Planning a Road trip

tim s

Well-known Member
I'm planning a road trip to Mt Rushmore, leaving Sunday May 24th, going through Indy,Champaign,Peoria,Iowa city, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Mason City, then up to 90 and out through Sioux Falls..My City wife will allow me to do some farming on the way,, and maybe a few visits if it can work out, I am planning on coming home on 80 and 70...
 
Indy could be a zoo with the 500??

JD museum (new)at Waterloo. Your wife will like Corn Palace at Mitchell, SD. Cabella's there too.

Pioneer village at Minden NE is good. South of I-80 a little ways.
 
Should be a good trip for ya Tim. Some construction on Hwy 20 in Iowa. And on 80 too. But such is life. I will be hauling tractors out of Waterloo Works that week. Look for a white Pete with JD logos all over! Have a safe trip!
 
I have not driven farther in that direction than Waterloo, I'm looking forward to the trip,,and getting away from the tool box for a bit...
 
Couple of suggestion: A great place to stay near Mount Rushmore is Sylvan Lodge, great food and you can fish for trout nearby. There is a great steak restaurant in Alpine that has only about 4 things on the menu: great steaks, lettuce wedge, baked potato, and pie. There are also some great drives through the mountains near the Indian Chief which is carved into a mountain like Mount Rushmore. We loved driving through the Badlands on our way to Yellow Stone National Park which is our favorite along with the Tetons. Have fun.
 
A lot to see.The first time we went I put 500 miles on just in the Black Hills.Stop by Wall Drug.Need to see it once.Take a day and drive thru Custer Park . Also drive thru Spearfish Canyon. Be carful around Cedar Rapids .Got my picture taken doing 70 in a 55. Enjoy your trip.
 
Leave a day early and stop at the Shellum Farm north of Sioux Falls for their first tractor pull of the season on the 24th. Great time for everyone to more or less do test and tunes on their tractors. Last year at the end of the pull they even had motor home pulls after the car pull.
 
If you end up in North western wyoming there's a fella north of worland and that has everything green from wagons to tractors etc. up into the mid 60s I have a picture someware of his yard from the highway. Might be worth stopping by
 
Tim, it would be a shame to miss the new John Deere Tractor and Engine Museum in Waterloo that Roger mentioned below. Deere did a truly remarkable job on this place, and it's well worth the time for any Deere tractor enthusiast to tour the place. But their hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10AM to 6PM, and if you're leaving on Sunday, you'll probably be going through Waterloo on Monday when they're closed. Your route will almost certainly take you right by the museum, so if you can't stop, you can at least see it easily from the road.
 
Yes I was thinking about that....I have been setting here planing possible stops,,,looks like I will need a month to make this trip and see half of what I want to see...But I plan on this being the first of several trips into the midwest. In the past we have been going to a time share (that came wife my wife) at Paradise Village in Puerto Vallarta Mexico ,,a beautiful place,,but no place for a farm boy...
 
You will have your computer with you won't you.
We can't do without your knowledge and want to see photos of the trip.
Richard in NW SC
 
Strategic Air & Space Museum in Ashland, NE I-80

Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha, NE is next to
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium and
UP "Big Boy" steam engine
www.visitOmaha.com

Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs, IA

Farmall-Land USA in Avoca, IA , I-80 exit #40
www.FarmallLandUSA.com
 
Tim---Maybe you have seen this--John Kinzenbaugh sp. his big factory is on 80 in Iowa and you can tour--see those big JD'S with Big Detroits.
We stopped there last year with a big motor home and they let us go through different gates just to get us in there..............
 
another vote for minden NE. I'd also suggest if you're on I80 through it, Olie's Big Game Bar in Paxton NE is a fun lunch stop.
 
Thanks,, I'm making notes on all this...I'm gonna feel like Lewis and Clark on this trip...so much to see...
 
Stop at the tractor museum in Clarion Iowa on hwy 3 right across the road from the Hagie sprayer plant.It is well worth your time.
 

You might wanna check this out...
a191661.jpg
 
Sounds like a good place to empty my wallet ;^)...and was looking at that too in the book
 
I am an hour north of Peoria, if you take 74 to 39 north up to 80 you would be within 8 miles of me. I met my wife when I was working in Gillette, Wy. She was born in belle fourche, Sd wich is in the northern black hills. It's a cool little old cow/railroad town . Every red blooded American should witness mt Rushmore, my step daughter's grandmother lives there in keystone, SD. Their family was the original owners of the haley's 1880 store, last time I was there there was a little bar in the back of the store you could get a beer. Deadwood South Dakota is a must see even if you don't gamble, you can take in wild bill gettin shot several times a day. Lots of things to see and do in deadwood. If you venture into Wyoming to see the devil's tower there used to be a dealership in sun dance that I used to stop at in passing, they had mostly hay equipment and some really cool sundance Wyoming Deere hats about 5 years ago. Probably about 100 mile west of sundance is buffalo Wyoming at the bighorn mountains, it has an old time downtown, I got some free drinks coming at the cowboy back bar there. They say Gillette, wy has more coal than anywhere else. There is places along the road you can stop and look in the mines. I ised to spend some time at the Montgomery in downtown Gillette. I-90 thru South Dakota will be a treat tho, especially if you have time to stop and see everything along the way, make sure to stop for your ice cream cone and water at wall drug!
 
I would suggest:

-Don't plan too many things.

-Don't be too rigid.

-Don't try to follow too many suggestions of others (we'd all like to meet ya) but instead FOLLOW YOUR INTERSTES! Now I'll be a hypocrit & make my suggestion but again I caution you to consider foremost what interests you. I've seen your work (the 60 crawler) and saw you busy at Spingfield but never was able to shake yer hand without interrupting & so I did not. In any case, if you've not been that far west, remember there is too much spectacular "Stuff" out there for us native Buckeye's to take in through just a couple weeks. Beat feet out there & then get on the skinny roads!

If time allows and while THAT close.... Yellowstone is a natural wonder beyond description. Last time I was there (late 80's IIRC) I did some travel on the skinny roads and wound up passing through the Shoshone National Forest east of Yellowstone on what was for me the most scenic road I've ever traveled! It was the Dead Indian Trail (road 296 I think) between Cooke City & Cody in the late afternoon. I crossed Dead Indian pass at sunset. (Go to some aerial photography site such as http://itouchmap.com/latlong.html and search for Dead Indian Pass). When I was there it was still a dirt path with one switchback sharp enogh I had to back up once to get through with only a pickup. Now it's a big paved asphalt road but back then there were no curve ahead signs, no speed limit signs, no painted lines, no reflective marker posts, no do not pass signs, just bare tracks through sparse vegetation. While markedly modernized, I'm sure it is yet a spectacular road to travel on the way to Yellowstone.

Above all, enjoy your trip, take plenty of pictures.
 
Ooh yes I'm not gonna be like the cat that thought he could catch all the birds at once..I am going to make Yosemite a trip of it's own. I don't get away from the farm near enough, that's for sure,,and when I'm at a show I am never too busy to meet some one new..and I wish I could go to more shows. I would like to come up with a way to haul my toys with out a CDL and commercial plates on my truck, I'm thinking about a pick up and Goose neck outfit,,even though they are trying to control that, a big rig draws too much attention, but sure goes down the road nice... I'm working on a Sister for the 60C to take along to shows, and I plan on being at Rantual for sure.
a191740.jpg
 
I would agree that you shouldn't try to do too many things. The Black Hills are a destination in themselves as is Yellowstone so don't spread yourself too thin. The Black Hills, as others have noted, has Mt Rushmore, the Crazy Horse monument, Deadwood and a host of other things to see and explore. If you have the time and inclination, Sturgis is right close and is not very crowded when the rally is not in town. At Mt Rushmore there are paths to follow and the hike to Borglum's studio is worth it as is the one to the base of the monument. It all takes time so take it cool and don't hurry. You'll have a great time.
 
Crazy Horse was a pleasant surprise on our trip 2 years ago along with Little Big Horn w/Ranger's presentation. Don't let the Indians sucker you into their tour. John Deere Headquarters in Moline Il. might interest you.(edit) Mt Rushmore was alright but am looking forward to the addition of external_link. LLLLLLLOOOOOOLLLLL!!!
 
sideconsole4020guy,,mail me your contact info I'm going to try to stop in at your dealership on the way through,,I have changed my route timing to let me check the new Museum out in Waterloo.. [email protected]
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top