Ear to the ground

“I scored some Doritos on my way home from work on the River Trail!”

– A local 20-something on surviving in recession-era Durango

Sweet cheeks

A former Durangoan is doing her part to rid the world of saddle sores. Jennie Taylor, wife of endurance cyclist David Drake and onetime Dancing Willow Herbalist, is spreading her “Sweet Cheeks Butt Butter” all over New Zealand.

The couple relocated from Durango to Drake’s native country several years ago. There, Drake resumed his riding habit with a little help into the saddle from his wife. Taylor conquers saddle sores by distilling garden herbs in her kitchen before mixing them with other ingredients to produce the “butt butter.”

“I think, if you are riding a lot you should be thinking a bit more about what you are putting down there,” Taylor told theOtago Daily Times.

Taylor credits Drake and his cheeks for inspiring her new venture. “I guess I was always calling David sweetie, and then I thought ‘Sweet Cheeks,’” she told the paper.

Jennie is now doing her bit to prevent chafing all over New Zealand’s south island. She makes roughly 20 jars of Sweet Cheeks each week and delivers the salve to stores in Wanaka, Queenstown, Timaru and Wellington. Meanwhile, Drake is continuing to make a name for himself in the saddle. He took second among the solo riders in last weekend’s 12-hour Naseby mountain bike race.

Shutter aid

Locals can help a fellow Durangoan get his lens back in working order this week. Ska Brewing will host Scootpalooza, a fund-raiser for renowned local photographer Scott DW Smith, on Fri., April 30.

Smith is currently recovering from an “unfortunate interface” with a tree while snowboarding in Telluride last month. Following a shoot, Smith checked an aspen tree on Sully’s Gully and snapped his femur. While Smith’s health insurance is covering his medical bills, he is currently laid up and temporarily out of work, as his job is based on getting outside and shooting photos.

In response, Dave Thibodeaux and the crew hatched Scootpalooza, “a broken femur is reason to party community-style.” From 6-9 p.m., SOB (Some Other Band) and Fuzzy Killing Machine will play Ska’s World Headquarters in Bodo. $1 from every pint will go to the cause and a silent auction, featuring items from Osprey Packs, Venture Snowboards, The North Face, Your Flesh and others, will help get Smith out of the dark room.