Tractors from Fremont will be in Haven and at the Meskwaki Hotel on Thursday, June 10 as part of the 2010 Greater Southeast Iowa Spring Tractor Ride.

TAMA NEWS-HERALD – The 2010 Greater Southeast Iowa Spring Tractor Ride will get underway on Thursday, June 10, departing -from Fremont at 8 a.m. Over 75 tractors are registered, with the riders ready “to take on Mother Nature, road construction and good, homemade food” on their round trip two-day ride to the Meskwaki Indian Casino west of Tama-Toledo and back.

After leaving Fremont, the tractors will. find their way to Barnes City for their morning break at the American Legion, then on to Brooklyn for a special lunch at the high school cafeteria.

That lunch, which is also open to the public for $8 as a fundraiser, is being sponsored by Austin’s Crusaders, the local leukemia- lymphoma society.

The tractors will then wind their way to Haven located on County Road E64 for an afternoon break before ending the day at the Meskwaki Casino and I-lotel. There will be a special designated area in the parking lot for ttle tractors and viewing by thepublic..

On Friday morning, the tractors will leave the casino at 7:30 a.m. and drive south to Gilman for a morning break at the American Legion. Lunch time will find the riders atthe SullyChristian Church. Because of road construction issues, the tractors will travel to Montezuma via the Diamond Trail, then back to Barnes City before heading home to Fremont.

“The tractors travel in three separate groups,” explained Fred Neely of Delta, co-sponsor of the tractor ride. “The fast group travels IS mph, the in-between group at 14 mph. and the slow group at 10 mph. ” I lead the slow group,”he added, laughing.

Lee Clark, Fremont -founder and second co-sponsor, generally drives the lead tractor in the fast group, with Dwight Miller of Fremont leading the in-between group, Dewayne Miller, Montezuma, is driving the shag wagon which picks up any disabled tractors and riders.

This is the fifth year for the Greater Southeast Iowa Spring Tractor Ride. The three-day, two-night fall ride departs Milton on Sept. 8 and with overnight stops in Keokuk and Mt. Pleasant before returing to Milton on Sept. 10. If you are interested in

Ih participating, call Neely at 641-660-0136 or Clarl( at (641) 933-9962 before August 15.