Ear to the ground

“When I was five, I had an awful mishap with a drunken carnie.”

-Local woman explaining why she doesn’t go in for the carnival scene

Vuelta a Danielson

Local cycling phenom Tom Danielson is currently making a strong statement in Europe. As of press time, the Fort Lewis College graduate and current resident was in eighth place and only one minute and 17 seconds off the lead of the Vuelta a Espana. The Vuelta covers 2012.71 miles in 21 stages, and along with the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France, is one of the grand tours of cycling.

After dropping out of the Giro in mid-May and spending much of the summer recovering from a knee injury, Danielson opened the Vuelta with a blistering time trial. Finishing 12 seconds behind the stage winner, Denis Menchov, Danielson took fifth place, two slots ahead of three-time Vuelta winner and this year’s favorite, Roberto Heras. Danielson has held tough through the flat stages and is expected to show his strong climbing form in the mountain stages.

However, the always humble Danielson has low expectations. In an interview with Velonews, he explained, “My goals for the Vuelta are: No. 1, to finish; second, to go for a stage win; and then to maybe shoot for a good result overall … I look toward the steep climbs in the Pyrenees to get a good stage result.”

Though he’s spending his days grunting it out in Spain, Durango’s never far from the 2005 Tour de Georgia winner’s mind. Later in the interview, Danielson was asked what he misses about Durango. He commented, “Everything. Being at home with my wife, the people, the town atmosphere, the roads, the weather, the mountains and the restaurants.”

To follow the Vuelta and Danielson’s progress, log onto www.velonews.com.

Missing mars

If you somehow missed last Saturday’s Mars spectacular, you were not alone. The close approach of the Red Planet described in this space in last week’sTelegraph was actually little more than an astronomy prank.

As it turns out, most of us missed the “once-in-our-lifetimes” event, which took place back in August of 2003. However, someone with a planet fetish and too much time on his hands decided to be crafty and recirculate a notice on the approach.

For those of us who sat out under the stars all Saturday night, there is a small consolation. Mars will make a pass close to the earth later this fall.