd down the main street of Holyoke, Colorado to the Nursing Home but a hard rain and lightning storm took care of that idea. The nursing home people didn’t want to be out in the rain and neither did the tractor drivers. The lot where the tractors were parked became a river that night with over 2 inches of rain falling.

 

Day One:

Jim Russell was the segment leader for the first leg of our drive. Saturday morning June 3rd found 18 tractors going to the Vets Club for breakfast. After a driver's meeting, we left Holyoke for Amherst, Colorado under gray skies. We drove in light rain for a short time but it was a nice drive. We drove from Amherst to Venango, Nebraska where the Tin Can Diner served us cinnamon rolls and coffee. After eating we left for Brandon. After a short stop at Brandon we drove on to Grant. We drove through the nursing home in Grant before going to the park for lunch. We then left Grant and traveled to the Kent Hilferty’s farm to see his tractor and machinery show. They had a very nice show and server ice cream and cool drinks. After Hilferty farm we headed on to Elsie for a break at the convenience store. From Elsie we drove on to Grainton for a short break. We then traveled on to Wallace and parked on Main Street and had a ribeye sandwich meal at T’s Bar & Grill. We parked for the night at the airport.

 

Day Two:

Segment leaders for June 4th were Art & Herman Hasenauer and Darrell Fisher. We had breakfast at the American Legion. We drove from Wallace to the Dickens cemetery for a break. Darrell read us some interesting facts about Dickens being bombed. We left Dickens and headed down the road to Bruce McDermitt’s Ranch to view his horse harness and antique collection. They served us donuts, cookies, and ice tea. After the ranch, we headed south on Wagon Trail Road for Wellfleet. It was a very beautiful drive uphill and down and winding around. The Wellfleet Fire Department and the Community Club served us lunch. We left Wellfleet and traveled south on country roads and intersected with Hwy 83/23 a few miles north of Maywood. We stopped at the Maywood Park for water and waited for the Legion Riders from Bartley to meet us and escort us into Curtis. That makes a tractor driver feel proud to be led by veterans on bikes. We arrived in Curtis and drove by the nursing home and the NE College of Technical Agriculture campus and then to the part for supper served by the American Legion. Anyone that wanted was invited to Howard Raymond’s museum to look at his collection.

 

Day Three:

June 5th segment leaders were Darrell Fisher and Randy Edson. The Curtis Rotary served us breakfast and then we headed for Moorefield. At Moorefield, we toured the Lazy RW Whiskey Distillery. We left for Moorefield north on country roads to go through the railroad trestles and see the scenery. At Farnam we had donuts and drinks at AJ Finn’s. Then we drove to Dan Pohl’s farm just west of Eustis to view his tractor collection. From there we traveled on to Elwood for lunch at the fair building fixed by the Lions Club. We viewed Ernie Fiene’s tractors and drove by the nursing home on the way out of Elwood and on toward Bertrand. At Bertrand we stopped at the nursing home so anyone that wanted could come and look at the tractors and talk to the drivers. Then on to Loomis for a water and food break at the park. After a short stop it was on the Holdrege. We stopped at the Christian Nursing Homes on the west side of town for everyone to look and talk and then drove on to Memorial Homes on the east side of town and stopped for another visit. After leaving the nursing home we drove on to the fairgrounds for the night and enjoyed a wonderful meal fixed by the 4-H club.

 

Day Four:

Segment leaders for June 6th were Marv Sierks, Pam Shears and Elmer Spurrier. After breakfast provided by Joe Gangwish with Old Iron, we headed for the Rod Eppings farm to view his collection of stationary engines and Rumley Oil Pulls. We then headed on to Axtell for a break. After the break, we headed on to Minden. On the west side of Minden, the Patriot Riders lead us to Bethany homes and then to the courthouse where we parked for lunch served by the American Legion. We left Minden going past the Kearney County Rest Home and headed towards Steve Plembeks’s home of rural Holstein to see his large John Deere Collection. We then traveled on to Hastings and arrived at Orschlens for the night. The Rural Ranchers 4-H club served supper and the Classic Cloggers from Giltner entertained us during supper.

 

Day Five:

June 7 segment leaders were Rich and Donna Wilton. We drove from the Orschelen parking lot to the Good Sam Village for breakfast and then drove around the nursing home there. After breakfast we had a tour of Whelan Energy Plant. Then we drove on and had a stop at the Highway Building. At Clay Center we had lunch at the American Legion. After lunch we drove to the Hrauska Meat Animal Research Center for a tour. We then traveled to Neunakamp’s barn home.. It was a beautiful home that was originally a barn. Then we drove on to Sutton for supper at the American Legion. The tractors spent the night at the Fox Hollow Motel.

 

Day Six:

June 8th segment leaders were Ron and Donelle Moormeier. Breakfast was served at the Sutton American Legion. We drove on to Fairmont where we parked in front of the Fairview manor and visited with the residents. It was on to Exeter where we had lunch at the Legion Hall served by the Exeter Woman’s Club, Exeter Chamber of Commerce and the American Legion Auxiliary. We left and arrived in Friend to tour the Opera House and be shuttled by vans to Tuttle Manufacturing. Then it was on to Crete where we drove by Tabitha Care Facility. We parked the tractors at Crete Mills and had supper at the VFW sponsored by the Nebraska Farm Bureau. We parked for the night at Tuxedo Park.

 

Day Seven:

Ron and Donelle Moormeir’s were segment leaders on June 9 for the trip from Crete to Lincoln. The Crete FFA Almuni Association and the Crete High School FFA served us breakfast. It was a beautiful day for a drive around the Capital. Over 90 tractors left Crete for the staging area north of Denton. A big thank you to Jerry Barnett for letting us stage on his property to get ready for the drive on into Lincoln and around the capital and parking at his parking lot in Lincoln. Without his help, the trip into Lincoln would not have been possible. Before the tractors left the staging area the drivers were treated with hamburgers, chips, and water. We served over 200 people and 152 tractors left for the trip to drive around the capital. 149 tractors made the entire trip around the capital and on to the parking lot between Pinnacle Bank Arena and Memorial Stadium. At 4:00 p.m. Doug Hrbek introduced District16 Senator Lydia Brasch who provided a nice speech along with the reading of the Proclamation of June 9th being Nebraska Antique Farming Day. District 33 Senator Steve Halloran and former District 30 Senator Norm Wallman also said a few words. At 6:00 p.m. the tractors headed back to the staging area where some stayed the night and others loaded up and headed home. The trip around the capital was a “once in a lifetime” event. PRICELESS

 

Day Eight:

June 10th segment leaders were Duane Starr, Bruce Meyer and Loren Peterson. The tractors left the staging area and headed for the first stop of the day at Casey’s at the corner of Bennet Road and Hwy 2. From there the tractors drove to The Camp Creek Thresher’s show grounds where the Camp Creek Antique Machinery & Threshers Association provided lunch. We left the show grounds and headed for Baker Candy in Greenwood. Then we left to Ashland and then onto the Holy Family Shrine Church. Some of the tractors got there late because of being split up and didn’t get to see the shrine because it closed at 5:00. From the shrine the tractors traveled on into Springfield where they spent the night at the fairgrounds.

 

Day Nine:

June 11 Barry Jose was the segment leader to go on to Plattsmouth. Today the TRAN and RT2D tractors parted ways to begin with. The RT2D(Red Tractors to Des Moines) and the TRAN tractors to Plattsmouth. Before the drive started Beth Linn the Nebraska Department Legion Commander was presented a check for OCW for a total of $3599. More money is expected to come in from places that were going to take out their expenses and send rest to us for OCW. About 35 tractors drove on with the TRAN group towards Louisville for a break and then on to the Hammons JD tractor collection and also his large Case Steam engine that was 100 years old that day. We had lunch at the Hammons farm and then headed out to load out tractors and say goodbye to all our tractor friends.

 

TRAN 2017 was a huge success. It was not without trials, tribulations, and triumphs. It was a once in a lifetime experience with friends, new and old, and a trip around the capital at Lincoln. Each year is a great experience. PRICELESS Hope you can join the fun next year. THANKS TO ALL WHO WERE A PART OF TRAN 2017!! Without each and every one of you, TRAN could not be held. See you on TRAN 2018