Anabel and John Konwiser, of Carefree, Ariz., found a unique way to travel across Kansas — atop their 1947 Farmall tractors.
The couple are traveling with their two dogs — Dalwhinnie, a West Highland Terrier, and Talisker, a Scottish Terrier. Both dogs are named after single malt Scotches. The dogs ride atop a luggage bin on one of the tractors.
John Konwiser said he trailered both tractors from their home in Arizona to Goessel, Kan., and continued on to Morris, Ill., for a tractor tour. Konwiser said he returned to Hillsboro and Anabel Konwiser drove up to join him. They coordinated a three-day tractor tour from Hillsboro to Cottonwood Falls and down the Scenic Byway. The couple had heard of the Grand Central Hotel in Cottonwood Falls and decided to stay there.
During their tour they have seen many Kansas sites.
“We saw a lot of the prairie,” John Konwiser said.
The tractors the couple are riding are 1947 Farmalls A and B. John Konwiser said up until World War II, farming wasn’t done with tractors. Then Farmall and John Deere came out with tractors.
“They were built very well,” Konwiser said.
The Farmall B has a second seat, John Konwiser said, pointing to the tractor.
“It’s a grandchild seat,” he said, adding that the steering wheel that is in front of the seat doesn’t steer the tractor but the grandchildren have fun turning it anyway.