Gray Man, Inc.

[DRIVEN]

My in-laws were in town this weekend so I promptly booted to the high country. We did 3 days and 2 nights in the area between Boise and the Sawtooths, covering about 450 miles. We ran pretty hard on day 1 and somehow managed to dodge crazy summer rain storms. This was the view from the lookout above Trinity Lakes at 9500'. Thunder showers all around.

We found a good camping spot next to Roaring River. Rain started about 9:30 and went until around 4. We were in a canyon so there wasn't much of a lightning show aside from the general flash. The thunder was insane though. Continuous rolls for minutes on end. Never experienced anything like it before.

Day 2 we looped up to Lowman. Grabbed fuel and a burger, the lots of dust-free trails. Spent night 2 next to the North Fork of the Boise river.

We only rode about 70 miles Sunday to get back to the load-out spot. I think I only slept about 6 hours the whole trip thanks to a stupid head cold, so I was a zombie when I got home. My new Giant Loop Great Basin was awesome. I feel a little douchey because it's expensive gear, which really isn't my style, but I it sure works good.


.

Brown dog had been exiled to my parents house for the weekend because FIL is scared of her. I picked her up as soon as they left for the airport. All is right with the world. Don't tell mom I let her on the couch.

 

[Texas82GP]

Beautiful country, as always. Thanks for the pics.

My in-laws were in town this weekend so I promptly booted to the high country

Like them that much, huh? 🤣

 

[SS_Malibu]

This thread gives me miles of smiles. I see beautiful scenery and never leaves the couch. Looks like lots'o'fun

 

[DRIVEN]

Not a whole lot to update. I've been on the road a lot for work. I managed to get my grape starts in the ground.




I bought a quarter mile spool of smooth (barbless) wire but haven't strung it yet. I need to cut some stakes for the ends first. Four different varieties in 4 rows.


My back-from-the-dead garden is still trying. I managed to save the zucchini and okra. There were also 2 cucumber plants and 3 tomato plants (not pictured) that bounced back. If I don't run out of summer first, I just might harvest some produce. Maybe. Weeds are doing just fine.


I expanded the boundaries of the garden by about 50%. I'll definitely be more on top of it next year. I'm on the lookout for a bigger tiller too.


I harvested my single plum and 2 grapes a couple weeks ago. My first Gala apple (4' tall yearling) is almost ripe and my Asian pears need another week or two.




My Honeycrisp trees were covered in flowers when I planted them this spring but the late frost got them. Birds stole the few cherries that I had. Poor little nectarine tree is still sprouting new leaves down low but the jury is still out on whether it'll be allowed to live or get cut down and replaced.

I've got a healthy curly willow tree in the wrong spot next to the fruit trees. I have a couple starts in pots from cuttings I took from it. Plan is to plant them elsewhere and cut the big one down. Then I'll be able to add 6 more fruit trees to the orchard. It all takes time.

 

[DRIVEN]

It's fire season somewhere and, like every year, it drifts in and settles in the valley. Makes it hard to work outside most days. I did a 50 mile taco run today and my lungs were burning. Can hardly see the mountains.



I built a 229/6spd to replace the 200/5spd in my white TW last winter. I was pleased enough with the results that I started collecting parts to swap my blue TW over the coming winter. This particular engine is tough to find so I've had to build both from ebay parts. There are several related variations so you can mix and match a lot of parts.

White bike is a total mongrel. I'm going to replace the head on it with one from a YFM250 4-wheeler. The cam has a lot less overlap and should boost torque. Probably a better match to the low compression piston in that engine.

Blue bike will get an engine built to TTR225 specs. The last major piece just got delivered yesterday, a good TTR cylinder and piston. There's a new cylinder and low compression piston in the photo but I'm probably just going to put it back on the shelf.


The early TWs had a kickstart but it was eliminated in the 2001 model year and newer. Some of the early XT225s had them too. None of the TTR225s or TTR230s did. The parts were available over the counter to add a kickstart on TW and XT, but were discontinued years ago. TTR cases have the bosses cast but only some have the finish machining. Finding TW kickstart components now are rare and expensive. Kits on ebay are usually north of $500 when they pop up. I managed to snag 2. One for the blue TW engine, and one for the shelf. Paid under $200 for the pair. Seems expensive for what they are but it was actually a steal.




Anyway, I'm sure there's probably something that I don't have but it's almost everything to start the build. I'll box everything up and wait until winter to start the build. Stay tuned.

 

[Texas82GP]

 

[DRIVEN]

I'm compelled to impulse buy a 63 year old boat. Talk me down.

 

[Supercharged111]

I'm compelled to impulse buy a 63 year old boat. Talk me down.

I'm afraid you've come to the wrong place for that.

 

[DRIVEN]

Man, don't I know it. It's 500+ miles away but I've got to drive over there for work on Thursday. I've been watching the ad for over a month and the seller pulled it down a week ago. I figured it'd been sold. Popped back up yesterday with a 25% price drop. If it's still there I'll probably drag it home. I'm an idiot.

 

[Supercharged111]

Man, don't I know it. It's 500+ miles away but I've got to drive over there for work on Thursday. I've been watching the ad for over a month and the seller pulled it down a week ago. I figured it'd been sold. Popped back up yesterday with a 25% price drop. If it's still there I'll probably drag it home. I'm an idiot.