More Tractors

Last weekend we went to the Antique Wheels & Iron Show at the Washington County Fairgrounds. It was a smaller show put on by the Tri-State Antique Tractor Club. However, there were different and even some rare machines there, and the members could not have been more friendly or helpful. We were very impressed! They even let us drive around on our David Bradley with the cart attached (Dave helped a fellow 'picker' bring his goodies out to the parking lot).

Below are some of the displays:

 We think this is a Minneapolis Moline.

 Massey-Harris

Chisholm-Ryder

Farmall

International 1466 Turbo...the tires are bigger than Dave!

Fordson Dexta

Cute little bulldozer and lots of hit and miss engines. 

Stay clear of this saw!

 WE need the sign that says Caution: OLD Childen at play! It says it all...

Meant To Be

Dave and I went to a yard sale with lots of antiques featured. As we drove up, I noticed a really cute old bicycle leaning up against a tree. I'm not really into bicycles, but this one had a fake tank, a headlight and original paint....and it was even a girl's bike.

We wandered around the sale items and when I walked up to check out the bike it had my name written all over it...literally! Talk about an LOL moment.

How could we NOT buy it, even if it just got hung up for display? $40 later we took it home and John V. fixed the rear wheel issue while Dave got the horn in the tank and the headlight working. It even has it's original Lightning tires with the Indian head insignia on them, along with all its other decals.

 

Now I'm riding in style on my 1954 Shelby Flyer!

Seeing Spots

We have triplets! A doe with three fawns took a walk through our backyard yesterday morning. They were so cute jumping and playing, but staying very close together.

This was a pretty rare and exciting sight as I looked out my kitchen window (sorry the photo is blurry but I had to take it through the screen).

Open the Flood Gates!

Look out below! Last week's rain caused a rise in Lake George's water level. This is controlled by flood gates in Ticonderoga where the lake ends, so that the lake rarely gets too high. There is always some water going over the dam because it is spring fed, but when the warning horn sounds, it's time to get to high land right away as the flood gates are opened. The rushing water is spectacular though. I took a long walk down along the La Chute River and all its many waterfalls, as it makes its way down to Lake Champlain. As I was standing on the Alexandria Ave. bridge, I could see the current racing downstream where the bridge makes a choke point.

Then it runs under the bridge and towards the pedestrian bridge and to the flood gates (usually this looks like the above photo).

The flood control gates are open and all that beautiful clear Lake George water heads downhill.  This really bothers Dave because all that water power could be used for electricity. The problem is that it's not always like this.

 

View from the crest of Lord Howe Street. How long can this wall hold up?

 

Nothing stands a chance as the water descends. This looks like snow!

Powerful! I don't know how the trees survive.

 

This is where many people swim and fish when it is calm (that's why they have the warning horns).

 

Dave and I both have lounged in the area to the right, like a personal hot tub. Not today!

 

I hiked on the east side of the river and was able to get a close up view of the raging water. The sound is deafening. 

 

When the water is lower, this becomes a dam, with overflow off to the right.

 

The LaChute flows right through Ticonderoga and there is a great path along the river.

 

This is another spot where usually the water is just coming out the overflow.

 

This thick wall was part of one of the many mills along the waterfront. I noticed that the water coming over the dam actually rose up before tumbling over it.

 

This is the last of the waterfalls before the LaChute meets Lake Champlain. It is right in downtown Ti, where the paper mill used to be located. It's a good fishing hole and I can launch my kayak at the base of the falls and ride the current down to the big lake (Dave picks me up at the state launch ramp so it's a one way trip).

 

After reaching my downhill/downstream destination, I had to hike back up this steep hill to get back home. It was well worth it though. What a fantastic scenic tour I had!

Antiques and Oddities

This past weekend was the 2014 Rhinebeck Grand National Meet. It seems like it used to be mainly antique and classic motorcycles, but it has expanded to include all sorts of vehicles, some quite different and even odd.

A 1920's board track racer with no brakes.

Here is a fully restored board track racer. These bikes have no exhaust systems.

This is a very creative 3/4 size chopper powered by a 1920's stationary engine.

A nice line up of 1960's Japanese classic bikes. The yellow Yamaha is a 90cc twin. The blue Kawasaki is a W650.

Here is an Honest Charlie's Ford flat head V8 cruiser.

Barn find treasures are worth big bucks!

This 1960's racing kart was powered with twin McCoulloch MC 92s.

Dave is working on one of these 1979 Wes Cooley Replicas at the motorcycle shop. Only 700 were imported.

Here is something you can do with two SOHC Honda 750s and a long winter...

An original Henderson Excelsior

Twin pristine Can Am TNT 175s from 1975. I remember when these were sold at the motorcycle shop and we have wedding photos with Dave and me on one!

A single cylinder, belt drive Flanders with pedal start.

How about a rat rod with tandem small block Chevy engines?

A retro board track racer.

Wretched excess.

A clean Indian in-line four.

Four wheel vehicles were well represented also.

 This is one of the oddest things Dave has ever seen...a Harley Davidson powered tandem toboggan.

There were old snowmobiles here too. This 1968 SkiDoo was converted to wheels and the owner was driving it around the fairgrounds.

A balloon tire Henderson.

This is only a very small sampling of the vehicles in attendance at this year's event. Dave says "you really had to be there to see and hear it all happening." Next year I think I will join him to do just that. A lot of our bikes, tractors, and other vehicles would fit right in!