2025 South Dakota - The Sequel 
Lots of Bison 
And great views of Mt. Rushmore! 
Phill borrowing hubby Göran’s guitar for a funky jam session 
A Memorial to Ranch Horses 
Final Evening's Toast to a Wonderful 24 days 
Us with our amazing hosts Lee Ann and Phill 
On the way up we had only partial hookups because the full hookup site was taken.
You can see the horse motel is quite close in the back. 
Plaza Cafe Downtown 
July 14-15
Torreon Equestrian Center
Show Low, AZ
This facility is great for over-nighting your horses but has no LQ hookups.
We spent the night at the local Best Western, a very nice hotel!
July 15-16
Spur Stables
Albuquerque. N.M.
Another good overnight but with full hookups.
July 16-18
Wellspring Ranch and Stables
Raton, N.M.
Good for an overnight.
A round pen for your horses to stretch while the stalls are prepared.
Very large stalls and huge runs.
Partial hookups right at the barn.
We stayed 2 nights planning on riding around the ranch, but got rained on so just did the town.
Raton is a cute little town with restaurants, a grocery store, and even a feed store.
July 18-20
Turtle Creek Farm
Fort Collins, CO
Very lovely stables with full hookups and huge horse stalls and runs.
Along with amazing owners!
Close to Fort Collins so we could do major shopping
before heading to Custer where there isn't much!
They don't have a website, but are on
Horse Motel International.
July 20-August 3
Bridle Ridge RV and Horse Camp
Custer, S.D.
Bridle Ridge is about 15 minutes northwest of Custer.
It is a beautiful, well run facility with full hookups and lovely owners.
There are about 25 RV spaces.
We prefer the back-ins since they are right on the fence line to the woods.
Riding is right off of the property with dozens of trails.
The only drawback is the horse facility.
The stalls are only 10x11 with no runs. So larger horses might feel crammed.
Doing a photo dump now with highlights from our 2 weeks of riding here...
Round Mountain Loop
Crossing French Creek
As you can see the riding varies a great deal. It's truly a beautiful area!
August 4-26
Aspen Meadows Ranch Horse Camp
Custer, S.D.
This is our favorite campground just southwest of Custer.
It is very private. Only 6 full hookup sites.
Large semi-covered runs.
A huge pasture for turn outs.
The greatest host and hostess owners.We love Site #1 for the view.
Riding is right out of the gate.
Can't say enough good things about this place!
And now a photo dump from rides...
Custer State Park is only about 30 minutes away.
We did 3 different day trips there.
Lots of Bison
Pronghorn
Baby Big Horn Sheep
French Creek
Prairie Dogs
Wild but very tame donkeys
More Pronghorn
French Creek again
Needles Highway
The Needles Highway is a 14-mile scenic drive north of Custer,
named for the needle-like granite formations it passes through.
Completed
in 1922 and planned by Governor Peter Norbeck,
the route features
dramatic rock spires and one-lane tunnels.
And great views of Mt. Rushmore!
Some photos around the Ranch
A Gazebo with a fireplace for social gatherings.
Every Sunday morning the co-owner Phill cooks up
an amazing pancake breakfast
for family and guests!
Chef Phill
Phill borrowing hubby Göran’s guitar for a funky jam session
A Memorial to Ranch Horses
Final Evening's Toast to a Wonderful 24 days
And farewell to Aspen Meadows and Custer until next summer.
August 27-29
Back to Turtle Creek in Fort Collins
for a day of shopping
On the way up we had only partial hookups because the full hookup site was taken.
This was much better.
August 29-30
Greenhorn Horse Hotel
Colorado City, CO
This is when the week from Hell began.
Halfway to Wellspring in Raton, N.M.
Göran’s horse Whiskey came down with spasmodic colic.
We managed to find a Vet and got him treated
but had to find a stables closer than Raton.
We'd stayed at Greenhorn several times over the years
so they were able to accommodate us.
Whiskey made a full recovery.
We were parked next to an LQ with the logo:
"Charro on the Road"
Turns out this is an internationally acclaimed family of trick riders and ropers.
We were lucky enough to see their 11 year old son practice.
If I had known who they were I would have taken many more photos!
But the property has no WiFi or Verizon
so couldn't look them up until the next day.
And here is what they do...
We were honored to have met this amazing family at
August 30-September 1
The RV Park at HIPICO
Santa Fe, N.M.
This full hookup RV Park is about 20 minutes from downtown Santa Fe.
It is a world-class equestrian facility host to
local, national and international equestrian competitions and other types of events year round.
The overnight accommodations for horses are quite acceptable as well.
You can see the horse motel is quite close in the back.
Very roomy semi-covered stalls.
We spent some time in Santa Fe since both horses were healthy at this point.
Fabulous lunch at the Palacio Restaurant
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
Plaza Cafe Downtown
September 1-3
Spur Stables again
Probably the 3 saddest days of our lives.
We arrived early afternoon and everything was fine.
By 4 my horse Bourbon was down and rolling.
Got a Vet out who did colic stuff.
Next day Bourbon seemed to be his normal self. By 5 he was rolling again.
Vet said give him the night.
Next morning he was in so much discomfort we had to make the impossible decision.
We now believe it was a bad bale of hay. Whiskey being younger managed to recover.
My 23 year old boy just couldn't, so we did the only humane thing we could do.
RIP My Unicorn...
March 15, 2002- September 3, 2025
September 3-4
Torreon Equestrian Stables
Show Low, AZ
Back to the beginning.
The barn manager found a stall for Whiskey next to another horse
so he wouldn't feel too alone.
He did fine.
September 4
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