Camper Left Food and Trash Outside, A Black Bear Paid The Price

Above, a black bear at Yellowstone Bear World in Idaho. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Just as stupid people shouldn't be allowed to vote, stupid people shouldn't be allowed to camp either. 

Neither of which will ever happen, but one has to wonder how some campers in Montana left food and garbage outside that attracted a black bear. Sadly, the bear had to euthanized. Incredibly, there was a bear-resistant storage box at the campsite for them to use.

Above, a bear-resistant storage container at a campsite in Yosemite National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RV Travel posted an article on the aforementioned incident and why it is important to properly store food and garbage.

They begin it with:

Wildlife officials in Montana euthanized a black bear after it repeatedly raided campgrounds near Red Lodge. One of its last stops was an unattended campsite where food, cooking grease, dog food and garbage had reportedly been left outside, even though a bear-resistant storage box was available.

The incident is a sobering reminder that leaving food and trash unsecured in bear country isn’t simply untidy. It can teach bears that campgrounds are easy places to find meals, increasing the risk to everyone camping nearby.

To read the full article, go here. 

Battle of the Little Bighorn 150th Anniversary

Above, markers dot Last Stand Hill at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today began the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn in Montana.

The battle took place on June 25-26, 1876.

Above, the 7th U.S. Cavalry Monument. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

From Wikipedia:

The 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn, commonly referred to as Custer's Last Stand and known to the Lakota and other Plains Indians as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, was an armed engagement between combined forces of the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes and the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army. It took place on June 25–26, 1876, along the Little Bighorn River in the Crow Indian Reservation in southeastern Montana Territory. The battle, which resulted in the defeat of U.S. forces, was the most significant action of the Great Sioux War of 1876.

Above, the Reno-Benteen Defense Site monument. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last summer, a friend and I took a driving tour of the battlefield. We found the now National Monument near Crow Agency to be interesting as much of the terrain looked as it did in 1876. A new visitor center was under construction during our visit. 

The battle was seen as a major victory of the Indian tribes and a massacre of the United States Army's 7th Cavalry Regiment. 

Above, the Reno-Benteen battlefield. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

From KTVQ:

CROW AGENCY — License plates from across the country filled parking lots and lined roads leading into Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument on Thursday as thousands of visitors gathered to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Traffic stretched bumper to bumper as visitors continued arriving for the first day of a three-day commemoration. The event, hosted by the National Park Service in partnership with Tribal nations and other organizations, brought together descendants, historians, veterans, reenactors, and families to reflect on one of the most significant battles in American history.

Above, Last Stand Hill. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more about the commemoration, go here. 

Why National Park Gateway Towns Are Struggling

Above, the gateway town of West Yellowstone, Montana. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

These are strange times.

One would think that national park gateway towns are going gangbusters with tourist travel dollars flowing in. Well, yes and no.

According to an article in RV Travel, national park gateway towns are struggling.

They begin with:

For decades, gateway towns near America’s national parks thrived. Travelers came to see the parks, and the towns provided everything else. Fuel. Groceries. Campgrounds. Restaurants. Laundry. RV repair shops. Ice cream. Souvenirs. Showers. Propane. You name it, they probably had it.

But this summer, many of those small towns are feeling squeezed, and RVers, if you haven’t already, you may start noticing the effects.

From Yellowstone to Zion to Glacier to the Smokies, gateway communities are dealing with a difficult mix of rising tourism pressure, staffing shortages, higher costs, housing problems, and aging infrastructure. In some places, local officials say they’re struggling just to keep up with the number of visitors arriving every day.

And for RVers, that can mean longer waits, fewer services, crowded roads, and significantly higher prices.

To read more, go here. 

"Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" (1974)

For the first time in years, I watched the 1974 Clint Eastwood movie, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot last night. It co-starred Jeff Bridges, George Kennedy and Geoffrey Lewis. Gary Busey, Catherine Bach, Dub Taylor and June Fairchild had smaller roles. Screenplay and direction was by Michael Cimino.

I had the movie on VHS (I may still have it but it maybe is somewhere in the garage) and is one of my favorite Eastwood movies. The locations used were in Montana and were nicely shot.

I watched the movie on Tubi/Pluto TV and it was a nice print and, surprisingly, uncut. There were no commercials either! Best of all, it was free!

I remember seeing Thunderbolt and Lightfoot at the Roadium Drive-In in Torrance, California in 1974. 

T + L: Ultimate Guide To Senior National Park Pass

Above, rock formations in Arches National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Baby boomers are now in retirement age. The recognized generation of baby boomers are those born from 1946 to 1964. This means US citizens or residents 62 years or older are eligible for a Senior Pass to U.S. National Parks.

According to Travel + Leisure:

Senior Passes are honored at sites managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and the National Park Service. 

I bought mine when I turned 62 in 2016 for the then-fee of $10.00. Senior Passes now cost $80.00, which is still a bargain considering they are good for a lifetime and if used.

The Senior Pass is only good for entering the parks. They are not good for camping.

Travel + Leisure posted their "ultimate" guide to the Senior National Park Pass.

They begin it with:

With jaw-dropping natural beauty, national parks are the crowning jewel of the United States' landscape—and an important part of American history and culture. President Ulysses S. Grant founded the country's first national park, Yellowstone, in 1872, while President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service (NPS) into existence in 1916.

Now, more than 100 years on, people flock from across the U.S. and the globe to see the natural wonders within the most popular of the 433 parks. NPS has created a variety of passes, both annual and lifetime, to encourage Americans to visit national parks, monuments, and federal recreational lands. But it's the national park pass for seniors that allows unhindered access. Here are some key details on the Senior Pass.

Above, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I last used my Senior Pass at Arches National Park in Utah and Little Bighorn Battlefield in Montana last summer.  

To read more, go here.

Strange RV Laws

Above, by law in Montana, RVs are required to yield to horses crossing the road. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A couple of months ago, we took a drive to Little Bighorn National Monument near Crow Agency, Montana. 

While in the park we drove from Last Stand Hill to the Reno-Benteen battlefield. On the way back to Last Stand Hill, some horses were slowly crossing the road. I, and several others, stopped to let them cross the road (photo above). Little did I know at the time, by law, RV drivers are required to yield to horses in Montana. 

RV Travel posted a list of odd, quirky, "head scratcher" RV laws you've never heard of. The above was one of them (number 7 on the list).

They begin the article with:

Travel with an RV is promoted as offering the height of freedom. The idea is simple: Go where you want, when you want. The reality? Owning an RV means signing up for a crash course in rules and quirks. From sleeping in your own driveway to being forced to yield to horses, these odd laws can ruin a trip before it starts.

In the video at the end of this post, the team from The Camping Loop highlights nine strange RV laws you likely never knew existed.

To read the complete list and see the video, go here. 

Custer's Last Stand Was Worse Than We Were Told (Video)

Above, "Last Stand Hill" at Little Bighorn Battlefield. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Interesting video. You have to watch it on YouTube. Just click on it.

Custer's Last Stand Was Worse Than We Were Told

 

Campground Reviews Posted

Above, Moab KOA Kampground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since returning from the 12-day trip to Wyoming, Montana, Utah, South Dakota and Colorado, I have campground reviews posted at RV Life Campground Reviews.

During the trip, we stayed at eight campgrounds, most of them were KOA Kampgrounds.

The KOA Kampgrounds were (in order of stays):

• Moab, Utah
• Vernal, Utah
• Cody, Wyoming
• Deadwood, Wyoming
• Hardin, Montana
• Devils Tower, Wyoming
• Colorado Springs, Colorado

The non-KOA campground:

Eagle RV Park, Thermopolis, Utah

To access RV Life Campground Reviews, go here. 

Custer Battlefield Trading Post

Above, the front of the Custer Battlefield Trading Post. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After touring the Little Bighorn Battlefield, we headed out and went to Custer Battlefield Trading Post. 

Above, inside the restaurant. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Along with a big gift store, they also have a restaurant. I had an Indian Taco (known in New Mexico as a Navajo taco). It was quite good and filling.

Above, the Indian taco. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Outside the park, they are the nearest restaurant to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. 

For more information, go here.

Travelin' Cat

Above, Sierra relaxing on my bed. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Along with friend Mitch Geriminsky and myself, my cat Sierra was also on the Wyoming-South Dakota trip with us.

She mainly stayed under my seat while driving, but would come out whenever we were at camp.

Above, Sierra at one of her favorite spots in the motorhome. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At nearly ten years old (she'll hit that milestone next month), she has done a lot of RV travel with me over the years. The first trip for Sierra was in 2016 to Yosemite National Park.  

Custer National Cemetery and Battlefields

Above, Custer National Cemetery. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When planning the trip to Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota, I had to time it so that we could attend the Winchester Arms Collectors Association's gun show in Cody, Wyoming and to visit the Little Bighorn Battlefield.

Above, the temporary visitor center. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As construction is now underway for a new visitor center, the Little Bighorn Battlefield is only open to visitors from Fridays to Sundays this summer. A temporary visitor center has been placed near the Custer National Cemetery. I wasn't aware that there is a national cemetery at the Battlefield until we arrived. 

We walked through the National Cemetery and, after that, took a driving tour through the Custer and Reno-Benteen Battlefields with stops at both areas. 

Some photos:

Above, Custer National Cemetery. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a monument honoring the 5th Regiment of Infantry. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a bunny relaxing in the shade of my RV at the Little
 Bighorn Battlefield parking lot. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Last Stand Hill. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Reno-Benteen Battlefield. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Travel To History

Above, Last Stand Hill, also known as Custer Hill, is a significant
location at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana.

Last night, at about 1:00, we had a big thunderstorm pass over Deadwood, South Dakota.

It woke us up, but we were able to get back to sleep once it ended. It did pour for a while. 

We'll be heading back to New Mexico today. We will likely reach it tomorrow. 

It has been a fun trip with visits to historical places. Places like the Little Bighorn Battlefield I've seen many times in photographs, but it is even more interesting to see it in person.

Above, the site of Saloon No. 10. Saloon No. 10 in Deadwood, South Dakota,
 is famous for being the site where Wild Bill Hickok was fatally shot during
 a poker game in 1876. The original saloon was located on a placer claim
numbered "10". It was destroyed by fire in 1879, and the current establishment
 is a reconstruction of the original, designed to reflect the saloon's historical significance.

It was also interesting to see the saloon location where Wild Bill Hickok was murdered while playing poker in Deadwood. The site, now called Wild Bill Bar, is a reconstruction of the original that was destroyed by fire.

A Couple of Bills

The trip to Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota began with Cody, Wyoming. The town was named after Buffalo Bill Cody with many Buffalo Bill-centric attractions.

It is ending in Deadwood, South Dakota where Wild Bill Hickok met his demise. 

Interestingly, I stumbled upon a photo of both gentlemen last evening. Apparently, Wild Bill was a mentor to Buffalo Bill.

Here's the photo:

The above photo shows Wild Bill at left and Buffalo Bill at right with John B. “Texas Jack” Omohundro at center.

iNDiE Campers

Many of us from the west coast or just the western half of the U.S. have heard of or seen rental RVs from such companies as Cruise America and La Mesa RV. On this trip to Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota, I have seen several from iNDiE Campers.

I was wondering if these were from an RV manufacturer that I hadn't heard about.

It turns out that these are from another RV rental company. I don't recall I ever heard of iNDiE Campers before.

Here's one from their website:

 

Rentals appear to be from Conquest (by Gulf Stream) and Four Winds. I used to own a Conquest RV back in the early 1990s.

There's one next door to our campsite at the Deadwood KOA. 

For more information, go here.

Little Bighorn Battlefield

Above, at the site of the Reno battle. 

This morning,  we left Cody and headed to Little Bighorn Battlefield in Montana. 

We got there around 10:00 and toured the National Cemetery and the Custer and Reno Battlefields. 

They were quite interesting to see. Originally, troopers were buried where they fell, but were later exhumed and reburied under a monument.

Above, over 220 solders' remains were reburied
 under this monument. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Afterwards, we had lunch at the Custer Trading Post. 

Some photos:

Montana Gov. Gianforte Sues Yellowstone National Park Over Bison Plan

Above, lounging bison and their calves in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A legal battle is brewing in the state of Montana over a plan by the National Park Service and Department of the Interior over a bison management plan.

Governor Greg Gianforte and the Montana departments of Livestock and Fish, Wildlife & Parks are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle: 

Citing a failure to cooperate with Montana state agencies and violation of federal laws, Gov. Greg Gianforte’s administration has sued to have Yellowstone National Park’s bison management plan nullified.

The 51-page lawsuit, filed on Dec. 31 in Billings District Court, names the National Park Service, Department of Interior and its leaders — including Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cam Sholly — as defendants.

In addition to Gianforte, the Montana departments of Livestock and Fish, Wildlife & Parks are plaintiffs in the suit.

Yellowstone’s bison plan was finalized in July 2024 amid protests from the Gianforte administration, first outlined in a 17-page letter in 2023.

Under Gianforte’s leadership, the state has sought lower bison populations in the park to lessen the chance of the animals migrating into Montana in the winter.

The state wants the park bison population to number no more than 3,000 animals, a target agreed to in 2000 when the Interagency Bison Management Plan was adopted.

In the new plan, however, Yellowstone cited updated scientific findings to justify a population range between 3,500 to 6,000 animals after calving. That would put the population at an average of 5,000 head a year.

To read more, go here. 

Little Bighorn Battlefield Nat. Monument To Get New Visitor Center

Above, The Custer fight (1903) by Charles Marion Russell.

One of my "bucket list" places to visit is the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana. I tried going there in 1990, but the tent trailer at the time got damaged during a windstorm in Sheridan, Wyoming and we had to change our route. Maybe I'll go there this coming year. I have been thinking about heading there, Cody and venturing east to the Black Hills of South Dakota.

The Little Bighorn Battlefield is where Col. George Armstrong Custer engaged in a battle that killed 268 7th cavalry soldiers, civilians, and Indian scouts along with an estimated 60-100 Lakota and Cheyenne.

The National Monument is breaking ground for a new visitor center.

From the National Park Service:

CROW AGENCY, Mont. – Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument recently awarded a construction contract to replace the park’s aging visitor center built in 1951. The National Park Service is coordinating with the park's associated Tribes and stakeholders to develop interpretive exhibits that better tell the complex stories surrounding the landscape, site, and people. Work is scheduled to begin on November 25, 2024.

The nearly $14 million project is funded by the Centennial Challenge program and donations through the National Park Foundation (NPF), including a lead grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.

The new 9,000 square foot building will be constructed on the footprint of the old visitor center. Nomlaki Technologies LLC, based in West Sacramento, California, is a 100% tribally owned company of members of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians. The new building will provide prominent views of the battlefield and will feature a roof deck, an improved parking area, accessible walkways, and enhanced visitor amenities to accommodate increased visitor use.

To read more, go here. 

Drug Cartels Ravaging Arizona, Montana Indian Reservations

Above, Window Rock Tribal Park and Veteran's Memorial. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last week, Gov. Tim Walz, Kamala Harris's running mate, appeared at a rally in Window Rock, Arizona. Window Rock is the capital of the Navajo Nation. 

For some odd reason, Native Americans tend to vote Democrat. But in doing so, they are cutting their own throats as the open border policies of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are allowing the drug cartels target tribal reservations.

The Daily Signal reported:

The Biden-Harris administration’s border crisis has had negative implications for all Americans, but one group that has suffered more than most—but received less attention than others—are American Indians living on reservations along the border.

As part of their efforts to smuggle drugs and traffic human beings across the southern border, Mexican cartels have specifically targeted and devastated these reservations.

Jurisdictional issues, insufficient law enforcement, and the open border all allow cartels to exploit tribal land and proliferate deadly substances like fentanyl on American Indian land.

Hopefully, former President Trump's rally in Albuquerque yesterday will do some good in swaying tribes to vote more Republican than in the past. 

To read more, go here.

Montana Man Videos Blinking UFO

Above, video seemingly shows a blinking craft streaking across the sky.

It looks like the state of Montana has attracted the attention of extra-terrestrials.

A blinking UFO was seen and videoed by a Montana man on Friday. The Daily Mail has posted an article on it along with the video.

They wrote:

A man in small-town Montana has captured footage of an Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) and shared the shocking video that made his wife 'cry' on Reddit.

The video was recorded on Friday between 10:10 and 10:15 pm, and showed what appears to be a blinking craft streaking across the clear night sky.

Said to have been spinning and adorned with a series of rotating lights, the apparent object flew over tiny Choteau, home to a population of just over 1,700 people.

The videos, along with the original poster's in-depth account of the sighting, reveals how the man and his wife first mistook the unknown object for a meteor. 

It comes after Montana was singled out as a hotspot for UFO sightings, with visitors recording some of the most significant and well-documented footage.  

To read more and see the video, go here. 

Tribes Welcome Yellowstone Bison Expansion Plan

Above, a herd of Yellowstone bison in a riverside meadow. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There is a plan to expand the range of bison of Yellowstone National Park in Montana, but the state is threatening to sue. Tribes are welcoming the plan.

According to Indianz.com:

A highly anticipated update to how Yellowstone National Park manages bison is setting the stage to expand the animal’s range in Montana, tribes and conservationsts say.

After years of work, Yellowstone released its new bison management plan this summer. More than 27,000 people commented on the document, which calls for more bison compared to the previous plan from 24 years ago. It also incorporates management changes that have been put into effect over the past two decades, including a surge in bison hunting near park boundaries and a new program to transfer live, disease-free bison to tribal nations.

“We have come a very long way since the last bison management plan was signed in 2000,” Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly said in a release. “This new plan solidifies much of the progress made over the past two decades and provides a foundation for future decision making.”

The plan, written as an environmental impact statement, has raised questions about what an increased herd size in the national park means for management outside the park. 

Yellowstone analyzed three alternatives in developing the new plan and chose to use existing hunting and transfer efforts to manage for a herd size of 3,500 to 6,000 bison. The population has averaged about 5,200 for the past decade.

Tom McDonald, vice chairman of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, called the new plan a step toward restoring buffalo on the larger landscape. 

Expanding where Yellowstone bison can go would help make tribal and state hunting safer, McDonald told Montana Free Press. Most hunting occurs outside the park’s north entrance, in Beattie Gulch, where bison are shot as they leave the park in winter searching for food. 

To read more, go here.