July 2, 2025 (Wed.) - A visit from the Mitchell's!
Visitors alert—yay! Steve and Stacey Mitchell rolled into town from Texas, making a stop ahead of their daughter and son’s arrival. Steve and Kirk go way back to their OCSD days and have been riding buddies for over a decade, so this reunion was long overdue.
Lynn kicked things off with her usual morning coffee ritual at 7:30 AM, soaking in the peaceful start before shifting gears and sprucing up the RV to welcome friends.
They swung by our campsite in the early evening for a quick hello, and later, we picked them up from their shady and scenic spot at Stockade Lake North for dinner.
We dined at Sage Creek Grill—the food was… fine. Not bad, just didn’t wow. But the real treat was relaxing back at the RV around the campfire and swapping stories. We got so wrapped up in catching up that the cameras stayed tucked away—and honestly, that felt just right.
Some moments are better enjoyed in real time—with good friends, fresh air, and a glowing fire.
Weather – High 83*, Low 61*. Wind 2-15 mph.
Traffic – None.
Food – Sage Creek Grill – so-so
Notable – A visit from the Mitchell’s!!
photos 7/2/25 :
July 3, 2025 (thu.) - road trip, Stacey's request for bison
The day kicked off with a run to Rapid City—picking up mail and doing some shopping. Lynn’s on a mission: a fancy gazebo with doors and windows for privacy during her workouts. Amazon’s tricky when you’re constantly on the move, and being out of Box Elder means deliveries require a bit more creativity.
Since Steve & Stacey had downtime before their family arrived later in the evening, they happily tagged along—and we loved having them! Around 10:30 AM, we scooped them up, and off we went through Custer State Park (on our way to Rapid City), where Stacey casually said, “I want to see bison.”—and wouldn’t you know it, one massive bison appeared around the next bend. Manifestation magic, Stacey!
Brunch was at Tally’s Silver Spoon in Rapid City—absolutely delicious. Then gear hunting at Bass Pro/Cabelas: no gazebo, but Lynn snagged a patriotic kimono and Kirk a headlamp for an upcoming cave adventure. From there we headed to Sturgis to browse at the Indian Motorcycle dealership, where Kirk was eyeing a shorter antenna. Thankfully, we walked out with just the antenna—small victories!
The scenic drive through Spearfish Canyon was next—stunning as ever. We passed by Bridal Veil Falls, people walking in their swimsuits to Devil’s Bathtub, and got a little turned around taking the ‘scenic route’ going through Spearfish Canyon back to Custer, but it was all a great adventure.
After a quick rest at home, we rounded up Steve & Stacey again for the Wildlife Loop. Stacey was hoping for more bison… and boy, did she get her wish. Around 7 PM, a massive herd began migrating, and cars lined the road to take it all in. Stacey braved the moment, hopping out to capture photos, while the rest of us admired it from the car. Lynn used the sunroof as her perch for pictures. The Loop served up a gorgeous sunset, and by the time we rolled back into town it was 8:50 PM—most restaurants were closed. One spot advertised being open until 11 PM, but the kitchen closes at 9. Still, they let us order anyway, and the meal tasted like a five-star feast after a long, adventure-filled day.
All in all, it was a picture-perfect road trip day—gorgeous views, surprise wildlife, and quality time with friends. And yes, we’ve never seen that many bison in one place before. Unforgettable!
Weather – High 87*, Low 63*. Winds 7-19 mph.
Traffic – None. Other than a line of cars to watch the bison migrate.
Food – Frontier Bar & Grill – good, especially since we were really hungry. Can’t go wrong with burgers!
Notable – Hanging out with the Mitchell’s, Bison galore!
Wildlife – Bison, bison, bison…Pronghorn, Prairie Dogs, Deer
