Ear to the ground

“I think it would be fine by me if Florida disappeared into the ocean.”

-A local moviegoer after viewing Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth”

The Ultimate River Relay

An event unlike any previously attempted will launch from the 32nd Street put-in this Sat., July 8. Community-supported college radio station KDUR-FM presents the first-ever Ultimate River Relay Race.

The relay race begins with a lone racer on a humble inner tube, traveling at top inner-tube speed from the put-in to the pedestrian bridge behind Durango High School. There, the tuber will join forces with another team member in a ducky kayak and continue racing down to the 9th Street bridge. The final leg of the relay will see the first two members jumping into a raft with two more teammates, and paddling to the finish line behind Four Corners Riversports.

As added incentive, event organizers have provided the “Top Five Reasons to Race/Watch the Ultimate River Relay:”

They are:

1. Entry fee goes to KDUR, keeping free-form community radio alive

2. Fabulous prizes await first place, second place and best costume winners

3. Prove your paddling/tubing skills while dressed in outlandish theme costume

4. Free pizza and beer await all racers and spectators at the finish line

5. An absolutely wildly fun Saturday afternoon in the sun and splash

It’s not too late to sign up a team of four. All you need is $100 ($25 per person), an inner tube, a tandem ducky kayak and a raft. KDUR may even be able to loan you a ducky. Themed decorations and costumes are encouraged. To sign up and get more info, call KDUR, 247-7262 and ask for David or Bryant or go to www.kdur.org/events.html for more details.

For spectators, the Ultimate River Relay kicks off this Saturday at 32nd St.at 1 p.m. and ends at Four Corners Riversports around 4 p.m., and lest you forget, the race is a fund-raiser for KDUR.