Summer in the American West: Goat Roping, Barrel Racing, Cowboy Boots

ROCK SPRINGS, WYOMING – Greetings from the county fairgrounds…

My family and I are roaming around America with a car, a tent, five sleeping bags, and a Coleman camping stove.

We sleep in campgrounds or on the properties of the kind people we meet along the way – like this wild mustang sanctuary in Colorado… Sherry’s 150-year-old house in Tennessee… and this barn in Alabama.

We homeschool our kids on the road. And we eat at picnic tables or around the campfire.

We’ve been living like this for three months now. We’ve been to 18 states and driven more than 10,000 miles. (All on backroads. We avoid all interstate highways and freeways.)

On the Road to Yellowstone

Last week, we explored Moab and the national parks around it. Next week, we’ll be exploring the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park.

I’m writing to you today from the Sweetwater County fairgrounds in Rock Springs, Wyoming, somewhere on the road between Moab and Yellowstone.

We really like camping here. The men and women wear big hats and leather boots. They drive dually trucks and pull horse trailers. (People seem to be buying and selling horses less than 100 yards from our tent.)

They have events here with names like “Summer Goat Roping Series” and “Barrel Racing Weekday Jackpots.” This weekend, there’ll be a stock car racing event…

It feels very “western.”

Tomorrow, we hit the road again… bound for a new town and a new campground… wherever that may be…

– Tom Dyson

P.S. Thanks to everyone who wrote into the mailbag below with help and suggestions about the tire on our trailer. (It suddenly and inexplicably became threadbare, while the tire on the other side did not.) We will have a mechanic look at it this weekend, and I will report back what they find.

Like what you’re reading? Send your thoughts to [email protected].

Readers are concerned after Tom had to replace one of their tires that suddenly wore out…

Reader comment: It’s unlikely your trailer tire suddenly went out of alignment, unless you struck something hard. You would remember doing it. If that didn’t happen, then you could have a wheel bearing going out or some other type of mechanical failure, suddenly causing the tire to wear. A tire out of alignment won’t cause sudden wear as you describe. Please make sure a competent mechanic identifies the problem and a tire shop doesn’t just slap another tire on. A wheel falling off of a trailer could be catastrophic.

Reader comment: If your tire wore down so quickly, it’s probably rubbing on the chassis of the trailer. This could be due to a problem with the suspension. Get it fixed soon. It could be dangerous, causing you to lose control of the car if it blows out when your driving.

Reader comment: If the tire that wore out is a different brand and/or load rating from the other tire that is still in good shape, then this could be the cause of excessive wear and tear. If the two tires are exactly the same, then it could well be an alignment issue up to – and including – the inner spindle in the hub. This info comes from a mechanic who worked for a Chrysler dealership for 53 continuous years. Save travels, Tom, and stay away from Canada.

Reader comment: Tom, if you can get that wheel off the ground enough to grab and feel its bearings, it might answer your question. It should spin freely and not be able to wobble from side to side. Bad bearings could make the wheel drag, wearing the tire fast – and potentially damaging the wheel, too, if allowed to go on too long. Good luck! Sure do enjoy your Postcards!

Reader comment: I’m really enjoying your day-to-day experiences on the road! You mentioned the problem with one tire, and since I have many years of experience with trailer tires, I have some ideas: 1) Brakes. Your trailer looks too small and light to have brakes, but your problem could be a grabby brake. 2) Old tire. This tire could be much older than the others, even if you bought the trailer new. A dealer can check the dates. 3) Wheel bearing problems. Jack up the trailer so the tire is free of the ground. Make sure it turns freely and is not loose or sloppy.

Meanwhile, other readers request that Tom restart the Dyson family vlogs (you can catch up on the latest here, here, and here)…

Reader comment: Tom, I still enjoy your travel blog but wish you’d go back to kid/family videos! It’s more entertaining watching the whole clan in action. And congrats for not buying into the mask hoax. Let the sheeple cower behind their “protective” masks, while you folks breathe fresh air and enjoy the beauty all around you.

Reader comment: Hello Dyson family, I do not recall when I started reading your journey, but I’m glad I found you. I enjoy reading your thoughts on gold but also reading your travels. I do miss the family videos… Perhaps you can restart that?

One of your readers brought up geocaching and I wish I would have suggested it. What a great way to teach your kids about our environment. Earthcaches take you to some great geological places with good learning experiences. Virtuals are also great to learn about the area as well. If you do decide to create an account, I hope you would be willing to share your caching name so we also follow you that way as well. Safe travels.

Tom’s response: Great idea! I just downloaded the app. We’ll find out first cache tomorrow. (There’s one near the county fairgrounds.)

Finally, kind words from a fellow traveler…

Reader comment: Thank you, Tom, for these articles. They remind me of the plentiful sites (all with incredible beauty) that are here in the USA for us all to be thankful for and to visit as often as we can. This particular article reminded me of my visit to Royal Gorge (in Colorado) when I was young. We are now retired, so my wife and I are planning a trip to that area. Also, thanks for personalizing your articles with suggestions on camp sites, things to see, etc. Safe travels to you and your family.

Tom’s note: As always, thank you for your messages! Please keep writing us at [email protected].