Tractor Tricks

Today we went to the Puget Sound Antique Tractor Show and watched the tractor pulls. Great fun. I love living in a county where tractors are cool.

Tractors were hitched to a trailer and the trailer was loaded with different weights and the winner was the one who could pull the furthest. Some had speed limits of 3 mph, others 6, 9, and 12. If they went over their limit, a very loud and annoying bell rang. It sounds weird, but 12 mph in a tractor looked really fast.

This tractor was driven by a guy from our hometown. Dan said his dad had a tractor just like this and Dan used to drive it when he was growing up on the ranch. The drivers intentionally deflated the back tires so they got better traction.

Some blew lots of black smoke.

Some tractors spun out. They were burnin' rubber! Look at that back wheel go. Some even did wheelies.Some did really big wheelies.

It was a fun outing for the day. On the ride home, Dan and I reminisced about how much Henry used to love tractors. And trains and all trucks. He was a "wheel kid." As opposed to a "ball kid" who only loves sports. Henry loved all things with wheels. Passing by a tractor dealership - Henry used to just lose it - he was so excited. Passing by a construction site - amazing just how entertaining that was. He knew the name of every construction truck you can imagine. And if a train passed by when we were driving and we weren't able to catch up next to it and watch - he was in tears.

And today? He can kind of take it or leave it. Today was interesting for him, but all that youthful wonder and passion for tractors... gone. Oh well - Dan and I had a great time!