Ear to the ground

“We’re old. We can do whatever the hell we want.”

– A pair of septuagenarians proudly strolling East Second Ave.

The Tour of Durango

Although it’s not a road race, and there will be only two “stages,” a Tour of Durango is coming to town this fall. Scheduled for Oct. 11 & 12, the Tour of Durango will be a two-day, local-trails race and event. A launch party for the inaugural happening is scheduled for 4 p.m. June 5 at Carver Brewing Co.

Hosted by Trails 2000 and the Southwest Conservation Corps, the Tour of Durango will appeal to mountain bikers and trail runners in an effort to showcase the interconnectivity and proximity of the local trail network and to encourage etiquette on local trails. The first day of the event, Oct. 11, includes competitive mountain bike and trail-running events that will start and finish at Three Springs. On Oct. 12, the tour portion will kick off on the Animas River Trail, and hit all local trailheads in town. The event concludes with a block party on Main Avenue in front of Alpine Bank, the event’s sponsor, and Carvers. Bikers and runners are invited to form teams or enter individually for the Tour of Durango.

Beth Drum, marketing director for Alpine Bank, commented, “We’re so proud to work with two premier local nonprofits and provide an opportunity for the entire community to compete and tour our local trails. The event will be fun for all complete with a party downtown on Main Street.”

For more information on the event, attend the June 5 launch party. Local athletes can do some Carvers-style carbo-loading, see the unveiling of the course and be the first people to sign up for the tour. Online registration will also be available through www.active.com on June 6.

Getting torched

Just after the Iron Horse’s closing bow, the torch will be arriving in Durango. The World Harmony Run, a global torch relay that promotes international friendship and understanding, will pass through Durango on May 26. The local stopover is part of a journey through all 50 states, and there will be a short ceremony at Santa Rita Park at 3: 10 p.m.

An international team of runners is carrying the torch 10,000 miles in a continuous relay through starting and finishing in New York City. An estimated 500,000 runners are expected to participate in America over a period of four months. Simultaneous running events are taking place in more than 100 countries on six continents.  

This is the 11th time the run has taken place since 1987. Past torch bearers have included Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela and Carl Lewis. The Run’s goal is to inspire people from all walks of life, in every corner of the globe, and promote the idea that harmony can happen.

For information visit: www.worldharmonyrun.org.