Topic: An Aussie in Michigan -

[Hodaka Wombat]

Gday guys !!

New here so please be kind I have been reading/ researching so much I thought I would finally register !  I am a lover of Honda and have ridden honda trail/mx (cr, crf) bikes since I was young ! I have just recently moved from Sydney Australia to SW Michigan ........ I know I know.....

Anyways I plan on building a  1969-1976 SOHC CB750 into a hardtail bobber.

So I will start a thread for build but for now just wanted to say GDAY !

Regards
Newbie - Hodaka Wombat ( google the name - old aussie design in the 70`s)

[Flying J]

Welcome aboard, most people on here are friendly, and there is a wealth of knowledge floating around so search away. We have a few very active members from your homeland.

[72 yellow]

Welcome to the madness.    

[sangyo soichiro]

Welcome.  What brings you to Michigan?  Seems like the economy here's not that good.  But I like it here.  I hope you will too.

[sangyo soichiro]

That's a heck of a drive you have every day.  I can't say I envy you.  I also work in South Bend.

[sangyo soichiro]

If your work is going to be somewhat permanent, I think I'd look for a place to live nearer to South Bend if I were you.  You say you're 3 hours away from the inlaws, so I don't think it would hurt anyone if you moved closer to your work.  Check out property in Niles and the surrounding towns.  Just a suggestion.  Watervliet is way too far - way too much time spent just driving, and gas gets expensive.  I live in Buchanan, by the way.

[sangyo soichiro]

We will have to go for a ride in spring !

You got it!  There are a few other locals here too.  Shoot, I forget their names, but one lives in Stevensville and the other in St. Joe.  I haven't met them in person yet. There are also a few Indianapolis folks here, and that's only a couple-hour ride.  I want to make it to the vintage bike show there this summer.  Got to get my bike done!

[sangyo soichiro]

You should post those pictures in the Inspiration Gallery thread (in the project section).  That's kind of a new look for this forum.  I think you'll have a lot of fans of that style once they see it.

There used to be a hill-climb on Dean's Hill Road in Berrien Springs/Eau Claire.  It's long gone, but my Grandpa used to talk about it.  I think I even know where it was held (all grown over with trees now).

Other local attractions are the Red Bud Track n' Trail motocross.  There's a skeleton of a wooly mammoth in the Museum at Andrew's University in Berrien Springs, open to the public.  But it's a Seventh-Day Adventist school, so they're not open on Saturday.  The mammoth was discovered only within 2 miles of where it is today, in Eau Claire in a farmer's irrigation pond.  It's cool to see.  And then there's the Berrien County Youth Fair.  And it seems every town has its festival in the summer.

I've never been to Sturgis, but a few here have.  Seaweb11 I think has.  Maybe I should try to go there one of these years....

[sangyo soichiro]

And I forgot - you said you like to fish.  Well, you came to the right place, my friend!  We have the St. Joe river that has all kinds of fish, from catfish, to smallmouth bass, to walleye, to steelhead.  Then there's Lake Michigan, where you can wade for coho (from Grand Mere), or get a boat and troll for them or brown trout, or anchor for perch.  There's a lot of nice inland lakes too.  Some of my favorites are Magician Lake, Pipestone Lake, Dayton Lake (very near where I live) Painter/Juno/Christian (3 lakes all connected).  You should check out the store Lunkers in Edwardsburg one of these days on your way home from work (and Painter/Juno/Christian are out that way too).  There are a lot more, but those I listed I like a lot.  Van Auken (sp?) Lake out where you live is another popular one.

[sangyo soichiro]

  I had the pleasure of going to the July 4th weekend at Redbud and camped out with the 1000`s of nuts ! It was great !

I was there too.   

[sangyo soichiro]

This is one of the real reasons I am in MI... I luv to Kayak also. So I look forward to Spring for some trout and some serious time exploring lakes and rivers:)
Do you fish Sangyo Soichiro ? How long you lived in Berrin County ?

My real name's William, but most folks call me Will.  Of course, in the forum I'm normally soichiro (the sangyo is something new I added since lately everyone's putting "industrial" on their names having fun with that.  Sangyo means industrial in Japanese).  

I've lived here my entire life.  I love to fish, but it's been a couple years since I have.  Been meaning to get back to it.

You should check out the East Race in South Bend.  Also, I see lots of people kayaking the St. Joe.  The Dowagiac River (really just a big creek) is another local one you could do.  And there are a lot of other big creeks that my Dad used to canoe in, so I imagine a kayak would do just fine.

[sangyo soichiro]

I don't know much about the East Race other than it's a mane-made white water rapids meant for kayakers. 

A BBQ sounds nice.   

[Stev-o]

Welcome from Texas from a former Michigander!