I get many press releases, and most of them are uninteresting. But I received one today that intrigues me, but I have no idea why. Here are excerpts:

PROVO, Utah County - A contingent of motorcyclists is expected to accompany a restored and highly polished potbelly stove on its way to the Stadium of Fire on Saturday at Lavell Edwards Stadium.

Robert Simpson of Nephi restored the 1894 stove and plans to take it to the Stadium of Fire in the bed of a 1950 Chevy pickup as he makes his way over back roads from Nephi to Provo. He welcomes anyone who wants to tag along.

Simpson leaves Nephi at 9 a.m. and plans a stop at Legends motorcycle shop in Springville where about a dozen bikers are expected to join the ride, said Chris Salisbury, whose father Rick Salisbury owns the shop that creates vintage-looking motorcycles.

The potbelly saga began four years ago when Simpson rescued the antique, 117-year-old stove, which belonged to his neighbor, from a trip to the dump after the neighbor died. The neighbor's family was going to throw it out, he said.

When Simpson, a retired construction worker, started cleaning up the then-rusty stove he discovered it was completely nickel plated, which polishes like chrome. He tore the stove down and painstakingly cleaned and buffed every part. Some parts had to be welded to regain their former condition. Finally, just last week, he had the ornament that adorns the top restored with copper plating and installed new mica for its glass-like windows.

He also plans on showing it off in Provo's Fourth of July parade on Monday.

While he worked on the restoration of the Riverside base burner stove, No. 55, he began researching its history. The stove was manufactured by the Rock Island Stove Co. of Rock Island, Ill. and was likely brought to Utah by rail. He unearthed vintage advertising that boasted the stove would save on coal because of its three-flue system and had the "most radiating surface, greatest hot air circulation, tightest doors and joints, easiest to set up and repair and handsomest smooth nickel."

Pictured above are some potbelly stoves similar to the one described.