Brian was an excellent host and very friendly conversationalist who went out of his way to trade stories and tell jokes. The farm is charming and well kept; Brian clearly puts a lot of effort into its upkeep and development, and wants to make sure you feel at home there. After being rained out earlier in South Dakota, I was a little trepidatious about camping again when the weather could change, but the overwhelmingly positive reviews for Brian’s hipcamp convinced me to change my mind and give it a shot. A sign of a great host and mc is that they put your fears to rest at once, and after traveling across dark and wet roads for 5 hours to get to Brian’s, I was immediately soothed by his demeanor and accommodation for us. Without even needing to ask or inquire about our situation, Brian seemed to sense what we really needed was somewhere dry and warm, so he set us up with a sheltered clearing, some kindling and firewood, and fixings for s’mores so we could settle in the right way. In the morning we were greeted by curious, friendly dogs, cats, and regal peacocks that were darting around the farm. Brian engaged us with some nice talk and we got to pick his brain about farm life and the sorts of travelers he meets. Before we had to leave he gave us some recommendations for sightseeing along our route to Chicago and loaded us up with delicious cherry tomatoes from his garden.
I can confidently say this was an incredible stay. I’ve traveled all over the world and am always in search of a standout experience, but I didn’t expect to find it in South Dakota. I will be coming back!