How far would you drive a tractor?

Soundguy · May 17, 2010

nice pic, and sound slike a great trip!

I can remember roading my tractor one time and came across one of those 'fill the boot' drives that fire dept's put on where they setup at an intersection and walk out and colelct money for charity. I waved em over and threw in a few bucks.. fireman said he's never gotten money from a tractor at one of those drives before!

soundguy

bdog said:
Well I bought the tractor and made the trip. It was about 110 miles and it took me 5 and a half hours. Was a pleasant trip and zero problems along the way. I think my buddy that rode with me there and drove my truck back had a rougher time than I did.

We had to go through a couple small towns and passed some cops along the way. Everyone just waved. the farmers were out in force planting cotton so i think we kind of blended in.

brin · May 17, 2010

Well now the 5 miles I drive to bush hog the farm which takes me about 20 min. to drive does not seem so bad....Glad you made the trip and saved the $500

ttstraw · May 17, 2010

100 miles in a tractor would have been out of the question in my mind until yesterday. I mowed yesterday and for grins I put my GPS in my pocket, mowed for 3hr and 25min solid and went 10.3 miles. Now, 100 miles doesnt seem to bad at all.

beenthere · May 17, 2010

Glad you got 'er done.

Now you've set the standard that TBN members can use to pick up their new tractors.

But reminds me of the old man, Alvin Straight

Alvin Ray Straight (17 October 1920 – 9 November 1996) was a resident of Laurens, Iowa. He gained fame for traveling 240 miles (390 km) on a 1966 John Deere riding lawn mower to visit his 80-year-old brother in Mount Zion, Wisconsin. His brother had recently had a stroke. At a top speed of 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h), the journey took six weeks. The trip took place in the summer of 1994 when Alvin was 73 years old.

Straight's story was adapted into the film The Straight Story, directed by David Lynch, which starred Richard Farnsworth (in an Oscar nominated role) as Alvin Straight.

roadhawk · May 17, 2010

ttstraw said:
100 miles in a tractor would have been out of the question in my mind until yesterday.

Me too. I wouldn't even have considered it I don't think (of course, I have a trailer so that would make a difference too probably).

rjkobbeman · May 18, 2010

Glad to hear you had a safe trip!

Danno1 · May 19, 2010

.

Light just dawned on Marblehead. Some years back there was a link somewhere on this site about a lady who was driving her tractor the length of Africa! Anyone remember that?

.

Uncle Doug · May 20, 2010

Sounds like a good trip on the tractor. If I have a local tractor job I will drive the tractor so I don't have to mess with the trailer and all the tie down.

Sometime I drive the tractor down to the country store to fill with diesel. It is easier then messing with the fuel can. One of the new city slicker neighbors was at the other pump and commented that they knew they were moving to the country but did not expect to see tractors at the fuel pump.

Soundguy · May 20, 2010

same here.. my larger tractors hold 20g each of fuel.. that's 4 cans to lug up the side of the tractor. way easier to fill er up, and fil a spare 5g and throw on back for a top off when I get home.

soundguy

Mace Canute · May 20, 2010

Danno1 said:
.

Light just dawned on Marblehead. Some years back there was a link somewhere on this site about a lady who was driving her tractor the length of Africa! Anyone remember that?

.

Yep! I remember reading about her! Quite a feat. I think this is her story, after all...how many women have driven a tractor that far?

dcyrilc · May 20, 2010

Soundguy said:
same here.. my larger tractors hold 20g each of fuel.. that's 4 cans to lug up the side of the tractor. way easier to fill er up, and fil a spare 5g and throw on back for a top off when I get home.

soundguy

Here in Washington, the law allows for up to 15 miles between farms. As the closest diesel around here is in downtown Woodinville, they would probably write a ticket and impound the tractor if I were caught taking it to town to fuel it up. Just not rural enough where I live any more.

(5) These provisions shall not apply to the following vehicles:
(d) Farm vehicles if operated within a radius of fifteen miles of the farm where principally used or garaged, farm tractors and farm implements including trailers designed as cook or bunk houses used exclusively for animal herding temporarily operating or drawn upon the public highways, and trailers used exclusively to transport farm implements from one farm to another during the daylight hours or at night when such equipment has lights that comply with the law;

RCW 46.16.010: Licenses and plates required ? Penalties ? Exceptions ? Expired registration, impoundment.

Johndeere3720 · May 20, 2010

Ive driven my Yanmar about 5 miles from my uncles house from brush hogging to my Grandparents place. All country road and was very scenic. I enjoyed the ride but probably wouldnt go more than 10 miles going 10 mph.

taborekle · May 21, 2010

Dcrylic wrote about Washington law. In the state of Maryland, I believe the law says that tractors can only be driven 10 miles or less on the roads in support of agriculture.

Of course, when we had 2 feet of snow last winter in southern Maryland, everyone, including the state road service, welcomed all the help they could get from anyone with a tractor and no one questioned how far the tractor had to come.

Duffster · May 21, 2010

Put on well over 100 miles again yesterday and a 100+ the day before hauling haylage, kind of glad it rained overnight or I would have been doing it again today.

Soundguy · May 21, 2010

whew! I'm glad I don't live in a communist state like that! sounds like you are more of a subject there than a citizen. If I were you I'd move to the US..

soundguy

dcyrilc said:
Here in Washington, the law allows for up to 15 miles between farms. As the closest diesel around here is in downtown Woodinville, they would probably write a ticket and impound the tractor if I were caught taking it to town to fuel it up. Just not rural enough where I live any more.

(5) These provisions shall not apply to the following vehicles:
(d) Farm vehicles if operated within a radius of fifteen miles of the farm where principally used or garaged, farm tractors and farm implements including trailers designed as cook or bunk houses used exclusively for animal herding temporarily operating or drawn upon the public highways, and trailers used exclusively to transport farm implements from one farm to another during the daylight hours or at night when such equipment has lights that comply with the law;

RCW 46.16.010: Licenses and plates required ? Penalties ? Exceptions ? Expired registration, impoundment.

Tim D · May 21, 2010

This is not really related to this post and I am sorry if someone has mentioned this story earlier as I did not read every post. Several years back in one of the farm magazines we received, two brothers took a 70 series Case tractor with new tires, backed rear tires into Atlantic Ocean and went cross country until front wheels went into Pacific Ocean. They used a pickup with a camper as chase vehicle. One thing the article said was that to cut down on travel time in the mountains, they would clutch and coast until one day they hit a really scarey speed and stopped doing this. I also remember a picture of tractor tires after ride. They were wore slick.

buck12 · May 21, 2010

Soundguy said:
whew! I'm glad I don't live in a communist state like that! sounds like you are more of a subject there than a citizen. If I were you I'd move to the US..

soundguy

I agree. Makes me glad to be a southerner.