Towing

Check out the 57 Metro and what it's going to look like towing Sophia!! - over at the RETRO METRO blog

A Sweet Soverign little trip

Ok, we pulled the trailer over to Bowman Lake State Park on Thursday night, where we stayed after doing Thursday night chores. We got up early Friday morning, towed home and did the morning chores ( goat milking, watering all 100 + animals, hay to the sheep and goats, chicken feed to chickens and fed the dogs). We then got underway headed for the Herkimer NY KOA, where we were taking the boys to the Herkimer Diamond Mines to do a little treasure hunting. We had a blast. We arrived at 1pm, got set up and were in the mines around 230pm or so. 30 minutes later, my left index finger was gushing the red stuff... after miles and miles of telling the boys how careful they needed to be.. it was I, that ended up needing stitches.. well - we just glued it together... and a band aid!! Deep cut!! We went back to the campground and walked down to the river to Crayfish Island. Later that evening, we did the KOA wagon ride, Zoe' started the fire, then the kids had the 2100 Candy Hunt by flashlight.
Up this morning, Zoe' made bacon and eggs, hooked up and rolled for Sharon Springs, where the farm market and the Beekman Mercantile were on the list of "Things to do". We made it and it was a blast.
We slowly meandered back home via state routes 20 and 12, stopping for ice cream and food along the route.
What a great and albeit short family outing in Sophia - our Sweet, Sweet Sovereign of the Road!

One of stops this weekend was here in Richfield Springs, NY. It is at the Petrified Creature Museum and the boys have always wanted to stop. I've got a nice vintage Impko water decal for this place, so we stopped in today to earn the decal for the door of the Airstream.

Woah - I think we spotted the Bounder Buddy here at the Diamond mines. Could it be?

Looked in the back seat this afternoon, around 4pm, and Finn was falling asleep... a quick turn off the Route 12 heading south and we landed in North Brookfield at the King's Mills General Store. A really neat place.. like stepping back in time!

The rig parked out in front of the Beekman 1802 Mercantile.

At the Tunclif Creamery, Richfield Springs, NY... a great ice cream stop!

The boys hard at work sifting for treasure.

A short break munching of popsickles

Great fun! Great Memories.

Sweet Hall of Fame 2011

Here's the Sovereign of the Road as it departs the old Hyde Estate in Cooperstown, NY. It was part of a party Friday night for the Chairman's event at the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction weekend. That's the gate house in the backdrop.

The Sweet Sovereign sitting above Otsego "Glimmerglass" lake in Cooperstown, here on the old Hyde Estate.

The event was a "Diner's, Drive-Ins' and Dives" themed event. Below is one of the props for the event... above was the main feature and according to the Chairman - Sensational!!

Upon pickup on Saturday, Jane presented me with an Old Grand Dad trailer.

This is now one of my prized possessions... signed by the 2011 Baseball Hall of Fame Class - Roberto Alomar, Bert Blyleven, and Pat Gullick... priceless!!

Diamond Brite

Asked what polish I'm using. Diamond Brite Metal Truck Toolbox Polish... found in your Lowe's in the truck toolbox isle.. usually about eye level on a shelf. I love the stuff.

Here is one bottles worth. Getting there!

A few polishing videos

As picked up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW1Kj3kr8pA

Polishing on the 1958 Caravanner:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4QpoJcIAko

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHav-OY0b0w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xA43oMS__A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvaoRQ1yVO0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A72oY3xix9s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_WCGA6ZPOQ

Enjoy!!

One of our new projects

Our 1957 International Harvester Metro Van - http://57metro.blogspot.com/

Mission Successful

Well, the fetching of the 1958 Airstream Caravanner went well! Actually, extremely well. If you look off the to the right on my "Blog links" you will see one titled "Another 1958 Restoration" - well, this is LeRoy. He was started and now we will finish him!! I used some tires from a friend that I got them from in Frederick.... the photo directly below if gasing up in Frederick, MD - ironically.

Gasing up in Frederick, MD

1 mile into the tow - in Mount Solon, VA

At Dorsey's Market..... making a needed rest stop and checking the hubs. Mounted the new tires on 30 year old grease.... they stayed cool the whole way home!

All in all - it was a great ride home. My Airstream-Into-It-Ness is coming back!

Loose Leashes and our Airstream

About a month ago, Loose Leashes stopped up at the farm here to take some photos of Anna - our glorious Airstream Sovereign of the Road - that this blog is dedicated too!! Well, in today's mail delivery was a framed portait of the final product.... Enjoy!!

Saturday's Mission

Making plans to recover this old girl on Saturday!! A 1958 Caravanner! Shell off restoration planned this winter in the Hay Mow!!

57 International Harvester Metro

This is going to make one cool family Airstream tow vehicle and / or farm market truck. Picking it up on Sunday.

Historic Route 11 Caravan

This past Tuesday, I towed the old Sovereign of the Road down off the hill to out in front of the house. Zoe' and I began cleaning, unloading and then loading the old girl in preparations for us joining the other Airstreamers that have been traveling on the old Historic Route 11 Caravan. They began the journey last weekend and we had made plans to meet up with them on Wednesday at the Knoebel's Amusement Park in Elysburg, PA. We took the boys out of the last two days of school and set off on a short journey as soon as chores were done on Wednesday morning. So, off we drove a short 3 hours pull south. With a couple stops (we have 4 kids ya know), we pulled in 4 hours later. There were 10 other Airstreams at the J&D Campground.. the Caravan's resting place for the night. We unhitched, plugged in, turned on the AC and then ran (actually drove) over to the park for a funfilled remainder of the afternoon / early evening. It was good to see some old friends and make a few new ones. Here are a few photos. We were planning to remain at Knoebel's for another day, but we were persuaded to join the group and so we traveled on Thursday up to Cortland, NY to the Yellow Lantern Campground. We plodded (towed) along the famed Route 11 through the rain (VERY heavy at times) and arrived to a flooded campground where we all managed to find sites that worked.. soggy..but they worked. We only had farm help until Friday noon so we had to say our goodbyes Friday morning as the Caravan pulled out headed for their final stop over up in the 1000 Islands. It was a fun two days of Streaming!!!

Loading up!!

A full day at Knoebel's

Zoe' and Bryce on the mini boats!

Braedon having a blast!

The J&D Campground.

At the local farm market up the road just north of the campground, we found this sticker on a cooler.... it's nearly identical to the one on our barn. Love it!
Heading North on Route 11.

Braedon outside the Airstream at STEAMTOWN National Park, Scranton, PA. This is an amazing historical preservation right smack dab in the middle of Scranton. Thank you Mr. Scranton for what you did for the US!

The Steamer we all rode on.

In the parking lot (FREE parking) at the STEAMtown National Park.

Just north of Clark's Summit, PA - we all pulled over to get some photos of the old Lackawanna viaduct. While stopped, a train crossed. Perfect!

One of the photos MoparJohn took - awesome shot!

There is Dacia's white truck and her TradeWind, Debra and her 55 Bubble and MoparJohn and his 73 (I think) Trade Wind. A great time being had by all.

Another shot of the bridge.

The kids at the Yellow Lantern Campground... I can't recommend staying here (just a tad run down)... except for the water, not very kid friendly.

And here's a couple video links to enjoy:

Riding on the Pheonix:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khz_lrzpoYk

The Airstreams:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CobDc5-xGBI

and the Kids:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqXwbaYRIkE

Like Dogs & Airstreams... Awesome

Our Airstream is pictured in one of Loose Leashes latests images!! Enjoy!!

IH 1938 TD-35

I thought I had a really cool Crawler in my 1954 International TD-6 crawler... but yesterday I visited an old friend and neighbor... it had been a while!! Back a couple years ago, Charlie had called me to keep an eye out for an old TD-40 TracTractor.. well - he has found one. We spent a good hour or so catching up and talking over the old steel girl. She's a mighty fine specimen of good old American Power!! Anyone out there that can help - he's looking for an Injector Block Pump for her!! She runs, starts on gas, switches automatically over to Diesel once she's warmed up (I have to manually switch her over).... Nice find Charlie!! Come on Up to Baker's Acres!!

59 Buick

Took the Buick out for a ride tonight.. a nice 20 mile drive... I love driving this thing!

Pictures in the field

Ron from Loose Leashes drove up from NJ to take some photos last night.. here are a couple shots I took with the Droid.. what a gorgeous night it was up on the hill!!

Our 1958 Sovereign of the Road

The 52 Farmall Super A tow vehicle


Gonna be a great hay season!!

I love this shot!