content Don Vaughan
| 4 | Luke Mehall
PublISHER
Cindy Cowan Thiele EDITOR
luke Mehall, 37, reaches with his left hand to take hold of his right bicep just below the sleeve of his sun-faded T-shirt.
Rick Hoerner Dorothy Nobis Tom Yost CONTRIbuTING WRITERS
Josh bishop Curtis Ray benally CONTRIbuTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Suzanne Thurman DESIGNER
| 8 | Get on the Green The San Juan County area has many stunning — and widly affordable — golf courses that boast magnificent vistas and a selection of mountain, desert or links layout.
Clint Alexander Tonya Daniell SAlES STAFF
lacey Waite ADMINISTRATION For advertising information Call 505.516.1230
www.fourcornerssports.com
STORY IDEAS and PHOTOS Please send to editor@tricitytribuneusa.com Majestic Media 100 W. Apache Street Farmington, NM 87401 505.516.1230 www.majesticmediausa.com Four Corners Sports magazine is published six times a year by Majestic Media. Material herein may not be reprinted without expressed written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed by the contributing writers are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or Four Corners Sports magazine. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication. However the publisher cannot assume responsibility for errors or omissions. © 2016 Four Corners Sports magazine.
| 12 | Gargantuan Undertaking
| 24 | Never too old
Whenever you mention the gargantuan undertaking of running the Hardrock 100mile course, a 100-mile circuit that boasts over 34,000 feet of ascent beginning in Silverton, Colorado, reaching almost to lake City, wrapping its way over 14’ner Handles Peak to Ouray.
Drop by Civitan Golf Course any given weekday around 9:45 in the morning and there’s a chance that you’ll see 93-yearold Don Ice drive into the parking lot and get ready to tee up for 18 holes.
| 26 | Editorial Columnist by Rick Hoerner
| 16 | Beer + Yoga beer and yoga — it’s a trend that is rocking the nation, including Farmington.
| 20 | Knothole Day Dodger executive branch Rickey is known as the man who brought Jackie Robinson to the majors.
| 22 | The First Tee
| 28 | Basin Champs In the basketball crazy town of Kirtland, a special season evolved for a group of 7th and 8th grade boys at Kirtland Middle School.
| 30 | NASCAR Nellie | 33 | Catching up
by Tom Yost
with the county
MAY 2016
Four Corners SPORTS
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Ben Brashear Story and photos Luke Mehall, 37, reaches with his left hand to take hold of his right bicep just below the sleeve of his sun-faded T-shirt. Residual climbing chalk stains his knuckles. He sort of hugs himself as he settles against the small dining booth at his place of work, Zia Taqueria, and into the conversation about the debut of his latest book and memoir, “American Climber.” "Look at the way people are pushing the sport to its extreme, you don't have to stick around that long to become old school just by the simple fact that you stay alive," he says as he recalls one of his personal heroes, Dean Potter among several others. Mehall is an old timer; he's made it through 17 years of climbing. He says simply, "it's because I'm just an average climber." "Every climber that has followed the path I have has done what I have done," he says. "They've gone to Yosemite, Potrero, the Creek, J-Tree; everyone has done it. There is nothing interesting about it. What makes it fantastic if it's average?" he questions as he conveys the narrative arc of his memoir as it follows his salvation from depression by way of finding climbing and discovering that the desert is something sacred to him. “It’s the metaphor, the meaning you give to your life,” Mehall says.
Luke Mehall: Getting to know the American climber
He gestures with his arms spread wide as though to encompass the taqueria in its entirety. He's living his dream. He has become what he calls a “workbag.” “You're still a dirtbag, you live simply and play a lot but you work a lot too, you know,” he laughs. He works in the service industry for the freedom it affords him. And for the relaxed schedule that has allowed him to publish and operate as senior editor at the Climbing Zine and to pen his first two books, Climbing out of Bed and The Great American Dirtbags. And of course it affords him the ability to climb at the Creek or any of the top places in the country at a moment’s notice. He swears right now though, the Colorado Plateau is the best climbing in the nation. The smell of handmade tortilla chips and tacos fill the air bringing his focus back to his current book. He rattles off a litany of difficulties he has encountered trying to get it off the ground. It's been a battle worth the wounds,
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since he hopes to inspire and transform the climbing culture from within – to become a writer of this generation whose words might fill the ever-present void left by the likes of Edward Abbey, Bob Dylan, Jon Krakauer, and John Long. “I want to shape the culture. I feel this obligation to say ‘you have this now but it was this before.’ Climbing is not just this thing that you do, it is this more comprehensive thing that the younger climbers have to learn about first because they don't see it or live it the way we did when we first started,” Mehall says. His blue/green eyes, like the desert after a rainstorm, don’t flinch as he delves into the memories of his struggles to get where he his is now, to achieve all that he has up to this point in his climbing and writing career. He recalls his desperate 20-year-old self. His thoughts flow rapidly, a stream of consciousness that reflects the lyric styling of Kerouac. He pauses between bites of his taco, “I was depressed and on a substance at all times, you know,” he says. “I was on Ritalin for A.D.D and I was smoking a ton of pot, chain smoking cigarettes and drinking soda and alcohol and doing LSD and other psychedelic drugs which is all fine in moderation but I was doing them all of the time.” Twice a college drop-out with habits that literally had him sitting in the dark of his parent's basement in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, Mehall had reached his limits and knew that if he did not leave, did not abandon that world, he would soon be dead or in jail. He left notes with friends and a note for his parents letting them know he was leaving. He got into his car with little direction other than tracking down a “hippie girl” he once knew and escaping the depression and rage that was welling up within him. For a month or longer, he was suicidal. He would drive through the night until falling asleep at the wheel not caring whether he lived or died. Without Instagram, Facebook, or a cellphone, Mehall says, it was a month before anyone knew where he was.
Yosemite with my climbing partner Dave Ahrens of Ridgeway, Colo. at the top of the Salathe Wall and ends on a high in Indian Creek," Mehall says.
His memoir has been ten years in the making. He argues it's not meant to be a downer but something that might give others hope as they go through similar trials. "I didn't want to start in those dark places, the book is meant to inspire people and starts at a high point in my life in
MAY 2016
Living in his truck at rest-stops and the campgrounds of Arizona, Utah, and Colorado, he got back in touch with his parents and decided to enroll at Western State. He had found his new home in Gunnison, Colo. where the rock formations and the mountains would begin to transform his character, to shape who he was becoming. It was climbing that pulled him from his depression, replacing his need for psychedelics, cigarettes and Ritalin. It fulfilled that need for a "substance high" while giving him purpose and a close-knit group of colorful friends like Two Tent Timmy.
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He pushes his lunch tray aside and folds his hands on the table. “I tried to write my memoir before I had enough experience to write a memoir, I couldn't have written it if I didn't have some crazy things happen in my life," He says. "I was trying to write an On the Road Kerouac kinda thing. I probably had six or seven starts and I would get 15,000 words into it and then it would just fall apart."
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Much like climbing though, as it is in writing, it’s persistence that pays off. One week a climb will feel impossibly hard Mehall says as his hands grip onto imaginary holds, and then the next time you try it the hands line up just right and that crux move, well, it's easy. “In Climbing you can fail so many times, but there is this redemptive quality to it. A climb that you've been working for years, that was maybe too hard, or you were over gripping or whatever, and then you go back and send it and it's easy. It's the same in writing and now I finally have this book,” he says.
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He tried to publish his memoir through traditional publishing houses, though and it became a struggle it was like he was battling a 5.13 R and taking some nasty 30-foot whippers. As he did in the past with his previous books he took it upon himself to publish his memoir through his own Benighted Publications. Mehall jokingly laments the negative connotations of “self-publishing” a work. "I was hoping to have the book picked up by a traditional publisher but I quickly got jaded on that. I had one editor tell me to not publish it, that it was not a good idea, but to just chop it up into short stories and submit them to magazines," he says. “I basically told them ‘no’ in the nicest possible way that I could. Someday I'd love to have a book published by a traditional publisher, though.”
* Mehall 34 6
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Get on the Green Pinon Hills Golf Course
Spring golf course overview The San Juan County area has many stunning,and widly affordable, golf courses that boast magnificent vistas and a selection of mountain, desert or links layouts. Below is a run-down of price changes this year.
RIVERVIEW GOLF COURSE 505.598.0140 www.riverviewgolfnm.com Nearly 60 years ago El Paso Natural Gas Company constructed a modest nine-hole golf course for their employees and guests to play in Kirtland, New Mexico. The course, designed in a parkland style on mostly flat terrain with tree-lined fairways, soon became a catalyst for growing the game of golf in the Four Corners region.
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In the 1990s El Paso Natural Gas Company donated the course to San Juan College. Shortly after taking over management, the college decided to add another nine holes. Noted architect Baxter Span wasted little time in designing and building a links style course to take advantage of the natural terrain and elevation changes as well as the beautiful vistas of Shiprock and the surrounding area. In addition, a double-ended driving range with over 100 hitting stations was added, along with an upgrade to the irrigation system on the original nine. Riverview Golf Course was complete and could now boast to be an 18-hole championship golf course with one of the best practice facilities in the Southwest.
MAY 2016
Thanks to the efforts of San Juan County, who took over ownership of the course in early 2010, golfers of all ages are enjoying playing conditions that are vastly improved and in line with top level public facilities. And players are able to test every aspect of their game on a course where one side requires a ground game or bump and roll approach to the greens, while the other side challenges golfers with risk or reward through an aerial pursuit. With all 18 holes over-seeded in bentgrass, the putting surfaces rank among the best in the area. Riverview hosts over 30 tournaments annually and offers many bargain rates that
Conquistador Golf Course run as low as $25 for 18 holes and a shared golf cart. Since rates are based on both time of day and day of week, players are encouraged to call for the current fee schedule. The Riverview Grille is a perfect complement to the practice and playing facilities with a full service restaurant offering breakfast and lunch items before during and after your round. Riverview also hosts the Four Corners only Foot Golf course combining the wonderful sports of soccer and golf for an entertaining family oriented outing. Riverview looks forward to kicking off the golf season with their annual Cinco de Scramble golf tournament on Saturday, April 30.
PINON HILLS GOLF COURSE / CIVITAN GOLF COURSE (505) 326-6066 (Piñon Hills) / 505.599.1194 (Civitan)505.326.6066 www.pinonhillsgolf.com Piñon Hills is a par 72 18-hole championship golf course. It is set in the high desert terrain of Farmington, New Mexico, and winds through sandstone rock and native piñon and juniper trees. It measures about 7,200 yards from the tips, and is noted for its tiered greens and elevation changes. It is consistently rated as one of the top municipal courses in the country, as well as a top course in New Mexico.
Junior golf will be big this year at Piñon Hills. Programs include PGA Junior League and The First Tee. The First Tee programs will take place in June and July. These programs are great for experienced junior golfers as well as kids who have never picked up a golf club. Adult instruction is also available on an individual basis or in a group setting, with two PGA instructors on staff. Piñon Hills is working hard to make the Piñon Hills Classic a great event this year. The Classic is an amateur stroke play event that is open to anyone with an active USGA handicap. The dates for the tournament are July 23 and 24. The various golf associations (men and women) have many exciting tournaments that are also open to anyone with an active handicap. The rate structure at Piñon Hills varies depending on the time of year. During peak season, a San Juan County resident can play 18 holes with a cart for $43 on weekdays and $47 on weekends. There is also a twilight rate starting at noon every day for $35. This rate is good for either 9 or 18 holes and a cart. Civitan Golf Cource Civitan Golf Course is also operated by the city of Farmington and offers a 9-hole par 3 course that is great for junior golfers and adults alike. If you are strapped for time and need to play a quick round, or just want to practice your short game, then Civitan is the place for you.
MAY 2016
AZTEC MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE (505) 334-3248 www.aztecmunicipalgolfcourse.com Aztec Municipal Golf Course, opened in 1950 with a nine-hole layout designed by Jim Casey. It was expanded to 18 holes in 2001, then rebranded (formerly Hidden Valley Golf Club) in 2015 when the city of Aztec took over operations and management. The three-tee course is 5,852 yards from the tips. It has a traditional style with parallel bentgrass fairways, push-up greens, penal shot values, numerous elevation changes and towering cottonwood trees that significantly enhance the rolling desert skyline. It’s also a pure-golf experience – there is no housing anywhere on the course. Golfers this season can look forward to an upgraded golf experience, including a brand new fleet of gas-powered carts, refreshed clubhouse, PGA instruction, rental clubs, and an enhanced tee-to-green maintenance program. The clubhouse grille features the delicious fare of longtime favored Aztec
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restaurateur Ruby’s, outdoor patio, free WiFi, Pay Per View events, and a state licensed bar that serves craft beer, wine and cocktails. The entire venue is available for corporate events, charity tournaments, team building, groups, parties and special events, and is a program location for The First Tee of San Juan County, NM. Rates are as follows: • Daily Greens Fee, including cart: $30 for 18 holes; $15 for 9 holes • 10-Round Coupon Book (18 holes includes cart; no expiration date; fully transferable): $250 • Adult Membership (age 19-54; 12-month validation): $500 • Senior Membership (age 55 and older; 12-month validation): $400 • Government/School Employee Membership (12-month validation): $250 • Corporate Membership (12-month validation): $1,250 Aztec Municipal Golf Course is a worthwhile experience. It’s a family environment with easy tee time access, excellent maintenance and course conditioning that offers
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Piñon Hills Golf Course
APRIL 2016
consistent challenge to all levels of golfers. The 6,000-yard layout can be played 25 percent to 50 percent faster than a standard 7,000-yard course.
They offer 25 percent off green fees March 1 through April 15 and October 15 through November 1. Conquistador offers many events on the calendar each year. The two major events are the Firecracker Classic and the Pinto Bean Classic. The Firecracker is a team event that is held in July and even offers a professional division. The Pinto Bean is an individual stroke play event that is always played each year on the third weekend in August. These two popular events attract golfers from all over the country.
The entire golf industry is fixed on efforts to bring back, retain and attract golfers. Only a few ideas seem to be working. One method is to dramatically shorten a 7,000yard track, which makes it much more fun for kids, beginners, couples and time-sensitive players. Aztec fits that bill.
CONQUISTADOR GOLF COURSE (Cortez, Colorado) 970.565.9208 www.fourcornersgolf.com Conquistador is an 18-hole par 72 championship golf course in Cortez, Colorado. It boasts a challenge with rolling hills, large trees, water that comes into play on eight holes, small undulating greens and pristine panoramic views of the La Plata Mountains, Mesa Verde and the Ute Mountain. Conquistador’s friendly professional staff,
affordable rates, beautiful panoramic views, and well-maintained championship golf course is a destination you do not want to miss. The golf rates are: Monday through Thursday: $19 for 9 holes and $28 for 18 holes. Weekend and holiday rates are $22 for 9 holes and $34 for 18 holes.
Conquistador is extremely excited about the continuing changes on the course for 2016. The bunkers have been reshaped and a few extra have been added to challenge all players. They are also adding new forward tees to each hole and a new championship tee on the ninth hole stretching the par 4 hole from 390 yards to 440 yards. The greens are very challenging, and with the purchase of a new greens roller the speed of the greens will be kept consistent from 9.5 to 10.5 on the stimpmeter.
No Doctor’s Order Required In-Home Care Services at Affordable Rates San Juan County’s Best Choice for Home Care Philips Lifeline Medical Alert System People are our greatest resource
PALS — Let the hometown team help you! PHILIPS GOSAFE GOES EVERYWHERE YOU DO! LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED • BACKGROUND CHECKS • CONTINUING EDUCATION • BONDED • INSURED
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505-325-9600 111 N. Behrend • Farmington, NM 87401 • MAY 2016
Four Corners SPORTS
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gargantuan
undertaking
Athletes complete the first crossing of the Winter Hardrock 100 Ben Brashear Story and photos Whenever you mention the gargantuan undertaking of running the Hardrock 100-mile course, a 100-mile circuit that boasts over 34,000 feet of ascent beginning in Silverton, Colorado, reaching almost to Lake City, wrapping its way over 14’ner Handies Peak to Ouray and then ascending to Telluride and going beyond the glacial blue water of Ice Lakes finally making its way back into Silverton, most people stand in awe of such a feat. The look in most people’s eyes is a look that seems to say anyone attempting the course must possess some mythical strength, some supernatural endurance or must be, at the very least, insane”.
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What then can be said of a winter attempt at the Hardrock on skis? If you’ve ever had the opportunity to meet internationally accomplished runners Jason Schlarb, Paul Hamilton, ski mountaineering competitor Scott Simmons or cameraman Noah Howell in person, their humility, humor, and stoicism is unassuming. If you have met them in the mountains – well, you might be more inclined to believe that their strength is something worthy of myth and tall tales. Yet, their successful completion of the Hardrock on skinny “skimo” gear in four days served more to reveal their humanity. “We didn’t do it for a fast time, we just did it for the adventure,” Schalrb said. Their exploits can be seen in Howell’s upcoming documentary film, Skiing the Hardrock 100.
“We didn’t do it for a fast time, we just did it for the adventure..”
— Jason Schlarb
It is 45 minutes past 6 a.m. and the start of the first of four days. Schlarb, Hamilton, Simmons and Howell negotiate a rotten and unsupportable snowpack through the thick timber near Blair Gulch, only miles from Silverton. They are struggling to follow the summer Hardrock trail and near impossible conditions have forced them to descend to the valley floor to parallel the Animas River until they can safely ascend Arrastra Creek toward Little Giant Peak. “We got cliffed-out and it was either climb up the rotten snowpack or cross the river at that point,” Simmons said. “We decided to cross the river and Howell, instead of shouldering his skis, tried to throw them across. One ski didn’t make it and it bounced back into the river and Howell went splashing in after it. After that we all decided we’d get wet and cross the river there. Our feet were wet and that’s when we knew that we were in for an adventure,” Simmons laughed. Only miles into the day the men realized that they were several hours off of their intended pace. The first day was shaping up to finish by headlamp into camp Sherman, going from a 9-hour day to a 15-hour slog through the mountains. Schlarb and Simmons both put in countless hours of reconnaissance months before the trip. They skied and scouted nearly every line of contention. They knew
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how demanding the San Juans were, but that difficulty only seemed to dawn on the group after meeting several setbacks. “There were a few spots, though, that we didn’t have the time to check out, and that’s where the unknown – the adventure – comes in,” Schlarb said. By 11:30 a.m. the men slowly picked their way through the high consequence “no fall” zones with hundred-foot high cliffs and only a thin ribbon of snow bounded by exposed grass and quartzite that allowed them to ski the 3,000-foot face of Little Giant peak. The team arrived at Cunningham Gulch, their one re-supply for water and food that day nearly three hours behind schedule. Schlarb experienced hobbling foot pain and, according to the group, was skiing like a “bow-legged cowboy.” At the impromptu aid station Schlarb, grimacing, pulled off both ski boots and grabbed Howell’s multi-tool out of desperation and began to aggressively “modify” his footbeds by sawing them in half to relieve the acute pain in his arches. Schlarb was in such great pain that the group doubted that he would be able to even finish out the day.
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With his entire body shaking with pain, Schlarb managed to put his ski boots back on and the team headed out from Cunningham Gulch to face a 4,000-foot climb up Green Mountain. The wind-buffeted snow in conjunction with a strong melt-freeze cycle presented the men with verglas, frozen water ice, over an unconsolidated snowpack, which meant that their skins and skis were ineffective for for-
MAY 2016
ward progress. The 50-degree slope and ice forced them to shoulder their skis and throw on their crampons. Simmons, while traversing a steep but short couloir suddenly fell through the unconsolidated snowpack into a six-foot-deep well and left Schlarb yelling back at Hamilton and Howell “Scott’s gone! He’s disappeared!” Schlarb said.
“It’s only been my second trip to Colorado skiing and I had the worst day I’ve ever had on skis,” Howell said as he remembered trying to ski on quads that were fried 14 1/2 hours in of 15.
A heated disagreement over route finding late in the day split the group into two pairs. The argument arose when Simmons and Schlarb were sure that they were on route as they chose to descend below the confluence of the Middle and West Fork of Pole Creek, though Hamilton was insistent that the group needed to remain above the confluence.
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“Just a few days ago this seemed so far away,” Schlarb marveled.
Day three was a “rest” day with only 17miles from Ouray to Telluride. They were able to casually walk the Camp Bird Mine road and
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Day four, 15 hours and 25 miles were all that remained from Telluride to Silverton. The group resupplied their water and food at mile 88 of 100 at the Hardrock KT aid station, located six miles up South Mineral Creek, before taking on their last big 2,000-foot climb to the summit of Putnam Basin.
Once in Ouray, Hamilton expressed that he did not think he would be able to continue the trip. Schlarb asked Hamilton to speak his doubts on film. “He was all in after that,” Schlarb smiled.
Schlarb and Simmons finally regrouped with Howell and Hamilton only to face a harrowing descent by headlamp through the dark into camp Sherman along a “tight-twisting ice luge
2
The best laughs came as the men descended Liberty Bell Trail into Telluride proper. Perhaps it was the oddity of four men in skin suits surrounded by the glitz of alpine skiers, but it was, as Simmons recalled, four men in stinky skin suits going straight for the wine and cheese in the lobby of their hotel alongside the glamorous clientele that really got them laughing.
The barrage continued on day two as route finding up Handies Peak once again had the group in disagreement over the “best route.” Slow transitions, waiting for camera shots, 50mph gusts, a chest cold and broken ski pole for Hamilton, and a poor choice in Bear Creek that left Simmons swimming with his skis on brought the men to the lowest point on their journey.
“We brought the right map for 90 percent of the route but 5 percent of it was not on the map, which might have helped us,” Simmons said. “Schlarb and I had it set in our heads that we knew where we were going and Hamilton actually knew the right way to go. So, there was a little shouting back and forth,” He recalled.
2
then faced breaking trail through fresh powder up Governor Basin. Although the day was supposed to be easy, it still took the group eight hours to complete the segment. However, their humor had returned.
and big frozen pillow-drops on trashed legs,” Hamilton said.
Simmons, uninjured, was able to climb out of the snow-well – of course after Howell captured his predicament on video. “Yeah, I was a little scared there for a moment,” Simmons said.
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BEER + YOGA Emily Faulkner, Three Rivers embrace national trend 16
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Story by Dorothy Nobis Photos by Josh Bishop
Beer and yoga – it’s a trend that is rocking the nation, including Farmington. An article on the Yoga Journal website in February states, “New research shows that drinking beer might have more health benefits than we once thought. Breweries that offer yoga classes followed by beer tastings may be serving up more than a practice and post-class camaraderie.” Sipping a pint may have health advantages too, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Cereal Science. That research offered, “A Finnish research team analyzed barley grains (a common brewing starch) and beer samples and discovered ample hordatines, phenolic compounds that may possess big-time antioxidant power. Plus, hordatines have been found to help keep digestion humming by triggering smooth muscle contractions.” Three Rivers Brewery in historic downtown Farmington has enthusiastically embraced the trend. Emily Faulkner has taught yoga for 12 years and formerly owned a Pilates and yoga studio, and now offers beer yoga classes at the popular brewery at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Classes are $10, which includes a pint of your favorite brew.
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“Beer yoga is taking root all over the country, taking form in many ways and different styles,” Faulkner said. “I personally teach a fun, alllevel ‘yoga flow’ class (moving fluidly from one pose to the next). People sign in five to ten minutes before it starts, order a beer, and it’s delivered after we’ve started. Typically, we might take a couple of sips every ten minutes or so.” “At the end, people usually hang out for a bit and catch up with their friends while they finish their beer,” Faulkner added. Faulkner admitted to being skeptical of the beer yoga concept at first. “I thought, ‘That can’t be right.’ Once you experience it, you think, ‘Where has this been all my life?’” she added with a laugh. “The promise of a beer creates a relaxed atmosphere. The unique environment of the brewery provides a lot of fun, good beer and a lighthearted – but challenging – yoga class. What could be better?” Faulkner usually has between 10 to 12 students at each class. The variety of personalities and different levels of experience keeps the class interesting. “No one is there to judge,” she said. “We’re all there to get a good workout and laugh.” Monica Leaming is a regular at Faulkner’s beer yoga classes. “I enjoy beer yoga mainly because Emily makes it a really fun environment,” Leaming said. “It’s a draw for men as well as women, and also for children who enjoy Three Rivers homemade root beer ‘brew.’ Beer yoga is a chance to get a great stretch and to do your practice while listening to upbeat music, instead of the more typical spiritual practice that other
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yoga studios offer.” “Most of the time, I crave a spiritual practice of yoga, but sometimes I just need to get my body into those stretches without the prayerful intention,” Leaming added. “Of course, the cup of beer doesn’t hurt either! It’s a great location, pulling the community to downtown Farmington. Emily is a great guide and understanding of wherever you are in your practice, and always giving modifications for those who are just starting yoga for the first time or who are too tight to get into deeper poses. She is a blessed soul to share a room with.” Classes are held in the banquet room at Three Rivers, which is between the pizzeria and the Tap Room. “The restaurant and brewery are constantly introducing new, tasty food and fresh craft beer,” Faulkner said. “I enjoy recommending my favorites to newcomers. It’s popular for students to head next door after class for Taco Tuesday or Mug Club Wednesday. Beer yoga is a great way to unwind at the end of the day with friends.”
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MAY 2016
Knothole Day in a
baseball town The present meets the future on Farmington’s field of dream Story by Rick Hoerner Photos by Josh Bishop While Dodger executive Branch Rickey is known as the man who brought Jackie Robinson to the Majors to integrate professional baseball, he was also the man who popularized the concept of Knothole Day. Knothole Games or Knothole Gangs were part of baseball lore with ballparks being surrounded by wooden fences, much like Ricketts Park today. As the inevitable knotholes would fall out of the fences, kids would gather at the fence to get a glimpse of their diamond heroes. As early the 1880s, baseball teams such as the New Orleans Pelicans were offering Knothole Days to “youths of sound behavior.” The St. Louis Cardinals, under the direction of Rickey, began their first Knothole Gang in 1938, a tradition he continued with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1940s and ’50s. In Farmington, Knothole Day is the official beginning of youth baseball, a tradition that goes back to the days of Lefty Fox as head coach at Farmington High and continues today. Initially, Knothole Day was the opening ceremonies for the Farmington Amateur
* Knothole 32 MAY 2016
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Play with what you have that day As we progress further into the spring, most of us have shaken the fall/winter cobwebs and made our way out to the golf course. Whether players are hitting balls in preparation for the summer season, or have played countless rounds, one thing holds true – and will until the weather once again turns cold. The one constant in the game of golf is that your swing will feel different from day to day or week to week. one day everything will be in synch and you will hit glorious shot after glorious shot. The next day it will feel as though you never swung a golf club in your entire life. The ebbs and flows of your golfing experience will look like the stock market over the past few months. Some days you will feel infallible and the next you will question the very reason you play the game. So what do you do when your swing feels foreign and your body isn’t responding? You
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TomYOST The First Tee
play with what you have that day. remember, the object of golf isn’t to make it look pretty, but it is to get the ball into the hole in the fewest number of strokes – period. There are no stroke deductions for beautiful draws that head right toward your target. And conversely, there are no stroke penalties for “worm-burners” that end up 10 feet from the hole. The only thing that matters is your score. Take for example, a player (whom we will call Jordan) who usually shoots 85 and hits a consistent fade. Jordan doesn’t hit it long, but is in the middle of the fairway every time
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(to the point that the people with whom Jordan plays gets sick of watching it). Jordan shows up and hits a small bucket of range balls and notices something amiss. The consistent fade has become a consistent slice and the ball is moving from the left to the right and landing 25 yards off target. Jordan finishes the driving range session and is about to be called to the number 1 tee. miffed by the slice, Jordan walks to the tee box with two options. option No. 1: Jordan can start questioning the movement of the golf ball and attempt to make mechanical swing changes right before the tee time. Jordan starts changing the grip and ball position to make the slice go back to the fade. What Jordan then realizes is a nightmare of in-round adjustments that cause the slice to get better, then worse, and then become a pull hook going to the left instead of the right. Jordan is now in limbo not knowing
swing. Jordan now has no clue what is happening, and instead of focusing on where the ball needs to go, the focus has now shifted from making swing changes to making the ball go a certain direction. Jordan has made the “holy grail” of mistakes – focusing on mechanics and swing changes during a round leads to catastrophic results of the not-sogood nature. Option No. 2: Jordan realizes that something is a bit off with the timing of the swing and makes an aiming adjustment on the first hole. Jordan aims a bit farther left to play for the increased slice and movement of the golf ball from left to right. As the round goes further along, Jordan’s timing returns and the slice has now come back to become a manageable fade that the group and player have become accustomed to. Jordan played the game with what the body was capable of on that given day at that given time. Instead of making ingame swing adjustments, Jordan made ingame aim adjustments and did the best with what he had. Eventually, the normal swing came back mid-round and no further harm was created.
I could probably count on my left hand the number of players (including myself) that opt for Option 2 rather than Option 1. It is human nature to try to fix what ails us as players. The problem is that the human body reacts differently on different days – so what you might feel as a swing problem is instead a body or timing problem. By taking what your body and swing give you on that particular day you will save yourself weeks and months of swing adjustments to get back to where you were. Place trust in the fact that inround swing adjustments will cause more harm than good, and play with what you have that day. In other words, quit tinkering with your swing and just get the ball into the hole! 2nd Annual Clubs For Kids presented by Merrion Oil and Gas Just a reminder that The First Tee of San Juan County, NM will be hosting their 2nd Annual Clubs For Kids Event at Piñon Hills Golf Course on Thursday, May 12 from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m.
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The first 200 youth in attendance will receive a free club to take home and use. Golf professionals, coaches, high school player and volunteers will be in attendance to offer free swing instruction and pass out materials regarding summer youth golf programs throughout the county. For more information, call The First Tee of San Juan County, NM office at 505.334.4291 or go to their website at www.thefirstteesanjuancounty.org. High school tournaments The spring high school golf season is underway at various golf courses throughout the county. The varsity golf season will wrap up with the state tournament on May 9 and 10. We are lucky enough to host the Class 5A state event in Farmington at Piñon Hills Golf Course. If you would like more information on the Class 5A state tournament, would like to watch, volunteer or help out in any capacity – please give Tom Yost a call at The First Tee Office 505.334.4291 or shoot him an email at tyost@sjcounty.net May 9th and 10th – Class 5A State Golf Championships at Piñon Hills Golf Course.
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Never too old For Don Ice, 93, nothing is better than a daily game of golf with friends Rick Hoerner Drop by Civitan Golf Course any given weekday around 9:45 in the morning and there’s a chance that you’ll see 93-year-old Don Ice drive into the parking lot and get ready to tee up for 18 holes. Fifteen minutes later Don’s playing partner, George Kiddie, signs in and the two friends head to the first tee with George pulling his golf cart and his senior of over 25 years carrying his bag. Growing up in a West Virginia steel town, Don Ice never saw himself as a golfer. Golf was for the local doctors, lawyers and upper echelon of the steel mill. It would be 20 years after high school before Ice would pick up a club and begin his addiction. After graduating from high school in 1939 Ice took on the town trade and began working at the steel mill for $100 a week. After applying to the Air Corps he joined the military in 1940. Ice began in the motor pool before transferring to a newly formed fire brigade, finally joining the flying sergeants. He soon joined navigation school where he learned to fly the P38 and the B26 Marauder before it was retired toward the end of World War II, and eventually the A26 Invader. As the war progressed, Ice began training navigation
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crews to fly four-hour attack missions on both the Atlantic and Pacific fronts. In 1945 Ice was assigned to an attack bomber crew waiting to be assigned in the Pacific when the news of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the end of the war returned Ice to civilian life. Over the next four decades Ice flew for private companies and was a private pilot flying for various executives and families. Eventually, in 1959, he landed with El Paso Natural Gas where he worked until he was forced to retire at the age of 60. After living in a multitude of cities throughout his career, Ice decided to move to Farmington. It was during his time as a private pilot that Ice picked up golf. While flying executives up and down the East Coast one of his clients recommended that Ice play a little golf to kill time between dropping off and picking up a client. He was hooked Immediately. On a regular basis Ice began to play as his clients worked, playing the likes of White Sulfur Springs where the legendary Sam Snead was the golf pro. After taking years off to attend to his ailing wife, Ice picked up the game again, playing
“This place is important. It’s great for the young learning to play and the old who still want to play.”
— Don Ice
Piñon Hills regularly when it opened in 1989. In the late ’90s Ice got the opportunity to see the pro game up close. His son-in-law convinced Ice to come to Thousand Oaks and volunteer at the Greg Norman Shark Shootout at the Sherwood Oaks Country Club. When Tiger Woods moved his World Challenge tournament to Sherwood Oaks, Don was there too. Don had the honor of working the 13th tee box. There he built a working friendship with his favorite player, John Daly.
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Friendship is the reason Don loves the game still today and still gets out as much as he can. His friendship with George Kiddie began on the golf course. For Don’s part, he appreciates George’s “patience and friendship” for putting up with Don’s pace and play. George is just happy to be out there with Don listening to stories of his time in the military and his amazing life. In actuality Don is no slouch on the course, still shooting around 35 for nine holes on the Par 3 course. Don knows his game may never be what it once was, but he loves coming to Civitan. “This place is important. It’s great for the young learning to play and the old who still want to play.” When asked what he loves about the game Don simply says, “You get to meet people and have a new experience every time you play. After a round the 93-year-old packs his bags in his trunk and proudly drives off with his valid license that he gets checked on annually. After 44 years as a pilot and 60 years on courses across the country, Don Ice still loves to play. “I get to be outside and play with my friends.” There can’t be much better than that – at any age.
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Is thIs stIll a thIng? Any high school junior – well, most high school juniors – know that in 1920 the19th Amendment was ratified finally providing women their constitutional right to vote. So imagine, if you will, how long this took. That is 146 years after the Declaration of independence, 135 years after the constitutional convention, and even 55 years after newly freed slaves were granted the right after the civil War. Obviously change is slow. it’s no different in sports for women. After all, my mother-in-law used to tell tales of her high school basketball experience in South Dakota, playing three on three half court in a full length skirt. With the help, and sometimes hindrance, of Title iX, women’s athletics have changed in the public schools and universities. i never
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RickHOERNER Editorial columnist saw a women’s college basketball game on television when i was growing up, or even knew there was a women’s National Team in soccer. As suffrage, equality on the field has been slow. But even the most ardent of sports fans had to be a little shocked by the announced lawsuit from our Women’s National Soccer Team that was suing for equal pay from the U.S. Soccer Federation. Actually, the lawsuit itself should not be surprising, but the details of the suit were the real shocker.
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The pay equity debate really should be no wonder. Women still are not paid what men in the same position do, and that alone should be solid grounds for this lawsuit. However, there was far more. Other discriminatory issues listed within the suit moved beyond the pocketbook. While men have absolute control over their playing conditions, women have no such power. While men insist their World cup games be played on grass, women play on artificial turf despite their – and the rest of the world’s – objections. Travel accommodations are not the same. The women are expected to take cheaper flights in shorter amounts of time than the men.
How is this still Ok in our society? Of course money is the primary issue. The
women’s team raised $20 million more than the men’s team last year, yet were paid nearly 25 percent of what the men made. That’s 25 cents to every dollar. The women aren’t even paid for international friendlies unless they win, while the men take home a minimum of $5,000 a game – win, lose or draw. The women’s team is not even guaranteed compensation if they play over the contractually obligated 20 international friendlies. Even their daily per diem is slanted. The men’s team gets $75 per player per day, the women $60. Do women need less to live on? Do they eat less? Have fewer personal use items? Doubtful. Even in today’s divisive political climate this should be an easy sell on both sides of the aisle. For the liberals, there is the obvious will to form a level playing field for all, and the conservatives, who believe the market dictates all, should recognize that the women’s team has outperformed the men in the market, yet are receiving less. It is a true political win-win to make this right. Of course those involved from the United States Soccer Federation would argue that this is what was collectively negotiated by both sides. That may be true. However, for me that makes it even worse. The USSF negotiated as a starting point a discriminatory contract. Just to be clear, that is why the men celebrate moving on to the next round at the World Cup, while the women have won it – three times! For their win, the team earned $2 million while the men received $9 million for going 1-2-1. That doesn’t even include the Olympics where the women have won four times and the guys can’t even qualify. The USSF’s basic stand is that the women should be lucky just to be playing. From the perspective of a husband and a father, I find any argument behind the whole idea that you should be lucky just to play is a joke. Athletics meant an awful lot to my daughter and for a vast number of girls across this country. How can it be that our society still devalues the efforts of female athletes over their male counterparts? On the athletic field there has always been the argument that women’s athletics are just not as good as the men’s. The criteria usually consist of speed of the game and athleticism. While this argument may hold true is some instances, why can’t the women’s game be held on its own ground and not in comparison with
the men? Consider the most dominating team in American sport, the Connecticut Huskies. When they go on a historic run, it’s bad for the game. When UCLA did it, it was a dynasty. The most dominant American tennis star is Serena Williams. The biggest MMA draw is Rhonda Rousey. Even America Ninja Warriors’ most dominant star is the diminutive Casey Cantanzaro. It’s time sports fans keep up with the times and give the proper recognition and equality to women. Or maybe it’s not the fans, who seem to be ahead of the curve, but the male-dominated upper echelon of sport that looks to take care of themselves and their old world thinking.
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Basin Champs Kirtland 7th and 8th grade boys basketball teams go undefeated Tom Yost In the basketball crazy town of Kirtland, a special season evolved for a group of 7th and 8th grade boys at Kirtland Middle School. Both the junior varsity and varsity teams won not only Basin Championships, but in doing so achieved perfection for the entirety of the season. Chris Ledek, a math teacher at the middle school and the varsity boys coach for the past two years, got to enjoy the feat from the sidelines. And while the expectations were set at an extremely high level at the beginning of the season, he didn’t expect what unfolded. “Expectations for the varsity team were really high as they had won the 7th grade championship the year before,” explained Ledek. “We had a very talented bunch of guys returning and added a few more so I was excited from the get go.”
8th Grade Champions the Basin Championship by going undefeated. When asked to compare his teams to that squad, Ledek looked to the future in hopes that his boys could have the same success at the high school level.
“Having both teams go undefeated was the furthest thing from my mind,” added Ledek. “We have an excellent girls program and I thought if anyone could go undefeated it would be the girls teams, but lo and behold it was our year to accomplish it.” Despite coming into the year with a championship team returning, the team continued their winning ways through hard work and continued dedication to make the dream season a reality this year. “Basketball is the most popular sport in Kirtland,” said Ledek. “So it is fun to see how much they love their basketball. They have a lot of expectations, but they work hard and are always playing and practicing to get better. Our guys have a lot of experience, they have played a lot of basketball and have very high basketball IQ’s. They got the most out of their size and ability, and that is what I am most proud of.” After a hard fought battle with Shiprock
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late in the season, where he saw his squad come back from being down 13 points at halftime and 12 points after three quarters, the thought of an undefeated season started to creep into his head as they entered the Basin Tournament. “The tournament is always tough and you never know what is going to happen so I didn’t really think about it again until after the boys had won the championship. It wasn’t too long ago that the Heights Middle School varsity boys basketball team won
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“I have a tremendous respect for the Heights team that went undefeated a few years back,” Ledek reflected. “And anytime you have a group of boys like this you would love for them to be together at the high school level, because getting them ready to participate and compete at state would be the ultimate reward for me.” And looking to next year Ledek loses a varsity squad that lost one game in 7th and 8th grade, but receives a 7th grade team from Coach Ryan Nelson that finished their season undefeated. “Coach Nelson did such an outstanding job with the 7th graders, and the goal of this team is to complete both seasons as undefeated Basin Champions,” said Ledek. “We are in a really good spot for the program right now – and we hope to keep it rolling.”
7th Grade Champions Kirtland Middle School JV Basketball Record 17-0 — Coach Ryan Nelson Opponent Hermosa Mesa View Tibbetts Heights Aztec Shiprock Bloomfield Hermosa Mesa View Tibbetts Heights Aztec Shiprock Bloomfield
Score 36-12 55-4 47-8 35-31 65-37 52-21 49-14 50-13 48-8 36-23 34-27 60-22 44-30 40-10
Tournament Games Quarterfinals - Mesa View Semifinals - Aztec Finals - Heights 7th grade roster Ivan Allen John Amago Liam Beckstead Cameron Crawford
Tournament Games Quarterfinals - Mesa View 46-25 Semifinals - Bloomfield 41-27 Finals - Hermosa 55-35
Ryan Griffith Jaxon Manning Deyon May Jonas Miller Derrick Russell Kameron Tsosie Troy Allen White-David Ethan Yazzie Jayred Yazzi Kirtland Middle School Varsity Basketball Record 17-0 — Coach Chris Ledek
57-17 56-34 41-30
Opponent Hermosa Mesa View Tibbetts Heights Aztec Shiprock Bloomfield Hermosa Mesa View Tibbetts Heights Aztec Shiprock Bloomfield
Score 45-40 46-15 42-39 47-15 49-19 40-23 58-32 55-38 37-21 38-30 45-26 41-26 41-40 30-26
8th grade roster DeAndgre Barber Sharam Benally Isiah Charles Brock Dowdy Bailey Foutz Wade Hatch Hakaan Hewey Ty Jenks Jacoby Love Mikal Monclova Justin Sandoval Roland Shorty Joshua Smith Lathan Watson Kobe Yazzie Hyrum Yonnie Managers: Mykal Nocki Joseph Hernandez Ethan Pierro Dallin Mangleson
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JUNIOR’S BANANA & MAYONNAISE SANDWICHES Tweet causes uproar; NN favorites other than just Junior ‘K – so what else in the whole, entire, wide world could create the buzz and excitement that Dale Earnhardt Junior’s most favorite sandwich did this week? Nothing, NN’s tellin’ ya – NOTHING!
deserves a nod by the Academy of Tweets, Twerks and Commercial Videos). There was a stampede by Junior Nation as every single one of the 50 gazillion members of JN stormed every grocery store, convenience store, WalMart, Target and neighbor’s fridges, looking for Hellmann’s mayo and bananas.
And, if NASCAR Nellie had any money that wasn’t marked and could be used against her in a court of law, she’d be buying stock in Hellmann’s mayonnaise and banana trees or bushes or bunches. Who knew that mayonnaise (Junior is pretty specific it must be Hellmann’s, on accounta Hellmann’s mayo is a major sponsor of Junior’s car and Junior prob’ly gets all the mayo he wants from the Hellmann’s people on accounta Junior is the sports most popular driver for the gazillionth time in a row) and bananas would create a sandwich sensation that hasn’t happened since the “Where’s the beef” lady from Wendy’s looked at a Big Smack and decided the beef was missing. Wendy’s enjoyed a big boost in sales, the Big Smack got a beef overall, and the little old lady who couldn’t find the beef make a gazillion dollars, even though she admitted later, over a coupla glasses of wine, that she, herownself, preferred the veggie burgers from the now-defunct Veggie Burger Queen, which featured burgers made of pickled beets, ginger root, dried pumpkin and a sauce made with tequila, rum, and fireball whiskey. NN always suspected it wasn’t the veggie burger the little old lady liked, but the sauce – a LOT of the sauce, which she paired with a sauce of her own, which was mostly Crown Royal, Sweet Cherry Pie wine and a shot of Wild Turkey. Just sayin. . . .
Tweet heard round the world So Junior “tweeted” (NN doesn’t tweet. She tried to tweet once and her tweet was re-
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There is now a shortage of bananas, which will make the apes in all the zoos all over the world mad, which could create another international crisis as the USofA cries out for more bananas from its friends in the UN. It could happen, ya know. For reals. It’s Junior Nation and it’s Dale Earnhardt Jr., the sports most popular driver. Junior Nation reveres its general and does as he does. Just so’s ya know.
Sandwiches for charity
jected by the tweet police at Twitter and Twitter PD blocked her from tweeting or twitting or twelling for the next 500 years. NN would tell ya what she tweeted, but the Twitter people made her sign a “legal document” stating she would never, ever, in the next 500 years, utter, write or attempt to tweet those words again. Ya try to have a little fun with tweeting and twooting and twarting and they get mad and take your tweeter away from you. Whatever) that a banana and Hellmann’s mayo sandwich is his favorite and he adds a little video of hisownself making said sandwich, then eating it (without gagging, which NN thinks
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Once Junior found out that there was no more Hellmann’s mayo to be found anywhere in Junior Nation, he called his buddies at Hellmann’s and asked them to make more on accounta Junior started a donation site – DaleJrSandwich.com, where everyone can donate money and all the money will go to charity, Blessings in a Backpack, which packs lunches for kids who are in need. That website rocked not only Junior Nation’s world, but NN heard from someone who isn’t banned from tweeting, that all of the presidential candidates are donating all the money they received for their campaigns to Blessings in a backpack. NN isn’t real sure about that, though, on accounta the one who tweeted it was Gary Johnson, who is running for president on the Libertarian ticket. Mr. Johnson may have been on medicinal banana peels and may or may not have known what he was tweeting. It happens.
Martin Truex
Tony Stewart
Ward Burton
NN enjoyed a medicinal banana peel once and called the White House and asked if they delivered something other than bad news. NN was thinking of pizza, but the White House wardens didn’t like it and sent local wardens to “confiscate” NN’s medicinal banana peels. NN heard ‘em giggling in their “unmarked unit” all night and found banana ashes all over her driveway the next day. She’s pretty sure the peels never made it back to the evidence room at the White House or the Round House or the Big House. Whatever.
mayo to the sports most popular driver of all time. Just sayin. . . .
who NN saw in Vegas after he won the Daytona 500 in 2011. NN accidentally broke the protection barrier, which is s’posed to keep fans from grabbing at drivers, but it couldn’t stand the weight of NN and gave way like a Jello smoothie, and NN, trying to regain her balance, grabbed Trevor and he panicked, thinking NN was going to never let him go and he hollered for security, which happens to follow NN whenever she’s at a NASCAR track and/or race.
Junior’s PR people sent out a media release saying he was “shocked – in a really good way -- at how much attention this picture received,” and even said he appreciated the people who saw the photo of the sandwich and made nasty remarks about it after they ate it. NN, her ownself, is a huge Junior fan and is a founding member of Junior Nation, but will pretty much stick to her peanut butter and banana sandwiches and leave the
Kyle Larson
For those of you who think NASCAR Nellie is just all about Dale Earnhardt Jr., the sport’s most popular driver, you are wrong. Kinda.
More favorites than just Junior NN has her ‘nother favorite drivers – she’s a big fan of Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart (who just HAS to recover from his back boo boo and get back in the car again – forcryinoutloud, it’s his farewell season, doctors!), Ward Burton (you all remember Ward Burton – he hadda sit on a phone book and have little wood blocks added to the pedals in his car when he raced, and if he’da just had a chance he’da won a championship. For reals. NN LOVES Ward Burton,) and, from the younger generation, NN loves, loves, LOVES Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Trevor Bayne,
Chase Elliott
Security did believe NN’s “fluffiness of body” broke the barrier, but pretty much didn’t buy the fact that she didn’t actually grab Trevor’s backside on accounta it was his backsid. She grabbed at it, hoping to break her fall. Security hauled her “fluffy backside” off to the security hauler, where she hadda wait for the security mafia to “question her and her actions” before they let her go. Whatever.
Trevor Bayne
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And, as much as it pains NN to say it, she no longer boos Kyle Busch every time she sees him. For lotsa years, NN referred to Kyle as “Boo Hoo” Busch and said things about him that weren’t necessarily nice, but where true. Boo Hoo was arrogant and insufferable and NN put her extensive M&M collection – on which she spent her Perfect Child’s inheritance on – in storage, including the one share of M&M stock she found on Me-Bay.
was Kinda Kind Kyle. NN doesn’t say not nice things about KKK anymore and she is considering bringing what’s left of her M&M collection out of the wine crawl space and displaying it in her wine room/aka garage. NN is a forgiving person, especially if the one she is forgiving bleeds blue and orange. Just sayin. .. .
Then Boo Hoo got married and had a cute baby and NN found out he is a big Denver Bronco fan. NN LOVES her Denver Broncos, she loves love stories and cute babies and all of a sudden, Boo Hoo wasn’t Boo Hoo anymore. He
NN is also happy that Jeff Gordon is happy in The Booth, where he shares his experience and knowledge with Darrell Waltrip, who thinks he knows everything. There were rumors that DW and JG weren’t getting along well in The Booth, but they have assured everyone they love each other and respect
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Baseball Congress with the Scorpions welcoming the new baseball year. With the opening of Piedra Vista, Knothole Day has evolved to merge opening ceremonies with a game that will most likely be one of two games for a district title. On Knothole Day every ballplayer that suits up for the summer gets the chance for their team to be introduced and to high-five all of the Scorpions on one baseline and the Panthers on the other. The players are then welcomed to an afternoon of lunch and, usually, a beautiful day at the ballpark watching our local pastime. For the high schools, they get a chance to play in front of a full house before August.
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each other and hug each other and we, as fans, must believe that. It’s like Santa at Christmas time – if you don’t believe in Santa, he doesn’t let you sit on his lap after you stand in line with a gazillion little kids, just so’s you can sit on his lap and tell him what you want for Christmas. So NN believes DW and JG share the love and The Booth and the ego wall. Yeppers, she does (cough, cough). So, it isn’t just about Dale Earnhardt Junior, the sport’s most popular driver. For NN, it’s all about the cars, the fuel, the tires, the tight driver’s suits, the way the drivers get in and out of their cars and the mayo and banana sandwiches they eat. For reals.
PV wins district title 9 to 7 This year on Saturday April 30 the game, as usual, did not disappoint, as the Panthers topped Farmington 9-7 and earned their seventh straight district championship title. Prospects were bleak for the Panthers for the first couple of innings with the Scorps up 4 to 0. PV fought back and ended the sixth inning tied at 7-7. By the ninth the Panhters got the best of FHS and walked away with a 9- 7 victory. Once in Farmington’s recruitment brochure for new teachers, Farmington was labeled as a baseball town. A simple look at Knothole Day shows baseball is alive and well here at the home of the Connie Mack World Series where on a beautiful Saturday afternoon the future meets up with the present.
CatChing Up with the CoUnty sweep with a 116-93 win. PV’s Keegan Acosta chipped in six points for the New Mexico squad.
Baseball The traditional start of the summer baseball season began with Knothole Day as Piedra Vista hosted Farmington at Ricketts Park at 11 a.m. Piedra Vista graduate Zach Johnson, a junior at the Air Force Academy, set a new Academy record in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.43 seconds beating the 10-year-old record by .03 of a second.
State tournament opening round was May 1 and 2 with a best of three series at the higher seed’s home park. The quarterfinals begin the following Thursday, May 7, with the state championship on May 9 in Albuquerque.
Softball State softball began with the single elimination game on May 6 or 7 at the home of the higher seed. Class 4A double elimination final eight begins on May 11 at Rio Rancho High School with the championship game at UNM Lobo Field on May 13. For 5A schools the double elimination quarters begin on May 12 at Cleveland High School with the championship round at Lobo Field on May 14.
Track Dance & Cheer State Results After basketball, the 2nd most attended event in state competition is the State Dance & Cheer championships. The local teams made a solid showing at state bringing home two trophies. The Farmington Kelly Greens took home an impressive second place trophy in 5A placing just behind Roswell’s Charlie’s Angels. Piedra Vista placed 5th while Aztec finished 10th. In cheer, Piedra Vista brought home the green trophy placing 3rd behind Los Lunas and Centennial. Aztec came in 7th while Farmington was 13th. In 4A, Bloomfield cheer placed 4th and in Co-ed cheer, Kirtland was 4th while Navajo Prep came in 8th place.
The track season runs to an end in May as teams head to the district and state meets. District meets was May 6 and 7 with the State Championships the following weekend at UNM.
Golf The 5A state championship returns to San Juan County as Piñon Hills hosts state golf on May 9 and 10.The District 1AAAA and 5A meet will take place at Riverview Golf Course on May 2. The 4A state meet takes place May 9 and 10 at Spring River in Roswell.
Signings Congratulations to Aztec’s Elana Kresl who just signed her letter of intent to attend New Mexico State to run cross country and track
New Mexico - Arizona All Star Game The New Mexico All Star team swept a pair of games from Arizona in the Navajo Times All Star game. Shiprock’s Elijah Harry and Andre Joe led a three-point barrage leading New Mexico to a 117-99 win in game one and completed the
Piedra Vista’s Cassandra Crowell signed her letter of intent to run cross country and track for Lubbock Christian University Peyton Rasmussen of Farmington High has signed to play soccer at the University of East-
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ern New Mexico Aztec Senior Kinsey Gomez has committed to play soccer at Western Texas College in Snyder, Texas, this fall. Her male counterpart, Bailey Walkins, recently committed to Yavapai Junior College in Arizona
Camps Navajo Prep’s Rising Stars Basketball and Volleyball camps will begin the first week that school is out with volleyball running May 31 through June 4, Boys basketball June 7 through June 11. Midschool girls basketball runs June 14 through June 18, with high school girls running June 21 through June 25. The cost for camp is $200 which includes, camp, dorm stay, food service and night activities. For more information contact Rainy Crisp at Navajo Prep 505.326.6571. Panther Summer Basketball Camp for ages 7 through 14 will be held June 1 through June 3 at the Piedra Vista Main Gym from 1 to 4 p.m. each day. Cost is $45 for pre-camp signup and $55 at the door. Contact Michelle Russo at 505.720.6059 for details. The Farmington Boys & Girls Club Epic Summer Adventure begins on May 31 with sessions beginning at the beginning of each month. The club will offer mini-sports camps daily that will include soccer, volleyball, basketball, cheer, golf and tennis, and a football passing academy. Call 505.327-6396 for more information
Benefit Golf Tournaments Aztec High School Golf Team Fundraiser, The Don Greenwood Annual 4-Person Scramble, will be held Saturday, May 14, at 9 a.m. at the Aztec Municipal Golf Course. For more information contact Irene Barry at 970.903.9285. The 12th Annual Robbie Ward Scholarship Tournament takes place June 11 at 8 a.m. at the Aztec Municipal Golf Course. For more information contact Bob Ward at 505.947.1954
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Mehall
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His setbacks in getting the book published had little negative effect on him, it simply pushed him to see his project through to the end. Ultimately it has opened him up to pursue publishing other authors' work, to become his own publishing house. Promoting his own work has always felt weird, even egotistical, he confesses. "I really want to publish other peoples' work, to collaborate on their projects," He says. Mehall sits up straight and runs his hand through his short cropped hair as he tangentially moves between the profundity of climbing metaphors in Andre 3000 to his great appreciation of the counterculture and the unique characters that have helped to shape his world view, "those who choose to be a dirtbag out of an intellectual, philosophical and informed choice, those are the most interesting people out there. And then there are people my age having families and moving on but they still live their lives through the philosophy they learned while leading the lifestyle," He says.
American Climber is the dirtbag phiolosphy embodied in Mehall's striking and honest prose, in the lyrical sprawl of the Beat Generation and the environmental fascination of Abbey. He takes his readers through to his personal acquisition of all that it is to be a dirtbag climber. "It's not some b.s. marketing when I say climbing saved my life, it's very real and changed my life," he says. It's a tale of suicidal tendencies, drugs, sex and the salvation of souls through climbing. It's a collection of honesty that Mehall confesses will probably shock his mother, even his closest friends. He stands up from the small dining booth and in place of rag wool and Sundowner boots are the soft flex of approach shoes and denim– Kerouac shouting to this generation, get out and "climb that goddamn mountain."
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“It was,” Hamilton laughed. “Well, sitting really lets the aches and pains show up,” Schlarb said looking to Simmons as the group stood to put on their skins and skis ready to ski down into Porcupine Creek, the last big climb and finally to home. The team arrived at the South Mineral Creek crossing, the “home stretch” right at dusk with a full moon cresting Kendall Mountain. They exchanged their wet ski boots for running shoes, crossed the pavement of Highway 550 and pushed hard into the last two miles and Silverton by 9 p.m. “I’m amazed at all that could have gone wrong. Skiing in the dark, avalanche terrain, and so many variables. It’s amazing it all came together,” Schlarb said. “That was a mighty big loop, boys!” Simmons said, high fiving his team. The streets were deserted except the bark of
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Four Corners SPorTS
a neighborhood dog. Lights in homes lit the street as the men and their support crew of one, Hannah Green, sat contented on a cinder block wall eating cold burgers and beer. There were no crowds of cheering fans; their families were at
MAY 2016
home in bed. Simmons was so tired that he barely reacted when he knocked his full beer to the ground. When asked how victory tasted, Hamilton replied between mouthfuls of burger, “It tastes sweet. And meaty,” he laughed.