Old Iron is very addicting Scott. When I first went to that show in 1983 or 1987 I can't remember, it was very small and all the digging was done where the Potato Shack is now. And that was just one of the founders Erie Steam Shovel (not the current one that's there) and the #4 Keystone Skimmer shovel and I was hooked then, especially the Caterpillar crawler tractors witch my collection has grown to about 17 machines some running some parts
You did well on Sam's 22B shovel, your digging area just needed cleaned up some and it would have been easier for you just starting out. I taught Mike how to run Sam's grandfather's little 10B when he was 7yrs old. He probably could have done it sooner but his legs weren't long enough to reach the brake pedals