I went out to the barn early today for some long over due tractor maintenance, specifically to change the oil for the first time in nine years and install new drive belts. Progress was slowed when I discovered the nozzle for the ether can was missing. This led me to dig thru, and ultimately clean out, the seat compartment. Before locating the nozzle I dug thru broken tire (chain) spreaders, tools, old crusty balloons, broken battery powered festmas lights, and essential fest accessories such as the back of a cow soap dispenser and a pair of plastic novelty toilets. Anyway I cleaned the remaining dirt and debris out the seat,tightened its bolts, and went to start the motor to move it into the barn. That's when the skies opened accompanied by some rare early winter thunder and lightning. I had to wait for the rain to ease up to get ether into the spark plug hole without big raindrops interfering. After warming the oil with a couple yard laps it was changed and the new belts were installed with Chump's assistance. Then Keithel looked in the seat and was surprised to find one (smaller) toilet inside the other. After a good laugh we did a yard lap, noted the swamp ice was not adequate, picked up my sister, and ascended the main trail in a couple inches of wet snow. The belts provided much better power transfer compared to the last few fests yielding faster ascending and much easier progress over obstacles. Note to self: change drive belts more often for optimal festing. We got soaked while driving baja thru some (wet) small pine trees and then ascended to the summit. Steering was compromised in the snow and it took a while to navigate to the top. Once there we shut off the motor and paused to reflect on the past 14 years of tractorfest in Massachusetts. This would be the last fest before the tractor will follow me to New Hampshire where there is great fest potential. Eventually we felt a bit chilled in the rain so we descended the west slope of mount tractor and traversed the off camber section. Then we neutral dropped Chris and Matt's path and drove over the stone wall. As we approached "the bull" section Keithel, sitting shotgun said, "I remember getting tossed here last time". And sure enough he was ejected once again. I immediately engaged neutral and we left Keithel for a bumpy section and Matt announced "now that's some good festing". We went down the steep embankment and road tractored to the new stop sign that was struck by the tractor at Novemberfest. I rammed it a few times but the new sign proved worthy by lifting the front wheels into the air. At least now its bent and facing the wrong way.
Note: Today Matt claimed the lead of the top 12 over Chris Barton, a position that Chris had maintained for nine years.