Today for the fourth time I journeyed to Dublin, New Hampshire, to take in all the wonders at the Annual Dublin Gas Engine Meet. I became fascinated with the old “hit-n’miss” engines decades ago, and have reported to you about my recent visits seeing these amazing old machines.

Central Massachusetts Steam and Gas Show – 27 June 2015

44th Dublin Gas Engine Meet – September 2015

45th Dublin Gas Engine Meet – September 10, 2016

46th Dublin Gas Engine Meet – 9 September 2017

and, today —

The organizers encourage people with “antique” cars to come and exhibit. Entrance then is “free.” Hey, I am not proud, the $5 saved paid for my lunch, and BLUE BELLE loves the attention.

how can you not love these machines?

Every time I have shared this show with you, I have sought to show you things I have not seen before. Looking out my back windows (if it were not for the trees) I can see the buildings that still exist in Westminster Station, Vermont where these Abenaqui Machines were built.

The ingenuity some people have is amazing. My Dad could have built this, I can only marvel at how the mechanics have been assembled to use a “hit-n’miss” engine to drive a buggy and pull a sulky. (remember, you can click on my galleries to get larger images).

This video will give you an overview of part of the main exhibition area.

Some images on the field

Easy way to saw wood?

Colorful — how could you not want one?

In the past year plus I have become fascinated with forensic crime research. If I remember, I may even tell you at the end of this post what made these tracks (not my shoes at the lower left). Can you guess?

“How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” Or, if all else fails, cut your wood with a 1917  Model 10-20 made by International Harvester.

I gave you an image of these fans last year. Better yet, here is a video.

Below is something new to me – a  1912 1 1/2 Horse Power Side Shaft Domestic (brand) Engine with a Goulds Mud Sucker Pump to pump water out of ditches.

I wanted a ride !!!

Ready for another video???

And, here are two more galleries of unusual items I saw today.

ready for some more?

and, just when you think you have seen everything — a Singer Sewing Machine made into a tractor model — or does it really work?

Three hours plus of really too much fun – and “for nothing.” I then headed to Peterboro to see what was new, and at the last moment decided to head home via Jaffrey (to see what was new) instead of deadheading back on Route 101. Glad I did !!! Bought a print shop. Sadly too big and too much weight for BLUE BELLE to ferry back. Will make another trip to retrieve the balance – can live with that, if I decide to sell, a nice 2K profit. Around the corner from that purchase I saw I shop I had not before seen, and a fountain. Been looking for one – and this will serve until the absolute perfect one materializes. How do you get a fountain into an MGA? Carefully !

And then, there were more stops, and books purchased. Hey, this day (and month) now more than paid for. At one stop I saw something not seen before. Cathy and I collected what we called “book a likes.” Things that look like books, but are not books. I have my formal living room decorated as a library, but there is not a single book in it. A fellow bookseller once told me, “you need to write a book about your collection to create additional value.” Been on my list, to document my “book-a-like” collection, but now I have a tremendous pencil box that looks like a set of books.

What’s next? Who knows, maybe something will strike me when I wake up. But, I did see a notice at Dublin for a show in Ludlow, VT – now “on my list.”

See you there — ENJOY, love, RAY

PS – those tracks? Figure it out? Rear steel wheels on a vintage John Deere Tractor.