Friday, June 3:
Participants started arriving during the day at the Cedar County Fairgrounds. At 6:00 p.m. we toured the Jerry Fischer IH Collection at their Tree Nursery which was just South of the Fairgrounds. We ate supper and enjoyed an evening of visiting and viewing their collection.

Day One: Saturday, June 4 – Hartington to S. Sioux City 73 miles / 45 registered

Segment Leader: Ken Kneifl 
Breakfast was on our own. It was raining when the trucks and trailers headed out at 5:45 a.m. for the Dakota Thurston County Fair Grounds. 8:15 a.m., we had a driver’s meeting and collected $9.00 for boxed lunches. 8:30 we left for the Mulberry Bend State Wildlife Management Area arriving there for a break at 10 a.m. After the break we headed to the Ionia Volcano &
Cemetery. We left there and arrived at the Casa De Paz in Newcastle at 12:20 p.m. for lunch. We departed at 1:45 p.m. and stopped at the C & Country Store along Hwy 12 for a break. We left there at 3:15 p.m. and arrived at American Legion Post 307 in S. Sioux City for supper. It was a free-will offering for OCW/Gifts for Yanks. At 7:00 p.m. we headed to the
Dakota/Thurston County Fairgrounds with a mandatory fuel stop at the Pony Express Station.

Day Two: Sunday, June 5 – S. Sioux City 37 miles 

Segment Leaders: Barry Denning and Scotty Andreasen
We departed for the Siouxland Freedom Park at 8:15 a.m. At 9:15 we had a Tractor Church Service outside led by Steven Fisher and Scotty Andreasen. It was a very beautiful day with a very inspiring service! We toured the Freedom Park area after the church service. At 10:30 a.m. we departed for the oldest wood-framed church in Nebraska still in existence. There John Vanderford from Pure Nebraska caught up with us for an interview. We then traveled to the Dakota City American Legion Post 376 in Dakota City for brunch. At 12:30 p.m. we departed for the Dakota County Historical Museum of Machinery and the
O’Conner House and Combs School at 2470 Blyburg Road. At 2:30 we had planned to leave the Museum and travel to the Continental Springs retirement community and Azria Health Regency Square. However, we got caught in a heavy rainstorm on the way there and had to cancel our plans and head directly to the Dakota/Thurston County Fairgrounds. In 11 years of driving, that was the most rain we have encountered while driving. We had planned to have our picnic supper at the Moormeier’s Nebraskaland trailer. However it was raining, so we moved the supper under one of the open buildings at the Dakota Thurston County Fairgrounds. Steiner Tractor Parts provided the funds for the supper. We had banners from previous years, a painting by Jolene Andreasen, a framed antique tractor photograph by Steven Fisher and some extra brats that were auctioned off for OCW and Gifts for Yanks! It was a good time for visiting, a little friendly bantering and getting to know your fellow antique tractor drive enthusiast.

Day Three: Monday, June 6 – S. Sioux City to Wayne 45 miles

Segment Planners: Ron and Donelle Moormeier

Kyle Petsch, Fred Petsch, Ron Moormeier, and Mike Fuehrer (aka “Worms”) ran the route the evening before and because of the rain, Kyle led the group on an alternate route. 6:00 a.m. trucks and trailer moved ahead to Wayne. Breakfast was on our own. Mary Weeder picked up our box lunches at Hy-Vee and money was collected at the Driver’s meeting. 8:30 a.m., we left
for Tim Heikes Collection on our alternate highway route. Our next stop was to be at David Nelson’s collection for lunch -- however the rain had made the roads too slick, so we did not stop at David’s.

We stopped in Emerson at the park for our boxed lunch. Because of the rain and muddy roads, we did not stop at Francis Schmale Collection and traveled to Concord and took a break at the Dixon County Fair Grounds. There were some that did go to David’s home by pickup as he was interested in selling some of his collection. After our break at Concord, we headed to the Wayne County Fair Grounds for the evening. Pizza was delivered for supper, and we enjoyed an evening of visiting.

Day Four: Tuesday, June 7 – Wayne to Pender 44 miles

Segment leader: John Ferguson
6:30 a.m. the trucks and trailers departed to move ahead to Pender Community Center. 8:00 a.m. Breakfast at the Wayne Fairgrounds, $10/person, sausage, biscuits and gravy casserole, ham, egg and cheese casserole, muffins, cinnamon rolls, fruit, coffee, and juice. 9:00 a.m. Drove past nursing homes and headed for Wakefield where we had a break with coffee and cookies. 10:45 a.m., we left Wakefield and traveled to Emerson Park Shelter where lunch of pulled pork sandwiches, chips, baked beans, salad, water and canned pop for $10.00. The Veteran’s Memorial was on display for us. 1:15 p.m., we departed for Thurston where we took a break before traveling on to Pender. We arrived at the parking lot by the Veteran’s Memorial Park/Community Center in Pender. A baked potato bar with all the toppings was served for $15.00/person. There was also a cash bar which that money went to our causes.

 

Wednesday, June 8 – Pender to West Point 32 miles

Segment Leaders: Fred Petsch & Mike Fuehrer
6:30 a.m. moved the trucks and trailers ahead to West Point Auto & Truck Center. Breakfast of biscuits and gravy, fresh fruit, coffee, and juice for $8.00 were served at the Pender Community Center. 8:45 a.m. We went to the Blue Ox to tour their facility. 10:00 a.m., we traveled to the John G. Neihardt State Historical Site in Bancroft. 11:45 a.m., we traveled to ReDue’s Mart to have lunch of pulled park or sloppy joe with baked beans, chips, potato salad, cookie or bar and bottle of water or can of pop for $8.00. 1:00 p.m., we left for Burt County and traveled onto West Point. We arrived in West Point around 2:45 p.m. and everyone loaded up to head home.

 

We raised a total of $6080 in the 5 days and split it one half going to American Legion National program Operation Comfort Warriors and the other half going to Nebraska Legion Gifts for Yanks program.

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THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE 2022 TRAN.

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