Ear to the ground

“Then there was the year my father showed up really high and took pictures of the wrong kid.”

– A Durango woman reflecting on a painful Christmas pageant memory

Birkie bound

A native Durangoan is leaving a lasting mark on America’s biggest ski race. Andy Wood, now of Lakeville, Minn., designed the winning T-shirt for the 2010 Birkebeiner, held in northern Wisconsin in February.

“The winning design reflects the ‘Live the Birkie’ lifestyle by focusing on the outdoors and on the skate and classic skiing techniques,” said Ned Zuelsdorff, executive director of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation. “Andy Wood, our winning designer, really captured the spirit of the trail and the event.”

Wood plans to ski his first Birkie this year: the 54K Classic race. For Wood, cross country skiing has been a part of his life since he was 3 years old. He grew up skiing at the Durango Nordic Center and competed in several Junior National Competitions. After high school, he decided to continue his skiing career by moving to Duluth, Minn., to compete with the elite Gitchi Gummi Sports Association team. Unlike many native Durangoans, he has no plans to return to the San Juans.  “I fell in love with the Midwest and its long winters and never thought about moving back to the mountains,” said Wood.

Wood’s design depicts skate and classic skiers emerging from the woods on the trail to the finish line. “Knowing that there are both a skate race and a classic race, I wanted to show the two disciplines emerging from the deep woods and coming together at the end,” he said. “I just love the sound of the wind and the snow blowing through the trees, and I tried to capture that, too. These elements come together in the center with one single message, ‘Live the Birkie.’”

As the 2010 contest winner, Andy receives a free race registration, a VIP parking pass and a pair of skate or classic Fischer skis. The Birkie takes off Feb. 27

Festivus interruptus

Just in case we missed you last week, here’s another update from your friends at theDurango Telegraph. The staffers at your favorite local weekly will be taking Christmas week off.

That’s right, the world headquarters will be closed to the public next week. Avid readers are reminded to not look for a new edition on Christmas Eve (and please don’t call to tell us that the new issue is not up on the web). Instead, hold onto this eye-catching “double-issue” for an additional seven days. We’ll be tanned, rested and back in business Dec. 28.