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Post by ignimbrite on Jun 23, 2008 22:07:40 GMT -6
I'm finally all set for my first anniversary weekend trip to LBH. If anyone is going to be there, I'm amenable to getting together. I'll be the heavily sun-screened, freckled, fat, fifty-something female in jeans and a t-shirt. Mostly I'll be hovering on the edges of any activities since I'm happier as an observer than participant.
If anyone has a place to cook, or enjoys eating raw mushrooms (yummy with ranch dip), send me a PM before 10am on Friday and I'll bring along a couple of bags of "picked that day" mushrooms from our farm. If requested I can also bring along our heath department certification so you know I didn't just pull up some fungus from the back yard.
I'm really looking forward to this trip, even with the price of gas.
Ruth
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Post by Melani on Jun 24, 2008 8:00:22 GMT -6
I'll be arriving (hopefully!) on Wednesday. I'm driving from the SF Bay Area, and I'm in Winnemucca now. I'll be at the bottom of the Keogh Trail on Friday morning and Saturday afternoon, and generally around the rest of the time, wearing a nametag, so I should be easy enough to spot. Hope to see you!
Melani
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Post by ignimbrite on Jun 24, 2008 20:48:17 GMT -6
Melani writes -
I'll be arriving (hopefully!) on Wednesday. I'm driving from the SF Bay Area, and I'm in Winnemucca now. I'll be at the bottom of the Keogh Trail on Friday morning and Saturday afternoon, and generally around the rest of the time, wearing a nametag, so I should be easy enough to spot. Hope to see you!
That sounds like quite a drive. I'll look for you on Saturday.
Ruth
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Post by biggordie on Jun 24, 2008 23:54:29 GMT -6
Hope you guys connect. Have fun.
Gordie
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Post by biggordie on Jun 27, 2008 17:24:42 GMT -6
Don't know if you guys connected or not, but there seem to be a large number of visitors this year. Melani - I know you've been there a few times around the Anniversary: - does this year appear to be busier than usual, or am I just looking at the webcams when there happen to be a bunch of people on Custer Hill?
Gordie
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Post by Melani on Jun 27, 2008 22:26:55 GMT -6
Greetings from the women's shower room at the 7th Ranch Campground! They finally got their free wifi to work well, and the signal is strongest here, but I am getting some strange looks. Yes, I met Ruth tonight at Jerome Greene's talk, and again just a few minutes ago--she's staying here too.
There seem to be plenty of folks around, but I've only really been here twice before, and the first time was on one of the big anniversaries, 130, when they do a great big deal--they are more low-key in years that aren't 0's or 5's. They said tonight that visitation is generally down for the year, but this week had more visitors than the same time last year. We had plenty of people on the Keogh Trail all day, and hope to again tomorrow.
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Post by biggordie on Jun 29, 2008 10:07:23 GMT -6
Hey, Mel!!
You missed a spot just below your right shoulder-blade.
Thanks for the memories.
Gordie
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Post by ignimbrite on Jun 29, 2008 22:35:58 GMT -6
I'm baaack!! It was a really wonderful trip, great weather, interesting people and of course lots of time on my favorite battlefield. I'm too tired to type a coherent account tonight, but will strive to do so tomorrow.
Meeting Melani was fun, but I'm envious because she's now on her way to Gettysburg, another battlefield I enjoy. Hope she finds a wifi hot spot and can check in.
Ruth, the only mildly sunburned and no longer a new member, but a junior member
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Post by biggordie on Jun 30, 2008 0:08:06 GMT -6
Looking forward to your journal, Ruth. Glad you enjoyed the visit.
Gordie
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Post by markland on Jun 30, 2008 1:29:07 GMT -6
<snip> If requested I can also bring along our heath department certification so you know I didn't just pull up some fungus from the back yard. <snip> Ruth Back yard or cattle grazing land? Hmmmm, perhaps that is why DC is flitting around this site with a idiotic grin? Billy, who faintly remembers his psychedelic, errrr...activities |
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Post by ignimbrite on Jun 30, 2008 19:20:01 GMT -6
I left home Friday on one of those perfect Montana days that almost make you forget a June 10th snow storm. It was sunny and the Elkhorn mountains still had snow on the higher elevations as I drove by. Driving further south the Tobacco Roots came into view and then the Highland Mountains off to the west.
I headed east on I-90 and soon the Big Belt, Bridger and Madison ranges were all in view at the same time. The Absaroka-Beartooths had quite a bit of snow while Crazy Mountains had less. South of Billings, the Pryors and finally the northern Big Horns came into view. Ten snow capped mountain ranges in less than 5 hours, not a bad start to a weekend.
I finished reading Jerome Greene's "Stricken Field" at the campground picnic table in a nice breeze. Then it was a drive up Reno Creek to just past what's currently called the morass. The hills were covered with yellow blooming sweet clover. There was only one other car on the road so I was able to drive slow, stop and look, trying to get a feel for the terrain and landmarks.
There was quite a breeze blowing when I got to the battlefield. After a quick stop at the museum, I drove the tour road. Several groups of horses and cows were standing along the way which helped with scale when looking back at the terrain. One compensation of coming during a busy time is that lots of vehicles are on the road so I could use them to pick out Calhoun Hill and other landmarks on the battlefield road.
Jerome Greene's talk on his book was very enjoyable. It was sponsored by the Friends of the Little Bighorn Battlefield and held outside in front of the Stone House. A stiff breeze kept the mosquitoes at bay. By coincidence Melani and I sat by each other and so met that way. Mr. Greene made several points about the need to think carefully about more development on the battlefield. He also expanded on his first visit to the battlefield
and read parts of a letter he had received in the early sixties from a park ranger discussing various books and their merit. It gave me several things to think about.
The next morning I was back at LBH shortly after opening and spent more time on the tour road from Reno Hill to Medicine Tail Coulee. By 9:30 it was getting crowded so I headed into Hardin to check out the historic book sale. To my husband's and our bank account's delight, Hardin's Little Bighorn Day's Grand Parade was at 10am right in front of the book sale, so I missed the books.
I then drove back up Reno Creek, this time all the way to the Tullock Creek divide. It helped to set some distances and landform features for me. From the divide I could see the Crow's Nest, part of the Reno Creek valley and a glimpse of the Little Bighorn Valley only because I could see the trucks moving on the freeway.
Back at the battlefield I was headed down to the Keogh trail where Melani was volunteering, when I met Melani heading for a break. She graciously turned around and we spent the next several hours discussing the battle with other volunteers and anyone else who wandered down. As someone later put it "Isn't it great to find other people to talk to about LBH whose eyes don't glaze over in 10 seconds." We later walked down the Deep Ravine Trail and discussed various theories. It always amazes me how steep the terrain is in some places. Lines of sight are difficult to determine without being there.
The day was finished up with the Friends Feast, a tour of the museum archives and an after hours look at several museum exhibits. The new Sitting Bull case was very cool and the painting "After the Battle" by J.K. Ralston is now displayed along with a key that explains the many details in the painting. The author of "They Never Surrendered" was there along with lots of interesting and knowledgeable people.
I was second in line when the gates opened Sunday morning at LBH. There was time for one last drive through the park before heading home. It was hazy enough that the Big Horns were obscured, but the valley was visible. By Billings the haze was gone and the mountains were all visible for the return journey.
It was truly a memorable trip.
Ruth
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Post by biggordie on Jul 1, 2008 8:40:39 GMT -6
Verrrrryyyyyyyy Niiiiiiiiiiiice...........................
Gordie
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Post by Montana Bab on Jul 2, 2008 21:43:21 GMT -6
I was second in line when the gates opened Sunday morning at LBH. There was time for one last drive through the park before heading home. It was hazy enough that the Big Horns were obscured, but the valley was visible. By Billings the haze was gone and the mountains were all visible for the return journey. It was truly a memorable trip. Ruth Hi Ruth, from one "Rotund Montana broad" to another! I'm so glad that you made it to the battlefield and had such a great time and great company with Melani! Thanks for sharing, and I'm so jealous! Bab |
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Post by Melani on Jul 10, 2008 8:18:59 GMT -6
Yes, we sure had fun on the Keogh Trail! I felt guilty for virtually ignoring the tourists, but we couldn't miss the opportunity, as Ruth said, to talk to people whose eyes didn't glaze over.
The Sitting Bull exhibit tour was much better than the archives. Sharon Small, the archivist, said that they have a policy of no tours of the archives, but did it for the Friends anyway, and didn't want to set a precedent. I can see why--the space they've got is about the size of my bathroom. She took out several artifacts to display in the theater, including the Troop I guidon, and then took us back to the archives, where my daughter accurately described what we saw--"A bunch of gray boxes that purported to contain stuff." But knowing archivists as I do (I work with some), it was very brave of her to let us in there in the first place.
The key to the painting was really great and informative--my favorite part of the tour.
Now back to California to get ready for next year!
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Post by elisabeth on Jul 10, 2008 8:50:47 GMT -6
You saw the Co. I guidon??? Fantastic. Very envious.
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