Travel

A Hike, A Trout Sweater & More in Meeker, Colorado

I made up the hashtag #MeetMeinMeeker five years ago, after we attended the Meeker Classic Sheepdog Trials. I was a judge for Jammin’ Lamb Fest, a lamb cook-off. Both of these events occur in September and should be on your travel itinerary. The town is busy this weekend, and perhaps it wasn’t the best representation of how Meeker is day-to-day. For instance, if you need crazy nightlife, this is generally

Dust Bowl Road Trip Volcanos, Wind & Folsom, Not the Prison. HeidiTown (15)

We set out on this road trip inspired by the book, “The Worst Hard Times.” I discuss the reasons why we took this trip in this post. While we experienced a flat tire and needed a license to drink in one Texas restaurant, and saw some real-life pains that the pandemic has wreaked in one small town, this wasn’t an experience I’d trade for anything. This is the last of

Dust Bowl Road Trip Clayton, New Mexico, All Quiet on the Western Front HeidiTown

Our waitress flew around the room like Superwoman. She took orders, bused tables, made drinks and delivered food. She would stop near the door to assure potential diners that she’d seat them in due time, but that it was a busy night. It was a busy night at Hotel Eklund’s restaurant, the only eatery open on this particular Saturday evening in Clayton, New Mexico. The town looks to have been

Dust Bowl Road Trip The Museum Issue HeidiTown (5)

Sometimes, people hear or read the word “museum” and stop listening or reading, but preserving the stories of the past is important. Even if we didn’t have a direct relative who lived through this dire part of history, it is part of the American story; the human story. There are three museums that we wanted to visit on our Dust Bowl road trip. These museums were not just telling a

Dust Bowl Road Trip: A License to Drink in Texas & A Dust Storm

We sailed into Dalhart, Texas in the late afternoon. Dahlart and Boise City are at the heart of “The Worst Hard Time” book, and this is why we were here. Warmer than we’d experienced this spring, we wandered around the tree-lined sidewalks with Fritzi. Just past 5 p.m., everything in downtown had closed and parking spots and silence were plentiful. After our flat tire fiasco, documented in this post, we

Dust Bowl Road Trip A Flat Tire, New Tires & Popping Wheelies. HeidiTown (10)

We left Canyon Journeys and the Everett Ranch in the morning, bumping south over gravel roads towards Oklahoma. It was day two of our Dust Bowl Road Trip, and we were excited to explore. Learn the reasons why we did this road trip here. We stopped for a romp at Carrizo Canyon Picnic Area, just south of the ranch. The canyon is beautiful but watch out for poison ivy (Ryan

Dust Bowl Road Trip Canyon Journeys in Baca County, Colorado. HeidiTown (9)

I haven’t been exactly sure how to approach writing about our Dust Bowl Road Trip. There is a lot to unpack here (to use a phrase popular in today’s lexicon). It was an adventure and it was eye-opening on many levels. We made several unexpected stops that included a blown out tire in Colorado or Oklahoma (we’re not sure). I’ve decided against a day-by-day account. I think I’ll hop around

The Worst Hard Time Dust Bowl by Eagan

“Um, oh” has been the lackluster response of most people when we tell them we are going on a Dust Bowl Road Trip. The only person who has been extremely positive about it was the curator of Centennial Village Museum in Greeley. Leave it to a historian to get excited about a trip motivated by history. Part of the reason people have been so humdrum about this road trip is

Where to Stay in Vail, Colorado Manor Vail Lodge. HeidiTown (10)

We were in Vail to eat and drink. We were attending Taste of Vail, an event that I love. Manor Vail Lodge had offered to host me, so we were all set for this three-night eating and drinking extravaganza. Little did we know, Manor Vail Lodge will feed you too (and feed you really, really well). Location of Manor Vail Lodge Arriving on a Thursday, we settled in and then

Where to Stay in Leadville, Colorado Tashi’s Cabin at Buckeye’s Cabins. HeidiTown (6)

I get a lot of “where to stay” type questions. If you’d like a dog-friendly, rustic Leadville experiences, Tashi’s Cabin is the place for you. And when I say rustic I do not mean you’ll go without. This is a cabin, with a bathroom, two bedrooms, kitchen and living area. There is even a wood-burning stove. That warms my heart and toes! We’ve been to Leadville a handful of times