2022 Tractor Parade
The day began as usual with everyone coming to LDI, formerly Old Highway 6 Tractor and Equipment. The tractors were all unloaded, with the exception of the folks of whom drove them in. When the people were all unloaded, they began to come into the building to register and enjoy some coffee and rolls provided by LDI. My good buddy, Dallas, and his wife, Marg, helped with the registration. After each rider paid their registration fee of $25, good fellowship was enjoyed by all. Unlike last year, I did get to sit at the registration table and visit with everyone there. What a wonderful turnout!
About 8:40 AM, I switched on a microphone and welcomed everyone, with enthusiasm, to the 5th Annual Ride Into Sight Tractor Ride! Everybody clapped! I began with chatting about the history of the ride, and then explained how I never had dreamed of the ride continuing for five wonderful years! After that, I thanked my tractor ride committee of whom gives me new ideas and suggestions each year for their help, along with LDI for letting us begin there again this year! Everybody clapped and cheered.
As I looked down at my Braille Sense, I continued by letting folks know about my plan to keep everything moving this year due to the heat. I mentioned that while almost the last four years the breaks have been at least half an hour, this year I was shortening them to 15 minutes. I suggested that people pay close attention as to what is happening. They all seemed to approve of that.
Before I go on here, I mustn’t forget to tell you that this year was the hardest Ride Into Sight Ride that I will ever conduct. After speaking about the ride, I then proceeded to recognize the angel riders this year, (people who have gone before us and who supported the ride through donations or in other ways). Sadly, we had two of them, and both of whom will always be close to my heart. First, Jacque Bulger. I mentioned how Jacque Bulger is the wife of my good friend and president of the American Council of the Blind of Nebraska, Mark. I shared how Jacque was always so supportive of the visually impaired community, and how, just last fall, she said to me, “Tyler, one of these years, I want to come and drive a tractor!” She was certainly driving one up there above us that day! The second angel rider hit me even harder, passing away on June 26. The angel rider is my grandpa, Bill Juranek. While many people in the ride didn’t know my Grandpa Juranek very well, I explained how Grandpa helped me to understand the importance of the Oliver line in our family, and, by letting me drive an Oliver 88 that he had at his place, got me interested in tractor rides due to its fast road speed. Furthermore, Grandpa always kept me motivated when it came to the ride by always asking how the plans were going each year when I’d call him or he’d call me. I then explained that I would have a special tribute to him at lunch time. A moment of silence was then observed.
After the recognition of the angel riders, I then handed the microphone off to my good friend, Mark Bulger, to give the invocation. He said a wonderful blessing over the ride, and when he finished, you could feel the angel riders looking down upon us! After this, I recognized all of the veterans of whom were there that day and thanked them for their service! Everyone clapped!
As I continued the introduction, I then handed the microphone off to my good buddy, Mel Hursey, to lead the pledge of allegiance. Not only did Mel lead the Pledge, but he also reminded the people how great of a cause this was! I then recognized all of the sponsors, and then said to everyone, “Load them up and get out of here!” The ride departed at about 9:03 AM.
After winding through the countryside for about an hour or so, we pulled off at our first stop, Bomgaars in Council Bluffs. When I got off my tractor, I was informed that some people took a wrong turn and got lost! I guess they didn’t do a very good job of “following the blind boy,” huh? Hahahahahaha. While we were there, Dallas and Marg served up some cookies and water, and visited with everyone there. Fifteen minutes later, however, I said, “Load them up!”
Before we could go on, there is a busy intersection of which we have to cross coming out of Bomgaars to Highway 191. In years past, I usually asked the sheriff to come and direct and stop traffic for us. With everything happening this year, though, I didn’t get a chance to line it up, so my buddy Mel, and my mother, Kim, parked near the intersection with their flashers on. Mom stood in the intersection and directed traffic. No matter what, next time I think I will try and have a sheriff uniform made for her, and we’ll call her “Deputy Kim!” Hahahahahaha. After crossing the intersection, we headed along the road and through the countryside to our next stop, Arrowhead Park in Neola for lunch.
As soon as we drove down through Arrowhead Park and to Campground 4, I went over to the picnic table to begin my special tribute to my grandpa. I hooked up my Braille Sense to the new sound system I bought this year and began to play a 20-track playlist of Polka music. With the exception of two bands, all of the bands that were heard that day were either Polka bands that my grandpa and I went to listen to in person, or ones that we heard on the radio. While everyone was listening, we enjoyed a catered lunch by Staley’s Chicken, and of course, good fellowship.
When everyone was done, I then proceeded to the microphone again. First, I thanked everyone again for coming, and also Staley’s for a great lunch! I then gave a very brief update regarding the research. All that I can say this year, is that they are continuing to work hard on the research. They are at a point now in which they try and try, and nothing! They will try and try, and one day, hit a huge advancement! Woohoo! I then took a vote to see who would like to do the ride again next year. Low and behold, everybody clapped! So, the ride will take place next year on the first Saturday in August as in years past!
Lastly, my account of the day becomes much shorter here. The heat was starting to set in, and so I took a vote again and said, “Ok, ladies and gentlemen, please show me with applause, how many of you wish to shorten the route today?” The place roared! People clapped and cheered, and some even pounded on the picnic tables! So, friends, to make it just as short as the route that day, we loaded up, headed out, then stopped at a stop sign near the town of McClelland for a Quick Cookie Stop, and proceeded immediately back to LDI, arriving around 3:00 PM. There was no afternoon stop in McClelland as originally planned, the Quick Cookie Stop was also not held at its planned location, and the tradition of having my Great Uncle, Veryl, lead the last two miles or so did not happen either, all due to the heat.
The statistics are as follows: 44 tractors were there that day. There were 5 Olivers, 7 Ford, 1 Case, 4 Allis Chalmers, 7 John Deere, and 20 International. Roadside assistance was needed for only 1 tractor.