Ear to the ground

“For the past 30 years, I’ve felt sick every time I’ve walked past that product at the grocery store.”

-Local man reacting to claims of Clamatto’s magic Bloody Mary properties

Odds improve for single men

The odds may be getting better for single men in mountain communities. According to a recent report, more and more females are moving to Colorado’s towns and cities, although some might consider them a little past their prime.

The baby boom is beginning to land in Colorado. As people hit 60, they’re leaving behind urban settings for greener pastures. Given men’s propensity to pass away at an earlier age, most of the new transplants are women.

“There are a lot of older, single women up here, I’ve heard,” Mary Jane Sloat, 62, told theVail Daily recently. Sloat retired to Avon because she wanted to taste the mountains while she’s still “vigorous.”

The paper reports that senior populations in mountain counties will grow by as much as 50 percent in the next five years. Many second homeowners will become full-time residents. And many older women will be looking to get back in the game.

“I thought it would be great to live in the mountains, so this was my chance,” Sloat concluded. “I think it’s gutsy women who do it.”

Turn and learn

If nothing else, the winter of 2005-06 could go down as the season of the cheap ticket. So far, Durango Mountain Resort has offered $10 tickets on Benefit Day and $25 lift tickets on Jan. 16, Local Appreciation Day. Now, Durangoans have a third opportunity to sneak in some affordable turns.

The third-annual Ski for Education Day is Feb. 17. The resort will sell lift tickets for $25 each. This time, proceeds benefit the Durango Foundation for Educational Excellence and Durango School District 9-R programs. Hall passes also will be a little easier to come by on Feb. 17. That Friday is a professional development day for all teachers, and schools will be closed.

Tickets go on sale this Mon., Jan. 30 at all 9-R schools, Albertson’s, Nature’s Oasis, and both City Markets. Tickets must be pre-purchased by Feb. 16. DMR also will offer discounts on ski and snowboard rentals, beginner ski lessons, and lunch.