Ear to the ground:
“Overheard one hippie to another at a bus stop, ‘Hey, nice Birks.’ ... Maybe I think it’s funnier than it actually is.”
– Recent ‘Ear to the Ground’
submission where the email was actually funnier than the quote.
Egg-sighting!
OK, so he’s not exactly Johnny Depp. But Swedish Olympic freeskier Henrik Harlaut, who stirred instant and sometimes heated debate over his David Byrne-like approach to fashion, turned a few heads in Durango over the weekend.
Harlaut, who is sponsored by ski maker Armada, showed up for a day of cat skiing with local outfit San Juan Untracked, which uses Armadas.
And even though there was a foot of fresh pow to be had, Harlaut and his cohorts were perfectly content to have the cat build a kicker and huck their britches to their hearts’ content.
“We just sat in the cat and watched while they went off jumps,” said San Juan Untracked ski guide Will Siegrist. “It wasn’t how I would’ve spent my day, but at least we were getting paid.”
After leaving most of Untracked’s terrain, well, untracked, Harlaut reportedly took in the other local hot spots: a day at Purg and a trip to the Ranch. No word on how many peanuts he tried to stuff in his oversized pockets, but we’re guessing all those shells are much more forgiving than Harlaut’s ill-fated and now-infamous egg.
Royal flush
Scared you may have gone overboard with the flushable wipes? Giant tree roots got you down in the dumps? Well, homeowners will be relieved to know they can flush with confidence. The City of Durango recently announced its seal of approval for a “low-cost” insurance program that covers repair of ruptured and damaged sewer pipes.
Under city code, property owners are responsible for maintenance and repair of water and sewer lines from the City’s main to their homes. As such, culprits like roots, kitchen grease and an overdose of the aforementioned wipes (which it turns out, are “flushable” but not exactly “disposable”) can cause a costly headache. Think new bike costly.
The optional coverage is provided by the National League of Cities and administered by Service Line Warranties of America. Although there have recently been solicitations from other companies offering similar warranties, the City says SLWA is the only company it has vetted and endorsed.
“We think Durango homeowners will be pleased with our features and benefits, including a 24-hour repair hotline and the use of local, certified technicians,” said Brad Carmichael, of SLWA.
Cutting out the wipes, of course, is also good insurance. And 100 percent free.
For questions or to enroll, call 866-922-9006 or visit www.slwofa.com.