Custer’s Last Stand & My Funny Mistake, Montana

On our Travel Day to Garryowen, Montana, I read out loud to Kevin the book I am reading, “The Summer of 1876” by Chris Wimmer. Excellent book! The cool thing is, right where I was in the book it is talking about the details of the battle at Little Bighorn. Kevin said “WE ARE DRIVING THROUGH HISTORY.” So true! 

As we were coming through Gillette, Wyoming, what did we see? Heaven? Almost. Maverik Gas Station! The company is Kevin’s favorite convenient store because every one we have been to, except Santa Fe, NM, has been very clean and Diet Coke is always consistent great taste. We didn’t need fuel but we needed to stop for drinks and “just to be there.” HAHA I got a cute picture of him in front of the sign and drinking both of our drinks.

The grasslands are very dry here. The land has very few trees except along water. We got to 7th Ranch RV Park campground just before check in. As we pulled up to the office a guy on a four wheeler came up from the house. He was very nice and got us checked in. They give out a wooden token to each person for a free ice cream from the freezer. Then he lead us to our site. The campground is on a steep hill but each site is very level; impressed!

We got the minimum set up done and took off a few miles north of here to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. (This is where Custer had his “Last Stand.”) In doing my research, I am so glad I found out that this place is only open Fri-Sun due to major construction. We went to the temporary trailer that is the national park visitor center first. It is tiny with just a few things to buy, no video, but rangers were very helpful.

As we drove along the road through this park, it was incredible to see the landscape and to have read extensively about this battle and all the surrounding history of that event. I can almost hear the sounds and see the people. The road has pull offs with good signs facing what happened there.

At random places, you see a white marble headstone marking where a white person died. Burgundy marble headstones mark where someone “fell here on June 25, 1876 while defending (tribe name) homeland …and….way of life.”

Last Stand Hill is where the Seventh Cavalry Memorial is. This is a mass grave with a marker of the names. The markers are where bodies were found. In the middle above is Custer’s.

Back home (footnote 1) we ended up walking a trail that goes to a flag. It is beautiful – the landscape, views, and setting sun. Sitting outside HOWE (footnote 2) a bit later and Kevin told me he heard coyote when we were up there. Then he pointed behind me. I thought he saw a coyote but no, it was a huge full moon just coming over the horizon.

We were back at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument around 8:30 a.m. the next day. At the Reno-Benteen Trail yesterday I had seen a stand for trail guides but it was empty. We stopped at the visitor center and so glad we did! They had the Reno-Benteen Entrenchment Trail Guide for $2.00 and we bought it. Good thing because the markers along this trail didn’t have a lot of words; it was listen on your phone. Well, that won’t work for us deaf. The trail guide gave excellent information. There were only a few people out this early. The trail takes about 45 minutes and is asphalt and quite level. Oh boy, to actually *see* the landscape, the hills and coulees, the area along the river, the markers where people on both sides died…

After that trail we went to Custer National Cemetery which is right in front of the visitor center. There were 25 photo requests on Find A Grave (footnote 3). Kevin was my “pointer dog” and would find the headstones while I took and uploaded the photos. A small way to honor those who have served our country. Grateful.

Mid-afternoon one day Kevin said he made a decision! I laughed, stopped him, and told him I knew what that decision was. Then I said it was that we would drive to Hardin to the closest grocery store so he could get Diet Coke, since he is out. He laughed and said, yes, that was it. I had already thought about that this morning. HA After work we went the 23 miles north to Lynn’s Superfoods. This place had the best and freshest produce – and a lot of it – than we have seen in many months! Not kidding. I hadn’t planned to buy anything in that department but as soon as I saw it, I started grabbing produce bags to load up. 

And then, I saw leeks. I was so excited! I have looked for several weeks for these as I want to try a recipe with them that sounds delicious. I grabbed them, too. Past the produce aisle and what did we encounter? An entire display of Nalley’s Chili! I about fell over. I am so glad they are making that again. It is our favorite, not-homemade, chili. This store told me a lot about the area – people here like to cook and cook good food. The produce was excellent. The meat looked great, too. 

In the truck on the way home, I looked for the recipe in my recipe app (Paprika) that called for leeks. I couldn’t find the recipe. I entered leeks in the search. Nothing. I knew the recipe had carrots in it and searched that word. Up on Paprika came…. Fennel! Fennel is the thing I have been looking for, not leeks! Kevin and I laughed so hard we were crying. Oh my gosh, that was hilarious. Oh, the “bad” part was, I had texted Kristin, Suzette, and Bridget (we share recipes) that I had found leeks. So then, I had to tell them of my embarrassing mistake. Too funny!

*The blog posts are taken from my daily travel journal. Would you believe – it takes me a 1/2 day every week to whittle down a week’s worth of journal so it won’t be too long for the post each week. HAHA Thank you for reading!

1. “Home” is where we park it. Home is our 2022 Alliance Avenue, 36 ft, 5th wheel.

2. “HOWE” is what we named our Alliance Avenue 36-ft 5th wheel. See: Home On WhEels and we pronounce it Howie. We live and travel in it full-time around the country.

3. Find A Grave – https://www.findagrave.com/about