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Didn't take a lot. Was busy entertaining the Dino and waiting for the grand entrance of @elcamino/wheelhorse and my thumper motor. Had a great time . My highlight was trying to find CJ's Smokehouse with Jim as Co-pilot! . We called the restaurant and even they didn't know where they were! Was wet at least 75% of the time including INSIDE Texas Road House! Of course I had a breakdown and had to push Skonk past @Vinylguy @wallfish @rmaynard who advise was "it's runs better if you start it" I think they all rehearsed that! @19richie66 showed up with the family; Notice the resemblance!: We need to start a Go Fund me page to replace Aldon's cooler! Wed night dinner for 20! Staff photographer, @stevasaurus My favorite: Suns out!!!! Karl on a stick trying to steal a ride on @Racinbob 's 854 Meeting of Congress @nylyon Waitin for the bus! He's also keeping an eye on a couple of characters. Finally, my 857 that I got from @857 horse Of course I named it HHOWWWAARRRDD!!! All back home and safe!

On the way home from the show I picked up the 854 ! Been talking with the guy for almost a year and he decided to let it go . It came from a older lady who her husband passed . Guy was meticulous and used pledge to wipe it down after each use . Do essentially it’s a one owner unit . When I get to the location to pickup there is a cab 👀 after hours of research this is factory to this particular machine . Owning many machines have I yet to see one properly belong on a round hood .

First off I just wanted to thank all of you who I have talked to via pm’s, texts, phone calls and emails. I had a great time despite a little wet weather. It was just like home without the heat. Swapped some parts, stories and trading cards. @Vinylguy Terry’s cards were one of my favorite things here. It gave me a chance to get to meet those of you who frequent the forum and make it what it is. The Comfort Inn group kept me cracking up the more we hung out. I was so busy taking it in I didn’t even get half the pictures I wanted. Highlight of the show for me was meeting @stevasaurus, (who was the first person I ever interacted with on redsquare helping my dad with a transmission), @Aldon(my gt14 guru and build cohort) and meeting @PeacemakerJack and birthday boy @Coulter Caleb. It was a my privilege to finally get to meet and hang out with you guys. @WHX20 I hope you enjoy the nubbies. Great meeting you and @Achto. Too many people to list but I really enjoyed meeting everyone. Like a flash it’s gone and I am just soaking in pictures by everone else. Safe travels to all on the way home. @Racinbob, @rjg854, @stevebo, @squonk, @BOB ELLISON, @Tgtack, @dells68, @Lane Ranger, @fast88pu, @AMC RULES, @Mrs. Rules, @p38js....... I know Im forgetting people. Great seeing/meeting all of you. Terry and his Commando Wallfish and the “Wheel Horse Chopper” Racingbob giving Caleb the rundown on Bob’s fresh 854 buy until Calebs 854 gets there. Caleb on his “new” 854 HOOWWAARRRRRDDDDDD and the infamous mash pole. Finally got on it!👍 Meeting the legendary “Wild Bill” Steve, Chris and Karl on a stick Aldon and his hydraulic resivoir that he, myself and my son fabbed up over the phone. 😁

What did ya get this year?? I brought enough $$ for a tractor but I just didn’t have a “must have” tractor on my list this year. So I came home with most of my tractor funds but still snagged a few goodies. Thanks @rmaynard , @wheelhorseman , @Vinylguy For some of this cool stuff!

Somewhere in this picture is @pullstart Kevin. It really was a pleasure meeting you. He was hopping all over that place. He brought one truck, one tractor and a pull cart. He bought one tractor, then another and after these were taken, he went back and got another. I’ll post a picture of his ride after he gets back to the hotel with the fourth on it.

Thanks to Lowell... we now come in from the garage in style.

And there were four

I went to the Big Show with a '69 Charger 12 and three 48" decks, came home with another 953, tub cart, three Kohler twin cylinder engines, three 3 speed transmissions (for parts) a HD-42 snow blade, a LMR-30 front mount reel mower some tires, lots of cool stuff from @Vinylguy a couple of@BOB ELLISON seats for the 953s and a fist full of the collector cards Terry made up for us. The best thing I brought home was some great memories and a strong desire to attend in 2019!

Here are some that I took as well. Great show but bad weather !! No more camping for me starting 2019. Good times tho

A HUGE from both @Coulter Caleb and I to our man Jim @WHX20 for all that he did for us to get us to the Big Show. Caleb got to liking him so much that he started calling him “Uncle Jim”. He provided the wheels and the trailer and the fuel to enable us to go. He put up with our quirks and allowed us to pick up a bunch of stuff at the Show and bring it home for us. I also thank both him and Dan @Achto for all the driving they did. Jim does a lot for the hobby and has a great sense of humor to boot. We all laughed and laughed on the way home about some of the humorous things that took place at this years show! Namely the “garden tractor mafia” stripping tractors! Jim has done a lot for this hobby in the few short years he has been involved and I appreciate him very much. Without you Jim, we wouldn’t have made it out this year and all the tremendous memories! Looks like we might have to get @pullstart Kevin a t-shirt for parting those machines just to fit them on his truck to he can reassemble them later! Thanks Dan for being a great friend and also making this a memorable trip for both Caleb and I!

The innocent bystanders were scared.

I got my honorary Garden Tractor Mafia T shirt from @WHX20 My stripping days are long gone. (don't have the bod anymore)! But I will wear it proudly at the Steam Pageant! Plus I sat in the Packers Chair!

Pullstart almost became Wontstart! I bought some locktite at Walmart that night to keep that screw on the back of the recoil snug, but I was too busy the rest of the show visiting and tearing apart new toys to get into the nitty gritty of Putt Putt again. And ya know Richard, people were still sniffing on my hitch some parts of the way... not sure why, other than curiosity?

Then @dells68 (yes it's your fault I ended up with another! ) called me and said the guy down the way from him was back and loading up. Ends up he lives about 40-50 miles from me and offered to deliver the 857, but I really wanted to get it in the truck. More about getting it to fit, than getting another ride. So we struck another deal and I started tear down. I was glad to have spent another night in town, I got to go have some fun with @dells68, @19richie66 and their families for another dinner before the show was over. Had a blast catching fireflies with Emory and listening to that boy laugh. Hope he enjoyed his ice cream!

It was a real pleasure watching you "Mafia" members at work, made me a bit afraid to turn my back on the newly acquired 953! Real pleasure spending time with all of you.

It was great to get to know so many new faces, and see some that I have met in the past. I'm on cloud nine, for being in the presence of so many people willing to share their passion with anyone that's got a few minutes of time and an open ear, for seeing so many tractors (they're all fun to look at, new, old, big, small, factory correct or rat rod special), and even for the views during the drive. PA is a beautiful state, at least the part I drove through! My only regret, is not wearing my wooden shoes that I got visiting Koen @C-101plowerpower a couple years back. @stevasaurus I didn't see yours either... For some reason, I'm not able to tag many people in my post (maybe my terrible internet connection?), so if I was fortunate enough to spend some time, tractors, talk, food, drink, money or help with ya, I guess you'll know who you are! Thanks for making this my best first big show ever. If anyone doesn't believe there are 4 tractors in these pics... I'm pretty much unloaded and they all look like this: (Imagine the for sale ad... "Wheel Horse tractors- great condition - practically brand new"

Now we know where the WH designers came up with the final hood look!

I think that may be the new standard test for involuntary confinement to a mental health facility!

I was afraid to stand behind it in the hotel parking lot. That load was one of the most impressive things I saw this weekend.

I've finally had a chance to scroll thru all the pics you posted @Mrs. Rules ...fantastic job!! You just might become Red Squares official photographer

Mostly bits and pieces: disc and and a spare set of front wheels for my C-160 Spare Thumper for when the time comes, Parts Thumper, non mid disc that I'm going to make Wheel Horsey, Spare belt guard just because, A genuine "Casa de Elcamino " framed picture. (Should have got it autographed! ) New hoses for the C-160 from Lowell And " Hoowwwaaarrddd! " my 857 I got from 857 horse. Complete with a new @BOB ELLISON seat cover and some hitch parts to go on it

Here's all of mine...never can get them to cooperate for a group photo of all 5...and the Ford just kinda snuck its way in

Just odds and ends for the most part for me but I did find 1 fairly decent HL-22!

Found a piece of wooden closet pole that worked perfectly.

You don’t have to own a WH to be a member here!!! Keep on checking in!

Sorry to see you go but, don't fret! I once repaired a golf cart that was Yamaha driven. There is no reason why you can't inject a nice K341 under that seat and retain the WH dream, including the wheelie potential. To heck with the noise. You need the added torque for that hill to the clubhouse

Well, yes, now that you mention it! One thing is sure, no one in their right mind will tailgate Kevin!

Last year, my goal at the big show as to not buy a tractor. I was sucessful...until about a month later, when an 876 popped up in Richmond, and I caved. Drove up there and bought it the day it was listed. Well this year, my goal was to SELL a tractor, and not bring one home. I managed to make it out of the fairgrounds with an empty trailer, but as Van and I were eating some double R bar burgers from Roy Rogers in Winchester VA, we made the mistake of searching the Raleigh NC craigslist. I saw a 312-H that I recognized as one that was listed for sale last summer, but didn't sell. I had talked with the seller last year but my daughter arrived early. Even though the seller and I had settled on a price, I just never pulled the trigger. Well, I still had his number saved, so I shot him a text on our way home and I went and picked it up this morning! It's not nearly as nice as the one Terry just picked up at the BS, but for $260, I think I did well! The deck will need repair, and the seat looks like it fell victim to a grandchild with a screw driver. It also looks like it has never had a bath in its life. It's got about 450 hours which seems feasible given the condition of the rest of the tractor. I bought it as a non runner, but after about 15 minutes of tinkering, it fired right up. I don't think I'll use the bagger that came with it, so it may be craigslist fodder. I'm pretty tickled about it and can't wait to have a buddy weld up the deck for me! In the mean time, there will be a large cleaning operation going underway! Here are the pictures of it as I unloaded it off the trailer.

After 39 years of Wheelhorse ownership, I am now horseless. My last and favorite tractor, the 1978 C141, will leave today for a new home. I hated to do it but we will be moving to a retirement community where there is no room and no need for these fine tractors. The shed that my 5 horses and a myriad of attachments called home is empty and hollow. Only a few oil stains on the wood floor are there to remind me of the time I spent on them, restoring, cleaning and repairing them. Over the last 7 years years, this forum has been a great source of helpful information. I have "met" several wonderful people in this virtual world who have helped me thru many problems, John Matthews (shallowwatersailor), Forest Road, Jerseyhawg (Glen) and of course Garry who always seems to have his finger on his keyboard, ready to respond with the needed manual pages. Special thanks to Glen Petit and Terry (Vinlyguy) who provided parts to add the finishing touch to make my restorations true to the originals and to Bob Maynard who was the source for replacement Molex connectors to keep my 416H electrical system in top condition. As I move on, I guess I will have to get a golf cart (although I do not golf) to have something to tinker with. I am sure there is an owners group for golf carts lurking out there, but I have yet to find it. It will be a difficult task to find an owners forum as helpful as Red Square. Cheers to all.

Mrs Rules RULES with the pics!!!!! It's like being there all over again. Great to see you both again. Always looking forward to the next one. Thanks for sharing them

It was a real pleasure meeting and chatting with you. The one ironic memory I have of the Big Show is that @pullstart had to repair his pullstarter on the grounds! I would be willing to bet that no one tailgated you on the way home.

And here I thought I was done for the day, so I was packed up and went to take some so-long pictures as people were pulling out:

I was eyeing that one.

@WHX20 "Uncle Jim"

Really dig this years commemorative show shirt... ...and the patina on this little trinket is pretty cool too.

I took a trip to a plumbing supply store. Take the bearing along, and find a piece of PVC pipe or a fitting to match the outer diameter of the bearing. I've rebuilt three transmissions using those pieces of joint fittings. Good luck. Jim

A couple cans of Rust-Oleum Regal Red and some stickers from Terry will have that golf cart looking presentable.

Thanks Terry it was fun meeting members I have never met before and yes I do have a complete set! Brian

Was only a demonstration of what can happen if you don't pay your protection fee's to the Garden Tractor Mafia.

Vanessa and Brian were the big winners of the 20th WHCC Anniversary’s raffle tractors! Congratulations! El Presidente and @AMC RULES joined in the pics too!

@PeacemakerJack & @Coulter Caleb at Dining pavilion

19Richie66 and Karen with their awesome mash pole sign! So glad you both could make it and had fun at the Big Show!

We're coming to get you! We used to be in a pit crew but got tossed for drinking and swearing too much not to mention our farts smelt like limburger cheese!