Shebby LeeNov 1, 20183 minThe Cutest RodentHere I am, writing about beavers again. That’s what happens when some of your best tours explore trails used by practioners of the North American fur trad...
Shebby LeeAug 1, 20174 minThe Story of Sitting Bull’s BonesThe Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota was in the headlines last fall and winter because of Native American demonstrations protesting an oil pip...
Shebby LeeMay 1, 20163 minSeeing the Elephant“Seeing the elephant”, I’m told, is a purely American phrase which gained popularity in the early 19th century. Coincidentally, the first circuses reached th...
Shebby LeeApr 1, 20163 minForgotten HistoryAndrew Carroll in his excellent new book (Here is Where) about what he calls America’s “forgotten history”, raises the question about the difficulty of learn...
Shebby LeeOct 1, 20155 minThe Tradition of Pow WowOctober is Pow Wow month in the Black Hills, when one of the largest pow wows in North America is held annually. For various reasons – including recent healt...
Shebby LeeJun 1, 20153 minThe Empty QuarterI’ve written about this subject before (Wide Open Spaces, Jan 2013) but it is never far from my mind because I not only live in what has been derisively call...
Shebby LeeMay 1, 20153 minWhere Legends LiveI like to think that I am an eclectic reader, with interests in baseball (especially the Negro Leagues), World War II, biographies (of virtually anybody), Co...
Shebby LeeApr 1, 20153 minIt’s All About the WaterThe first time I traveled the Lewis & Clark Trail was in 1997. I was participating in a FAM (that’s travelspeak for “familiarization tour”) with thirty or so...
Shebby LeeMar 1, 20153 minWesternersI am a Westerner in more ways than one. I live in the West and am devoted to its history. But I also belong to an organization called Westerners, Internation...
Shebby LeeFeb 1, 20153 minWhere History HappenedOne of the hallmarks of our tours is that we offer the opportunity to walk where history happened. When you think about it, this really is a powerful motivat...
Shebby LeeMay 1, 20143 minCoincidencesHistory is rife with coincidences that are simply too amazing to make up. Although Lewis & Clark’s Corps of Discovery spent considerable time in the current ...
Shebby LeeApr 1, 20142 minFred and MeIn case you haven’t heard yet, we are going back on the trail again this year. Actually, we follow some historic trail or other every summer, but I’m talking...
Shebby LeeSep 1, 20133 minCircling the WagonsAt a recent history conference I learned – among other things – that the stereotypical movie depiction of circling the wagons against an imminent Indian atta...
Shebby LeeDec 1, 20123 minLegendary North DakotaI recently ran a Facebook promotion featuring Teddy Roosevelt as a “Legendary North Dakotan”. I knew that few Americans are aware of TR’s residence in north...
Shebby LeeNov 1, 20122 minTrail TalkWhen I started my travel blog a couple of years ago, it seemed only natural to call it “Trail Talk”. After all, Shebby Lee Tours specializes in “journeys of ...
Shebby LeeApr 2, 20122 minExploring the Old West“Wagons West!” is more than a catch phrase here at Shebby Lee Tours. At this time of year, we eagerly await the greening of the grass just as our forebears d...
Shebby LeeJan 12, 20124 minExplore the West Where Legends LiveRemember how you used to look forward to field trips when you were in school? It was a chance to break away from the routine, experience something new, antic...
Shebby LeeNov 2, 20114 minWest or Midwest?It is an irritating burr under my saddle that some people – actually, many people – insist on placing my home state of South Dakota in the Midwest. I live 50...
Shebby LeeJul 3, 20113 minPassenger Evaluations Keep Us ImprovingThe reviews are in and this year’s Old West Trail (June 18-24) was a resounding success, thanks to the excellent staff (both Coloradans) who took this little...
Shebby LeeMar 10, 20112 minIt All Started With the Oregon TrailAlthough Shebby Lee Tours started as a local sightseeing company with the slogan, “we lend insights to the sights”, it wasn’t until 1993 that we expanded bey...