Heading West from Fort Wayne, IN

[namvet]

July 30th. I will be heading west on my 2007 Nomad and will be using a Chuckster hitch to pull a used 2003 Bunkhouse camper for the trip. At present I am packing and repacking the trailer to determine to get the best payload per cubic foot. I have gotten a new digital camera, so I will try to get plenty of pictures. I will leave here and then pick up my riding partner in Plymouth, In on the 30th. He is from Florida but will travel to Michigan to visit family and then meet me en route in Plymouth. He rides a Harley, but he isn't all bad. We are going to hit Sturgis during bike week, staying in Hill City at a campground. I don't think we will spend a lot of time there, once you have done it (Sturgis) it's all the same anymore. I know we are going into WY to Devil's Tower and maybe on to Yellowstone. We are both retired, so we can play it by ear.

[ballast]

If your ear brings you this far west, there is always a beer in the fridge.

[namvet]

Just a quick update. Didn't leave till the 31st (Friday), drove about 90 miles to Plymouth, IN and met up with my riding partner at the Bob Evans, where we had a good breakfast. Met an old friend that had also ridden down from Michigan to see us off. From there we took hwy 30 over to Hwy 421, down to 8 and caught up with hwy 2 over to Isl. We wanted to avert any Chicago traffic, which we did. We attempted to two lane across IL, but the pace was just too slow, so we made our way back to I-80. The stop for the first night was in Oxford, Ia at about the 230 mile marker, The Bunkhouse went up quick and easy and after a good hot shower, this old man went to bed. The next day we made it to Mitchell, SD. Weather has been cool so far with no rain.

[namvet]

To day (Sunday) we rolled into Hill City, SD at about 3PM. After getting set up and just relaxing a fellow walked by by and said hey a Nomad. I found that he is a member of the site and his handle is Meat from IL. We shot the bull for a while. We found the hot weather today at the Badlands. My MPG has dropped due to pulling the camper. I am only getting about 25 to 28 mpg.

[phenrichs]

Hey namvet if you are in the mood for some really good food head down to custer to the Cowboy (on the west end of town) My wife and I ate there every day when we were there for the Rally in June. Their biscuits & gravy are #1 and the best buffalo stew I have ever had. If you get time there is a 55 million dollar house being built on a hill over looking the town of Keystone too. It's huge.

[namvet]

Rode just over 3,000 miles...... see below for pixs.


http://photobucket.com/STURGIS-2009

[meat]

hey namvet, it was a pleasure meeting you in Hill City. Glad you had a safe trip. Enjoyed your pictures. We also rode around 3,000 miles. The # of nomads we saw on the road this yr was up quite a bit. Visited with another nomad owner in our camp from Mass. He had over 63,000 miles on his. ( How about that 3 nomads in the same camp ) He was'nt a member of Kawanow, said he did'nt do computers. Anyway ride safe and again it was a pleasure meeting you. meat