April 29-May 1st Bozeman to Custer. Harvest Hosts

After all of that excitement from that last trip from Bozeman (Yellowstone National Park) it was time to move on again. Bozeman was forecast snow in the morning we were pulling out..so we hitched up the night before (after our last wallowing session) and were all ready to go. True to its promise the snowflakes were a-flying as we pulled out.

We drove through the downtown on the way out….nice looking town, lots of old interesting looking buildings….ah well….next time.

(please note:- all of the pictures are clickable for a clearer view, clickable links for more information appear underlined)

We were headed to South Dakota, but with a couple of Harvest Host nights along the way.

The first night was a brewery in Billings Montana. Canyon Creek Brewing. It was conveniently located 10 minutes walk from Joannes fabrics…so we walked up to purchase some sock making material..( woo hoo..!!)

Canyon Creek Brewery

The Brewery site was level, the people were nice and the beer was decent…..!!! …It poured with rain overnight and the ground turned to sticky clay..!!

Next stop had me a bit more excited…..Sageridge Mill and Critters….a 700 acre Alpaca farm in Eastern Wyoming.

The I-90 took us right by the Little Bighorn battlefield. It’s a National Historic site……and it was a 2 minute detour off the main highway. I have to admit that I did not know it was there…but we saw the signs so verily pulled over.

The Battlefield of Little Bighorn.

We were very glad we stopped. The NP website describes it as ‘a place for reflection’…..and indeed it is…on many levels.

Its a very sobering place…so many young lives lost over money……or more accurately gold….terrible and tragic.

The site also served as a military cemetery up until the Vietnam war. Its a very beautiful and profoundly sad place.

The last 40 miles of the journey to Sageridge were off the main highway. The very last bit of Montana and into Wyoming. The dirt , the road and the gravel driveways turned red. Presumably iron rich soil. The landscape has an almost badland/coulee stripiness to it.

Weaving along the canyons, further and further into the middle of nowhere, eventually led us to the farm.

Sage Ridge Mill and Critters.

Linda , the host, was lovely. The farmyard was full of creatures, emus, dogs, cats, peacocks, alpacas. The dogs were very well behaved…….one of the dogs, Buddy the border collie, is everybody’s buddy…especially if it involves throwing sticks…!!

Harvest host requirement is making a purchase….so I HAD to buy some alpaca yarn..(Shocker..!!) Linda also gave me a couple of peacock tail feathers…the ones without the eyes……best cat toy ever…..!!!!

Next day we did a hike around the farm perimeter. Buddy came with us as a guide, his fee being a bit of stick throwing……!!!

….and of course….the alpacas……. (…and alpaca babies……🥰)

We met the emus on the way back down…what strange creatures they are…!!!

It was a great stop. The best places are the ones that you are a little it sad to leave….I was a little bit sad to leave….!!!

We stopped for lunch at a rest stop in the world famous town of Upton. Population 989 it says on the sign. 😮 (Don’t believe everything you read on a sign….!!!!)

I would have to say tho…….it was a nice rest stop……!!!

The last part of this particular journey was to the Blackhills , which meant more diabolical roads with scary corners and horrifying grades……

……..and Custer South Dakota. For how popular a tourist spot this is its a remarkably small town…….but warm and friendly.

Broken Arrow Horsecamp…this was a great find…what a lovely campground….and again…super friendly owners……. We were the second rig to pull in as this was their first day open. So peacefully quiet as well….!!!

This was to be the perfect jump off point for the next bunch of adventures.