Ear to the ground

“Is it Bike to Work Day or Bike to the Beer Garden Day?”

-A Durangoan who was unsure of where to ride his bike on June27

Roughing up Phil’s World

Things are heating up over at Phil’s World. The trail system between Cortez and Mancos has grown in popularity in the last few years and has even gained national recognition as an exceptional singletrack layout. However, things have also gotten ugly following a recent property exchange.

Several posts on the www.Mtbr.com forum referenced a situation in late May, in which the new property owner took matters into his own hands

“There are some sections of Phil’s that cross private land, and it appears one of these sections recently sold and has new owners,” one post read. “These owners were out there this past weekend, and did NOT post ‘no trespassing’ signs but basically sabotaged the trail.”

The section in question is a 40-acre parcel that touches the trail system after the “Rib Cage” and on the descent to the arroyo. One rider reported seeing the owner “patrolling” the trail with a loaded shotgun after deliberately digging trenches across the trail to discourage use.

Apparently reroutes of the trail are in motion and will not affect much of the trail system. Phone calls to the recreation office of the Dolores Public Lands Center were not returned prior to press time.

The greening of Albuquerque

Most people who hear Albuquerque and green in the same sentence assume it’s a chile reference. But believe it or not, the Land of Enchantment’s largest city recently took honors as the “greenest” city in the nation, according to a report in the Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque won out over 90 other large cities for the first Mayor’s Climate Protection Award. The honor was given on June 23 at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Los Angeles. The Albuquerque Green program, which was founded in 2006 and consolidated the city’s environmental projects, was the main reason for the award. The city has also cut its greenhouse gases by 67 percent since 2000. Albuquerque is also working toward the goal of having all new buildings be carbon neutral and powered by renewable energy by 2030.