Running away from home

Rick and I have never been much for traveling, but every once in a while we just need to run away from home. Our once-a-year- trip was last weekend. We left after Farmer’s Market on Saturday and drove to Billings. I know, that isn’t much of a trip, but we actually stayed over for TWO nights in a motel. 

The reason for the get away was a tractor show that is always held on the third weekend of August near a small town about 12 miles east of Billings. We have gone most every year for about the last 30 years or so. It is just a gathering of old tractor and engine enthusiasts that bring their stuff; some of it restored, some not, to show off, play with and visit over. 

Saturday afternoon we drove to the big city, stopped at WinCo the Hobby Lobby and then to the motel. A very small mom and pop type place in a way out of the way place. The evening was fun; I even made Rick watch a couple of old episodes of Walker Texas Ranger. We both agreed that we would have not wanted to be the stunt men he always beat up. 

Sunday was show day so we spent all day walking around, visiting, eating things we shouldn’t, and visiting more Just soaking in the atmosphere of old engines, tractors and the people who love them. 

The club has three steam engines, and of course lots of vintage tractors. The oldest being a 1910 Titan, and I think the newest one I saw there was a John Deere 5020. The “Parade of Power,” a time when the tractors are driving past the viewing stands was the biggest, I think I have ever seen there. 

Since this year was the National show for the EDGE & TA (Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Association) there were people there from Alaska to Arizona. I had a good visit with some people from Alaska, Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, etc. Just after noon I decided to grab something to eat. Then Rick and I sat in the shade and just listened to the old single-cylinder engines run. They are called “hit and miss” engines because they don’t fire on every stroke, only when the speed slows down. Then they fire again and they kind of just pant. One of them blew smoke rings on every fire stroke. 

Thanks to Angie for taking care of our stuff here at home, the dog, the chickens and the cat so we could have this time to get away and see many old friends. Speaking of friends, there was a 1940 fire engine that lived most of its life in Enid, Oklahoma where my best friend from high school also lived. 

We came home on Monday and then on Tuesday we voted.

Marinated Macaroni Salad

5 cups cooked macaroni

1 medium cucumber, diced and seeds removed

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small jar pimento

1 teaspoon parsley

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons mustard

1 teaspoon pepper. 

1 ½ cup vinegar

1 ½ cup sugar, ½ cup oil 

Mix macaroni, cucumber, pimento, onion, parsley, salt, pepper and mustard. Boil vinegar and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Cool and add oil. Pour over the macaroni mix. Refrigerate for at east 12 hours.