hayride!!

Soundguy · Dec 14, 2005

Well, just got done with the 'Soundguy' 3rd annual hayride.

Had a bunch of friends and family over. Started working on the trailer at about 4 pm. Had my cousins boyfriend come over and help me as my knee is bad and i couldn't throw the hay on the trailer from out of the barn.

Got the trailer loaded with hay, got some christmas lights strung around it.

Used the 5000 as the tow vehicle. When i installe dthe rear lamp I also added an 2 prong power plug to power things like trailer lamps. So hooked up to that and used a spare blinker assemble, and hooke dinto the trailers plug.. had hazards and running lamps. Put a SMV plaque on the back of the tractor and ont he back of the trailer. Setup 2 spare car batteries ont he front of the trailer and hooked the tractor power to one battery, and used that to power the traler lights. I didn't figure the anemic lucas genny would do much more than that, as it was also running tractor headlamps and fender mounted flasher. Use dthe 2nd car battery hooked to a 500w inverter and hooke dthe xmas lamps to it, as well as 2 old lamps I had in the barn, with a couple 95 watt bulbs in them so the passangers could read and sing xmas carols from some booklets my cousing made up.

Drove the rig around my neighborhood for about an hour, then we all had supper.

I just now got the trailer unloaded and the tractor put up, and horses and animals taken care of.

Here's an 'ok' pic showing the trailer with twinkle lights on, as people are loading up just before we left.

Old 5000 started on the first crank as I expected it would..

The kids had an awesome time.. had 13 family members in all.. from grandparents , parents and cousins.. etc. Few friends too.

used low/2 and low 1 for the trip.

I installed an a-frame on me 3pt drawbar, along with a ball so i could use the tractors 3pt to help hitch the trailer.. again.. due to my bad knee.. and not being able to fight with hitching the tractor / trailer.

Deffinately the best hour of tractor'in I've had all year. This was also my official 'victory' drive for the 5000, as it hasn't been operated more than 5 minutes since i finished it on thanksgiving.

Soundguy

cp1969 · Dec 14, 2005

Looks like fun. You've created memories those kids will have for a lifetime. Not many kids know what a hay ride is any more. I've been on 'em but my kids have not.

I was going to do the same thing this year around Halloween, coupled with a weenie roast but couldn't pull it off mainly due to not having a suitable trailer. Couldn't find anyone who has a four wheel hay trailer to mooch from. Those trailers seem to be getting scarce--nobody seems to have a use for them any more. I have a 16' tandem flatbed but deemed it unsuitable to pull behind the tractor.

gotrocks · Dec 15, 2005

That is a great way to start the MERRY CHRISTMAS season.
This toy $20, that tool $30........ family/friends hayride priceless

Hope you don't mind I attempted to lighten up your pic.
Let's see how I did.

Oh, how do you put pic into text and not attachment?

redlevel · Dec 15, 2005

Looks like y'all had a lot of fun!

I have used that "bad knee" trick several times, but when they see me following a bird dawg through the woods the next day, I have to find someone new to try it on. Seriously, I hope your knee gets better. A shot of cortisone does wonders.

Soundguy · Dec 15, 2005

( Couldn't find anyone who has a four wheel hay trailer to mooch from. Those trailers seem to be getting scarce--nobody seems to have a use for them any more. I have a 16' tandem flatbed but deemed it unsuitable to pull behind the tractor.)

While I would have loved to have a 4 wheeled hay wagon to use.. i did use my 16' tandem axle traielr.. and have bene using it.. no problems.

While not ideal.. I don't particuarly think it is unsuitable.

Soundguy

dent8 · Dec 15, 2005

Wos, that looks sooo fun! I have a new goal in life, a trailer with twinkle lights.
Dennis

cp1969 · Dec 15, 2005

It looked to me like I would have about a 15 deg turning ability if I put the ball in the drawbar, and I don't have one of those drawbar-between the three point hitch arms things.

Plus, you haven't lived until you get to back up a 4 wheel wagon.

Iplayfarmer · Dec 15, 2005

... you haven't lived until you get to back up a 4 wheel wagon.

Amen! It's just like backing a double.

Great post, Soundguy. That's how Christmas should be celebrated...Time and Family. It's sure sounds more meaningful than the gift certificates that I get and give regularly for Christmas.

There's so much of Christmas that is getting lost as the world moves to the cities. My wife's nieces and nephews all think that a manger is some kind of an old fashioned crib. I was feeding the horses one day while they were here, and I told them I was putting the hay in the manger. They thought that was the most rediculous thing they had ever heard.