Three day ride brings AC’s to Madison, S. Dak.

A caravan of antique Allis Chalmers tractors has been doing a slow drive from Oakes, North Dakota to Madison, South Dakota. Jim Rooney from Oakes, North Dakota is one of the organizers of the “gathering of the orange”.

“We have people here from, I think, nine different states,” Rooney said, over the roar of the tractor engines, ” as far away as Cedar City, Utah; Arkansas, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana; [we're] just a bunch of people who like their orange tractors having a really, really good time.”

AUDIO: Gary Ostby and Jim Rooney (1 min. MP3)

A few people joined the caravan at Watertown, South Dakota, making a total of 32 tractors that were to arrive in Madison Thursday.

“We have a lot of sightseers along the way, we try to wave at everybody, a lot of people wave at us, taking pictures,” said Rooney, explaining how the tractor caravan attracts onlookers. “[This is] just a bunch of old timers having a really good time.”

The official “gathering of the orange” event continues through this weekend at Prairie Village just west of Madison, South Dakota.

Events like this are about the tractors, but even more so, they’re about friends with a common interest, according to Gary Ostby, an Allis Chalmers enthusiast from New Effington, South Dakota.

“The drive is fun, but when we get to our stops and get to visit with them, we got them from all over the country,” said Ostby. “That’s the best part.”

(Watertown, South Dakota Farm Broadcaster Jody Heemstra contributed to this article)