2018 in HeidiTown, A Retrospective

I can hear you now.

“Oh my god, she used the word ‘retrospective!’ I’m going to quit reading.’”

Please don’t. I did use the word, but I promise to make this retrospective short and sweet.

As usual, I have written an end of the year post. I used to write about my favorite experiences during the year and last year I wrote “The Road Trip Life: A Year in on the Road with the Mayor of HeidiTown.”

This year has been an odd one for many people, including us. Our furniture business expanded to a showroom in Scottsdale, Arizona, our dog died, I sprained my ankle in Mexico and we got a kitten. I also took some time off from traveling this fall because of the old dog and Mexico and the new kitten, plus, I was jaded.

RELATED: Dog is My Co-Pilot (Losing Part of Your Heart)

My love of Colorado didn’t wane, but I was feeling a lack of enthusiasm for the state and that was unnatural for me. Perhaps it was the number of cars on the road, the number of people writing about the state, or simply losing my Colorado-born dog, but whatever the reason, I had no oomph.

It’s clearly evident that I’ve been in a funk, and not the fun kind that involves rhythm and blues and soul music.

Earlier this month, we got back on the road. We took a road trip to Leadville, one of the prettiest places on the face of the earth, and I experienced a renewed love for the state of Colorado. I’d been there a half dozen times before and yet Leadville was the perfect place for me to visit because it’s steeped in Colorado legends and, it’s gorgeous.

The highest incorporated town in the United States, Leadville is surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. You’d have to be a real Grinch not to appreciate the sweeping, 360-degree views.

RELATED: Snowmobiling in Leadville (it’s fun!)

I experienced a renewed sense of pride that comes from meeting people from out of state. I met a gal from Kansas and another from Georgia. After chatting with me and receiving HeidiTown stickers, both ladies probably thought, “Wow, this woman really loves Colorado!”

And I do love Colorado.

I took great pleasure in listening to visitors extolling the beauty around them during our outing with White Mountain Snowmobile Tours. I was deeply delighted upon being told excitedly by two individuals from the midwest that they’d been the first to ski the corduroy at Ski Cooper that morning and felt like I had groomed the mountain myself.

RELATED: Exploring for More Than a Decade (HeidiTown Turns 11)

It’s easy to become despondent or to take for granted the wonderful place in which some of us are fortunate enough to live. I’ve been feeling less than grateful and more irritated than usual, but it’s passing and traveling Colorado helped.

Dorothy said it best when she stated, “There’s no place like home.”

And there isn’t, especially when you are lucky enough to live in Colorado.

Here’s to more exploring and living more in 2019! As always, thank you for being along for the ride.