the durango
Return to Dinétah
Loved ones may be gone, but they are always watching over the homeland by Kirbie Bennett
5
Going electric
When it comes to green buildings, we need to look beyond net zero by Auden Schendler/ Writers on the Range
10 An epic fail
Despite being a “bike town,” Durango receives low marks in annual report by Jennaye Derge
8
End of an era
Demolition of San Juan power plant latest step in energy transition by Jonathan Thompson / Land Desk On the cover A young buck peers through the aspen to determine if he needs to prepare for fight or flight./ Photo by Alex Krebs
Ear to the ground:
“Yeah, I really don’t like going into the mountains all that much.”
– How not to get a second date in Durango
Hey, pull over!
The Denver Post just came out with its “10 picturesque (and less visited) Colorado mountain towns” list. Don’t worry, Durango’s not on it. Well, not exactly.
The list, which names 10 places that won’t “break the bank for a mountain town experience” and are “away from the ski lifts and condos … where the mountain-town spirit lives in a (relatively) affordable way” does include Durango’s friendly neighbor to the west, Mancos.
“You might not expect to find a thriving art scene in the desert of the Four Corners region, but pull off U.S. 160, and that’s what you’ll find,” writes the Post’s R. Scott Rappold.
Of note are the town’s eight art galleries, historic opera house and “a vibrant local business scene.” He also writes that Mancos makes an ideal stopover on the way to Mesa Verde, where he advised visitors to book a tour of the Cliff Palace.
For lodging, he mentions Mesa Verde’s Far View Lodge or Durango (OK, so just a little mention). For dining, he recommends The Boathouse on Grand, which is owned by Durango ex-pats Jen and Dave Stewart.
Other nearby-ish towns making the list include:
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• Del Norte – “No longer just where you turn right to go to Wolf Creek” (or left to go to Denver)
• Paonia – “The Napa Valley of Colorado”
• Platoro – Located “deep in the South San Juan Mountains” and admittedly one we’ve never heard of
• Ridgway – A “calmer experience” than the stretch between Ouray and Durango, which “swarms with tourists during the summer.” True that – and bonus points for spelling Ridgway right.
Just peachy
Fresh on the buzz of the exciting news of Mexi Logger being available year-round, Ska has announced another new addition to its lineup: Swing Easy Peach Hard Tea.
Coming in at a sessionable 5% ABV, Swing Easy is lightly carbonated, offering a “tantalizing taste of sun-ripened peaches perfectly blended with just a hint of tea.”
(And yes, they couldn’t resist a few “teabag” references and puns.)
Hard tea – which is all the rage with the kids these days – is the latest in Ska's glutenfree beyond-beer lineup (which also includes Skagua and hard seltzer).
Swing Easy is available wherever Ska is sold.
opinion
LaVidaLocal
The clouds are people, too
Because grief involves an endless returning, this story tells itself out of order.
August 2019:
I’m standing in the alley behind Maria’s Bookshop after finishing a bookstore shift, and I’m fixated on the sunset over the mountains. Right now, beauty is a distraction since I’m bracing myself for the last phone call I’ll ever have with my uncle Virgil. Days ago, his health started deteriorating in an El Paso hospital. We hoped he would pull through, like he has before, but conditions are getting worse, and now my aunt wants to make sure I say goodbye. As the day darkens, I’m in tears pacing around the alley, thanking my uncle Virgil for everything: for the childhood summers in Oklahoma, for long drives through the Arizona desert and for his encouragement every time I learned a new song on guitar or wrote a new short story. I want to hear him call me “son” one more time, but it doesn’t happen. The phone call drains me, and I feel paralyzed in loneliness, knowing my family is hundreds of miles away while I’m in Durango. I can’t fold the earth to be closer to them. I can’t fold time to return the impossible past.
December 2016:
it feels like a lifetime since I’ve shown up to a family gathering here. Soon, we must close our eyes while my mother blesses the food. Her words drift in the background: “Thank you, lord, for this day, for keeping us alive and together as a family.” She expresses gratitude about remaining brave and loving, and then I look up at the faces of my people: aunts, uncles, grandparents. I realize these loved ones who once looked like mountains of endless strength are now getting older. I realize I need to be a better son, before it’s too late.
Red Valley, Ariz., is the center of the earth for my mom’s family. The landscape seeps into my dreams. In these dreams, I’m held in the everlasting arms of red sand and canyons. We are having our family holiday dinner out here in Arizona. It’s a matter of time before my uncle Virgil arrives. This will be my first time seeing him in a wheelchair. I wonder if one day he’ll spring back to good health and won’t need a wheelchair. All my life, he’s come across as larger than life. But when he enters the dining room, I realize that image of him will just be a memory. It hasn’t been that long since I last saw him, but it looks like he’s aged 20 years. He still tries to be the life of the party, but it’s not quite the same.
When dinner is over, I give uncle another hug. He smiles and says, “Goodbye, son.” And there’s something nourishing about the way he calls me son. As long as I have these moments with him, I know I’ll never truly feel lost or alone.
November 2012:
I’m in the living room of my grandmother’s trailer in Red Valley. The trailer looks smaller than I remember. I’ve been on a steady diet of school and work, so
Thumbin’It
The river gods continue to deliver, with another late-season boost in boatable flows this week and locals pulling boats and gear out for another “last” hurrah.
Hey, look at that! Howard Grotts went from the downer column to the upper this week, with reports that he is hoping to be out of rehab in Denver by Friday and return to Durango to recuperate (and plot his comeback). You go.
Help for the hot spot. Colorado received $12.6 million in federal grants to plug methane-leaking “orphan” oil and gas wells. Methane from oil and gas accounted for more than 20% of Colorado’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2020.
After our meal, uncle Virgil wants to show me what he did with the hogan nearby. Uncle limps now when he walks, which makes it even more impressive that he was able to fix up a hogan by himself. “So what do you think, son?” He asks in his southern drawl, pointing to the whole room. Then he sits down on a chair, saying, “This is where I go to unwind and think. Being retired from the Army, I got a lot of time for that.” It’s inevitable that he brings up the Army. It’s his phantom limb. At a glance, I can see what the war has done to him. It’s written all over his face, and in the shape of his posture when sitting or walking. This is a new version of my uncle, and I don’t know what his road to recovery will look like. But when he calls me “son,” it sounds like he’s never changed.
September 2019:
It’s a miracle we’re here together, remaking the world with every teardrop and smile.
We devoted the day to putting my uncle to rest in the red earth of Dinétah. It’s a long drive back to Durango for me. When I make my exit, the tide of family hugs and handshakes comes back. Take care, stay out of trouble, smash capital, I love you. I nod my head, say yes to all of this and depart with the sun. I drive through these sprawling roads, ensconced in the desolate, cinematic landscape. There are cowboys hitchhiking, going to and from. I see all those mountains in the distance; sacred and eternal. They surround us like gods, and I feel at home. I think maybe it’s in my blood, or maybe it’s something more – the soul, perhaps. And then I think of the loved ones no longer around. If only they could see this view. I briefly look up into the sky, and I see all those clouds. I know they are more than just clouds. Then I realize that the clouds are people, too. I roll down the windows to let them in, let them in.
– Kirbie Bennett
SignoftheDownfall:
The recent death from lead poisoning of 1K, Zion’s first wild California condor and symbol of hope for the endangered species. His younger sister, 1111 (who comes up with these names?) is still alive. Stay away from those carcasses, little sis.
Greenhouse gasses, temperatures and sea levels all reached record highs in 2023. We’re sure all this hot air has nothing to do with Donald Trump’s return to the campaign trail.
The whole high rent thing isn’t just you. Allegedly, property management company RealPage’s algorithm helps landlords fix rent prices across the U.S. The DOJ is suing. So maybe you’ll actually be able to pay rent and buy groceries.
Slip or get off the pot
In 2019, a British designer named Mahabir Gill was waiting to use a public bathroom, and he got frustrated because most stalls were occupied by people using their phones. So, Gill designed “The Slanty,” which is a toilet featuring a 13-degree downward-sloping seat that’s unbearable to sit on after five minutes. Gill’s choice of 13 degrees was an obvious shot at the original 13 colonies, because Gill started selling his toilets here in the states to greedy corporations wanting to increase productivity by shortening bathroom breaks. This means another revolutionary war is coming, but I’m not sure when; I guess we’ll just have to wait for Paul Revere’s last slide.
WritersontheRange
Beyond net zero
Utilities should focus on better batteries and smarter management
by Auden Schendler
The company I work for recently built a new ticket office at the base of Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen. Environmentally, we killed it: argon gasfilled windows, super-thick insulation, comprehensive air sealing and 100% electrification using heat pumps instead of gas boilers. All within budget.
Yet one of the first comments we received was from a famous energy guru: “Nice building. But why do you have a heating system at all?” Or more simply put: “Why didn’t you build a perfect building, instead of just a really good one?”
Solving climate change could depend on how we answer that question. My answer: Society needs the Prius of buildings, not the Tesla X.
The green building movement didn’t originate only from a desire to protect the environment. It often had elements of the bizarre ego gratification that trumped practicality.
Recall “Earthships” that used old tires and aluminum cans in the walls. Geodesic domes were interesting looking but produced inordinate waste to build. They also leaked. Rudolf Steiner’s weirdly wonderful Goetheanum was an all-concrete structure designed to unite “what is spiritual in the human being to what is spiritual in the universe.”
Early practitioners such as Steiner, Buckminster Fuller and Bill McDonough, among others, were often building monuments, whose ultimate goal became the concept of “net zero.” Net zero was a building that produced no carbon dioxide emissions at all.
Designers achieved that goal by constructing well-sealed, heavily insulated, properly oriented and controlled buildings – but then they did something wasteful. They added solar panels to
make up for carbon dioxide emissions from heating with natural gas. The approach zeroed out emissions but at extraordinary cost that came in the form of added labor, expense and lost opportunity.
While net zero wasn’t a good idea even when most buildings were heated with natural gas, the rapid decarbonization of utility grids – happening almost everywhere – and advances in electrification make the idea downright pointless.
Instead, all you need to build an eventual net zero building is to go allelectric. It won’t be net zero today, but it will be net zero when the grid reaches 100% carbon-free power. So, all that really matters is that building codes require 100% electrification.
Yet many communities remain focused on that sexy goal of net zero, and therefore include requirements for solar panels or “solar ready” wiring. Even apart from the issue of cost, many utilities don’t need rooftop solar, because they increasingly have access to huge solar arrays, giving them more electricity than they need in peak times.
What utilities really need is energy storage and smart management.
That means home batteries and grid integration that allows utilities to “talk” to buildings and turn off appliances during peak times. The problem is that environmentalists haven’t evolved: Just like we can’t retire our tie-dyes, we think “green” means rooftop solar panels.
My company’s Buttermilk building passes the only test that matters: “If everyone built this kind of structure, would it solve the built environment’s portion of the climate problem?” The answer is “yes.”
Still, aspirational monuments matter. We need the Lincoln Memorial, the Empire State Building. But if we’re going to
solve climate change in buildings, which is about a third of the total problem, new structures will have to reconceive what we consider efficient and beautiful. And it doesn’t have to break the bank.
Electrification, for example, is getting cheaper every year. Years ago, I served on an environmental board for the town of Carbondale. The overwhelming interest there was ending dandelion spraying in the town park. But at one point, we worked on a building.
After a long conversation about the technical tricks and feats we could pull off, a Rudolf Steiner disciple named
Farmer Jack Reed said: “We should also plant bulbs in the fall, so colorful flowers blossom in the spring.” “Why?” I asked, stuck in my own technocratic hole. He said: “Because flowers are beautiful, and they make people happy.”
So, too, are realistic solutions as we adapt to climate change.
Auden Schendler is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He is senior vice president of sustainability at Aspen One. His book, Terrible Beauty: Reckoning with Climate Complicity and Rediscovering our Soul, comes out in November. ■
Aspen Skiing Co. Managing Partner Jim Crown speaks to a crowd at a ribboncutting ceremony for the new guest services building at Buttermilk Mountain on Feb. 17, 2024. The brand-new, all-electric building opened in January. /Photo by Kaya Williams, Aspen Public Radio.
SoapBox
The choice for president is easy
Presidential election: Choose hope, decency, growth for the middle class and the future for America and the world. Vote for Kamala Harris.
Trump never should be president again. The day of the insurrection, he should have been taken by the police and jailed as a traitor. Republicans, he lied to you and betrayed you. All investigations supported that the last election was valid. He is a criminal, and yet his hand-picked Supreme Court does not hold him accountable. This is wrong.
Why do you believe and support him? He is not only a liar but a braggart and a poor loser who demeans others. Is this the kind of person you show to your children as a person to admire and emulate?
America – you need someone who is truthful, gracious if a loser, never demeans another but treats others, even of opposing views, with dignity and kindness.
Trump is weak. Strength is not being a braggart and insisting on getting one’s way, but someone who can step aside for the good of the country or valuing people of different cultures and values. We need someone who can work toward meaningful actions to mediate climate change, the crucial issue affecting the health and economies of the planet.
Trump is not for the middle class but wants to get rid of Medicare and Social Security. He cares for his billionaire friends by cutting taxes for them, not lowerincome Americans. This country was founded on
Kamala Harris, who has worked her whole life to help working people and will work to help all Americans. – Margaret Mayer, Durango
Saving money, saving education
As a former educator, I ran for office in 2016 with the priority of passing legislation to increase funding for public schools and support the needs of both students and educators. I spent six years as chair of the House Education Committee, overseeing legislation to improve student academic performance, boost the teacher and school personnel workforce, and support our students during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2024 legislative session, I had my biggest win at the Capitol – the 2024 School Finance Act. This bipartisan law buys down the Budget Stabilization Factor, fully funding Colorado’s public schools and increasing total funding by more than $500 million to $9.7 billion. Colorado’s K-12 public education is funded by state General Fund money, and property tax and income tax revenue via the State Education Fund. More than 52% of local property taxes goes to K-12 education, to hire more teachers and school personnel, provide afterschool programs, and improve student achievement. Complications from COVID-19, inflation, growth and other factors have made our state less affordable, especially in rural areas. Colorado legislators have responded with landmark legislation to reduce the cost of housing, health care and child care. We have taken steps to avoid steep property tax hikes by extending and expanding 2021 property tax relief in 2023. Last session, we also passed a bipartisan solution to reduce property tax costs.
Recently, Gov. Jared Polis called the Colorado General Assembly to convene in a special session beginning Aug. 26 to pass further property tax relief to avoid
two devastating initiatives appearing on the November 2024 ballot. One of these initiatives, lobbied by dark money special interest groups, would reduce revenue for public schools, fire departments, health care, libraries, water infrastructure and public outdoor recreation by nearly $3 billion. The two goals of our special session are saving Colorado homeowners money on property taxes and protecting funding for our communities – like schools and fire districts.
We have been working diligently to deliver property tax relief for hardworking Coloradans while protecting funding for vital institutions, especially public schools and special districts. Colorado has the third-lowest property tax in the nation; the bipartisan proposal would reduce the local government residential assessment rate by .15 points and the school district assessment rate by 0.1 points. It would also reduce the local government growth cap by .25 percent and set the schools growth cap to 6 percent. These reductions will help homeowners better afford the cost of living.
Constituent requests have been forwarded to House leadership; as of this writing, we are still waiting to see how concerns are addressed.
As I end my eight-year service to Southwest Colorado, I’m proud to look back on everything we were able to accomplish. We bought down the Budget Stabilization Factor, provided two years of free college and boosted the incomes of hardworking Coloradans with new tax credits. I’m happy to get back to work at the Capitol to save property owners money while maintaining funding for our public K-12 schools, fire departments and other important community services.
– Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango
Dems have better track record
In the United States, we have the odd impression that presidents ought to be supermen, being able to resolve any issue and being responsible for all mishaps. No other developed country puts so much value into one person. Far more important is the ability of the president and his/her advisors to select qualified people and create an effective team leading to beneficial outcomes. That’s why it is important to get away from divisive partisanship and look at which party has served us better.
When comparing economic growth over the past 100 years, our economy grew 4.6% under Democratic vs. 2.6% under Republican leadership.
This is equally true for our deficit spending, which has consistently been lower with Democrats in charge. The last balanced budget under President Clinton was quickly given away by tax cuts which have never paid for themselves, while Trump added almost $9 trillion or twice as much to the federal debt than Biden.
Finally, for the past 60 years, job growth has been twice as much under Democratic vs. Republican leadership.
All this comes back to which of the two parties builds a more committed and knowledgeable team. Regardless of the party in charge, for the past 60 years, I learned to trust Democratic leadership.
Please Google and inform yourself about the above and other data! It only takes a few minutes to realize which party is better for our country instead of hoping for a Superhero to solve all ills!
– Werner Heiber, Durango
Another one bites the dust
San Juan Generating Station goes down; energy transition moves forward
by Jonathan P. Thompson
After five decades of spewing sulfur dioxide, ash, mercury, arsenic, carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the Four Corners air, the four stacks of the San Juan Generating Station near Farmington were brought down in spectacular fashion this past weekend. Sadly, I missed it in real life, but even the videos leave me feeling a bit giddy, as the controlled demolition heralds a cleaner, hopefully more just era in the Four Corners.
It’s symbolic, of course: The real action happened in September 2022, when the last of the plant’s four units burned through the final ton of coal and the turbine quit turning for good. But what a symbol it is, for the region and for me, personally: The power plant, and, to an even larger degree, its older, bigger sister plant, Four Corners, have loomed over my existence since I was very young.
Four Corners was constructed in 1964 and was the flagship of a massive effort by a consortium of utilities called WEST, or Western Energy Supply and Transmission Associates. They hoped to construct six massive coal-fired power plants and accompanying mines across the Colorado Plateau, which would ship power hundreds of miles to rapidly growing Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Albuquerque across high-voltage lines.
Not only did the growing supply of cheap power – and air-conditioning and
The smokestacks at the now defunct San Juan Generating Station go down in a blaze of glory on Sat., Aug. 24. This was the final resounding death knell for the power plant 15 miles from Farmington, which ceased operation in 2022./
Photo courtesy EcoFlight and Benjamin Hunter
Arrington Blues Band
water pumping – help the population of the Southwest’s cities soar, but the marketing caused the average American’s electricity consumption to grow four-fold between 1946-68. “We are, in short, on an energy binge,” Harvey Mudd, Director of the Santa Fe-based Central Clearing House told the congressional committee in 1971, “which, like all binges, can only end in disaster.”
Mudd’s warning may even be more timely in 2024, as we embark on a new electricity binge to power the proliferation of energy-hungry AI-processing and cryptocurrency-mining data centers
Four Corners Power Plant was the first of the six to go online, sprouting up on the edge of the Navajo Nation, atop the Fruitland formation, about 15 miles from Farmington. The relatively sparse population, along with the dearth of environmental regulations, allowed the mine and plant largely to be built under the radar. But once it started churning out juice and pollution – to the tune of over 400 tons of particulate matter per day, along with sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and mercury – no one could miss the behemoth. The facility, along with its smog, became a smoke-spewing symbol of energy colonialism, landscape-scale industrialization and humans’ ability to spoil the environment.
It helped give rise to a regional environmental movement, made up of elected officials, concerned residents and advocates, which protested the pollution and implored a congressional committee in 1971 to block further power plant construction
But the impassioned rhetoric fell on deaf ears. After Four Corners came Mojave, Navajo Generating Station near Lake Powell, Huntington in Utah, and San Juan
Generating Station, just across the river from Four Corners. They all had better pollution controls than Four Corners did initially, but together they still kicked out thousands of tons of pollutants along with tens of millions of tons of planet-warming carbon dioxide each year, leaving the Four Corners to appear as if it had been inundated by a vast sea of smog. Only the largest of all those slated to be built, the 5,000-megawatt Kaipairowitz plant, which would have sat on the western shore of Lake Powell eating up coal from land that was later included in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, was not constructed.
I was born in the midst of the Big Buildup in 1970, and not long after I became conscious of the world around me. I learned that the haze in the air that blotted out the once-expansive views of my homeland was not natural. And I learned that the main culprits were the new coal-burning power plants that loomed over the landscape. It was probably my first understanding of environmental destruction.
A decade and some years later, on a midsummer’s eve, when I was in my late teens or early 20s, I drove my 1967 AMC Rambler station wagon west from my dad’s house in Cortez, over undulating gravel roads past hay fields, with their perfectly cubical hay bales lined up in a row, casting long shadows across the bright green, monsoon-moistened, freshly cut field. I was headed to The Point, atop the McElmo Dome, out beyond the last bean and hay fields. It was a nice place to camp because of its proximity to Cortez, but more importantly because of the views. You could see all the way to Monument Valley and Navajo Mountain – if the air was clear, which was rare.
I didn’t like the smog, but I also didn’t really know anything different, since the smog was there before I was and never really abated, given that the power plants churned round-the-clock, every day of the year. I had resigned myself to it; call it normalized degradation
After watching the smog-enhanced sunset, punctuated by distant lightning strikes, I lay out my sleeping bag on the sandstone rim and covered it with a tarp and fell asleep. Deep in the night, I was awoken by lightning and thunder and huge raindrops pelting the tarp. I snuggled up underneath and let it lull me back asleep. When I awoke before sunrise, I was startled by the clarity of the air. I not only could see the landforms of Monument Valley and the dark curve of Navajo Mountain, but I could see fissures in the sandstone and canyons on the mountainside. It was truly glorious to watch the sunlight spread across the landscape like that.
But my revery soon was interrupted. A yellowishgray amoeba, coming from the south, oozed its way up the canyons toward me. It was no mystery. It was smog, rushing in from the Four Corners and San Juan plants to replace the stuff that had been washed out by the night’s heavy rains. A sadness and anger rose up in me, and I think it has lingered ever since, motivating much of what I do.
So it was with a sense of satisfaction that I watched the video of the smokestacks falling into a cloud of their own demise.
The Land Desk is a newsletter from Jonathan P. Thompson, author of “River of Lost Souls,” “Behind the Slickrock Curtain” and “Sagebrush Empire.” To subscribe, go to: www.landdesk.org
GossipoftheCyclers
Bicycle-unfriendly
For being a ‘bike town,’ Durango scores surprisingly dismal on annual rankings
by Jennaye Derge
PeopleForBikes is a nonprofit that advocates for bicycle commuters around the country. The organization’s purpose is to make cycling better, easier, safer, more accessible and more fun for everyone, which is actually a huge undertaking if you think about it. The goal may seem insurmountable given United States’ deep-rooted single-occupancy-vehicle transportation systems. But PeopleForBikes said they can climb these walls while also making cycling more fun for everyone. Fighting the bureaucratic traps while keeping things fun? It doesn’t seem possible.
But the organization is fighting for the impossible and makes it sort of fun each year by rating cities across the world based on their bicycle-friendliness. Sort of like the Olympics of bicycle infrastructure, but without Snoop Dogg or medals to chew on, and far less breakdancing.
We should all be interested to know that Durango is one of those cities that is being rated. However, we should not be happy with our scores.
Since 2021, Durango scored just on average 12.7% on a scale of 100 when it comes to bicycle infrastructure. That is like an F-, but worse. Surprising for a “bike town,” isn’t it?
For comparison, our bicycle infrastructure was rated about as good as Commerce City in Denver. Our score has been (and is currently) worse than Phoenix and Las Vegas. Imagine trying to ride your bike in Phoenix or Las Vegas now knowing that Durango has empirically done a worse job at bicycle infrastructure than either of them.
The 2024 scoring was just released though, and we should all be happy to know our score has increased by about seven points, to a score of 20. That is a pretty big leap from three consecutive years of 12s, but is this something to be proud of? No. It is still a 20%, which is still worse than flunking. Might as well get high with Snoop and make a career out of breakdancing.
So, what accounts for our terrible score? It is broken down into several categories, including the ability for a cyclist to access their job, schools, amenities, recreation and other forms of transit without the use of a vehicle. Durango’s ability to easily access our work areas and schools by bike? We scored an 18 out of 100. Our ability to access basic amenities such as hospitals and grocery stores? We scored an eight out of 100.
Our scoring is also based on high and low-stress areas for bicycling in Durango. PeopleForBikes created a map that is color-coded (you can access the map and information at www.peopleforbikes.org), with red being the most high-stress areas (higher speed limits, no bike lanes, bad shoulders, etc.), and blue being the lowest-stress areas. Our beautiful Durango map is donned in mostly bright and deep reds; notably in our
downtown area – the place most dense with amenities, social gathering places and pedestrians and cyclists. The same place where we keep fighting to keep our high flow of vehicle traffic and make sure that large vehicles get their proper parking spots.
Also in bright, stressful red? The entire northwest corner of town, including the Crestview neighborhood, Needham Elementary, Miller Middle School and Children’s House preschool. Everything on the northeast side is also red except a small area that just so happens to be where the La Plata County Fairgrounds and the Rec Center are. So, I guess you can feel safe riding your bike through the Rec Center and Fairgrounds (although the Rec Center parking lot is actually very stressful, in my opinion). In fact, on closer inspection, the only blue low-stress “safe spots” are areas that don’t really have streets or roads. So, point your bike toward an open field and try to make your way to work or get your kids to school. Hopefully, you have a bike with big tires, so you can roll over grassy hills. Please try to avoid the cliffs and the deer.
It’s no wonder we score so terribly every year. All of
our streets that get us around to our schools, jobs, stores and appointments are high-stress and very rarely will have well-taken care of, easily navigable bike lanes or safe connections. There is no clear and easy path to get to the east side of town from the west side of town – or vice versa. If you’re a kid trying to get to school every day, where do you safely cross Main from east to west? How do you get to the Rec Center or library if you live on the northeast side of town? Would you send your fifth-grader across North Main Avenue every day on their bike? (If you do, that’s great, but wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to worry about cars?)
Our streets are often unpredictable and encourage speeding (i.e., Camino del Rio, Animas View Drive, Roosa, W. 2nd and W. 3rd avenues and Junction Street). They are built for cars, which is fine, but we have a large population – mainly kids – who don’t have cars and get around by bike. So shouldn’t we make the streets a little safer?
Sure, technically Durango does have a lot of narrow shoulders that we can ride our bikes in. They have chipped painted lines we call “bike lanes” to differenti-
A cyclist rides down W. 2nd Avenue on a weekday afternoon. W. 2nd is one of many streets that doesn’t have a bike lane and shares the space with vehicle traffic, including school traffic from DHS, Needham Elementary and Miller Middle School./ Photo by Jennaye Derge
ate a cyclist or pedestrian from a vehicle’s path. There are a few faded sharrows, which many people do not understand the meaning of, and most embarrassing of all, we have zero – that’s right, ZERO – protected bike lanes. The only truly safe and easy way to get around Durango by bike is the Animas River Trail, which has become increasingly busy over the years as well. It also only runs north-south, mostly on the west side of town and not through our downtown’s center. It only crosses Main Avenue from west to east once in downtown Durango (near 15th Street), and twice on the south end (good luck getting across S. Camino del Rio). In addition, because everyone is funneled onto it, the ART is highly crowded and has become complete anarchy.
What can we do to make Durango less stressful for getting around on foot or bicycle? First, we can identify all the things that make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists to share the road with vehicles and each other. This includes: lower speed limits; protected bike lanes; safer intersections with higher visibility; narrower streets to slow traffic; and a general understanding of how to – respectfully – navigate and share the roads.
Second, get involved. The City of Durango holds multiple infrastructure meetings throughout the year and will only make Durango a better place to walk and bike if they hear that’s what people want. If the only people who show up to these meetings are the folks who want more and bigger parking (trust me, they show up, and they are not quiet), then the City of Durango will do what they can to create more and bigger parking. If the only people the City hears from are the people who want more pickleball courts, then the City
will build more pickleball courts.
However, if more people show up and ask for more and better bike lanes, the City will (hopefully) do what
they can to create more and better bike lanes.
If you don’t have the time, energy or desire to go to the meetings, then write letters, make phone calls and be (respectfully) annoying. Yes, it sucks to be that person, but trust me when I say, that is how it goes.
The City wants to hear from you. They want to know what you want. If the only people they hear from are the ones who want to raise the speed limit on Animas View Drive to 50 mph, why would they lower the speed limit to 15 mph? If the only people they hear from are the folks who want more parking, why would they get rid of parking to build a bike lane?
Sometimes you just have to be straight to the point, very squeaky and tell them exactly what you want.
What I hope, and what I think we’d want, is a better place to get around by bike. We boast about being a bicycle-friendly town, but the data shows we are anything but. It’d be nice if we could raise our PeopleForBikes score up a handful of points, at least to where we’re not failing. It’d be nice if we could get our kids to school or the Rec Center without fear, or if any of us could cross Main Avenue or be passed by a large vehicle on W 2nd Avenue without praying for our lives. But those things aren’t going to happen overnight or without effort, so attend meetings, stay up-to-date, write some emails and learn more about everything either on the City’s Multimodal page, or follow along with Bike Durango, www.bikedurango.org
Oh, and keep having fun on your bike. PeopleForBikes would want that.
Jennaye Derge is the founder and executive director of Bike Durango, an organization that advocates, educates and inspires more people to commute by bicycle. ■
A paved-over, eroding sharrow on E. 2nd Avenue, which is supposed to indicate lawfully sharing the road with cyclists. / Photo by Jennaye Derge
Thursday29
Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, 3 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds
Ska-B-Q with music by Shane Finn, 5-7 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.
Durango Green Drinks with hosts Mountain Studies Institute, American Rivers and FLC Environmental Center, 5-7 p.m., 11th Street Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Trivia Night, 5-7 p.m., EsoTerra Ciderworks, 558 Main Ave.
Live music by Rob Webster, 5:30 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
“Revolution Until Victory: We Are the Palestinian People,” free film presented by Durango Palestine Solidarity Coalition, 5:30-8 p.m., Durango Public Library
Live music by Darryl Kuntz, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Bluegrass jam, 6 p.m., Durango Beer & Ice Co., 3000 Main Ave.
Live music by Jeff Solon Jazz, 6-8 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.
Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1330 Camino del Rio
Drag Trivia Night, 7:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.
“The Mystery of Edwin Drood” the musical, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
Friday30
Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, 10 a.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.
Four Corners Folk Festival, presented by KSUT, 2 p.m., Reservoir Hill, Pagosa Springs
Live music with Garrett Young Collective, Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, 3 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.
Devo Days Film Festival, 5 p.m., Chapman Hill, 500 Florida Rd.
Live music by Ben Gibson Band, 5 p.m., Balcony Bar & Grill, 600 Main Ave.
Live music by Tim Sullivan, 5-8 p.m., Serious Texas BBQ South, 650 S. Camino Del Rio
Live music with The Cheese Wizards, 6-8:30 p.m., Durango Beer & Ice Co., 3000 N. Main Ave.
Live music by Sean O’Brien, 6-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.
Live music by Jack Ellis & Larry Carver, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Friday Night at Fox Fire, 6-9 p.m., Fox Fire Farms Winery, 5513 CR 321, Ignacio
Live music by Dustin Burley, 6-9 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Daniel Rodriguez performs, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr.
Durango Dancing, 7-10 p.m., VFW Post 4031, 1550 Main Ave.
“The Mystery of Edwin Drood” the musical, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
Live music and DJ, 8 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.
Aria’s Pizza Party, 8:30-9:30 p.m., Father’s Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave.
Live music with Escape the Badland, 10:30 p.m. – 1 a.m., Sky Ute Casino, Ignacio
Saturday31
Durango Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-12 noon, TBK Bank parking lot, 259 W. 9th St.
Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, 10 a.m., La Plata County Fairground
Live music with Escape Tyhe Badland, 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Sky Ute Casino, Ignacio
Chile Festival, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m., Shoshone Park, 400 Shoshone Ave., Ignacio
Four Corners Folk Festival, presented by KSUT, 2 p.m., Reservoir Hill, Pagosa Springs
“The Mystery of Edwin Drood” the musical, 2 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
Live music by Terry Richard, 5-8 p.m., Serious Texas BBQ South, 650 S. Camino Del Rio
Live music with Garrett Young Collective, 6 p.m., The Balcony Bar & Grill, 600 Main Ave.
Karaoke, 6 p.m., Durango Beer & Ice Co., 3000 Main Ave.
Live music by Devin Scott, 6-9 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Live music by Darryl Kuntz, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Live music by High Altitude Blues, 6-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.
Sunday01
Durango Derby, multi-stage mtb race, 8 a.m., Durango Mesa Park
Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, 10 a.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds
Artisan Market, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Meadow Market, 688 Edgemont Meadows Rd.
Irish Jam Session, 12:30-3 p.m., Durango Beer & Ice Co., 3000 Main Ave.
Live music by Alison Dance Duet, 12-2 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.
Four Corners Folk Festival, presented by KSUT, 2 p.m., Reservoir Hill, Pagosa Springs
Board Game Sundays, 2 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.
Live music by Tumblin’ Dice, 5 p.m., Balcony Bar & Grill, 600 Main Ave.
Live Music by the Blue Moon Ramblers, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Monday02
Live music by Ben Gibson, 5 p.m., The Balcony, 600 Main Ave.
Live music by Darryl Kuntz, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Live music by Leah Orlikowski, 6-9 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Singo with Devin Scott, 6 p.m., Grassburger South, 360 S. Camino Del Rio
Comedy Showcase, 7:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.
Tuesday03
Mornings at El Moro: Networking & Learning, 8-9 a.m., El Moro Tavern, 945 Main Ave.
La Plata Dems lunch with speaker Harrison Wendt, 12-1:30 p.m., via Zoom link at laplatadems.org/events
Judge Matthew Margeson presenting functions of the Durango Municipal Court, presented by the Rotary Club of Durango, 6-7 p.m., Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave.
DAC Premier Open Mic Poetry, 6-8 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
Live music by Black Velvet, 6-8 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.
AskRachel Birthday boy, DNC letdown and lackluster library
Interesting fact: Jonathan Swift’s proposal was for the poor to sell their children as food to the rich. I wonder what Taylor’s proposals would look like.
Dear Rachel,
I’m a grown ass man. Coming up on 50. And my dear sweet mother still asks me every year for a birthday wish list. I appreciate the love and affection, but by now if we want or need something, my wife & I get it for ourselves. Can I tell my mother this? Or am I stuck asking for things to make her feel better?
– Wish in One Hand
Dear Ghost of Birthday Present,
Oh, you stuck. Motherly emotions know no bounds (or boundaries). The second you start telling her “I don’t want you to get me anything,” all she hears is “You don’t love me or need me anymore,” and then you know what you’re getting? Treatment you don’t want – but that you sure asked for. – Another year older, Rachel
Dear Rachel,
There were all the rumors of Taylor (and Beyoncé) showing up at the DNC last week. But they didn’t come. I shouldn’t care, yet I think that if either (or both!) had shown up,
Live music by Darryl Kuntz, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Live music by Joel Racheff, 6-9 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave.
Wednesday04
Share Your Garden gathering of extra veggies and fruits to distribute to families in need, 9-11 a.m., Animas Valley Grange, 7271 CR 203
“Our Amazing Mushroom Friends,” 4:30-6 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. Third Ave.
Word Honey Poetry Workshop, 6 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
Live usic by Darryl Kuntz, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Live Mmusic by Terry Rickard, 6-9 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Chicken Sh*t Bingo w/Devin Scott, 6:30-8 p.m., Grassburger downtown, 726 1/2 Main Ave.
it would have put this election in the bag for Harris. Should I read into their absence as political protest? Or just the reality that they would have stolen the show?
– Totally Sane Cat Lady
Dear Superfan,
All I read here is that we need a Swift/Knowles ticket. One is President the first night, the other is President the second night. Sometimes they come out and do a presidential duet. Sometimes they have special guest cabinet members. So what if they’re not political experts? They clearly know how to surround themselves with people who get shit done. International relations would improve, too: no other country wants a breakup song written about them.
– Woo girl, Rachel
Dear Rachel,
I love the idea of little free libraries. I don’t need to go into an actual library where they know about my overdue fees. Here’s the thing: Is it just me or do all little free libraries have basically the same handful of books? There’s always an old hardcover cookbook, a James Patterson knockoff, something from a Scholastic book fair ca. 1997, and a bodice ripper someone’s grandma wore out.
Open Mic, 7 p.m., EsoTerra Ciderworks, 558 Main Ave.
Trivia Night, 7 p.m., Bottom Shelf Brewery, 118 Mill St., Bayfield
Ongoing
Members Exhibit, thru Aug. 31, 5-7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
Upcoming
Unison Festival, Thurs.-Sun., Sept. 58, Tico Time River Resort, Aztec
First Friday Art Walk, Fri., Sept. 6, 47 p.m., various locations, Durango
Kick-off for Durango Arts Month, Fri., Sept. 6, 5-8 p.m., The Powerhouse, 1333 Camino del Rio
Durango Natural Foods’ 50th Anniversary Harvest Festival, Sat., Sept. 7, 3-8 p.m., Rotary Park
Ska’s 29th Anniversary Party & Brewers Invitational, Sat., Sept. 7, 4-9 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.
Email Rachel at telegraph@durangotelegraph.com
How do we break the mold?
– Little Librarian
Dear Miniature Book Minder, I love books. But you literally cannot give them away these days. Some thrift stores won’t even take them anymore. Yet we just keep printing them. Since it’ll never be OK to burn them, it’s either recycle or stuff them into cabinets on street corners. Maybe you could ask for different kinds of books for your birthday to stock the neighborhood library with some variety. – On the last page, Rachel
FreeWillAstrology
by Rob Brezsny
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Although there are over 7,000 varieties of apples, your grocery store probably offers no more than 15. But you shouldn’t feel deprived. Having 15 alternatives is magnificent. In fact, most of us do better in dealing with a modicum of choices rather than an extravagant abundance. This is true not just about apples but also about most things. I mention this, because now is an excellent time to pare down your options in regard to all your resources and influences. You will function best if you’re not overwhelmed with possibilities. You will thrive as you experiment with the principle that less is more.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus comedian Jerry Seinfeld, now 70 years old, has testified, “As a child, the only clear thought I had was ‘get candy.’” I encourage you to be equally single-minded in the near future, Taurus. Not necessarily about candy – but about goodies that appeal to your inner child as well as your inner teenager and inner adult. You are authorized by cosmic forces to go in quest of experiences that tickle your bliss.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I’m not saying I would refuse to hire a Gemini to housesit. You probably wouldn’t let my houseplants die, allow raccoons to sneak in or leave piles of unwashed dishes in the sink. On the other hand, I’m not entirely confident you would take impeccable care of my home. But wait! Everything I just said does not apply to you now. My analysis of the omens suggests you will have a high aptitude for the domestic arts in coming weeks. You will be more likely than usual to take good care of my home – and your own home, too. It’s a good time to redecorate and freshen up the vibe.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): These days, you are even smarter and more perceptive than usual. Deep intelligence is pouring into your conscious awareness. That’s a good thing, right? Yes, mostly. But there may be a downside: You could be hyper-aware of people whose thinking is mediocre and whose discernment is substandard. That could be frustrating, though it also puts you in a good position to correct mistakes those people make. As you wield the healing power of your wisdom, heed these words from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “Misunderstandings and lethargy produce more wrong in the world than deceit and malice do.”
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had an older sister, born under the sign of Leo. Her nickname was Nannerl. During their childhoods, she was as much a musical prodigy as he. Supervised by their father, they toured Europe performing together, playing harpsichord and piano. Nannerl periodically got top billing, and some critics regarded her as the superior talent. But misfortune struck when her parents decided it was unseemly for her, as a female to continue her development. She was forcibly retired so she could learn the arts of housekeeping and prepare for marriage and children. Your assignment in the coming months, Leo, is to rebel against any influence that tempts you to tamp down your gifts and specialties. Assert your sovereignty. Identify what you do best, and do it more and better than ever before.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): When an infant giraffe leaves its mother’s womb, it falls six feet to the ground. I suspect that when you are reborn sometime soon, Virgo, a milder and more genial jolt will occur. It may even be quite rousing and inspirational –not rudely bumpy at all. By the way, the plunge of the baby giraffe snaps its umbilical cord and stimulates the creature to take its initial breaths – getting it ready to begin its life journey. I suspect your genial jolt will bring comparable benefits.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Many people living in the Napo province of Ecuador enjoy eating a dish called ukuy, which is a Kichwa word for large ants. They may cook the ukuy or simply eat the creatures alive. If you travel to Napo anytime soon, Libra, I urge you to sample the ukuy. According to my reading of the astrological omens, such an experiment is in alignment with the kinds of experiences you Libras should be seeking: outside your usual habits, beyond your typical expectations and in amused rebellion against your customary ways.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The theory of karma suggests that all our actions send ripples out into the world. These ripples eventually circle back to us, ensuring we experience events that mirror our original actions. If we lie and cheat, we will be lied to and cheated on. If we give generously and speak kindly about other people, we will be the recipient of generosity and kind words. I bring this up, because I believe you will soon harvest a slew of good karma that you have set in motion through generosity and kindness. It may sometimes seem as if you’re getting more benevolence than you deserve, but, in my estimation, it’s all well-earned.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I encourage you to buy yourself fun presents that give you a feisty boost. Why? Because I want you to bring an innovative, fresh spirit into the projects you are working on. Your attitude and approach could become too serious unless you infuse them with spunky energy. Gift suggestions: new music that makes you feel wild; new jewelry or clothes that make you feel daring; new tools that raise your confidence; and new information that stirs your creativity.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In August 2012 – one full Jupiter cycle ago – a Capricorn friend of mine called in sick to his job as a marketing specialist. He never returned. Instead, he began working to become a dance instructor. After six months, he was teaching novice students. Three years later, he was proficient enough to teach advanced students, and five years later, he was an expert. I am not advising you to quit your job and launch your own quixotic quest for gratifying work. But if you were ever going to start taking small steps toward that goal, now would be a good time.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Three years ago, an Indonesian man celebrated his marriage to a rice cooker, which is a kitchen accessory. Khoirul Anam wore his finest clothes while his new spouse donned a white veil. In photos posted on social media, the happy couple are shown hugging and kissing. Now might also be a favorable time for you to wed your fortunes more closely with a valuable resource – though there’s no need for literal nuptials. What material thing helps bring out the best in you? If there is no such thing, now would be a good time to find it.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): For many years, I didn’t earn enough money to pay taxes. Fortunately, social programs provided me with food and some medical care. In recent years, though, I have had a better cash flow. I regularly send the U.S. government a share of my income. I wish they would spend all my tax contributions to help people in need. Alas, just 42% of my taxes pay for acts of kindness to fellow humans, while 24% goes to funding the biggest military on earth. Maybe someday, there will be an option to allocate my taxes exactly as I want. In this spirit, Pisces, I invite you to take inventory of the gifts and blessings you dole out. Now is a good time to correct any dubious priorities. Take steps to ensure your generosity is going where it’s most needed.
Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon. Ads are a bargain at 10 cents a character with a $5 minimum. Even better, ads can now be placed online: durangotelegraph.com Prepayment is required via cash, credit card or check.
(Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.) Ads can be submitted via: n www.durangotelegraph.com
n classifieds@durango telegraph.com
n 970-259-0133
n 679 E. 2nd Ave., #E2
Approximate office hours:
Mon-Wed: 9ish - 5ish
Thurs: On delivery
Fri: Gone fishing; call first
Announcements
Trump wouldn’t make a pimple on a buck private's back side. –Signed vet
Durango, I’ve had 6 Bankruptcies
Trust me with the economy and your $$$$. – Donald.
Classes/Workshops
Intro to Insight Meditation
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to our present-moment experience with openness, curiosity & kindness. It's a powerful tool for calming the mind & body, & cultivating wisdom, compassion & clarity. In this 6-week course, learn the basics of insight (vipassana) meditation in a warm & welcoming community. All are welcome. Durangodharmacenter.org
West Coast Swing Dance
6-week class starts September 4. Learn the basics of West Coast Swing. Registration is required at www.westslopewesties.com.
Wanted
Books Wanted at White Rabbit
Donate/trade/sell (970) 259-2213
Cash for Vehicles, Copper, Alum Etc. at RJ Metal Recycle. Also free appliance and other metal drop off. 970259-3494.
ForSale
Mobile Home for Sale
Located in Hermosa/Durango, at Lone Pine Trailer Park. See website for details: sanjuanhighlands.com $65,000, lot rent per month $600. Near hot springs, Purgatory ski mtn, golf course. Ready to move in
Reruns Home Furnishings
Lots of new furniture/furnishings for home, office or dorm. Nightstands, coffee tables, kitchenwares, rugs and more. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 385-7336.
Services
Electric Repair
Roof, gutter cleaning, fence, floors, walls, flood damage, mold, heating service.
Parent Coach
Helping to build a strong family team. 970-403-3347.
Lowest Prices on Storage!
Inside/outside storage near Durango and Bayfield. 10-x-20, $130. Outside spots: $65, with discounts available. RJ Mini Storage. 970-259-3494.
Boiler Service - Water Heater
Serving Durango over 30 years. Brad, 970-759-2869. Master Plbg Lic #179917
BodyWork
Effective Natural Healing
Do you want to experience more joy and happiness? Improved health and well being? 20 years experience in effective holistic healthcare. For more info call/text Dr Erin @ 970-903-7164
Massage by Meg Bush
LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-759-0199.
Hair Sparkle
Sol Sparkle Hair Tinsel will be @ Ani-
mas Trading Sat 8/24 & Sat 9/21 from 112:00pm. Now offering hair feathers! Also available for private events! Call Beth @ 970-769-7681
Away Dolls’
CommunityService
The Maker Lab in Bodo Park Collaborative workspace, tools, learning and equipment featuring metal and woodworking, laser cutting, 3D printing, electronics and sewing. Classes for all levels. www.themakerlab.org.
