Mary Nelson
Mary Nelson,
from Yankton,
South Dakota,
participated in her
second two-day
tractor ride this
year. She drove an
International 350
utility tractor for
this year’s event,
a tractor that her
uncle Darrell
purchased at an
auction. She enjoys
being outdoors and
especially likes the routes over flat ground, where she can relax and
enjoy nature and the surroundings.
The rides through breathtaking scenery don’t come without
challenges, whether from tractor malfunction or traveling through
some difficult terrain. This year’s ride will forever be a memory for
her, explaining, “So, as a beginner driver I had my struggles with hills,
but I was not prepared for the steep hills of Devil’s Nest. On one steep
hill going down, I was slamming the brakes and got quite close to the
tractor in front of me. What I did not see coming was that this hill took
a sharp curve and immediately dropped into an even steeper hill. I did
not have time to stop and shift down, so I held tight and went flying
down the hill. The scary thing was that my tractor shade dropped in
front of my face, so I was ducking to see the ditch and any tractor tires
that were visible. I do not know how many tractors I passed, but my
tractor did come to a stop at the bottom of the hill, where I sat quite
shaken up. For the rest of the ride the elderly woman riding ahead of
me would turn around every ten seconds to make sure I was not going
to hit them!”
I J Walters
I J Walters, from Guide Rock, Nebraska was new to the ride this
year. She drove a 1957 Case 211 B, the first antique tractor she and her
husband bought together. “As soon as my husband bought another,
this one became mine,” she said.
Though they take part in five to eight rides in Nebraska every
summer through fall, they have not taken part in any South Dakota
rides until this one. She enjoys meeting new people on the rides and
appreciates the beautiful scenery. The picturesque countryside from
each ride stands out vividly in her memory.
Norma Wittmeier
Norma Wittmeier, originally a Lesterville, SD native, now resides
in Tyndall, SD. She has participated in every two-day ride and has
enjoyed all of them. She previously rode with her husband, Ken and
this year she rode with grandson Clay Wittmeier as Ken has passed
away. Clay drove her 1987 Deutz as she rode next to him. She reflects,
“the tractor ride is one of my favorite things. Ken and I rode all over.”
Grandson Clay is continuing his inherited passion for tractors, now
attending a John Deere school at Wahpeton, North Dakota.
Norma rode along as passenger while Ken drove them on many
rides over the years. They’ve taken part in several local rides and
vHOW THEY ROLL continued on page 27
Floors & More
Your Total Home Design Center
The best innovation in carpet.
1205 Broadway Ave., Yankton • 665-9728
Monday-Friday 9-5:30, Saturday 9-3
We’ve combined Endurance high-performance
?ber with R2X® Soil and Stain Resistance and
LifeGuard® Spill-proof Backing.™
Bellera is built to last. No surprises. No worries.
TM
shaw?oors.com
HERVOICEvSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018v23