ROS AND JOHN RV LIFE: September 2023

Dove and chores.

Sunday 3rd September 2023

We spent the day catching up with rv chores and maintenance. At one point I stepped outside and saw a baby dove sitting on the handlebar of John's bike. I quickly grabbed my cell phone to take a picture as they are usually very nervous birds who will fly away but this one hung around for an hour or so. I was able to get my "good" camera and take more pictures.

A party of Class A rigs arrived in the afternoon.

The road is a wee bit dusty.

The park emptied out a lot in our first week but there was still a good flow of people coming in and out. Some arrived on Sunday which surprised me as it was a holiday weekend I thought most people would already be settled at a park and also the National Park was closed on Labor Day so they would not be able to visit it.

Billings, Montana, great farmer's market.

Saturday 2nd September 2023

Wow it's September already! This year has flown so fast. I do not like to wish good weather away but I will be glad when the high 90's temperatures end. I think high temperatures are just as bad as snow days, you do not want to be outside in either.

We drove to Billings on Saturday morning. It was seventy miles but on an interstate so not too slow. We parked in the downtown and found there was a very good farmers market happening. So many markets we visit are very bougee, selling products like llama wool scarves and goats milk soaps and very little produce. To me a farmers market should be fruit and vegetables sold at good prices and local.

This market was just that. There were stalls ran by who I believe were Huttonites. The ladies were awesome sales people, major businesses should get lessons from them. Asked for a bag of green beans, I will give you 2 for $x. Can I have a cucumber, have 2.....another lady come over, have 4 for $x. So I ended up with 4 cucumbers LOL. John doesn't even like cucumbers so I will be eating them all week.

They were very fast too, that's a good trick, do not give buyer too long to think! They were not happy they could not sell me a pumpkin. Put it on your front porch. I do not have a porch. Put it in your window. I like in an rv I do not have window sills. She was puzzled at the living in an rv bit and also a bit stumped at what her next sales tactic could be! I left without a pumpkin.

We then had a very late breakfast in a diner which had the look of an old place but I suspect was manufactured.

Try telling that name to someone on the phone!

Rhubarb pie and a huge loaf

Saw a similar rig to this in Dallas. So cool!

Love this rig

Needed to freeze the green beans I ended up with so many, so washed them and left to dry. Trays all over the rv!

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Sunday 27th August 2023

We visited the nearby Little Bighorn Battlefield.

https://www.nps.gov/libi/index.htm

A lot of history that has been rewritten and renamed in recent times with recognition of the Native Americans. Worth a read.

The entrance fee was $25 per car but we were able to use our America the Beautiful annual pass that we had purchased in Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado to enter for free. The pass cost $80 but with previous National park visits it has already paid for itself. When you are 62 or older you can buy a lifetime version of this pass for $80 that along with entrance to National Parks has 50% discounts on RV parks so that will definitely be something to get.

https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm

The Indian Memorial commemorates the sacrifice of the Arikara, Apsaalooke (Crow), Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Oyate (Lakota Sioux) tribes in the Battle of the Little Bighorn as they fought to protect their diverse values and traditional way of life.

After looking around the museum and Monuments we got in the car and drove the 4.5 mile tour road where you can stop and read about each part of the battle. The road ends at Reno-Benteen Battlefield where the second stage of the battle occurred. The views were amazing but we had to take care, the road is a 2 lane road but very very narrow and a lot of people seemed to be in a rush to go nowhere.

On the road next to the Monument entrance was a Native American Trading Post, aka big shop full of very expensive tourist things and a café. These teepees were outside.

7th Ranch RV Park Montana

Saturday August 26th 2023

We left South Dakota and drove to Montana. We would stay in the State for six weeks but had to stay at private campgrounds as the State ones either did not have electric, water or showers.

The route took us across the upper north east corner of Wyoming before entering Montana.

We got a new rearview camera system for the rv

Funny pic of our hands as seen by the truck side cameras

Places you see on the road. A lot I do not get to photograph as I have no warning to get my cell ready.

We stayed for two weeks at 7th Ranch RV Camp in Garryowen. The park itself was great, very well ran by beautiful people but it was very remote. The nearest grocery store was thirty miles away. The park had some walking trails and a hill that they kindly placed a bench on so you could watch the sunrise or sunset. We liked to walk up each evening and look at the views as the sun said goodbye for another day.

Most people staying at 7th Ranch go there as it's pretty much the only accommodation nearby. They arrive at the park, maybe stay a day or two, visit the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Park then leave so there was a constant stream of rvs coming and going. One day there was a Fantasy Tours Company party of thirty rvs arrived for two days.