Getting ready for road trip tomorrow

Good afternoon everyone,
Well the wife and I are going on our first vacation by ourselves in quite a while. We are heading out tomorrow morning after we take the cats to kitty Jail for a week in South Dakota. We are going to the Badlands/Blackhills.
So far I’ve got my 15 Crewmax 4x4 TSS all serviced last week, and I just got Bilstein 6112’s set at 1.9 and 5160’s installed yesterday.
My Shop, BigTex Offroad in Kingwood TX did a fantastic job on the install and alignment. It tracks straight with no vibration or steering issues and the rides So Fracking Good compared to my stock suspension with 117,xxx miles on it. We are so excited to get the Hell out of Houston for ten days and just go wherever we want. I’ll take some pictures along the way and document the drive.

 

Have fun!

 

Yes, please post pics of the trip. I’ve been wanting to take a road trip up that way for a while now.

 

This is a really good time of the year to be traveling ~ enjoy.

 

Drive safe and enjoy!

 

Road trips are the BEST!! Have a great time and be sure to hit some dirt.

 

Awesome...

Waiting for the stories and pics.

 

Howdy from Friendswood! Jealous of your road trip! Have fun and stay safe! Probably a good idea to carry a sidearm. I always do when traveling long distances.

 

Well the first day was a bust. I woke to a really bad migraine so a late start then got a call from my ranch manager that one of the pond dams overtopped and was about to fail. Apparently we had 14+ inches of rain last week so all the ponds were over flowing. Stopped at the ranch to see how bad it was then hit the road. Pulled in to a hotel on the north side of OKC at 0230. Got up feeling great and hit the road. First stop of the day was Guthrie OK to see the Scottish Rite Temple and some family. Afterward we headed north, ended the day at 2345 in North Platte NE. So far 970 miles.
I must say the 6112/5160 ride so good compared to the stock suspension and my wife if really liking the ride now. Tomorrow we head to Phillip SD for two nights at a BB on the Triangle Ranch.

 

Thanks, just like the AMEX, never leave home with one.

 

I live on the NE side of Houston also and just had my alignment done by those guys a couple weeks back.

 

Day three was a great day on the road. Started in North Platt NE and drove up to outside of Phillip SD. What a Beautiful drive up through northern NE and Southern SD. We weren’t in a hurry so we just wandered around. We stopped at our lodging for the night the Triangle Ranch B&B. A working cattle ranch, established in 1903. Our hosts are some of the nicest people you’d ever meet. We will be here two nights. Tomorrow morning after breakfast I’ll get to take a look at the ranch and shoot a few Prairie dogs, they are the equivalent to our wild hogs in Texas, they do so much damage to the land. Not to many pictures tonight really poor cell service.

 

I did a road trip to there from Virginia Beach in my 18 1794 CM. Awesome trip. I don't want to it again. It was a great time. Got to see a lot of fly over states. That area is very cool. The sheep/goats in the Badlands are very cool.

 

Well Day four was a Great day. Had a fantastic breakfast with our hosts and got some great directions, we to go see parts of the badlands most folks miss. We went down a few county roads and saw some incredible views. Then went to the National park. Drove it, did a few short hikes since the temperature was getting up in the mid 90’s. Met several Tundra owners and one towing a camper fleeing the Smoke From the west coast fires. He packed up his wife and son and hit the road. Stopped in Wall SD for lunch on Main Street we grabbed Bison burgers at Wall drug store. Then went exploring, since my Wife’s name is Quinn we had to stop at Quinn SD to get pictures. Then headed back to the ranch in time to shoot a few Prairie dogs that were taking over a alfalfa hay field. Had a Great steak dinner with our host then a few hours of BS. Tomorrow we are going to drive Up the Sheep Mountain scenic overlook then to Rapid City for the night.

 

We went to S Dakota for the first time and really enjoyed ourselves. Thanks for the pictures!

 

Sorry for being of topic but I'm from Canada and was wondering if a side arm is a required item to have while traveling in the States? Is it that dangerous to be traveling without one? Not judging, just asking.

 

The US is just like anywhere else. If you want trouble you can find it.

 

Enjoying the pics and stories...keep them coming. I'd love to get a road trip in one of these days...

No, you don't. The laws around what and how you carry vary from state to state, so it can be a PITA to stay "legal".

 

Not required but nice to have the freedom/option to carry if you so choose. With whats going on here lately, just stay out of the major metro areas and you'll be fine.

 

So why even bother bringing it? Unless you just want to shoot prairie dogs but you would be better off with a rifle.

 

I do travel in the states once a year to go down to the inlaws house in Florida but I was thinking with Covid and the black lives matter going on that maybe its become dangerous to travel.

 

You may just want to drop the direction of your conversation before get this guys thread deleted.

 

Your right, was just curious. Back to the normally scheduled program.

 

I carry a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit (and have trained in the proper use of one) in my truck at all times also... not because I think my Toyota is going to catch fire... just better to be prepared.
Also super jealous of the road trip. I’ve been planning a cross country trip for the last 3 years, just also seems to get put off till next year.

 

Actually I had to use my fire extinguisher today. A older gentleman was driving an older Dodge Dully pulling travel trailer, he had his front brake caliper seize up and caught fire. They were pulled over and were in a panic. I did a fast U-turn and went back and put it out before they burned up their truck. It took two gallons of water to cool it off to take the tire off. We finally got it off, took the brake pads out of the caliper and stuck a vice grip on the brake line. We followed them about 30 minutes to the Rapid City so they could find a shop to fix it. Sorry no pictures was the last thing we thought of.

 

Well Day Five, hard to believe it’s day Five....
We ate our last breakfast at the B&B and bid our Hosts farewell. Got an early start, tried to see the Minute Man missile silo and command center, part of a group of decommissioned missile silos but they were closed, note: only open Wednesday to Saturday. Then we headed to Sheep Mountain Loop, it’s a Must do!!!!! But the last two miles you need a pickup or SUV, didn’t need 4x4 but lots of deep ruts. Luckily it’s dry right now, in the rains it would be Really Slimeeeee... it was one of the highlights of the trip so far. Got to see Buffalo in the wild, mule deer and a few sheep from a far. On the way out in the abounded town of Senic we helped put the fire out. Then off to Rapid city for dinner and a room for the night. Tomorrow we are offMount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Custer State park.
I’m pooped so good night Tundras.com!!!!
More to follow.

 

Many of us see it as the equivalent of traveling with a fire extinguisher. It's piece of mind. The roads and travel aren't all that dangerous and I've travelled with a pistol in my truck for years. Felt better knowing that it was there.

 

I certainly never thought that I would be engaging in a pro-2nd Amendment convo with a Canadian, today, but here it goes:

Have you ever heard the old phrase "Better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it"?
The USA is a geographically large country, and very diverse. It would be wonderful to be able to think and say that there are no evil or crooked people out there who are bent on robbing and/or harming innocent people. But there are. I am certain that Canada is no different. Traveling across our great nation, sometimes requires us to be in rural/desolate areas, far from help if the crap hits the fan. In the USA, many of us will pick up where law enforcement can not or will not, and defend ourselves, our loved ones and our property, as is our God given right. In my fifty years on this Earth, I have had to draw my side arm twice, while traveling, with the intention of defending myself and/or my wife. Thank God I did not have to discharge it, but I would have, if the threat chose to cross that line. I shudder to think of the consequences, of those two events, had I NOT HAD MY SIDEARM with me.
So, to answer your question: No, maybe YOU do not need it. But, in that one potential event, when your life, or that of a loved one are at stake, and there is no one there to help you, wouldn't your prefer to be armed? I would.

Anyway, sorry to Kittyhawk, for the hijack! Oh, and the pictures look beautiful! So jealous of your roadtrip!!!!

 

I already said I was not judging but just curious. I couldn't care less if you carry or not.

Let's keep this thread on topic and drop it. I already apologized for the question.

 

I certainly did not need an apology as I took no offense to your question and I did not feel that you were judging at all. I took it as a sincere question, and thus I gave you a sincere answer. So, we're all good.