Ear to the ground

“Did you know that if you take the comma out of Delta, CO, you get Del Taco?”

-A local man explaining

a cryptic coincidence

‘Overlooked’

Add “overlooked” to the attributes that make Purgatory a ski area stand-out. This week, TripAdvisor, “the world’s largest travel community,” announced 10 overlooked ski destinations, and Durango Mountain Resort was one of them. The online travel website’s editors selected ski resorts that are outside the mainstream and offer value coupled with a good ski experience.

“These ski resort destinations feature mountains with a 2,000 foot vertical drop on average, and also offer less expensive lift tickets and more affordable lodging and night life than many of the country’s more celebrated resorts,” the editors commented.

DMR edged out Taos Ski Valley for fifth place and earned the headline “Don’t Dodge It.” Trip Advisor wrote, “Released from Purgatory (the former name of the ski area) and now called Durango, the often sunny (but still snowy) resort has recently undergone significant renovations as well ... There is great skiing for all skill levels on Durango, and the base offers additional outdoor activities of all kinds.”

Joining DMR and Taos in the top 10 were resorts like Cannon Mountain in New Hampshire, Ski Gem in Nevada, Schweitzer Mountain in Idaho and Solitude Mountain in Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon. TripAdvisor’s top pick for “overlooked (and under budget)” was Jay Peak in Westfield, Vt.

“These destinations don’t have the cache of an Aspen, Park City or Stowe, but they don’t have the traffic either,” said Michele Perry, of TripAdvisor. “Offering excellent skiing in their own right, these destinations make up for any shortcomings on ‘ski scene’ with value and, most importantly to avid skiers, shorter lines.”

Blogging with Bob

“Bicycle Bob” is at it again and Durangoans can come along for the ride. Mountain Bike Hall of Famer and Durango Cyclery mainstay, Bob Gregorio, set out on an epic bicycle adventure, pedaling from Durango to Costa Rica. He left on his birthday, Oct. 23, and this year Bob gave himself a gift – “Freedom from the normal everyday stresses that work us all.”

Bob is also offering us a glimpse of that “freedom” with online reports as he pedals along. So far Bob has spent the night with the Tomacs, pedaled a bunch of miles with “Hairball” (aka Greg Herbold) and spent countless nights roadside in the Navajo Reservation. His latest offering was short and sweet – “Headwind. The kilometers come hard today, the miles even harder. I decide to push into Wilcox and get a room, do some laundry, and recharge ... to be continued”

To follow Bob’s progress and see what’s coming next, visit www.durangocyclery. com and click on “Bicycle Bob.”