Cardinal Direction
Active member
- Joined
- May 22, 2022
- Messages
- 164
I will preface this with I stopped taking English classes in my second year of high school because I can't write worth a damn and below is a long rambling personal reflection that you would do well to skip and just look at the pretty pictures of the bike and the beautiful Black hills.
I have always loved small bikes, small bikes and big adventures especially. My oldest brother gave me a 1981 Honda passport when he moved from our parents home in Saint Louis to pursue his dream of becoming a chef in NYC and I was in love, I was obsessed. I found adventure rider soon after, dreaming of camping on my little bike or doing a coast to coast like the legendary 18 year old who accomplished California to New York City on the same bike. Then Ed blew me away with his c90 adventures and that desire to run a little bike to the edge of the world consumed me. There was always an excuse though, I have to work so I can go to school, I have to do well at school so I can join the Air Force and become a Pilot, I have don't have time to slow down, to stop. Years of grinding and grinding I must admit had worn me down. I accomplished all of the things I set out to do professionally and with my family. I've sailed across the sky and seen sunsets over unfriendly seas. I've married my childhood sweetheart and had my son who is my greatest treasure and accomplishment and will always be but in truth I neglected myself. I put away that little boy who screamed for adventure and open road so that I could keep from struggling as we struggled growing up. 30 years is coming up fast and growing old is a privilege denied to many, these are things I know and for once I decided "God damn it why the hell not." My father always said I had a little of that "depression era" in me, what he really meant is I was wound tighter than most and calling me thrifty was underselling it wholesale! My wife, god love her, begged me to buy the shiny new CT 125 to stop from making road trips 2 states away to hunt down a ct110. I had been drooling over it for more than a year and when it came out I found every excuse not to buy it. "No low range" I said, "people are saying its under powered", " its way heavier than my 82" meaning my little blue passport named Natsumi and according to my wife is my devoted mistress. I tried and I tried saying that a 150 will come out or that it will get an upgrade and I would just have to wait. and wait... and wait.... But I didn't. For once did the thing and I bought a shiny brand new CT 125. Guilt, heavy, heavy guilt sat in my stomach like a lead bar heated just enough to keep from melting. "Four thousand, three hundred and twenty nine dollars." I said shaking my head in dismay, had I destined my family for the poor house? had I taken food out of the mouths of my family and weakened our safety net? No, over and over again I had to tell myself, I've worked hard and we are comfortable. Military officer pay is good and barring catastrophic failure on my part or death my job is secure. Just enjoy the damn thing.
So I did.
My wife kicked me out of the house with some snacks and a camelback and told me to go have some fun so I threw my bike on the back with a scant 89 miles I had accumulated in the few days around the neighborhood and I hit the road.
I hadn't had the chance to mount a crate on her yet or even complete the first oil change but with a couple of huge twisty ties and a square of canvas I got one rigged up for a day off hopping and bopping.
She looks pretty good next to my 98 ranger don't she!
And I was off, finally after years of posting, waiting, never making enough time I was on my first real little adventure. What better place to start than Custer State Park in SD? I planed just a 5 hour loop. I was going to do the whole wildlife loop and climb needles highway and see how many buffalo I could see.
Starting at the east entrance I quickly meandered my way into the famous wildlife loop, a great open expanse of grass land where one usually spots buffalo but all I saw for the first set of fields was grass and the tiny grass airstrip that sets upon a small flat rise in the low rolling hills there. The little bike pulled along wonderfully, the sun was shining, and I could only imagine the huge smile that was plastered all over my stupid face.
Now I have driven the park quite a few times but I have never ventured off the paved established road, I passed one dirt road and then a second... "Its a CT Kyle, what are you doing...?" I made it another few hundred yards before I gave into temptation and abandoned my planned route. It was time for a little dirt and lucky for me a few buffalo were not too far.
After a few miles of this wonderful packed dirt I found myself back on the loop, and then quickly diverted again to the next patch of dirt that presented itself. This one mostly forested and uphill with some fun patches of slate rock! The CT pulled along putt putting with nary a complaint seemingly as eager and joyful as I to just be out exploring.
After a few more miles I found myself on 87 heading towards the other entrance of the park where I would find the entrance to needles highway. I slabbed a bit until stopping at my favorite picnic area called "hole in the wall" and I tell you it is aptly named.
AND IT CONTINUES!
After snacking on a Hotdog and a a few pulls from the camelback I was on my way again, climbing the sharp pin turns and steep grade to Needles highway.
The climb was in a word was hilarious. I was trying not to flog the motor too bad (Odometer around 120 miles at this point) and was using momentum as best I could to continue the climb in the highest gear I could to keep the RPMs down, pretty challangeing because I had to keep slowing down for cars or hairpin greater than 90 turns. I eventually gave up and just climbed in 2nd and 3rd gear holding in the low to mid thirties.
The destination in the background.
As you can see the sun had left and as I climbed the wind increased with every twist and turn. With only a light jacket and jeans ( I know I know I should have known better. I even packed an extra layer and left it in the truck) I was starting to chill. Being a popular tourist destination in addition to being after a holiday weekend the Spires and Needles Highway Tunnel were PACKED. I snapped what pictures I could but with all the cars and people I wanted to keep moving.
After heading through the Needles eye tunnel I popped a U turn and retraced my steps back to the truck cursing myself the whole time for not bringing my extra layer or my fly fishing gear. At least it gives me something to look forward to my next little adventure.
Im thinking Spearfish canyon and Fly fishing!
Thanks for reading.
I have always loved small bikes, small bikes and big adventures especially. My oldest brother gave me a 1981 Honda passport when he moved from our parents home in Saint Louis to pursue his dream of becoming a chef in NYC and I was in love, I was obsessed. I found adventure rider soon after, dreaming of camping on my little bike or doing a coast to coast like the legendary 18 year old who accomplished California to New York City on the same bike. Then Ed blew me away with his c90 adventures and that desire to run a little bike to the edge of the world consumed me. There was always an excuse though, I have to work so I can go to school, I have to do well at school so I can join the Air Force and become a Pilot, I have don't have time to slow down, to stop. Years of grinding and grinding I must admit had worn me down. I accomplished all of the things I set out to do professionally and with my family. I've sailed across the sky and seen sunsets over unfriendly seas. I've married my childhood sweetheart and had my son who is my greatest treasure and accomplishment and will always be but in truth I neglected myself. I put away that little boy who screamed for adventure and open road so that I could keep from struggling as we struggled growing up. 30 years is coming up fast and growing old is a privilege denied to many, these are things I know and for once I decided "God damn it why the hell not." My father always said I had a little of that "depression era" in me, what he really meant is I was wound tighter than most and calling me thrifty was underselling it wholesale! My wife, god love her, begged me to buy the shiny new CT 125 to stop from making road trips 2 states away to hunt down a ct110. I had been drooling over it for more than a year and when it came out I found every excuse not to buy it. "No low range" I said, "people are saying its under powered", " its way heavier than my 82" meaning my little blue passport named Natsumi and according to my wife is my devoted mistress. I tried and I tried saying that a 150 will come out or that it will get an upgrade and I would just have to wait. and wait... and wait.... But I didn't. For once did the thing and I bought a shiny brand new CT 125. Guilt, heavy, heavy guilt sat in my stomach like a lead bar heated just enough to keep from melting. "Four thousand, three hundred and twenty nine dollars." I said shaking my head in dismay, had I destined my family for the poor house? had I taken food out of the mouths of my family and weakened our safety net? No, over and over again I had to tell myself, I've worked hard and we are comfortable. Military officer pay is good and barring catastrophic failure on my part or death my job is secure. Just enjoy the damn thing.
So I did.
My wife kicked me out of the house with some snacks and a camelback and told me to go have some fun so I threw my bike on the back with a scant 89 miles I had accumulated in the few days around the neighborhood and I hit the road.
I hadn't had the chance to mount a crate on her yet or even complete the first oil change but with a couple of huge twisty ties and a square of canvas I got one rigged up for a day off hopping and bopping.
She looks pretty good next to my 98 ranger don't she!
And I was off, finally after years of posting, waiting, never making enough time I was on my first real little adventure. What better place to start than Custer State Park in SD? I planed just a 5 hour loop. I was going to do the whole wildlife loop and climb needles highway and see how many buffalo I could see.
Starting at the east entrance I quickly meandered my way into the famous wildlife loop, a great open expanse of grass land where one usually spots buffalo but all I saw for the first set of fields was grass and the tiny grass airstrip that sets upon a small flat rise in the low rolling hills there. The little bike pulled along wonderfully, the sun was shining, and I could only imagine the huge smile that was plastered all over my stupid face.
Now I have driven the park quite a few times but I have never ventured off the paved established road, I passed one dirt road and then a second... "Its a CT Kyle, what are you doing...?" I made it another few hundred yards before I gave into temptation and abandoned my planned route. It was time for a little dirt and lucky for me a few buffalo were not too far.
After a few miles of this wonderful packed dirt I found myself back on the loop, and then quickly diverted again to the next patch of dirt that presented itself. This one mostly forested and uphill with some fun patches of slate rock! The CT pulled along putt putting with nary a complaint seemingly as eager and joyful as I to just be out exploring.
After a few more miles I found myself on 87 heading towards the other entrance of the park where I would find the entrance to needles highway. I slabbed a bit until stopping at my favorite picnic area called "hole in the wall" and I tell you it is aptly named.
AND IT CONTINUES!
After snacking on a Hotdog and a a few pulls from the camelback I was on my way again, climbing the sharp pin turns and steep grade to Needles highway.
The climb was in a word was hilarious. I was trying not to flog the motor too bad (Odometer around 120 miles at this point) and was using momentum as best I could to continue the climb in the highest gear I could to keep the RPMs down, pretty challangeing because I had to keep slowing down for cars or hairpin greater than 90 turns. I eventually gave up and just climbed in 2nd and 3rd gear holding in the low to mid thirties.
The destination in the background.
As you can see the sun had left and as I climbed the wind increased with every twist and turn. With only a light jacket and jeans ( I know I know I should have known better. I even packed an extra layer and left it in the truck) I was starting to chill. Being a popular tourist destination in addition to being after a holiday weekend the Spires and Needles Highway Tunnel were PACKED. I snapped what pictures I could but with all the cars and people I wanted to keep moving.
After heading through the Needles eye tunnel I popped a U turn and retraced my steps back to the truck cursing myself the whole time for not bringing my extra layer or my fly fishing gear. At least it gives me something to look forward to my next little adventure.
Im thinking Spearfish canyon and Fly fishing!
Thanks for reading.
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