Volume 20, Number 14 Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall
www.TownTimes.com
Friday, July 12, 2013
Pascale starts long road to Everest summit By Daniel Jackson Town Times
Photo by Daniel Jackson
Chris Pascale, left, runs with Jenni Chancey and Paul Romero in Peckham Park. Chancy and Romero worked with Pascale on his running form.
Wine tasting approved at Durham Fair By Mark Dionne Town Times
A wine tasting tent limited to Connecticut wineries will be on the town green for the duration of the upcoming Durham Fair, Sept. 26 to 29. Durham Board of Selectmen approved the Durham Fair Association’s request at its July 9 meeting. Durham Fair Association president Dan Miramant and entertainment coordinator Wendy Manemeit presented the request to deviate from
In this issue ... Calendar ..........................5 Letters .............................8 Library ..........................22 Obituaries .....................12 Schools...........................18 Seniors...........................13 Sports.............................14
the dry tradition of the Durham Fair. Miramant emphasized that the wine tasting was part of an initiative from Governor Dannel P. Malloy to focus on Connecticut agriculture. As part of the initiative, the governor sanctioned a group of Connecticut wineries to hold two wine tasting events this year. The Durham Fair was considered for one location, Miramant said. “I want to emphasize that this is not a wine tasting event. It’s more in line with our attempts this year to make the fair more agriculturally focused. It’s part of the Connecticut-grown initiative,” said Miramant, “It’s more educational in nature than it is just a wine tasting event.” Manemeit said that seven wineries will be allowed to See Wine, page 23
It was noon. Chris Pascale, of Middlefield, and his trainers Paul Romero and Jenni Chancey were finishing an outdoor lunch of sockeye salmon, avocado and steamed broccoli in olive oil, a Paleo Diet meal which Romero called “perfect.” With humidity thickening the air, 94-degree heat in the shade and a pool gurgling in the background, the oxygenvoid slopes of Mount Everest seemed a world away. Romero and Jenni traveled to Pascale’s home to help him hone his workout and diet and discuss the question: does Pascale really want to climb Mt. Everest?
For Pascale, who has participated in adventure marathons and climbed 14,000-foot mountains, climbing the world’s tallest mountain was something that always was in the back of his mind. Recently, he has started the long road to the summit. “It just stands there. It’s just there to be climbed,” Pascale said. Pascale met Romero a few months ago. He read about Romero in a men’s magazine. Romero’s son, Jordan, became the youngest person to climb Everest and all the other tallest mountains on each continent at age 13. Jordan was coached by his father. Romero coaches people in health to become “the ulti-
mate version of themselves.” He usually mentors six to eight athletes to reach their goals. For example, Romero and Chancey flew into Connecticut after visiting one of their clients in Brazil who is preparing for a seven-day mountain bike race in Africa. While Romero is coaching Pascale now, he will turn into his guide while on Everest. “This is Chris’ dream. We’re professionals that help people realize their dreams,” Romero said. After lunch, the three prepared to head to Peckham Park, where they worked on Pascales’ running form. Chris Pascale walks into
See Everest, page 17
Inspired Rides takes biking around the world By Diana Carr Special to Town Times Bike rides are taking on a new dimension for many of today’s youth. Thanks to Inspired Rides, a program developed by 16-year-old Clarity Huddleston, of Middlefield, hopping on that twowheeled wonder is more than a jaunt down the street. It’s a way to help the world. Huddleston fell in love with biking two summers ago when she spent four weeks in Europe with Overland (a bike touring group), pedaling her way from Amsterdam to Barcelona. Last summer they spent six weeks biking from Savannah, Ga. to Los Angeles. “I had a good run,” Huddleston said. “I had done the two hardest trips. Now I wanted to do something around here.” So this past winter she came up with the
idea for Inspired Rides, a day biking camp for middleschool kids. The program will run throughout July, with a different group of biking enthusiasts every week. Participants will be dropped off at her house in the morning, chauffeured by her mother to the starting point of the day’s ride, and then brought back to her house at the end of the day for pick-up. “The cool thing about this bike camp,” Huddleston said, “is that all the money goes to World Bicycle Relief, a charity that builds bikes and distributes them to countries in Africa.” Huddleston, who is certified in CPR and First Aid, also will talk to the attendees about bike maintenance and safety on the road. The teen has done her Photo by Diana Carr
See Inspired, page 21
Clarity Huddleston