Ear to the ground

“Excuse me. Do you know where the unemployment office is?”

“No. Have you checked the phone book?”

“I’m too lazy to look it up.”

– Unemployment explained at a local gas station

Cross country for cancer

A former Durangoan is doing some serious suffering this summer so others won’t have to. Don Dauphinais, a former employee at Hassle Free Sports and current race director of the Yippee Mountain Bike Racing Team, is riding 3,500 miles across country. The ride is no pleasure cruise, however. Don is riding in memory of his longtime friend Crispin Morrison and to raise money to fight Ovarian Cancer.

Don pedaled away from San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park on the morning of June 4 with plans to follow the Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental highway for automobiles. His destination is the highway’s end in Boston, and he plans on making his grand entrance Aug. 19.

The ride is in support of the Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Nevada (OCAN), a nonprofit organization founded in June 2000 by Crispin Morrison. OCAN provides emotional and informational support to women with ovarian cancer and promotes symptom awareness in an effort to save women’s lives by increasing early detection. Morrison was diagnosed in May of 1999 with Stage III-c ovarian cancer and passed away four years later at the age of 41.

Well more than half way there, Don has had his fair share of ups and downs. Not long ago, he suffered an unexpected transcontinental setback when his bike and B.O.B. trailer were stolen. Don was able to recover his transportation and the trailer, but all of his camera goods are currently up for sale in some Midwestern pawn shop.

To check up on Don’s progress, as his grand journey draws to a close, log onto www.yippeeracing.org. To support the ride, log onto www.ocan.org or ship your tax-deductible donation to: OCAN, 2827 Utica Circle, Las Vegas, Nevada 89146.

Chicken soup capital of the world

An unusual honor was recently bestowed upon the Durango area. Ashleigh Brilliant is a California author who also maintains a travel website. Brilliant blew through La Plata County several months ago and had a few choice things to say about our corner of the world. The leading highlight of his visit was not one we hear very often at theDurango Telegraph.

Brilliant wrote, “The best chicken noodle soup I have ever had in my life was at the Home Run Buffet Restaurant in Durango, Colo.”