Gary's Crankup, and a Little Interesting History

Our friend Gary Bahre hosted the annual crankup at his farm and the weather was perfect.  He had a bunch of engines running outside, and he served a gourmet meal inside.  Well over thirty engine friends showed up.  Most stayed all day, and a whole lotta visitng was going on.  This crankup group is pretty special.  After engine-show-season is over, members of this group hosts crankups during the six month off-season, Gary is next to last in the rotation, and there will be one more in April.  I learned a little history from Gary today.  Gary's father was one of the founders of the American Thesherman Association in Pinckneyville, Illinois. You can read a bit of the history HERE.  Gary is just a bit younger than me, and he grew up with steam and gas engines.  Before the first Pinckneyville show happened, Gary's father had a get-together of engine friends on the family farm.  There were six steam engines and a whole bunch of steam enthusiasts.  Gary's mother cooked more that 200 pounds of pork for the crowd!

The enthusiasts who were at that steam get-together are the ones who formed the American Thresherman Association, which is still hosting the big steam, gas, and tractor show every year in August and October.  Gary's annual crankup is a fine remembrance of the work of those founders, and it is a family reunion for this group that shows their engines in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky.  Fine Friends!

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We spent our time today visiting with friends and enjoying the engines rather than making new videos of Gary's collection.  The video below is one we shot in 2014, right after Gary completed this 6 HP Titan.  This engine worked in Floyd County, Kentucky on Spurlock Creek, grinding corn for meal and corn mash.  It was literally just over the mountain from the 9 HP Sears Engine in Gary's collection that we found on Buck's Branch, just above Martin, Kentucky.  Forty years after these engines were saved it seems a bit unbelievable that they are in the same place in an engine lover's collection.  Thank You, Gary and Peggy, for your hospitality and the great engine party!