The Durango Telegraph, Sept. 14, 2023

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Do you even gorp?

Durango dirtbags rejoice – outdoor grunge is all the rage by Addyson Santese

7 Lofty goals

New GPS measurements will give more accurate read on 14ers by Tom Hesse / Colorado Public Radio

8 The afterlife

Despite myth, (most of) your recycling does not end up in the landfill by Jonathan Romeo

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Road rules

Cyclists aren’t the only ones who need to know safety laws by Jennaye Derge

EDITORIALISTA:

Missy Votel missy@durangotelegraph.com

ADVERTISING SALES: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

STAFF REPORTER:

Jonathan Romeo jonathan@durangotelegraph.com

RegularOccurrences

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STAR-STUDDED CAST: Addyson Santese, Jonathan Thompson, Jennaye Derge, Rob Brezsny, Lainie Maxson, Jesse Anderson & Clint Reid

FAN MAIL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 332, Durango, CO 81302

VIRTUAL ADDRESS: www.durangotelegraph.com

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Wrong Heather

Local artist Heather Freeman, along with Cindy Atchison, resurrected Durango’s Open Studio Tour. A story last week incorrectly attributed that role, as well as a quote, to another local artist named Heather. Our bad; apologies to both Heathers.

On the cover

Mr. Bubbles, seen here spending the final dog days of summer in the high country./ Photo by Andy High

Ear to the ground:

“I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get out of bed today.”

– Local office worker and Jets faithful the morning after Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles pop heard round the world

Spinning a yarn

The longtime editor of the Mountain Gazette is headed to Maria’s Bookshop next week to unveil his 13th book, “A Long Tangent: Musings from an old man, his young dog & a quest to hike every day.”

John Fayhee, 68, who lived in Colorado for 24 years before putting down roots in Silver City, N.M., said his new book deals with one of the crappiest things about life: getting old. Spoiler alert: it’s not fun.

Fayhee, though, has quite the adventure creds. Over the years, he’s hiked all through the Appalachian Mountains, Colorado, Arizona and the Continental Divide Trail. As is customary on the Appalachian Trail, in 1979 he also picked up the trail name, “Jumpin’ Jack the Hallucinogenic Hiker.” You can guess why he earned that name.

In “A Long Tangent,” Fayhee embarks on a quest to hike every day for a year, an idea he came up with over a beer at a bar, where, obviously, the best ideas form. His dog, Casey, seemed on board, and the pair started the very next day, keeping the tradition for the next 365 days (he added on a bonus day).

The book has taken on even more of a special meaning after the death of Casey, who died from cancer while Fayhee was writing the book. In an interview with The Telluride Daily Planet, Fayhee said that, ultimately, the book is about realizing that no matter what age you are, you’re living in the good ole days right now.

AND SUBSCRIPTIONS: $3.50/issue, $150/year

“There’s a lot of us who remember the good ole days, and there’s young people who are making their good ole days right now,” he said. “There’s a lot of us in the mountain country that maybe … spend too much time looking back. I don’t want to come across as a curmudgeon that everything was great in the past and everything sucks now because that’s not how it is.”

Hey, that’s not a bad reminder.

T

he Durango Telegraph publishes every Thursday, come hell, high water, tacky singletrack or mon-

ster powder days. We are wholly independently owned and operated by the Durango Telegraph LLC and dis-

tributed in the finest and most discerning locations throughout the greater Durango area.

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You can see Fayhee at Maria’s at 6 p.m. Wed., Sept. 20. And after, you can likely run into him at the Ranch where he’ll maybe be coming up with his next great book idea.

Durango is gorpcore

Back in 1993, USA Today dubbed Durango “the worst-dressed city in America.” They weren’t necessarily wrong. If you were to put a local in a lineup with half a dozen people who’d just been rescued from a plane crash, forced to survive by rummaging through their luggage to find the least flattering, most functional gear possible, you’d be hard-pressed to pick out the local. The only tell would be that the local would probably ask if you were down to bag a quick peak after work and then grab a beer.

As is the case with most people in town, you’ve likely always thought of your clothes as a way to signify that you enjoy the outdoors, care about the environment at least 10% more than the average citizen and participate in no fewer than three extreme sports. You might have a puffer that’s riddled with campfire holes or worn your socks n’ chacs with pride, thinking to yourself, “now this is the ultimate middle finger to the fashion world.” And you would have been right. Until now.

After 30 years, Durangatang style has finally hit the world of high fashion. We’ve become gorpcore icons.

No, I didn’t just have a stroke. Gorpcore is unfortunately a real word, coined by the fashion industry to describe the current trend of hiking-inspired streetwear – aka outdoor clothing for people who hate the outdoors. The term is an acronym for the phrase “good ol’ raisins and peanuts” to describe trail mix, and my No. 1 piece of evidence that this trend is not actually for outdoor enthusiasts. I’ve never heard someone call trail mix gorp, and raisins and peanuts are arguably the worst parts of trail mix.

Luckily, the fashion world isn’t concerned with which parts of trail mix hikers prefer (chocolate, obviously) or the reality of using technical gear for anything remotely technical. All that matters is the aesthetic.

Giant puffers, tacky vests and anything with Gore-Tex are all gorpcore “musthaves.” Teen Vogue described the trend as “hiker meets off-duty model,” but I’d liken it more to “Gaper Day at Purg meets that one finance bro from college that you hate.”

Another article notes that a core tenet of the trend is color: “the clothes tend to be rather colorful – unless they’re not.” Profound. It goes on to state that gorpcore items are often red, orange, purple and pink as a way to “harken back to the colors we find in the things that mesmerize us in nature.” Or, you know,

Thumbin’It

Top tech leaders – including the holy trinity of Musk, Gates and Zuckerberg –to meet with Congress about AI regulations. Probably a good idea before it goes AWOL and takes over the world (AI, not the holy trinity).

Australia weighing “cat curfews” to battle feral cats harming other species and spreading disease. Ha! Good luck with that.

Red wine flooding a Portuguese town after a winery tank exploded, offering a free buzz (and likely crippling hangover) to all

maybe it’s because those bright colors are what keep us from getting shot during hunting season or help search and rescue find us when lost in the wilderness? Either way, you’re going to absolutely slayyy in that neon windbreaker.

Right now your Instagram is probably a goldmine of gorpcore content. Don’t believe me? Just check out this description of the perfect gorpcore outfit: “try wearing a pair of baggy cargo pants with an oversized fleece vest – and don’t forget to accessorize with a reusable water bottle.” Yes, your Nalgene is an accessory. You’ve been accessorizing for years without even knowing it, you little fashionista.

For most of us, though, this trend isn’t new. It just has a new name and a wider target audience thanks to social media. The wealthy have been co-opting expensive technical gear for decades, wearing logos as status symbols (looking at you, Patagucci). After all, a huge part of the appeal is the escapism it provides – the idea that by purchasing a new jacket or top-of-the-line hiking boots, you’re that much closer to reconnecting with The Great Outdoors ... without having to spend any time outside or thinking about stewardship or any of that boring crap. Yuck.

For the perfect example of heinously expensive escapism, Google the $3,500 North Face Gucci-branded tent. Try to hold in the obscenities and the vomit, but buckle up because there’s more. Porsche makes its own rooftop tent for a cool $6,500. And for those who are really committed to the gorp aesthetic, simply cut out the middle man and pay $109,000 for the Louis Vuitton Monogram Tent. It’s barely big enough for two people and is described as the ultimate backyard camping experience! Emphasis on the backyard part.

Like these overpriced, underperforming tents, gorpcore clothing isn’t actually intended to be used. It’s a fashion statement. One that only holds value until it’s inevitably dethroned by the next micro trend and the pieces end up exactly where they were designed to go: in a landfill on top of last season’s cash cow fad.

If you really want to get on the gorp train, love your old clothes. Send your Chacos in to be repaired. Get a patch for your puffer jacket that’s puking out filling. Spray your snow pants with Scotchguard so they can last another season. Do what you can to buy your gear used, whether it’s from thrift stores, resale shops or online garage sales like Facebook Marketplace and Poshmark. And, most importantly, be sure to get outside and enjoy your gear.

Remember, you’re not gorpcore unless you live gorpcore.

SignoftheDownfall:

The body of missing hiker Ian O’Brien, who disappeared in the La Plata Mountains on June 24, found in the West Mancos River.

The passing of longtime Durango Herald journalist Ann Butler, who was the very epitome of local community, knowledge and infinite kindness.

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un vowing full support to Russian president Vladimir Putin. Well that’s a match made in heaven.

– Addyson Santese

Bull Sit Lee Meyer, of Neligh, Neb., was pulled over last month for multiple traffic violations because his passenger was a 1,500-pound bull named Howdy Doody. Apparently, Lee had modified his Ford Taurus – OMG, we get it; taurus means “bull” –by removing the door and installing a platform for Howdy Doody to stand on. But Lee’s old sedan probably couldn’t do the speed limit with the extra weight, and Howdy’s massive horns were a safety concern. So, Lee received a warning, but that’s absolute BS because this was obviously a mooving violation.

WritersontheRange Speak up

We can help shape this Utah monument

by Jonathan Thompson

When President Joe Biden restored the original boundaries of both Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments in 2021, public-land lovers felt they had achieved a lasting victory.

Biden’s action reversed the Trump administration’s shrinkage of these protected areas in southern Utah, and once again put those spectacular canyons offlimits to mining and energy development. The victory was confirmed in August, when a federal court dismissed Utah’s lawsuit attempting to overturn Biden’s action.

But in some ways, the crucial work of preserving these places has just begun.

The proclamations restoring the two national monuments are lofty documents that make the case for wielding the Antiquities Act to protect the landscapes in question. But the real test is always what happens on the ground.

We have a clearer picture of that now, because this August, the Bureau of Land Management released its draft resource management plan and environmental impact statement for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The public has until Nov. 9 to comment.

The local environmental community sees the agency’s “preferred” alternative, which “emphasizes the protection and maintenance of intact and resilient landscapes,” as a vast improvement over the status quo. Though it’s less restrictive than other alternatives, this approach would significantly limit

grazing, motorized vehicle use and target shooting across the monument.

State and local politicians who subscribe to the Sagebrush Rebel ideology have attempted to dismantle the national monument ever since then-President Bill Clinton established it in 1996. Neither Congress nor even the George W. Bush administration would accede to their demands, but over the years, the monument has been starved of funds and lost valuable staff, and its management has been influenced by the local culture, which is generally hostile to federal land management.

Then, two decades after Grand Staircase-Escalante was established, Republican Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch convinced President Donald Trump to drastically shrink it. The legality of the move was questionable: The Antiquities Act gives the president the power to establish national monuments, but not to rescind or dismantle them. The Trump administration’s management plan also gutted protections for what remained – especially relating to grazing.

The livestock industry has long claimed that the monument’s grazing rules would destroy ranching. Yet Clinton’s proclamation clearly stated that grazing would continue under the existing BLM rules. In fact, the monument helped a handful of ranchers who were ready to get out of the marginal business of running cows in inhospitable –yet beautiful and sensitive – terrain. The ranchers struck a deal to retire their grazing permits along the Escalante River and some of its tributaries in ex-

change for a generous cash payout from the nonprofit Grand Canyon Trust.

Even after the buyout, more than 95% of the monument remained open to livestock, and the number of cattle –or animal unit months – permitted on the monument is about the same now as it was in 1996. Today, though, fewer cattle run on nearly every permitted grazing allotment. It is clear that the livestock operators themselves are the ones limiting the number of cattle.

But here’s the problem: Biden’s restoration of the monument did not repeal the Trump-era plan that opened up retired grazing allotments. Now the public has an opportunity to do that.

The agency’s “preferred” alternative –which the document is quick to point out is merely a starting point for discussions – would divide the monument into four management areas, with different levels of development and access in each. Grazing allotments not currently under permit would be permanently closed to livestock. New range improvements would be limited or prohibited.

And off-road vehicles would be banned from the Primitive Area and selected other areas and limited to designated routes in the rest of the monument.

It’s a lot less than most conservationists were looking for. It would leave 85% of the monument open to tens of thousands of grazing cattle trampling fragile cryptobiotic soils. But Scott Berry, board president of the Grand Staircase Escalante Partners, a nonprofit founded to protect and preserve the monument, urges the environmental community to get behind the plan.

“Political forces in Utah are going to do everything in their power to prevent the new plan from being adopted,” he said, “which would leave the Trump (plan) the controlling authority.”

To comment, visit the BLM’s planning site by Nov. 9: https://rb.gy/uuhd5

Jonathan Thompson is a contributor to writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. His newsletter The Land Desk covers the region. ■

Cattle grazing in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument./ Courtesy of Bureau of Land Management.

Power hungry

How about encouraging children in the U.S. to connect with children worldwide?

I firmly believe this includes innocent children from countries that range from poor to oil-rich; democratic to dictatorial, and any other type of leadership. All of us must come to realize that the adults in the political realm often fail to think innovatively about preserving our Mother Earth for future generations.

Why are there pricey do-gooder conferences where politicians fly in private jets with empty seats and make promises that they can’t keep, if Putin and Musk believe the adults in political rooms are looking to become “new owners of artificial Intelligence and will rule the universe?”

Teachers, please, you are so much better at organizing than most. Get K12 kids engaged in computer labs with teachers overseas with computer labs and arrange communication in a goodspirited fashion.

Wouldn’t it be nice to know when kids grow up, they will have friends here and abroad to stay safe from wars and other scary, stupid stuff? Does all of the above sound too sim ple? Yes, indeed. But why not give posi tive alternatives to the extremely negative complicated messes now in our daily lives?

– Sally Florence, Durango

SPF 50

Slight hooded figure

Hiding in plain sight from sun Wise as Obi Wan

– Karen Carver, Durango

“We’ll print almost anything” The Telegraph prides itself on a liberal letters policy. We have only three requests: limit letters to 500 words; letters must be signed by the writer; and thank-you lists and libelous, personal attacks are unwelcome. Send your profundities by Monday at noon to telegraph@durangotelegraph.com.

D-Tooned/by Rob Pudim

How high?

New system using GPS seeks to get better read on true elevations

by Tom Hesse Colorado Public Radio

Kate Dignan has summited one 14er – she thinks it was probably Longs Peak, but she has done her best to forget the experience.

That trip and countless photos from hikers around the state got her wondering: what are those round, metal markers that dot Colorado’s mountains?

“Who actually manages those; determines where they go on the actual mountain?” Dignan asked.

Derek van Westrum works for the National Geodetic Survey, an agency under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that has the biggest catalog of those survey markers at around 1.5 million. He said the history behind the markers is extensive, but the future is fascinating, including an extensive project that will define a new sea level.

Van Westrum, the gravity program manager for the NGS, said survey markers are used for measuring two things: horizontal location, like where something would be on a map, and elevation.

“Survey markers go back thousands of years,” van Westrum said. “I think there’s evidence of Egyptians using survey markers to plot out land so they could redistribute it after the Nile would flood.”

When it comes to elevation, the markers are meant to establish baselines for which something can be measured off of. If you know the height of one mountain, you can stamp a survey marker into the rock and measure the height of the neighboring mountain based on the elevation you know to be set in stone.

“Because we had a map of the coast, we had an idea of where the average tide line was at some location. And if you call that a zero elevation, you can then work your way inland into the mountains to find out how high things are,” van Westrum said. “You don’t want to go back to the ocean each morning to start over. So you put benchmarks in as you go to keep track.”

It took about half a century to establish all those marks in the rock before they could do the math to measure elevation relative to everything else. The pieces themselves are crafted specifically for measurement, van Westrum said. They’re dome-shaped so that surveyors using them

can find the highpoint on the marker to measure off of. They’re largely made from brass or bronze to be corrosion-resistant and durable. And the information on them is typically to help find them in archives. Someone could call the NGS, for example, and get more information on the marker based on what’s engraved on it.

Unsurprisingly, the scientific and mapmaking community is moving beyond brass domes epoxied into rock. The survey markers have a tendency to move or be affected by changes around them.

“There’s a famous poster in the San Joaquin Valley, California, where the land, because of the pumping out of the groundwater, has sunk now by something like 50 meters, just a huge amount. So any benchmarks that were placed in the 1970s or 1980s are now woefully out of date,” van Westrum said.

For horizontal measurements, GPS has largely taken over. But GPS is not as good at determining elevation, partly because it’s not working off the right data. Knowing the elevation is particularly important when it comes to flood mapping and construction of large projects like dams or railroads. The gravity program van Westrum is working on hopes to get those elevation measurements as precise as possible. This means moving away from the current number used for sea level,

which was just an average.

Getting that new sea level, as van Westrum’s job title suggests, involves measuring gravity itself.

“What we’re doing now is we’re picking basically a value of gravity times a distance from the center of the Earth and combining those,” he said. “That has a numerical value ... We’re basically just defining that to be sea level.”

Getting that number for the whole country involved more than a decade of survey flights.

“We have devices that measure the acceleration of gravity, and we make a map of that by putting instruments in airplanes and literally flying the entire United States on a 6-mile grid. It took 12 years,” van Westrum said.

That new baseline of sea level could then be fed to GPS data, providing the appropriate baseline to measure off of and thus, a truer elevation.

“This is probably 10 times more accurate than the old system that was established in the 1980s. It really will help those flood-prone places to predict where water will flow,” van Westrum said. “And in principle, it should or could change the height of a few 14ers, maybe shuffle things around a bit.”

For more from Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org. ■

Torreys and Gays peaks, 14ers in Summit County./ Photo by Hart Van Denburg/CPR

Beyond the blue bin

A trip through Durango’s recycling stream

by Jonathan Romeo

It’s a question repeated again and again: what happens to items recycled in Durango? There is no lack of theories: some say the material ends up in a landfill anyway; others speculate it’s sent to China to be repurposed into Barbies and Kens; and the most commonly repeated refrain: it goes to Albuquerque to get incinerated.

“It does go to Albuquerque,” Marty Pool, the city’s sustainability manager, said. “It does not get burned.”

Recycling has always been a hot topic around town. Because of Durango’s relative geographic isolation, not located near an interstate, it’s expensive to make sure our disposed items are salvaged. Often, questions are raised about the ultimate environmental benefit of recycling.

But rest assured, city officials say, your recycling efforts are not futile. Recently, the City of Durango entered a new contract with a new company in Albuquerque for recycling services. And, the city is planning an audit to make sure all materials are actually being recycled.

“We now have the opportunity to request that information,” Joey Medina, the city’s public works operations manager, said. “And in that report, we can see where our recycled items are going, who they’re sold to and what it’s being reprocessed into.”

Bin to ‘Burque

To understand the recycling stream, let’s start at the beginning. After you finish that refreshing PBR or boba tea and place it in the blue bin for the city to pick up, what happens? (For our purposes here, we’re focusing solely on single-stream recycling material.)

Medina said those items are taken to the Durango Recycling Center at the Tech Center, where they get sorted to remove contaminated items (you know, the stuff you weren’t supposed to put in the recycling).

Then, recycled items are baled up and put in stacks to be picked up and driven an estimated 215 miles to a processing facility in Albuquerque. There, the items are reprocessed and sorted by material (plastic, steel, aluminum, paper, etc.).

Then, that company looks for other companies on the open market that want to buy the material and repurpose it for whatever goods they are selling. Aluminum, for instance, can easily be remade into cans.

The vast majority of items recycled are not, as some believe, burned or thrown into landfills, Medina said.

“That’s not the case,” he said. “They don’t give out companies they give materials to, because that’s sort of insider information. But they give logistical sources of where it’s going to market and whether it’s domestic or foreign.”

A costly process

For years, the city contracted with a Phoenix-based company called Friedman Recycling. In late 2022, however, Friedman sold its Albuquerque (and El Paso) assets to Waste Connections, based in Dallas. The company operates under the name “BARCO,” an acronym for Borderlands and Albuquerque Recycling Co. Representatives with Waste Connections did not return requests for comment on this story. According to its website, Waste Connections is a national corporation that has more than 400 operations across the United States.

As mentioned above, with the new contract, the City of Durango now has the ability to request an audit to make sure recycled items are going to good use. Medina said the city is gearing up to request that information in the coming weeks.

“(Waste Connections) is all on board,” he said. “There’s nothing hidden there.”

Indeed, Pool said he and Medina went down recently to tour the facility, and it all checked out. “We saw the facility with our own eyes; unless it was all a big smoke and mirror show,” Pool joked.

Medina said the shift to Waste Connections has been relatively seamless. The biggest difference, however, has

Where does the City of Durango’s recycling end up? Despite claims it’s burned or put in a landfill, rest assured our recycled items are put to good use./ Courtesy photo

been significant increases in processing fees in the past couple months. Previously, it cost $25 a ton to process materials. Now, it’s $155 a ton.

The reason? Medina said it all plays into how much it costs to process materials, as well as the market for reselling recycled material. Right now, companies are overstocked and can’t take more, he said.

“There’s just a lot of material out there,” Medina said. “The recycling market is not in the greatest shape, and resell is hard.”

As for the increased processing cost, that might lead to higher fees for city residents.

“There’s no fee increase planned for 2024, but we’re starting to kick around the idea,” he said. “Because at some point, if fees continue to grow to process material, we might need to.”

A worthy endeavor

So, with all the costs, as well as carbon footprint, associated with taking Durango’s recycled items to Albuquerque, is the environmental cost-benefit worth it? Pool said, undoubtedly, yes.

“Recycling definitely has its place in the grand scheme of materials management,” he said. “But it does take some individual commitment.”

Recycling, like anything, is nuanced,

Stay classy, Durango

Pool said. Some items, like aluminum, fiber, paper and steel, are easily recyclable and in demand on the open market. Also keep in mind, Pool said, materials like aluminum and steel have to be mined and are finite.

Plastic, on the other hand, is a whole other beast. Some plastics are recyclable and worth the effort, others are not. As a result, only a small fraction of plastic is ultimately recycled. A recent Greenpeace report found that the amount of plastic transformed into new items in the U.S. is at about 5-6%. Pool said poor quality plastic that’s recycled in Durango could have the same fate.

“There are major issues with recycling, but people take issues they heard that are specific around plastic and extend it in their mind to all recycling, and that’s not true at all,” he said.

“But you can’t say the whole system is broken if just plastics are an issue. Some other pieces work pretty darn well.”

For starters, to maximize recycling’s efficiency, it’s important to make sure you are recycling the right items, Pool said. It’s rare that a batch is so contaminated that it gets thrown into the landfill, but it does happen. (Looking at you, people who throw half-empty ranch dressing bottles into recycling).

In fact, the system is built to take into

account people not recycling correctly, whether through ignorance, naivety or a fun new term we learned, “wish-cycling,” which is when you toss something into the recycling bin, hoping it can be recycled, even if you’re not sure if it’s actually recyclable.

Higher rates of contamination bog down facilities and make the system less efficient and, therefore, more expensive to operate.

“You really gum up the works if you’re not doing your part as an individual,” Pool said.

Medina said he did not have the city’s contamination rate, though that will be part of the audit.

A sea change

Long-term, there are some exciting things on the state level happening on the recycling front. While a new state law putting a 10 cent charge on plastic bags got all the attention, a far more transformational piece of legislation (HB-221355) could have monumental impacts.

Venissa Ledesma, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said the new legislation created a “Circular Action Alliance,” which will establish a centralized system for managing recycling in the state. It also will include free recycling of packaging and paper for all Coloradans.

By January 2024, the Circular Action Alliance will complete a needs assessment to evaluate recycling infrastructure and services throughout the state. Following that, the alliance will develop a plan to implement the recycling program to best serve Coloradans. The program is estimated to be fully operational by January 2026.

Pool said the concept is similar to how paint is recycled in Colorado. In 2015, the Architectural Paint Stewardship Act created PaintCare, a nonprofit organization, to collect unused paint in Colorado at no cost to residents.

“Ultimately the idea is that fees on common recycled materials will 100% fund recycling infrastructure in Colorado,” he said. “It is a sea change. It’s an extremely monumental shift in how recycling is funded in the state.”

In the meantime, make sure your recycling is right. And keep your unfinished ranch dressing out of the stream.

By the numbers: In 2022, recycling cost the City of Durango $114,180 in fees. This year, to date, we’re at $123,960 because of price increases. On average, the city sends 115-120 loads of recycled material a year. This year, we’re at 58 loads so far. A load carries about 20-22 tons. For all recycled material, the city sent down 3,300 tons in 2020. In 2022, we sent down 4,275 tons.

A two-way street

by Jennaye Derge

About 10 or so years ago, I was riding my bike on North Main in Durango when I got hit by a car pulling out of a hotel parking lot. A year or so later, I got hit by another car coming out of a business on 11th Street and Main. A couple months after that, I was hit by a truck turning into a gas station off the 9th Street bridge.

I was lucky in that they were all very minor incidents, and I walked away just a little shaky with scrapes and bruises and a bent derailleur.

An acquaintance of mine was riding his bike when he was rear-ended on a highway by a vehicle going 50 miles an hour. He flew an estimated 35 feet into the air and survived by a helmet and divine intervention.

Several weeks ago in Boulder, 17-year-old USA

Cycling hopeful Magnus White was killed when he was struck by a vehicle on a training ride near his home. A few days later, a 10-year-old boy was struck and killed while he was riding his bike in Fort Collins. According to the CDC, nearly 1,000 cyclists die and more than 130,000 are injured by vehicles on the road

in the United States every year.

And the big question is always, whose fault is it?

It’s the question everyone asks themselves and each other when a cyclist or pedestrian gets killed. And weirdly enough, the blame usually goes on the nonmotorist, because the United States loves to blame the victim. The verbiage often used in media skirts around the fault of the driver and calls these incidents “accidents.” Sure, I assume the truck that turned into me at the gas station, or the person who hit Magnus White didn’t really mean to do it, and I’m sure the person who hit the 10-year-old wasn’t thinking about murder that day. But killing is killing.

However, the questions rattle on:“Was the cyclist wearing a helmet?” “Did he stop at that stop sign?”

“Where was that kid’s parents?” “Did she look before she crossed?” “Were they in the bike lane?” “What was the cyclist doing wrong?” “How could they have better protected themselves?”

Sure, it is true – and I have seen it far too many times with my own eyes – cyclists can do some really dumb things. I’ve seen cyclists blow through stop signs without looking. I’ve seen cyclists turn in front of

moving vehicles. Heck, I just saw a gal riding her ebike on Main Avenue going the opposite direction of traffic! All these things are illegal and dangerous, but guess what? In most cases, the only person they are putting in harm’s way is themselves.

When I see a car run stop lights or stop signs, however, or when I see them turn out in front of cyclists or speeding in and out of traffic and driving in the bike lane, they are attempting murder.

So, when I get questions from annoyed vehicle drivers to “clear up bicycle laws” so cyclists can be “safe,” I get slightly uncomfortable. In all actuality, what I’d really like is for someone to clear up driving laws, because from what I’ve seen, that’s what we should really be talking about.

For example, proper use of turn signals. Or safely switching lanes. Or driving the speed limit. Or stopping at a stop sign and looking both ways.

Trust me, I watch vehicle drivers daily very intently, because I have to in order to stay safe. I can’t tell you how many times A DAY I see drivers not stop at stop signs or turn right without looking right. Or steamroll through a neighborhood where kids live. I see vehicles

When it comes to rules of the road, drivers also have responsibilities

parked in the bike lane – last summer I had to quickly merge into traffic because a cop was parked in the bike lane. It is a rare moment when I see a vehicle’s turn signal, and I know this because vehicle drivers usually turn right in front of me.

So, while I appreciate when folks ask me about bicycle laws, and I do genuinely think cyclists should brush up on safe practices on the road (hopefully after I get this off my chest, we can explore bicycle laws at a later date), I will take this opportunity to remind folks about basic driving laws instead.

As quoted per the official Colorado Driver Handbook:

• SIGNALING: Failure to signal is a traffic violation. Before making any turn, whether onto another roadway, into a parking lot, into another lane of traffic or leaving a parked position, it is extremely important that you signal. Your signal lets other drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians know your intentions. In urban areas, you must signal continuously for 100 feet before making a turn or lane change. On four lane highways where the posted speed limit is faster than 40 mph, you must signal for 200 feet before making a turn or lane change. A typical rule of thumb is to have your turn signal on for at least 3 seconds before making a turn or

changing lanes. If your vehicle’s turn signals do not work, you must use hand signals. End your hand signal before starting to turn so that you can complete the turn with both hands on the wheel.

• SPEED: Speed is the greatest factor influencing the severity of a crash. Many fatal collisions on Colorado highways involve motorists driving too fast. Limits: It is important to slow down in certain conditions, for example, during poor weather, or near railroad tracks, pedestrians or bicyclists, animals, and school buses.

• DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE: When you drive while impaired, safe driving is not possible, and you are more likely to take risks such as speeding or turning abruptly. Alcohol is a depressant drug that reduces brain function, which impairs thinking, reasoning and muscle coordination. Depressants may slow reflexes and reaction times while reducing your ability to make the decisions necessary to safely operate a motor vehicle. As the amount of drugs in your body increases, your judgment worsens and skills decrease.

• PASSING: Before deciding to pass another vehicle, including a bicyclist, judge whether you will have enough

time and room to pass safely by observing the traffic ahead, beside and behind you. If you have enough time and space to pass, begin by making a lane change, as directed above. Accelerate past the vehicle you wish to pass. When you can see both headlights of the vehicle you passed in the rearview mirror, get back into your previous lane. If passing a bicyclist, you must have a minimum of 3 feet of space between the outermost part of your vehicle, including any projections such as mirrors or trailers, and the bicyclist. You can briefly cross a solid yellow line when there is no oncoming traffic and you have a clear view ahead. Be aware of wind blasts that can knock a bicyclist off their bike, and safely pass by giving them more space on rural roadways, when operating a large vehicle or driving in windy conditions. Do not pass if: you cannot safely return to the right-hand side before coming within 200 feet of an oncoming vehicle, including a bicyclist; if you cannot safely return to the right-hand side before a solid yellow line begins; on a curve or hill where your view is obstructed; within 100 feet of an intersection, railroad crossing, bridge or tunnel when your view is obstructed; or

unless you can allow a 3-foot buffer between the bicyclist and your vehicle.

• BIKE LANES: Bike lane users have the right-of way in a bike lane and drivers are prohibited from driving, idling or parking in or otherwise obstructing a bike lane. A bike lane extends through an intersection regardless of whether paint connects the bike lane on either side.

• BICYCLES: Bicycles on the road are considered vehicles and have many of the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicles. Drivers must yield the right-of-way to bicyclists in a designated bike lane when merging with or crossing a bike lane to turn. Bicyclists riding on a sidewalk or crosswalk have the same rights and responsibilities as pedestrians.

These laws are just a few of the laws I see broken by vehicle drivers on a daily basis that put cyclists at risk of being killed or injured, but there are about 30 more pages of great information to help clear up driving laws to keep cyclists safe. So I very politely ask, if you are a vehicle driver who gets annoyed with cyclists who break the law, and you ask me to clear up biking laws to keep cyclists “safe,” please, at the same time, brush up on driving laws to help keep us all alive. ■

Thursday14

Fiesta on the Mesa, FLC’s El Centro de Muchos Colores celebrates the kick off of Hispanic Heritage Month, 4-7:30 p.m., Student Union Plaza.

Rob Webster plays, 5 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard Ave.

Ben Gibson plays, 5 p.m., Balcony, 600 Main Ave.

Community Harvest, fruit gleaning, 5:30-7:30 p.m., location at goodfoodcollective.org/harvest-fruit

Thursday Night Sitting Group, 5:30-6:15 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave, Suite 109.

Jeff Solon Jazz Duo plays, 6 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Morgan Thomas plays, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Karaoke, 6 p.m., Grassburger, 360 Camino del Rio.

Bluegrass jam, 6 p.m., Durango Beer & Ice, 3000 Main Ave. All levels welcome.

Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1330 Camino del Rio.

“Treason in the Textbooks,” presentation by Harold Rugg, 7 p.m., FLC’s Noble Hall, Room 130.

Friday15

Serenity Festival, thru Sept. 17, Tico Time Resort, near Aztec, N.M.

Yoga, 8:30 a.m., Lively (a boutique), 809 Main Ave.

Open Meditation, 12 noon-1 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave, Suite 109.

Autumn Gallery Walk, 5-8 p.m., featuring 10 galleries in downtown Durango.

First Rodeo Art Show, group exhibit showcasing local artists, 5 p.m., Outer Spaze, 1129 Narrow Gauge Ave.

“In Good Company,” work from Lorna Meaden, Scott Roberts and Kay Harper Roberts, opening reception 5-9 p.m., Studio & Gallery, 1027 Main Ave.

“Unwound” by Stephen Sellers, opening reception 5-9 p.m., Studio &’s Recess Gallery, 1027 Main Ave.

Devo Film Festival, 5:30 p.m., Chapman Hill.

Ben Gibson Duo plays, 6 p.m., Fenceline, Mancos.

Breezin’ 7-piece Band plays, 6-9 p.m., Fox Fire Farms, Ignacio.

Six Dollar String Band plays, 6-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.

The Lizard Head Quartet plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Ragged Oaks play, 7 p.m., iNDIGO Room, 1315 Main Ave.

Steely Dead plays, 8 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College.

Saturday16

Serenity Festival, Tico Time Resort, Aztec, N.M.

Durango Farmers Market, 8 a.m., TBK Bank parking lot, 259 W. 9th St. Live music by 3 Way Street.

Bayfield Farmers Market, 8:30 a.m., 1328 CR 501, Bayfield.

Durango Autumn Arts Festival, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., E. 2nd Ave. between College Dr. and 10th St.

Buffalo Soldiers Weekend, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Animas Museum, 3065 W. 2nd Ave. Find info at animasmuseum.org/events.html

Art Warriors, kids ages 8+ train body, mind and heart through art and aikido, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Durango Aikido, 121 W. 32nd St., Unit D. Register at durangoaikido.com

Free Yoga and Healing Festival, 11 a.m., Buckley Park.

Oktoberfest, 12 noon, Purgatory Resort.

“Spirit Visions” art by Norman Lansing, opening reception, 3-6 p.m., Bomdiggity, 106 Grand Ave. in Mancos. Exhibit runs until Oct. 13.

Art Mart Soiree, 4:30 p.m., Hermosa Café, 736 Main Ave.

Thee Fearless Peasants play, 6-9 p.m., Durango Craft Spirits, 1120 Main Ave.

High Altitude Blues play, 6-9 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito.

Karaoke, 6 p.m., Durango Beer & Ice, 3000 Main.

Terri Rickard plays, 6-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.

Community Yoga, 6-7 p.m., Yoga Durango, 1485 Florida Rd. Donations accepted.

Two Faces West plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Free Yoga and Healing Festival After Party, 9 p.m., Roxys, 639 Main Ave.

Silent Disco, 10 p.m.-12:30 a.m., 11th St. Station.

Sunday17

Serenity Festival, Tico Time Resort, Aztec, N.M.

Buffalo Soldiers Weekend, 9 a.m., Animas Museum, 3065 W. 2nd Ave. Find info at animasmuseum.org/events.html

Veterans Benefit Breakfast, 9 a.m., VFW Post 4031, 1550 Camino del Rio.

Durango Autumn Arts Festival, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., E. 2nd Ave. between College Dr. and 10th St.

Vinyl Sundaze, 12 noon, Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Tarot

AskRachel

Drinking the Kool-Aid, squeaky clean & bad batch

Interesting fact: Oils and dirt still build up on a bald scalp, so you should still use a dollop of shampoo on that light bulb.

Dear Rachel,

I’ve known for a while now that my big sister is a loony toony evangelical caught up in whatever malarkey is shoved down their throats. She asked me to review a job application cover letter for her church, and I felt violated just reading it. Do I speak up and tell her that her denomination is creepers jeepers?

Dear Hail Mary,

– Touched by an Angel

If I had a nickel for every time that telling a religious person their presentation was creepy actually worked to affect any change, I might have one nickel. Just think of work jargon. I bet “we’ll circle back” and “let’s put a pin in that” make, say, artistic types twitch in their sleep. That said, only you can decide if this is the cross you want to die on.

Dear Rachel,

– Savior selves, Rachel

I just almost lost my new lady friend over my bathing habits. She is appalled that I wash my hair with soap. The thing is, I’m

Blair Borax and Alex Dunn play, 12 noon-3 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Feed the People! free mutual aid meal & gear drive for homeless community members, every Sunday, 2 p.m., Buckley Park.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Sunday Funday, 6 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main.

Monday18

Happy Hour Yoga, 5:30 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

Meditation and Dharma Talk, 5:30 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave.

Community Harvest fruit gleaning, 5:30-7:30 p.m., find location at goodfoodcollective.org/harvest-fruit

Ben Gibson plays, 5 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Comedy, 7:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

practically bald. What hair I have left is about 1/8” long. I’m basically washing skin on my head, not a scalp. Why blow through shampoo for that?

Dear Bald Eagle,

– Hairy Styles

I’d say you’re hanging on by one of your very short, very sparse hairs. You may be right. I haven’t been bald since I was admittedly too old to excuse it on being newborn, but I was still too young to shop for my own hair care regimen. I was using that No Tears Johnson & Johnson. Maybe you should use that and see if it helps you quit crying about it.

– Hair you go, Rachel

Tuesday19

“The History of the Hula,” 4-6 p.m., Durango Public Library.

Dear Rachel,

I have a conundrum. I am friends with the owner of one of the local cafes in Durango. Until recently, all the things I have tried from the business have been quite yummy. Recently, I bought one of their pastries that didn’t taste yummy. In fact, it was gross. I would hate to see people turned off to the business from one item. Do I tell or keep my mouth shut?

– Tortured Tastebudz

Community Yoga, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Yoga Durango, 1485 Florida Rd. Donations accepted.

Slow Bluegrass Jam, 5:30-7:30 p.m., General Palmer Hotel, 567 Main Ave.

“What Should I Do With My Life?” an evening of mindfulness and community for people in their 20s and 30s, 6-7:30 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave.

Sunset Yoga, 6 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino del Rio.

Nina Sasaki plays, 6-8 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Open Mic Night, 7 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Wednesday20

Small Group Meditation, 8-9:15 a.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave.

Restorative Yoga for Cancer, 9:30-10:45 a.m., no cost for cancer patients, survivors and caregivers, Smiley Building, 1309 E. 3rd Ave. Register at cancersupportswco.org/calendar

telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

Dear Pained Tongue Bumps,

You absolutely do not keep your mouth shut. In fact, you open your mouth wide. Right across the table from your friend. Right after putting a bite of icky pastry in there. Make like a kindergartner and gag and shove that pastry lump out of your mouth with your tongue. They can’t miss that point. Unless, of course, baking is their religion. If so—tread lightly. There might be a bit of deity’s flesh in that dough.

– Buen provecho, Rachel

“History Writing,” book discussion, 3 p.m., Animas Museum, 3065 W. 2nd Ave.

Ben Gibson plays, 5:30 p.m., Public House 701, 701 E. 2nd Ave.

“Yellow Nose: Ute Dog Soldier,” 5:30 p.m., Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum, 503 Ouray Dr., Ignacio.

Author Event & Book Signing: John Fayhee, 6-8 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.

“Why Desert Bighorns Should Matter to Us,” presentation by CSU professor Joel Berger, FLC’s Student Union, Vallecito Room.

Tim Sullivan plays, 6-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.

Improv Night, 7 p.m., 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Trivia Night, every Wednesday, 7 p.m., Bottom Shelf Brewery, Bayfield.

Ezra Bell and People We Know play, 8 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 8 p.m., The Roost, 128 E. College Dr.

Karaoke Roulette, 8 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

by Rob Brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries photographer Wynn Bullock had a simple, effective way of dealing with his problems and suffering. He said, “Whenever I have found myself stuck in the ways I relate to things, I return to nature. It is my principal teacher, and I try to open my whole being to what it has to say.” I highly recommend you experiment with his approach in the coming weeks. You are primed to develop a more intimate bond with the flora and fauna in your locale. Now is the best time ever to hug trees, spy omens in the clouds, converse with ravens, dance in the mud and make love in the grass.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Creativity expert Roger von Oech says businesspeople tend to be less successful as they mature, because they become fixated on solving problems rather than recognizing opportunities. Of course, it’s possible to do both – untangle problems and be alert for opportunities—and I’d love you to do that in the coming weeks. Whether or not you’re a businessperson, don’t let your skill at decoding riddles distract you from tuning into the new possibilities that will come floating into view.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author Fernando Pessoa wrote books and articles under 75 aliases. He was an essayist, literary critic, translator, publisher, philosopher and one of the great poets of the Portuguese language. A consummate chameleon, he constantly contradicted himself and changed his mind. Whenever I read him, I’m highly entertained but sometimes unsure of what the hell he means. He once wrote, “I am no one. I don’t know how to feel, how to think, how to love. I am a character in an unwritten novel.” And yet Pessoa expressed himself with great verve and had a wide array of interests. I propose you look to him as an inspirational role model in the coming weeks, Gemini. Be as intriguingly paradoxical as you dare.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.” Cancerian author Henry David Thoreau said that. I don’t necessarily agree. Many of us might prefer love to truth. Plus, there’s the inconvenient fact that if we don’t have enough money to meet our basic needs, it’s hard to make truth a priority. The good news is that I don’t believe you will have to make a tough choice between love

and truth anytime soon. You can have them both! There may also be more money available than usual. And if so, you won’t have to forgo love and truth to get it.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Before she got married, Leo musician Tori Amos told the men she dated, “You have to accept that I like ice cream. I know it shows up on my hips, but if you can’t accept that, then leave. Go away. It is non-negotiable.” I endorse her approach for your use in the coming weeks. It’s always crucial to avoid apologizing for who you really are, but it’s especially critical in the coming weeks. And the good news is that you now have the power to become even more resolute in this commitment.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The Virgo writer Caskie Stinnett lived on Hamloaf, a small island off the coast of Maine. He exulted in the fact that it looked “the same as it did a thousand years ago.” Many of the stories he published in newspapers featured this cherished home ground. But he also wandered all over the world and wrote about those experiences. “I travel a lot,” he said. “I hate having my life disrupted by routine.” You Virgos will make me happy in the coming weeks if you cultivate a similar duality: deepening and refining your love for your home and locale, even as you refuse to let your life be disrupted by routine.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): My hitchhiking adventures are finished. They were fun while I was young, but I don’t foresee myself ever again trying to snag a free ride from a stranger in a passing car. Here’s a key lesson I learned from hitchhiking: Position myself in a place that’s near a good spot for a car to stop. Make it easy for a potential benefactor to offer me a ride. Let’s apply this principle to your life, Libra. I advise you to eliminate any obstacles that could interfere with you getting what you want.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In your history of togetherness, how lucky and skillful have you been in synergizing love and friendship? Have the people you adored also been good buddies? Have you enjoyed excellent sex with people you like and respect? According to my analysis of the astrological omens, these will be crucial themes in the coming months. I hope you will rise to new heights and penetrate to new depths of affectionate lust, spicy companionship and playful sensuality.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Is it ever morally permissible to be greedily needy? Are there ever times when we deserve total freedom to feel and express our voracious longings? I say yes. I believe we should all enjoy periodic phases of indulgence – chapters of our lives when we have the right, even the sacred duty, to tune into the full range of our quest for fulfillment. In my astrological estimation, Sagittarius, you are beginning such a time now. Please enjoy it to the max!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Here’s a Malagasy proverb: “Our love is like the misty rain that falls softly but floods the river.” Do you want that kind of love, Capricorn? Or do you imagine that a more boisterous version would be more interesting – like a tempestuous downpour that turns the river into a torrential surge? Personally, I encourage you to opt for the misty rain model. In the long run, you will be glad for its gentle, manageable overflow.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): According to the Bible’s book of Matthew, Jesus thought it was difficult for wealthy people to get into heaven. If they wanted to improve their chances, he said they should sell their possessions and give to the poor. So Jesus might not agree with my current oracle for you. I’m here to tell you that every now and then, cultivating spiritual riches dovetails well with pursuing material riches. And now is such a time for you, Aquarius. Can you generate money by seeking enlightenment or doing God’s work? Might your increased wealth enable you to better serve people in need? Should you plan a pilgrimage to a sacred sanctuary that will inspire you to raise your income? Consider all the above, and dream up other possibilities, too.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Piscean author Art Kleiner teaches the art of writing to non-writers. He says this: 1. Tell your listeners the image you want them to see first. 2. Give them one paragraph that encapsulates your most important points. 3. Ask yourself, “What tune do you want your audience to be humming when they leave?” 4. Provide a paragraph that sums up all the audience needs to know but is not interesting enough to put at the beginning. I am offering you Kleiner’s ideas, Pisces, to feed your power to tell interesting stories. Now is an excellent time to take inventory of how you communicate and make any enhancements that will boost your impact and influence.

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

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Approximate office hours:

Mon-Wed: 9ish - 5ish

Thurs: On delivery

Fri: Gone fishing; call first

Classes/Workshops

Free Culinary School

5 weeks, 18 yrs.+, 4 days a week. Call Manna, 970-385-5095 ext. 110.

Menopause Retreat

“Re-Igniting Your Fire Within” led by Florence Gaia, RN. Sat.10/7, 94:30pm. Wake up to an expanded empowered self & purpose! Registration & details: www.schoolofthewest.org/pro duct/menopausal-women-igniting-thesacred-fire-within-a-rite-of-passage-oc tober-7/ Text/call 978/270-2230

Record Sealing Presentation

Topics include: Learn which nonconviction and conviction records are sealable under the new law, and how to seal multiple conviction records. Tues., Sept. 19, 5:30 – 7 p.m. Available via Zoom. Free event. More information visit: durangovap.com/events

HelpWanted

Shaw Solar is Hiring!

Come join our installation team. We’ve created the electrical Apprenticeship Program to train the next generation of renewable energy professionals. Shaw Solar offers competitive pay plus benefits including health care, PTO, paid holidays and a matching 401(k). Visit our website, shawsolar.com and click career opportunities to learn more.

Wanted

Cash for Vehicles, Copper, Alum

Etc. at RJ Metal Recycle. Also free appliance and other metal drop off. 970-259-3494.

ForSale

Rocky Mtn Thunderbolt

2020 like new, full suspension bike with dropper post. Very nice ride but too big for me. Size small. Text 303-2042890

TaoTronics 4k Action Camera

New and in the box. Comes with user guide and all accessories that came with it: waterproof housing, handlebar/pole mount, mounts, battery, tethers, protective back cover, USB cable and lens cleaning cloth. $50. J.marie.pace@gmail.com

Reruns Home Furnishings

Brighten up your space with furniture and décor for moving in like cabinets, kitchenwares, nightstands, rugs, lamps and coffee tables. Looking to consign smaller furniture pieces … 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 385-7336.

Services

etc. for small, local, independent or startup businesses.  www.thesaltymedia .com or email jnderge@gmail.com

HaikuMovieReview

‘The Unicorn Store’

A fun, hard-working Millennial is truly a magical thing

– Lainie Maxson

a unique, intuitive fusion of Esalen massage, deep tissue & Acutonics, 24 years of experience. To schedule call Kathryn, 970-201-3373.

Need Help With Bad Habits?

Take charge of your life with Susan Urban’s transcendental hypnosis. Easy! Relaxing! Results! Private, professional sessions available in your own home! 970-247-9617. Limited availability.

Harmony Cleaning and Organizing

Residential, offices, commercial and vacation rentals, 970-403-6192.

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.

BodyWork

Lotus Path Healing Arts

Now accepting new clients. Offering

Bodywork Special

Deep tissue, therapeutic, myofascial bodywork specials! Downtown Durango. 60 min for $75, 90 min for $100. Call or text Dennis @ 970.403.5451

Massage by Meg Bush LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-7590199.

CommunityService

Volunteers Needed

Do you want to make a difference in your community ? Alternative Horizons is always in need of volunteers to staff our hotline. AH supports and empowers survivors of domestic violence. Next training is Sept. 15, 16 and 23. For info., call 970-247-4374 or visit alternativehorizons.org/

Content is King!

Experienced, professional, affordable copywriters here who love to help the people behind nonprofits, small businesses, and start-ups succeed. Need compelling content or web design help? Contact us! 970-844-0535 or cwjohnlcox.com.

Marketing Small/Local Businesses

Media, website building and content editing, copywriting, newsletters, blogs,

Read by thousands of discerning eyeballs every week.

“I saw it in the Telegraph.”