Ear to the ground:
“Do you think I could painting bomb him?”
– Passerby wondering if loitering long enough would land him in a plein aire painter’s masterpiece
Pedaling the talk
So, you think your bike commute is tough? Durango Clean Commuter of the Year Jeff DeCelles probably has you beat. DeCelles, who lives in the Needham neighborhood, is diligent about riding to his job every day – on a recumbent, mind you – at StoneAge Tools at the Animas Air Park. That’s 16 miles round trip, including a hefty half-mile uphill climb in the morning. When the weather absolutely prohibits it, DeCelles, a member of the Sustainability Alliance, carpools with neighbors.
“I have given him many rides to work on snowy days, since we live just a few blocks apart,” wrote one fan in nominating DeCelles. “Yes, Jeff owns a car, and his main motivation is not frugality, as he pitches in for gas and even new windshield wiper blades for my car. He is someone who is driven by a passion to walk ... er, pedal ... his talk.”
Runners – or shall we say “riders” – up this year included the family of Mark Rosenberg, LeeAnn Vallejos and their son, Aiden
“They own a car, but it sits in the driveway most of the time,” wrote their nominators. “They walk and ride their bikes just about everywhere, and what’s more important, they are teaching this lifestyle to their son.”
Greg Jadrych was also chosen as a runner up. “Greg is in his 50s and has never owned a car. In fact, when I met him 18 years ago, he didn’t know how to drive and had never had a driver’s license,” wrote his nominator. “He lives alone, so he has to bike everywhere year ‘round – work, groceries, etc.”
Muscling up
And speaking of feats of strength, this Saturday, Four Corners men and women of steel will have the opportunity to flex their muscles at the Ute Mountain Strongman Competition. Held at the Ute Mountain Recreation Center in Towaoc, the competition will include an array of classic events that would tire even Super Man, including the tire flip, car pull, dead lift, keg stack and farmer’s walk. Women will compete in the tire flip, car pull and deadlift.
During the tire flip, competitors will have 45 seconds to flip a 310-pound tractor tire 40 feet, with the person who completes the task the fastest named the winner.
In the car pull, competitors will be required to drag a vehicle 40 feet up a slight incline. Females will drag a Jeep, while males will face off against a Hummer.
And last but not least, the deadlift will required participants to perform as many 400-pound deadlifts (200 pounds for the ladies) as possible in 90 seconds.
– Passerby wondering if loitering long enough would land him in a plein aire painter’s masterpiece
Pedaling the talk
So, you think your bike commute is tough? Durango Clean Commuter of the Year Jeff DeCelles probably has you beat. DeCelles, who lives in the Needham neighborhood, is diligent about riding to his job every day – on a recumbent, mind you – at StoneAge Tools at the Animas Air Park. That’s 16 miles round trip, including a hefty half-mile uphill climb in the morning. When the weather absolutely prohibits it, DeCelles, a member of the Sustainability Alliance, carpools with neighbors.
“I have given him many rides to work on snowy days, since we live just a few blocks apart,” wrote one fan in nominating DeCelles. “Yes, Jeff owns a car, and his main motivation is not frugality, as he pitches in for gas and even new windshield wiper blades for my car. He is someone who is driven by a passion to walk ... er, pedal ... his talk.”
Runners – or shall we say “riders” – up this year included the family of Mark Rosenberg, LeeAnn Vallejos and their son, Aiden
“They own a car, but it sits in the driveway most of the time,” wrote their nominators. “They walk and ride their bikes just about everywhere, and what’s more important, they are teaching this lifestyle to their son.”
Greg Jadrych was also chosen as a runner up. “Greg is in his 50s and has never owned a car. In fact, when I met him 18 years ago, he didn’t know how to drive and had never had a driver’s license,” wrote his nominator. “He lives alone, so he has to bike everywhere year ‘round – work, groceries, etc.”
Muscling up
And speaking of feats of strength, this Saturday, Four Corners men and women of steel will have the opportunity to flex their muscles at the Ute Mountain Strongman Competition. Held at the Ute Mountain Recreation Center in Towaoc, the competition will include an array of classic events that would tire even Super Man, including the tire flip, car pull, dead lift, keg stack and farmer’s walk. Women will compete in the tire flip, car pull and deadlift.
During the tire flip, competitors will have 45 seconds to flip a 310-pound tractor tire 40 feet, with the person who completes the task the fastest named the winner.
In the car pull, competitors will be required to drag a vehicle 40 feet up a slight incline. Females will drag a Jeep, while males will face off against a Hummer.
And last but not least, the deadlift will required participants to perform as many 400-pound deadlifts (200 pounds for the ladies) as possible in 90 seconds.
In this week's issue...
- January 25, 2024
- Bagging it
State plastic bag ban is in full effect, but enforcement varies
- January 26, 2024
- Paper chase
The Sneer is back – and no we’re not talking about Billy Idol’s comeback tour.
- January 11, 2024
- High and dry
New state climate report projects continued warming, declining streamflows