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(Deere Land Express, Continued from page 1)
manufactured locally any more. We did a quick tour of Dyersville tractor museum that offered 30,000 farm toys. When leaving Dyersville, we had to stop by the Field of Dreams movie set which was a few miles outside of town. The next stop on our way to Moline, Illinois was at Bossen Implement, Inc. toy equipment dealer, Lamont, Iowa. This business is a major tractor toy dealer specializing in mail order and web site sales. Need a part for your toy tractor? They got it or can get it. We arrived in Moline just in time for the 200 year birthday for John Deere sponsored by corporate John Deere of course. Ice cream and cake and a few special words from the agriculture Deere vice president. Day 4 This was the first official day of the "Gathering" with workshops, vender displays and Deere factory tours. Tom Berschauer and Jim Sorensen rode the bus to Waterloo for the engine and tractor assembly plants. Tom Jensen, Paul Hieb, Gary Friend and I stayed at the conference center and "networked", shopped the 60 venders and sat through a few of the 36 workshops. Care was taken by our shrewd tractor buddies to not buy parts exceeding our airline check baggage limits for the flight back to Seattle. Each evening ended with a debriefing session at our hotel lobby discussing our newly acquired parts, tours, collector contacts, good workshops and most importantly, where were to going to dine the next evening. The March weather may be cold and windy in the Midwest but the food is plentiful and inexpensive. So explains why you can't see the belt buckle on most mid west men. Day 5 Continental breakfast and Gary Friend and I were off to Waterloo for the Deere foundry and tractor assembly plants. Two hours each way on a very comfortable bus watching on board vintage John Deere Day videos. The balance of the group took in the continuing "Gathering" activities. Dean Van Peursem presented a workshop on 800 series hitches. Albert Ulrich presented on diesel issues. Another great day ended with our favorite restaurant "The Tool Shed". Family style dinners with the best pork dinners available. Day 6 The "Gathering" was winding down with a few workshops and the venders gone by noon to make room for the 850 seat evening banquet. Most of our group spent the day at the John Deere Collector Center critiquing the restored Deeres including the one and only all wheel drive Dain. This tractor is older than the Waterloo Boys. The conference officially ended that evening with the banquet. 1500 people attended the conference, 39 states represented, 25 attendees from Canada, Netherlands and Scotland represented and 9 participants from Washington State. Eight of the nine were from our club. Day 7 We stopped by the Deere World corporate building to
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