South Dakota
June 1
Drove to Custer, Broken Arrow Horse camp 25446 Sidney Park Rd Custer, SD 57730 605 517 1964
Awesome camp...owners Daniel and Vicki, best camp hosts Bob and LeeAnn Piggott, great friends Mike and Kathy
Strict dog on leash rules, but can take to forest to run/doogie/cowpie….very clean and roomy bathhouse, laundry, Customer appreciation weekend with 3 treats…..hot dog meal w/fixins, steak meal w/fixins, ice cream sundaes
Great location for rides…...only drawback….3 trailers to rent $40/3 horse $50/4 horse.
June 2
Brenda: "Heaven by way of old car" Trail. 3 hours 8.3 miles
Difficulty 6
Overall 7.5
Rocky, pretty views, 20 deer,
Tons of yellow wild baptisia, rock, downfall, and beautiful views
June 3
Herbert’s Draw Trail 14 miles 4 hours
Difficulty 5.5
Overall 8.5
Rode with LeeAnn, Kathy & Mike, Bob and Sherry and us…..saw a silver fox, a marmot - which is a reddish golden groundhog - deer, ROCK QUARRY…..I’m hooked. There are beautiful white/pink/gold quartz scattered everywhere, and mica dust which is shiny like glass…..shimmers silver and gold….throughout the trails. The saddle bags are beginning to get heavy and it is mandatory to bring both sets of saddlebags on every ride….. There is a water tank at 7 miles, halfway ...for the horses to enjoy.
June 4
Happy 80th Birthday, Mom…...you don’t look or act 80...will catch up for celebration in person at end of month.
Too many riders ride…..24 of us….2 curlys and Charlie was not happy.
"Suzies Lost her Mind Mine" Trail 9 miles @ mines...Suzies and Beecher Rock, ELK sighting….wow! Lots of deer, wildflowers, waterfall…...
Difficulty 6
Overall 7
Need to do again in small group
June 5
87degrees hot….day off for horses….drove with Bob/Sherry to Rapid City…..TSC for grain….new white cowboy hat for Joe….he looks much cooler that in his black felt winter hat!!! He’s stylin, now! Sturgis, Deadwood, Needle Highway shops, beers, chain saw carvings, elk and buffalo in pastures everywhere…
Ate at Sturgis Jam Bonz $35 Slight evening rain Fun places, but full of tourists!!!!
June 6
"Cow trails king mica mine" 4 of us….Bob and Sherry cows, pond, 2 mines, lots of deer, downfall
13.5 miles
Difficulty 6
Overall 7.5
First great meal at The Alpine in Hill City 9 oz filet mignon, baked potato, salad wedge with homemade Ranch dressing plus killer good desserts. Meal without dessert $13.95
Joe is now sporting a new gold Bumping Buffalo sweatshirt $30
Mangy Moose bar drinks upstairs $11
June 7
Day off riding, bought 12 bales hay from Josh near Rapid City….this springs hay at $7/bale - $82
Walmart groceries $96
Metal horse now named DAKOTA $130
Lunch at Hill City/ Mexican/Marias/average $24
Met new neighbors, Vicki and Richard who has stage 4 prostrate cancer
Music by the campfire with camp folk….fun!
June 8
Trailered to Mt Rushmore $20 Custer Park pass Rode with Bob/Sherry
11.1 miles, 4 hours,
Difficulty 6
Overall 8.5
Helicopters right over you, water, large rocks, out and back. Beautiful ride through the wilderness and then lunch and pictures with 4 famous Presidents...pretty cool!
Music by campfire, customer appreciation hot dog and the fixins
June 9
Solo rock gathering ride to pond….saw momma and 10 baby ducklings…..so cute! Also, lots of cows, woodchucks, and many rocks in my saddle bags…fun 5 mile ride with my partner in rock crime/Charlie!
Free customer appreciation steak dinner and camp Sherry drove Kathy and I to search for elk...saw tons of deer
Joe: Found a bluegrass festival in Buffalo Gap, SD. Had offers to join a couple bands there, but I prefer TN.... Jammed with Floyd and a dude name Jerry Garcia....
June 10
Trailer with Bob/Sherry to French Creek Trailhead 11.8 miles 4 ½ hours,
Difficulty 7
Overall 7
Very bad forest fire last year took out most of the woods….sad. Retired school teacher, Mike, from Homer Glen, IL was our guide...he visits every year, alone, as his wife doesn’t ride. His first ride since the fires. Rode mule named Ruby and his airdale dog/Stella. Good guide, tough going, lots of downfall, but beautiful 32, yes, 32 creek crossings 2 buffalo, 1 momma turkey and turklets,....Charlie did great...first third and last third all road and rocky
Dinner at Pizza Mill $20 very good free sundaes...thank you Daniel and Vicki!!!!
June 11
Both Bob/Sherry and Vicki/Richard left :(( We enjoyed riding with them!!
Shopping day at Custer local artists shop 3 birdhouses $260, 3 blue crystal necklaces $15, 1 shirt $12
Took dogs with us to Keystone...dinner at Grizzley’s Creek $50 OOPS...chain saw eagle $864 2’ x 8’ hickory funny t shirts for boys $65
June 12
Trailered by ourselves to Palmer Creek Trailhead to HARNEY PEAK. This was our favorite ride in SD!!!
14 miles 5 ½ hours of awesome, rocky, beautiful views, hoodoos, creeks, and climbing...
Difficulty 8.5
Overall 9
Last 2 miles are very tough, rocky jump ups, lots of hikers, good creek for horses at mid point. Be sure to take lost cabin trail, on left, not trail on right for hikers after ¼ mile. Lots of mountain meadows with streams STAR POWER!
Campers, beware….lol Tallest point between Mississippi and Rockies verify climb distance. Have to tie horses to hitching post and walk up last ¼ mile….climbing rocks and to see the lookout point with mini lodge…..WINDY and SCARY to be up that high!! Horses took it like champs and will get tomorrow off!!!
June 13
Keystone Laundry $2.50 each load $15
Mexican lunch $46, average, Dollar general underwear for Joe…..lol
Joe: I ruined some underwear on that Harney Peak ride......
June 14
Emergency window installed with the help of neighbors TJ and Lisa McCarthy from Florida.
Rode Green Gate trail 8 miles
Difficulty 6
Overall 8
June 15
Rode new trail 11 miles, lots of great views and rock slews….beautiful ride
FREE CLINT BLACK CONCERT IN DEADWOOD…..Great concert, except after he sang his hit song "Like the rain," it started to rain all night….didn’t matter, he played on and we were in the front row singing with his cute little butt!!! Sang all his greatest hits….went with TJ and Lisa...they drove…..ate at Holiday Inn restaurant called Six String.….excellent meal...bought a pretty fringed green long vest for St Pats day celebrations late nite 11
June 16
No ride but a great day spent with TJ and Lisa at Crazy Horse Memorial. I LOVED IT!! Was their art and festival weekend with many Indian artists---such beautiful crafts, jewelry...yep $250 for gorgeous sterling silver/copper cuff bracelet and matching earrings….one of a kind, $30 entrance fee….best museum ever, so much to see….took bus trip to base of the carving...well worth it at $4 each...it is 4 times larger than Mt Rushmore, and should be!
Was honored to get 3 rocks I picked out from the blastings...one for mom, Linda and me! They’ve almost finished his face and arm, and will be starting the horse….expect to take 25 more years...anyway. No grants, private donations only. Amazing and such a beautiful tribute to the Native Indians who know this land better than any of us. Went to laser show at 10 pm and it was ok, but a bit rainy. A must see and take all day!!!!!
Great dinner at Buglin Bull in Custer $76
June 17
Rain day…….new series binge for us Poldark
June 18
Rain day and second time at The Alpines in Hill City with Bob/LeeAnne, Mike/Kathy for L/B 35th anniversary $62
We’ve become great friends and plan on seeing these great couples again. They are always welcome at our home!
June 19
Rain most of day, but did get a 10 mile solo in on Charlie/rock seeking horse….lol….boy are those saddle bags heavy!
Poldark finish first season….snuggled up with the pups!
June 20
Rain day, had lunch at Pringle the elk capital of SD….average meal $34
Baylee decided to roll herself in a nice, big, fresh cow pattie while we were doing our "business" up in the national forest land next to the camp. She was green all down one side, including her leash and harness.... wonderful.....
June 21
13 mile ride...new scenic ride with Carroll’s Ridge….beautiful views, did opposite direction as June 15 ride.
Difficulty 6
Overall 9
Big group, beautiful ride, more pretty rocks !!!!!!!
June 22
Joe and I did a 10 mile ride to "9 mine trail"….GREAT ROCKS….had to play Sophie’s choice to see who gets to be in my Tennessee rock garden….such tough decisions. Momma turkey and turklets, lots of deer. Met Martha and Sue from KY who know Bob/Kathy Harty. They also LOVE rocks and were so kind to each share a blue rock they found at the Wranglers campground at Land Between the Lakes. Hope to be riding in KY and TN with these two fun ladies with beautiful buckskin mountain horses. Ate at Pringle $45 town with large bicycle art tunnel. Mike/Kathy Bob/LeeAnn, Jack,Paul and Chris all you can eat catfish, Joe had ribs...better than our lunch 2 days ago!
Joe: I just told Brenda we visited 9 Mine...I actually just took her to the same mine from four different directions. Pretty confusing in all this open landscape...
June 23
I went with group to Beecher Rock…..beautiful trail across the road. Kathy/Mike did a great job leading us.
12 miles elk, bobolink birds, deer, rocks...need I say more??? Great ride!! Yep, third time to Alpine Inn $63 with Kathy/Mike, Bob/LeeAnne, Paul/Chris,Bob/Jen
Joe: Went to Sturgis to play music at the Black Hills Bluegrass Festival... Floyd from Buffalo Gap was there, had a nice time. I keep being asked to join their bands.
