Smelling the flowers on the CT
To the editor,
Shame on you Telegraph for scaring away future bike packers on the Colorado Trail with stories of pain, agony and killer fuzzy bunnies! The Colorado Trail offers the ride of a lifetime and should be on everybody’s bucket list. Kindly allow me to present an alternate perspective.
To the editor,
Shame on you Telegraph for scaring away future bike packers on the Colorado Trail with stories of pain, agony and killer fuzzy bunnies! The Colorado Trail offers the ride of a lifetime and should be on everybody’s bucket list. Kindly allow me to present an alternate perspective.
First of all, about us – Colorado Trail “survivors.” I’m quite likely the slowest bicyclist on the planet. And my husband, Seth, was nearly smooshed to death by an SUV on his bike a few years back. In 2011, once Seth was back walking and talking, we decided to bikepack the Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango as a comeback tour. We scheduled a 21-day ride, plenty of rest stops, lots of food. And to those who appreciate a good nights’ rest, here’s a little secret. At a pace of ~25 mile/day, you can arrange to stay at B&B’s about every three days all the way from Denver to Buena Vista. Though washing in cold mountain streams and resting your head on a folded jacket pillow may sound romantic, a hot shower and soft mattress make a wonderful contrast.
More importantly, about the trail. It is, in a word, fabulous. Riding along, I would crest a pass and see a vista of wildflowers and snowcapped mountains so beautiful that my heart would soar and I would forget to pedal. Invariably, I wouldn’t unclip in time resulting in a slow speed return to earth! Poking my head up, I bore witness to a cornucopia and cacophony of sound and sight! The wildflowers were always giggling. Nodding their heads at the clumsy human in their midst. I would spy a flutterby, wings wildly flapping in the soft breeze. Nearby, a bumblebee buzzing, his tummy so full of nectar that he could barely clear the top of the flower petal. Then a hummingbird’s insistent call demanding more sugar and less water! In the distance, a gaggle of baby pine trees were swinging their bright green petticoats, mama pine standing proudly nearby. Never once, did I encounter a crazed bunny!
Did I mention the awesome picnics every day? I love picnics especially sitting under the cool shade of a tree next to a babbling brook. After lunch, the mandatory snoozesta as the clouds – masters of shapeshifting – pass by.
Sometime around 5 p.m., we’d start looking for a camp (when we weren’t B&Bing). We’d set up our little cozy abode for the night, often with front row tickets to some of the most amazing alpenglow shows in the world. We were snug as bugs in a rug nestled in our sleeping bags for each restful night’s sleep.
On our last day, which was our 21st day on the trail, we were passed by the first of the Colorado Trail Racers on their 4th and final day. One racer was completely delirious babbling something about a bunny attack. I mischievously thought I should ask him to lie down and watch the clouds to find out what he would come up with! Another racer, who still had her wits about her, stopped to chat with us. She pulled a packet of soggy oatmeal out of her sports bra and took a tentative bite. “Nope”, she commented, “Still needs to brew a bit.” We bade her sunshine and tailwinds while politely covering our burps from a breakfast of ginger pear pancakes.
And then I turned to Seth and proclaimed as I do at the beginning of every ride, “We’re off ... like a herd of turtles!”
– Jody Furtney, Durango
Healthy answers to healthy questions
To the editor,
Young family? Pregnant? Looking for medical Insurance?
To the editor,
Young family? Pregnant? Looking for medical Insurance?
My name is Mackenzie Morgan, and I am the family health coordinator for San Juan Basin Health. In my position, I help pregnant women and children ages 0 through 20 apply for state medical insurance and connect them with various resources throughout the community.
I serve La Plata, San Juan, Dolores, Montezuma and Archuleta counties to connect our community to nearby health services. I also schedule appointments with clients to find out whether or not they are eligible for state-run health insurances (CHP+ or Medicaid.) For those who are eligible to apply for these programs, I am more than happy to assist in filling out applications.
We can go over your options for primary and mental health care in your area, along with other community resources, like housing assistance, volunteer opportunities, or finding a school for your kids. Let me know your interests, and I will do what I can to connect you with appropriate services in the counties I serve.
If you are interested in finding affordable insurance, are already insured with Medicaid or CHP+ and have questions, or want to know more about some of the assistance programs our community has to offer, call me at 970-335-2022, email me at mmorgan@sjbhd.org, or stop by the Health Department at 281 Sawyer Drive, just west of the Durango Mall. I hope to meet you soon; tell your friends!
Se habla español. ?Dile a sus amigos hispanohablantes!
– Mackenzie Morgan, family health coordinator, San Juan Basin Health Department
The 9-R school board needs you
To the editor,
Nov. 5 will be an important day for the Durango 9-R School District and our community. Given an untimely death, resignation, recent board member relocation, and regularly expiring terms, six of the seven seats on the Durango 9-R school board will be up for election, including mine. I am writing to encourage district residents to consider running for these important positions.
To the editor,
Nov. 5 will be an important day for the Durango 9-R School District and our community. Given an untimely death, resignation, recent board member relocation, and regularly expiring terms, six of the seven seats on the Durango 9-R school board will be up for election, including mine. I am writing to encourage district residents to consider running for these important positions.
This is an exciting and challenging time to be involved in shaping the education of our children. Exciting in that new state assessments are coming in 2014, 9-R enrollment is slowly growing again, and innovative programs have been adopted that should help our students become more engaged in their learning. Challenging in that we are working to overcome flat achievement growth and to close one of the largest achievement gaps in the state among our free and reduced lunch and minority students.
Fortunately, we are well positioned to meet these challenges. Thanks to community members and their support in providing additional funding, we are in a strong financial position. We have a dedicated staff that works hard each day to make sure our children are learning. And finally, in Dan Snowberger, we have a superintendent who is ready to work with the school board, district staff and our community to make necessary changes.
The school board plays a key role in ensuring that the mission of the district – “ ... to ensure each student develops the skills and attributes for lifelong learning and has the ability to compete and contribute in the global community … ” is accomplished. Yes, it is a big time commitment to be on the school board. However, aside from Tuesday evening meetings, most of the additional time necessary to be an effective board member is flexible and can be worked into your current work and family schedule.
If you have a passion for education, please consider running. Do not let the idea of running a campaign intimidate you. We live in a community where school board elections are low key events and do not require much (if any) money.
For more information on running for the school board, please visit the district’s website at www.durangoschools.org. Petitions can be picked up on Aug. 7. Please feel free to call any current board member to learn firsthand about the rewards of representing your community on the school board.
– Jeff Schell, president, Durango 9-R School Board