Mary Nelson Mary Nelson, from Yankton, South Dakota, participated in her second two-day tractor ride this year. She drove an International 350 utility tractor for this year’s event, a tractor that her uncle Darrell purchased at an auction. She enjoys being outdoors and especially likes the routes over flat ground, where she can relax and enjoy nature and the surroundings. The rides through breathtaking scenery don’t come without challenges, whether from tractor malfunction or traveling through some difficult terrain. This year’s ride will forever be a memory for her, explaining, “So, as a beginner driver I had my struggles with hills, but I was not prepared for the steep hills of Devil’s Nest. On one steep hill going down, I was slamming the brakes and got quite close to the tractor in front of me. What I did not see coming was that this hill took a sharp curve and immediately dropped into an even steeper hill. I did not have time to stop and shift down, so I held tight and went flying down the hill. The scary thing was that my tractor shade dropped in front of my face, so I was ducking to see the ditch and any tractor tires that were visible. I do not know how many tractors I passed, but my tractor did come to a stop at the bottom of the hill, where I sat quite shaken up. For the rest of the ride the elderly woman riding ahead of me would turn around every ten seconds to make sure I was not going to hit them!” I J Walters I J Walters, from Guide Rock, Nebraska was new to the ride this year. She drove a 1957 Case 211 B, the first antique tractor she and her husband bought together. “As soon as my husband bought another, this one became mine,” she said. Though they take part in five to eight rides in Nebraska every summer through fall, they have not taken part in any South Dakota rides until this one. She enjoys meeting new people on the rides and appreciates the beautiful scenery. The picturesque countryside from each ride stands out vividly in her memory. Norma Wittmeier Norma Wittmeier, originally a Lesterville, SD native, now resides in Tyndall, SD. She has participated in every two-day ride and has enjoyed all of them. She previously rode with her husband, Ken and this year she rode with grandson Clay Wittmeier as Ken has passed away. Clay drove her 1987 Deutz as she rode next to him. She reflects, “the tractor ride is one of my favorite things. Ken and I rode all over.” Grandson Clay is continuing his inherited passion for tractors, now attending a John Deere school at Wahpeton, North Dakota. Norma rode along as passenger while Ken drove them on many rides over the years. They’ve taken part in several local rides and vHOW THEY ROLL continued on page 27 Floors & More Your Total Home Design Center The best innovation in carpet. 1205 Broadway Ave., Yankton • 665-9728 Monday-Friday 9-5:30, Saturday 9-3 We’ve combined Endurance high-performance ?ber with R2X® Soil and Stain Resistance and LifeGuard® Spill-proof Backing.™ Bellera is built to last. No surprises. No worries. TM shaw?oors.com HERVOICEvSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018v23