My head is still reeling from my 24-hour visit to Dodge City (literally reeling, the pollen count in Kansas is, I believe, infinity). I gave two talks at the fully restored Fred Harvey El Vaquero Hotel building–complete with Fred Harvey meals served by the wonderful new chef there (we’ll be posting his recipes on the Fred Harvey Cookbook Project site.) Everyone there was incredibly nice to Black Bart and I (the highlight for her–her placecard read “Black Bart”), the food was amazing, and I was even made an honorary marshall (and have the badge to prove it.

And it sounds like Dodge City really has some ideas about exploring its Fred Harvey heritage more. They’re going to restore a guest room at the El Vaquero to look authentic (I’ll be interested to see which time period they choose, the hotel was run by Fred Harvey from 1896 to 1948). And they’ve decided to “sister” with the other nearby Harvey House, in Waynoka, OK. Both locations are, at the moment, still off the beaten FH trail in Arizona and New Mexico, but we’re hoping that changes, and more people continue east from Santa Fe, checking out the Harvey properties in Las Vegas, NM and continuing to Waynoka and Dodge City–a longer but ultimately more satisfying “Tour De Fred.”

Anyway, here are some shots from our stay in Dodge. thanks again to everyone who brought us there, and please get us the hell back into Dodge soon.

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