# Countdown Begins !!



## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

Today I start the countdown to leaving MI and heading west to NE WA. 

We are going to the little village of Cusick, Wa, about 3 miles west up the hill to a cabin. We'll be there for the winter anyhow, as I look over the area, and also parts of ID. I am looking for the 'ideal' place to be with packgoats and hiking. Most of the two state area is ideal compared to here. Great place to raise goats here but, leaves a lot else to be desired. 

Plan is to leave here on Sept 18th, have several stops enroute, St Paul area, central MT, and Boise, then on up to Cusick. Big van, heavy loaded with camping gear, books, etc, pulling a 12' trailer with stock rack on it. Six goats and a dozen Icelandic Chickens, more or less. Plus a cat. She goes wherever. 

Much to do this month, mostly the trailer, and getting the furniture and stuff rehomed. Spending more time with the goats. Vacs etc in order. Will have the vet certificate. Its going to be an interesting time, all towards a goal. 

Life is good !


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## feederseaters (Nov 8, 2009)

Jake, 
NICE!!!!!!! 
I hope everything works according to plan. Be safe along your Journey and when in doubt....eat the chickens.
Sounds like you will be busy. 
Take care if we don't hear much from you but try to check in once in awhile.


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## Saltlick (Jun 12, 2011)

Yay, sounds great! Enjoy!


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

Thanks, I do intend to enjoy the trip, I am part Gypsy, at least the Irish 'Traveling People' kind, one reason why I love hiking so much, it will be a good trip, not a fast one, making visits enroute, also wqant to baby the goats as much as I can. 

The chickens are pretty safe from being munched, they are an endangered breed, and one of the oldest pure breeds, isolated in Iceland for over a thousand years. So I am taking real close watch and care over them, and hoping to get some more folks working with them next year. I have two other flocks started here so far this year. A hardy free ranging chicken that can fly pretty good, lays medium large white eggs, and my flock anyhow is very friendly. And a huge range of colors with several different com styles, like Forest Gumps box of chocolates, 'you never know what you are going to get'.


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

Update, plans progressing, taking form,

been cutting and staining 2bys for the trailer and stained the part of the rack that is staying, its all PTW and strong, today getting more 2bys & the ply for it, I am taking the stuff I havent given away to my sons on Lake Huron(in a tourist town) for a big yard sale Labor Day weekend, and I'll be camping at home until I leave, cot, sleeping bag the whole works. It shaping up well. 

Yesterday afternoon I went to spend time with the goats, six of them, 2 Alpine/Saanen wethers, one Boer/Alpine wether to be, one Saanen doeling, an Alpine doeling and one Boer/Kiko doeling. All this years kids from Mar to May, the May being the Kiko cross doeling.

Spent a lot of time with them, rubbing them down, playing, picking them up and setting them down, only the Boer buckling didnt like that, a couple seemed to actually enjoy it, was feeding them all chesey chex, next time it will be the honey chex, and treats on the trail. Was going to put collars on but need to add a couple more holes in them, they are long enough to have enough hanging down for a 'handle'. 

All in all it was an enjoyable afternoon, all are kids friendly, no spooks, they would follow me as I walked around, we will have a couple of walks before we leave in Sept, the Alpine doe is the boss gal so she is the lead, I will have a lead on her and we will have fun together.

My dog is an English Shepherd, sheep and chicken wise, and good with the sheep flock, he is the son of a female I gave to the owner, raised around small stock and kids. 

Life is good, and better with goats !


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## IceDog (Aug 1, 2010)

An adventure!


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

yeah, it will be ! I am enough of an Irish Gypsy to like heading down the road, but, the real adventures start after the move and exploring the trails out there. 

Come spring I am hoping to get a Kiko buckling to breed to these girls and see what kind of packgoats I can develop. 

That may be the real adventure ! 

Counting the days off and getting stuff done each day for it.

Life is good, and goats make it better !


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## Cazz (Jun 9, 2010)

Have fun Jake!
Sounds great.  A big adventure with goats, chooks, dog, nothing much better to go for a big trip. Your chooks sounds interesting too. We have heaps of chooks, but no really rare breed.
Have fun with your goats and all the best for your trip.  
Cheers,
Cazz


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

Thanks Cazz

it is going to be fun, and a chance to see a huge amount of new territory to roam.


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

Hi All

it is now less then a month and counting, and really looking forward to the trip,

the trailer is on the final stretch, just put the roof on after the ply is sealed and coated, putting a squeeze sealer around the edges, have to hang the back gate, and side door to the clucks, and finish the patition between the sections and hang two roosts for the chickens.

9/2 I take the goats to the vet for their health certificate, am stocked up on probios, gatorade, antibiotics and pepto and helps for them enroute. Have tieouts for them on the side of the trailer, both sides as well as 3 along the van for when only have one side to tie off on. Have a vet kit for the critters, sulmet for the clucks, they will be tied out twice a day, morn and eve for a handful of grain and to get them out, hopefully will find some place enroute to also walk them, even if its one at a time. 

Still planning on leaving here the 18th. Looking good for it.


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

Well the trailer is shaping up, it has two sections, one for the Icelandics and one for the goats. I will hang the rear gate today. It should be all pretty well done next week.

I think I am going to hang a sign on both sides, on fire engine red background with gold letters:

Jake's Ark
American Pack Goats
&
Icelandic Chickens
and a Gun Totin, Bible Huggin
rednecked backwoodsman Tea Partier 


I think that should pretty well identify our traveling show :lol: 

The trailer itself is a dark oak, stain and finish sealer, I wanted to do a slabwood siding but decided that would add too much weight to it, I might face a couple of the external 2bys though with slabs of red cedar, just for nice. 

Did I say I am planning for the worse on getting ready and planning to have fun on the trip ???


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

Three weeks from today !! And counting them off ! 

Getting antsy now to get going. Neighbors in Cusick looking for me already. I need to get there and get things ready before the heavy snow starts, and there is a lot. Put up a shed for the goats and the Icelandics. I am dropping off five or six in Boise so will have just about a dozen to be laying. 

The sign looks good ! The circus red background really stands out from the dark cabin stain of the trailer ! 

This coming friday the goats go to the vet for the interstate health papers, and to weigh each one, this will have to be their ~ 6 mos weight, want a yearling weight too. I am still planning on the Kiko buckling in the spring. 

Life is good, and better with Goats and Icelandic Chickens !!


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

We moved departure up to Friday the 16th, 7 days and a wake up as we said in the army. 

Some small things on the ark today, and this weekend my son is going to rewire it. Got some new tires on it tuesday and a healthy going over on the van, added up but it was for a good cause and done by some real pros that I trust. 

Day by day packing and cleaning, one last VA visit on thursday and we head north and west on friday morn, my son is riding out with me and flying back, he loves to hike and camp so I am hoping he will see enough of the country where that is best to want to move on out. 

Life is good ! and better with goats !


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

5 days and a wakeup ! 

And the Ark is about done, a couple of touch ups and my son is going to rewire it this week.

The sign is edited, to get it all on,

Jakes Ark 
Pack Goats & Icelandic Chickens
Gun Toting Bible Hugging
Tea Partier

a little better centered then that. On a circus red background on the dark walnut stained Ark. I hope you all get to see it at the next rendy !


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

Plans change, delayed ten days for my sons change in vacation schedule. So, fine tuning everything, spending time with the goats, and marking the days off.


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

Well, I am heading out in the morning, still dont know if my son is going to be able to go yet or not, I am hoping that he can, he is great company, and great to travel with. The weather looks like its going to be wet most of the way, which sure beats snow, the funny thing is that it has been warmer in Cusick Wa then here for the past two weeks. 

When I took the kids to the vet for their health papers and checkup they laid down most of the time coming and going. 
I will be putting the tubes on the two horned ones again before we go.


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

Good luck! It is beautiful here right now. We are about an hour away from your destination and still have tomatoes on the vine.
IdahoNancy


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

That sounds great !!

I am somewhere south of Green Bay WI right now, got a stop a couple hours south of here and then on NW through St Paul and up 94 to meet 90 in Montana and stay on it to Boise and drop off some Icelandic Chickens and then on up to Cusick. Rain so far, for the past week in MI, I will be glad to see tomato weather! Mine frosted off weeks ago in MI. 

My son couldnt come, job needed him, a needed big order came through. I will miss his company and he will miss seeing some of the greatest back packing country in the world ! I am hoping he can fly out next summer.


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

Hi Nancy

I am just south of you this morn, in Lewiston , so on the last leg, coming north from Boise has sure been a wet one on 95 !! All of the trip has been through beautiful country, I have seen a zillion places that would work well. 

Hopefully the next post will be from Cusic.


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

We you are about 1.5 hrs west of us if you are in Lewiston. Should have swung in for a visit!


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

I might have if I'd known where, but now close enough to do it,

right now I am at the cabin 'in' Cusick, got here about 230 this afternoon, much to do, get the goat pen up tomorrow and get them out, then start cleaning the cabin, and evicting the pack rats, but its aq beautiful area here, much hiking here and far more close. 

Its going to be a great area to be!!


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

Welcome home to the Great Northwest to you and all the goats. Congrats on a successful trip. Sorry about the rain. 
IdahoNancy


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

Thanks Nancy

Its great to be here ! Its going to be a long weekend but I am here !

I havent been here in over 30 years, many changes but still the same, 

more later!!


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