USS Bon Homme Richard reunion, Day 1

The first day involved a flight to Chicago from Fargo and checking in at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Gurnee, IL.  This is located near to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center where Al did his boot camp. 

Here we are in our Navy shirts showing the name of the ship, USS Bon Homme Richard, CVA31 on the right sleeve and the insignia of an Electronics Technician on the left.

Clean shaven Al was just after graduating from Electronics Technician school in San Francisco, CA.

The site of the reunion in Gurnee, IL. 

After registration and check-in, we left on a tour of Chicago.

It was cold for one of the first days in September.  Chicago folks told us that they were "sweating" the week before.  At least, there was no rain.

Loading the boat for the tour of Chicago via the Chicago river.

Down the canyon of buildings.

The Trump Tower dead ahead in blue.

Our docent was an architectural student who was very knowledgeable of the buildings and here was showing some new buildings under construction.  

Venerable sights along the river.  We had visited this area many times but never from the vantage point of the river.

A visit to Soldier Field, where "Da Bears" play.  There is a memorial to all the Armed Services.

One of the plaques honoring US Navy personnel.

It was cold on this trip.

The south side of the Field Museum of Natural History.

Time to eat in a Chicago restaurant, Donitelli's

It was quite an experience.

Lake Region Pioneer Threshermen's Ass'n. - Dalton, MN

We made a trip to Dalton, MN, about 15 miles south of Fergus Falls.  

Sue and Ruth in Dalton prior to the parade.

First there is the parade.  Here the Fergus Falls high school band is marching by. 

This was a candy throwing parade and the participants did their share.

In this part of the country, you are either a green farmer, John Deere, or a red farmer, Farmall or Case International.

But occasionally there are some other colors.

Our friends Bob and Ruby in their 1955 Chevrolet.

These guys take any parade, large or small, to play with their toys.

Now a parade of green.

Inside the Threshermen's compound, guys always discuss equipment.

There is a French Steam Locomotive circa 1915 made by Decauville in Paris. 

The Decauville manufacturing company was founded by Paul Decauville (1846–1922), a French pioneer in industrial railways. Starting in 1875, his company produced track elements, engines and cars. Those were exported to many countries, in particular to the colonial possessions of European powers. Decauville railways were widely used in construction yards, quarries, farms, cane fields and mountain railways up to the 1950s. The company also produced road vehicles and construction engines.    
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decauville

 The engine takes on water for the production of steam.

And wood to heat the water in the boiler.

Sue and Ruth waiting for their ride on the railroad.

Ready to go.

Going around the one mile or so track.

Nearing the station.

A good ride!

This the second parade inside the grounds.  Most of the steam engines cannot travel on asphalt topped roads because of lugs on steel tires. My father, when he was about eight years old in 1911 on the farm in Missouri, spoke of the thrill of seeing the steam engine coming to thresh the wheat.

I also witnessed the end of the threshing era in 1944 on my Grandad's farm in Missouri.  Wagons pulled by horses and the threshing machine driven by gas tractors. The farmers cooperated in a "threshing ring" and neighbors assisted each other in the harvest.  After World War II the practice changed to combines for harvest.

Another steam engine with friends onboard.

There was a regular parade of steam engines.

What could I do with it?  Will it fit in my garage?

A parade of John Deere tractors.  Everything from lawn tractors to ancient models to modern large equipment passed by.

Then a parade of Farmall or Case International tractors.

A quick look at the flea-market and then home.

2104 Minnesota State Fair

This is our annual trip to the Minnesota State Fair.  As we have done for the past several years, we went from Fergus Falls by motor coach  going and coming in one day. This sign was used for many years where folks who came by trolley would enter the fairgrounds. 

 After the demise of the trolleys, it was set aside in some corner of the fairground property and was rejuvenated for this year.   The fair board spent big bucks in making the north-west part of the property into a bus entrance for both tours and for city shuttles.

 Welcome to the fair. 

This gopher has been here since before we began to attend the fair in 1963.  We have pictures of our kids in front of it when they were little.

 We always arrive on the first Monday of the fair.  Since they have their routines, this morning is for the stock dog trials.  A handler and his/her dog must move sheep over a bridge, through a pole maze and finally into a small pen.  

The set of three sheep are released into the arena floor.  

They are greeted by the stock dog, usually a border collie, who sends them on their way to go through the "hoops" that are set out.

The sheep walk through the bridge at the urging by the dog that moves to commands by the handler.  Here the dog is off the photo.

Another test.

Finally the sheep enter the pen and the handler closes the gate.

Their work done, the sheep go back to "home".

The total attendance for the 12 day run was about 1,800,000 persons.  This day was comparatively  uncrowded.  On the Saturday before Labor Day, about 240,000 persons attended probably more than twice the amount attending on our day.

Lots of "nutritious" food!

Each day one of the Dairy Princesses have their heads carved in butter by the carver.  There are 10 princesses each year and one is elected Princess Kay of the Dairy Way.

This is the Princess for this day.

A big smile for us!

Every year we get items at this Dairy sponsored booth. 

One of the oldest buildings on the fairgrounds.

Inside are many demonstrations but here is a bee-keeper and a hive next to him.  In addition there are many samples of honey of various colors.

Got to make a buck!  Nearby, in the craft beer section, the booth was robbed ot $10,000 the Friday before Labor Day as the fair was closing. 

The quilters inspect a prize winner in the Creative Arts building

The crew ordered hamburgers from one of the last church sponsored booth on the fairgrounds.  Once there were about 70 to 80.

Then a late afternoon snack. No, not pickles, Cream Puffs!

Then you have got to eat them.

After much walking, the bus loads for the trip home.