I got laid-off last week from my job. I've enjoyed my seven years here in the beautiful Cascade Mountains. I've hiked into numerous alpine lakes and rode some wonderful twistys. It's been a growing experience for me as a person. I'm excited too be going home too my family and friends but am also sad too leave some wonderful friends behind. I've spent the last few days getting my old 77 Toyota ready for the journey. It will probably be the oldest Toyota in SD. I'm planning on putting the bike in the bed and trailoring the rest of my stuff in a cheap foldup trailer I bought for $230.00. I rebuilt the top end of the 20r motor last fall. I wish I'd put in a hotter cam now. There are a few passes I'm not looking forward too. I was looking at my trip log from when I moved here I paid a total of $140.00 for gas to get here in 2001. It's going to be a bit more this time. Nickle Eye
Your right about the pheasants, Wayne. I'm heading for a small town called Fedora in eastern SD. I didn't do any elk hunting out here as it is even worse than opening day of pheasant season in SD. Too many people with guns that just want to party at camp. I love too fish but anywhere out here with easy access is crowded with people too. I did most of my fishing in alpine lakes that you have too hike into. I love having a beautiful lake surrounded by peaks and full of trout all too myself.Losing my job hasn't bothered me much as there wasn't any future for me there anyways. When you work at a family business and aren't a member of the family, attendance and job skills don't get you anywhere. A few of my friends in SD have been calling me and telling me they have got cash jobs for me, so I'm not too worried about work when I get there. The hardest part is leaving some good friends behind. I've been going to barbeques and suppers all week. It really has been an emotional roller coaster. I'm excited to be going home to family and friends but really saddened to leave others behind.The old truck is purring like a kitten. IMHO these little toyotas are another example of great Japanese engineering. Haven't had her with a full load yet but I am not to worried.( I did get AAA rv plus though) I think I'll stop in the Black Hills for awhile and do some riding before Sturgis. I did want to go by Yellowstone but think it's best to not too hit anymore passes than needed. I might have to ride over there to the twin cities as there seems to be a quite a few guys on the forum from there.Nickle Eye
Well I left this morning at 11:30. Got a late start due to the cat going missing. I think the coyotes got him as he's always home at night. I'll miss him. Truck's been running good a little slow coming out of the Columbia gorge. I only had to shift done to 4th and slowed to 43 mph. Pulled into Coer d' Alane at 4;30. One of the front bearings feels warm so I'm going to pack it in the morning. I've got some passes ahead of me so I want that lubed well. I'm thinking of stopping in Butte tomorrow. That will leave me the Continental divide to do the next morning. After that there's not to many hills. I bet 70% of my cargo weight is the bike and the spare motor and other bike parts. Hope I don't have to dump ballast! Nickle Eye
I've made it to Butte ! After thinking about it last night I decided to dump some ballast. I put about 4 hundred pounds of bike parts in storage in Spokane. Glad I did that Lookout Pass is a doozy . I had to shift down to 3rd and slowed to 35mph. I going to hit the continental divide in the morning. Nickle Eye
I've made it to the Black Hills !!!!!!! The old Toyota hasn't used any oil either. I've added about half a quart do to the crank seal leaking. Tomorrow I'll unload the bike and go for a cruise. The Continental Divide wasn't as bad as Lookout pass. Only down to 40mph. I've got dog fur all over as the mutt decided it was time to shed and he's part Chow so he sheds like a buffalo. I'm going to stay at a friends here for a few days. It a relief to be in SD even if I do have to drive another 400 miles. About the only hills now is crossing the Missouri. Here's a pict of the rig and dog in Idaho.Nickle Eye
Gotfalls wrote:That's awesome that you're moving to South Dakota! I doubt this part of the state is even close to as beautiful as Washington, but it's a great place to live! You'll be about 2 hours away from me. You might be the closest CX driver to me! That's pretty cool. I hope the last part of the drive goes well.Washington is some beautiful country and I feel fortunate too have lived there and enjoyed it for seven years , but you can't eat scenery. It is pretty expensive. I went to breakfast this morning and it was about half what the price would've been in Wa. I think SD is quite beautiful too though I grew up here and it must be the old sodbuster blood in me. I've always thought fields of crops especially sunflowers and flax are beautiful. We'll have too hook up for a ride sometime. Nickle Eye Better to know more than you think than too think you know more than you do. Re: Moving back to South Dakota Nickle Eye 06-27-2008, 4:43 PM Well I got the bike unloaded today and went for a ride up Spearfish Canyon. Oh it feels nice to be off the road and back in SD. Got to admit I've been stressing a bit from the drive and the move. But today ,riding though the canyon and sightseeing, all that stress disapeered. I took some picts of it for you guy's if you never been to the Black Hills get here if you can. They are awsome! I'm not sure how long I'm going to stay here in the Hills before I head east to Fedora. Might be a while. Nickle Eye Better to know more than you think than too think you know more than you do. Re: Moving back to South Dakota Nickle Eye 06-30-2008, 4:58 PM I've made it !!!! Pulled into Fedora at 3:30 friday. Made good time across SD with a good tailwind. Unloaded the bike today and went for a cruise.It's been a good trip, some would say I'm crazy for driving a 30 year old toyota halfway around the country loaded down but hell it made it. I love this old truck!! I think I'll have to give her a paint job for a reward for getting me here.Nickle Eye Better to know more than you think than too think you know more than you do. Re: Moving back to South Dakota WayneDW 06-30-2008, 7:05 PM Way to go Bro! welcome home, thanks for sharing your trip. (let me know if you need help shooting some of those pheasants around your house) :>) Wayne1983 GL650 Silverwing InterstateWWW.fossilapostles.com Re: Moving back to South Dakota Nickle Eye 07-10-2008, 3:27 PM Well I've got internet here in Fedora now. Wayne , the pheasants are thick as fleas on a stray dog. I counted over 100 birds the other night on a ride to Mitchell which is 32 miles away. I can't hardly wait til october. There's lots of ducks, and geese too. I also spotted another CX in Mitchell. Nickle Eye Better to know more than you think than too think you know more than you do. Re: Moving back to South Dakota WayneDW 07-10-2008, 5:19 PM Cool, sounds great! I hear NoDak is in good shape this year too. That is where I will be the third week of October. BTW, our motorcycle gang (see web site) will be traveling through your neighborhood on Friday evening, August 8 as the first leg of our trip to Yellowstone. We are staying at the Thunderbird in Mitchell that night. Look us up if you'd like, we'd be glad to meet you. We may be in a little late, we aren't leaving the big city until mid afternoon. Wayne1983 GL650 Silverwing InterstateWWW.fossilapostles.com Copyright 1978-2006 Charles E. Smith
Gotfalls wrote:That's awesome that you're moving to South Dakota! I doubt this part of the state is even close to as beautiful as Washington, but it's a great place to live! You'll be about 2 hours away from me. You might be the closest CX driver to me! That's pretty cool. I hope the last part of the drive goes well.
Well I got the bike unloaded today and went for a ride up Spearfish Canyon. Oh it feels nice to be off the road and back in SD. Got to admit I've been stressing a bit from the drive and the move. But today ,riding though the canyon and sightseeing, all that stress disapeered. I took some picts of it for you guy's if you never been to the Black Hills get here if you can. They are awsome! I'm not sure how long I'm going to stay here in the Hills before I head east to Fedora. Might be a while. Nickle Eye