Viewing a thread - Family trip to pick up Versatile tractor in Portis, Kansas

You are logged in as a guest. ( logon | register )

Family trip to pick up Versatile tractor in Portis, Kansas	View previous thread :: View next thread
Forums List -> AgTalk Cafe	Message format

olivetroad

Posted 8/31/2014 15:13 (#4048803)
Subject: Family trip to pick up Versatile tractor in Portis, Kansas

Kingdom of Callaway - Fulton, Mo 65251

I bought an old 700 Versy on purplewave a few months ago and finally got caught up with baling hay and chopping silage, so we went and picked it up. My oldest son left for college, so he didn't get to go, but the two younger boys went with me and we really had fun.

We needed to be there in the morning to load and get back, so with a 6 1/2 drive, we left the day before around 9:00 am.

Going through Kansas City I was glad as always to see the old IHC factory building still standing and so was the John Deere building. That old lead paint has lasted a long time!

We stopped for lunch at a turnpike Hardees and got a big laugh out of all the tacky stuff they sell. Is there really that big of demand for fairies and dragon statues? We left with full stomaches and a free Kansas tourist magazine.

We went to Manhattan and headed northwest towards Beloit. Along the way there was a nice new red Versatile tractor sitting on the side of the road. The boys started jumping up and down and yelling with excitement - they thought dad finally bought a new tractor! Sorry to disappoint! Heck the one we were picking up was 40 years older.

We made it to Beloit a lot earlier than expected so we just kept going. With guidebook in hand, we found the worlds largest ball of twine in Cawker city and a replica of the Statue of liberty. We stopped and found the place with the tractor north of Portis. We drove on to Smith Center and got a room at the Buckshot Inn. The owner and his wife were SUPER nice. For dinner we went to Pooches and it was just what we wanted: friendly folks and a perfect steak. Afterwards we headed up the highway to Jiffy burger for ice cream. They sell political ice cream cones - just like me, my cone leaned to the right.

It was still early, so we drove around and checked out the deere dealer, lang diesel, and Jones Machinery. Lang had a nice selection of Gleaners and Jones had a double row dumping bale trailer and a wheatland 806 that caught my eye. We also saw a lot of weird looking green/yellow rock.

The next day we ate breakfast at Pauls diner and met a local auctioneer and a couple other locals who were really nice to visit with. Everyone on the whole trip asked the same thing when they saw our license plate or found out we were from Missouri: "how far are you from the riots in Ferguson?"

We got to the farm and got the tractor loaded with no problems. We had brought a snatch block and cables to drag it on with and they were really friendly and helpful. They showed me their air seeder and let us use the shop to clean up. We headed back to Smith Center and hit hwy 36 for home. We ran over something in the road west of Hiawatha, and blew a tire, but were going again pretty fast. We stopped in St. Joe and bought a used tire as a spare and made it the rest of the way fine.

I was really impressed with how friendly the people in north central Kansas are. Everyone was just genuine, helpful, and accommodating. Beautiful country and really nice folks.