We hit the local country store and Sonnet buys some jeans. The kids load up on dirt kickers (red and brown), western shirts and various themed accoutrements (I no can do the cowboy motif). We then hit Walmart to take care of the back-to-school basics (a Montrose Target will open in September). Ain't retail cheap? Otherwise the kids have their swimming lessons followed by some swimming and after that more swimming.
We know that Senator Ted Stevens from Alaska, a Republican, had his house searched yesterday by the FBI as part of a federal investigation. Stevens is also (in)famous for his pork barrel projects like the $453MM Bridge To No Where linking Ketchikan (population 8,900) with its airport on Gravina Island (population 50). But did you know that Mr. Stevens is a linguist? His explanation of the Internet, extracted from public record and Wired Magazine in October 2005, sheds new terminology - and insight - into the In-tur-net.
"I just the other day got, an internet was sent by my staff at 10 o'clock in the morning on Friday and I just got it yesterday. Why?
Because it got tangled up with all these things going on the internet commercially.
So you want to talk about the consumer? Let's talk about you and me. We use this internet to communicate and we aren't using it for commercial purposes.
We aren't earning anything by going on that internet. Now I'm not saying you have to or you want to discrimnate against those people
The regulatory approach is wrong. Your approach is regulatory in the sense that it says "No one can charge anyone for massively invading this world of the internet". No, I'm not finished. I want people to understand my position, I'm not going to take a lot of time.
They want to deliver vast amounts of information over the internet. And again, the internet is not something you just dump something on. It's not a truck.
It's a series of tubes."
Bacon is a Big Deal at the hamburger joints in Montrose and Wendy's proudly promotes The Baconator: "Six strips of hickory smoked bacon piled high atop two 1/4 lb. patties of fresh, never frozen, beef. Complete with two slices of American cheese, mayo and ketchup for a mountain of mouth-watering taste. Go on, obsess a little." We head straight for McDonald's. The kids get chicken nuggets and fries while Sonnet and I defer for home-made sandwiches at our hotel.
"It is the Americans who have managed to crown minced beef as hamburger, and to send it round the world so that even the fussy French have taken to le boeuf hache, le hambourgaire."
Julia Child
“It requires a certain kind of mind to see beauty in a hamburger bun.”
Ray Kroc, creator McDonald's
We visit Black Canyon this afternoon and my photo from the chasm's south end. Black Canyon is about 12 miles outside of Montrose in Gunnison County, CO.
Geology
The Gunnison River drops an average of 43 feet per mile (8 m/km) through the entire canyon, making it one of the steepest river descents in North America. In comparison, the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon drops an average of 7.5 feet per mile (1.4 m/km). The greatest descent of the river occurs in the park at Chasm View dropping 240 feet per mile (45 m/km).
The Black Canyon gets its name on account of its steepness. This steepness makes it difficult for sunlight to penetrate very far down the canyon. As a result, the walls of the canyon are most often draped in shadows, causing the rocky walls to appear black. At its narrowest point the canyon is only 40 feet (12 meters) across at the river.
The area was established as a U.S. National Monument on March 2, 1933 and made into a National Park on October 21, 1999.
It is just possible that today Barry Bonds will break Hank Aaron's all-time home run record, New York Mets starter Tom Glavine wins his 300th game and New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodrigues becomes the youngest player (32) to hit his 500th homer. What are the odds of all three on the same day? It boggles the fan's mind. Photo by Thomas Ciszek of Atlantic City Surf pitcher Lincoln Mikkelsen who was the 2006 Sport Ticker Independent Baseball Pitcher of the Year.
Madeleine to Eitan: "You just want a hang nail so you can have all the attention!"
Madeleine at the Stanfill house, Montrose. The BIG plan today is... wait for it... The Simpsons! Both kids wake up with one thing on their mind as they have been promised the movie. Otherwise, I give them chores to do around our suite in return for cash-dollars. Madeleine is eager to have some disposable while Eitan a bit more reserved: "Aw, dad, you can't really be serious!" says he. Strong work ethic in this family clearly. Today we're all excited to see Marcus and perhaps visit the Black Canyon national reserve.
Eitan, two inches from my face, 7:01AM: "Dad will you fix my Spider Man Watch?"
Eitan to me: "Mom said not to disturb you until after 7AM"
Madeleine about a sparrow's nest at Stan/Silver's: "Look at the bird apartment!"
Eitan has some of Stan's cherry pie. Yum. Sadly Bill Walsh is lost to cancer at 75. The Genius took over the ailing San Francisco 49ers in 1978 at about the time I was really getting into football. The 49ers were 2-14 the season before Walsh arrived and 2-14 his first year. Then, in 1979, he drafted a quarterback from Notre Dame named Joe Montana. The 49ers went on to dominate the league with Super Bowl titles in 1981, '84 and '88. Along with Joe, my heroes were Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice, Gene "Hacksaw" Reynolds and Brent Jones, whose end-zone grab in the final minutes of the '81 NFC Championships sent the Cowboys home. That was an era to be a part of.
Is there anybody dumb enough not to believe that Gonzales is serving as a shield for Bush? You can just hear the conversation: "Common Alberto, take one for the team. Heck, if it goes wrong I'll just give you a pardon."
Surprise! The kids up at the crack of dawn. We arrive yesterday evening and have dinner with Stan and Silver while admiring the mountain views especially pretty at sunset. Eitan and Madeleine have a tour of the Stanfill house and marvel at Silver's flag collection which includes Yugoslavia, Alaska, California and Britain - places where she has taught or studied (women's) literature. Tonight Uncle Marcus arrives from Seattle.
From La Veta yesterday we drive through beautiful country including Gunninson, which ain't much of a town but tucked inside the Rockies. We cruise by the Gunnison River, whose three dams make the Blue Mesa Reservoir and form the heart of Curecanti. The Blue Mesa is Colorado's largest body of water, and is the largest Kokanee Salmon fishery in the U.S. Morrow Point Reservoir is the beginning of the Black Canyon, and below, East Portal is the site of the Gunnison Diversion Tunnel, a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It's pretty cool stuff but we power on to reach Montrose in time for dinner. Photo from Estes Park.
This morning I talk to Jo, a neighbor at the La Veta Inn. Initially Sonnet had difficulties with Jo for smoking and late night drinking with her husband and 25 year old son who are in town to play golf and party. Otherwise she is from a small town outside Denver where the newest VA hospital is being built. Her brother served three tours in Viet Nam before being hit by a semi on a Florida inter-state (he survived and is in a wheel chair). "He was treated horribly on his return" she says. Our discussion turns to Iraq and the Bush government. She once supported the war and would have been proud to see her son there. No more. On Queda and Iraq, she says: bullshit. "We should have stopped in Afghanistan or maybe Pakistan" and "I can see my house on the Internet. Why can't Bush get Bin Laden?" She believes we should have gone in and done it right or "get the hell out of there." She also connects Iraq's failure to Iran, which could have nukes. "I cannot believe that I would see Viet Nam again. It (Iraq) is becoming the same thing." On the next President? She hates Hillary Clinton and says what our country needs is a black woman: "now she would kick some real ass."
We end the day in front of Dumbo. Remember that crazy scene when Dumbo's water is spiked and he and the rat see pink elephants dance? And the hobo negro crows who find them in the tree-tops? And of course the climatic finish when Dumbo tears around the Big Top. Eitan complains that the movie is too short and feels cheated. When it comes to cartoons, it would appear that quantity trumps quality.
Image from Disney.
Madeleine and Eitan have spent this week with Martine and Bill re-acquainting themselves with some old friends. This evening Martine prepares dinner for a Stanfill family reunion including Sonnet's aunts Beecher, Martine and Robin and their husbands Bill and Ray, cousins Whitney (and husband Frank) and David and their children Tess and Thea. David is in from New York to help Beecher and Frank add an extension to Beecher's already big house. David is a writer and carpenter and lives on B Street in Alphabet City with his girlfriend Nicole who owns a vintage clothing store. Way cool.
"I had a great time doing Vegas. It's just that it takes a lot of time."
John Elway
We drive to Walsenburg to hit the waterpark. On hand are two three story water slides, one of which requires an inner-tube and is enclosed for darkness. Cool! Eitan and Madeleine are rightly scared but Madeleine bunches up her courage and goes for it: "whoopie dad! This is totally rad!" (OK, I gave her the expression). Eitan gets into the action and soon we are racing up the stairs umpteen times to ride the curves. The lifeguards are bemused by the accents and ask what football clubs we support (Eitan: Manchester United of course. Madeleine Chelsea and me Arsenal). Afterwards Sonnet and I sunbathe while the kids splash about. Tonight: BBQ at Martine's ranch. Rad!
"I don't know if I like being the sentimental favorite."
John Elway, Denver Broncos
Eitan and I go for a walk as the sun rises over the mountains. We are the first up accept for the church-goers who prepare a $5 pancake breakfast on the High Street. Bacon and coffee included. According to Robin, the evangelicals have arrived in La Veta and are preaching their tupper-ware to the influencables. A main recruiting ground is the public Middle School where community pressure has allowed the congregation to prosper. This being the United States where Church and State or supposedly separated, a 16 year has taken it upon herself to write the only (so far) dissenting op-ed in The Pueblo newspaper.
Madeleine I find by our door step this morning shooing her ant "Polly" from her cage. Madeleine captured Polly last night, entrapping her in a clear-plastic crayons case complete with grass, dirt and food-stuff. Fast friends from the start, Madeleine showed Polly to the locals (who would listen). As for Polly's release this morning: "I want her to be free" says Madeleine.
Beecher with her grand gal Thea. After spending a morning in Cuchara, we return to La Veta so Eitan and Madeleine can get a cone at local grocers Charlie's. At $1 a scoop, a bargain. Afterwards we visit Aunt Robin and Ray, who have recently completed their home and work studio nearby. Robin is an artist who focuses on large and small stones, beads, feathers and crafts. It is never boring. Her work is sold locally and in places like Taos, Telluride and Santa Fe. I try on several pendants but she is now focused on women, so I will have to wait.
I ask Madeleine if life is good or bad. "Well, it is both" she says.
Me: "Why is it bad?"
Madeleine: "Because people die."
Me: "And why is it good?"Madeleine: "Because the sun is shining."
I practice my look for the summer in this self-portrait. We spend the morning in Cuchara with Beecher, Whitney and her kids Tess and Thea who is now about one year old and just begging to walk. Cuchara is 8,600 feet altitude and we are happy and dehydrated by morning's end, which includes hide-and-seek, tag, swings and other outdoor mountain activities. Beecher's cabin was a gift from a wealthy Texas family. It is nestled in the firs next to a brook, open fields and of course mountains.
Sharon is one of Katie's best friends from Harvard. She famously travelled with us along the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in 1997 which took us from Islamabad, Pakistan to Kashgar, China and beyond. Here Sharon is with her daughter in a more natural habitat - New York City where she was born and raised. At school, Sharon was a scholar-athlete and played some mean stick - she represented the USA on several international field hockey teams.
Katie's picture taken in Central Park.
Here is where we be. The Inn was built in 1876 (photo from the Inn)
History of the town
Colonel John M. Francisco (1820 – 1902) and Judge Henry Daigre (1832 – 1902) formed a partnership and purchased land under the Vigil-St. Vrain Land Grant in 1868. The land was located on a Native American trail used by the Ute tribe (and earlier the Comanches). They built a plaza known as Francisco Fort to supply the Denver mining camps with products from ranching and farming. Ranches and farms like that of the Bela and Fain families were located nearby.
In Spanish, La Veta, translates as “the mineral vein”, which is apropos, given the town's association with mining claims; like the abandoned mining camp of Ojo which is located a few miles from the town. The concrete foundations of the camp can still be seen upon close inspection. Hiram Vasquez said that the town was named by Mexican settlers from a vein of white mineral which they called “La Veta Tierra Blanca”.
By 1876 the Denver and Rio Grande Railway Company -- later theDenver & Rio Grande Western Railroad - built a narrow gauge railroad through a right-of-way to the plaza and 200 acres for a town site donated by Francisco and Daigre. The tracks continued over what is known today as “Old La Veta Pass”, completing a trek up to an elevation of 9582 feet to a depot built by1877 in a place known as “Uptop”.
Here we are in Chicago, on our way to Colorado for July and August. The day starts with an 0530 pickup and ending at 1400 in Le Veta. Please note that the time difference is +7 hours, making this a looong trip. We and the kids hold it together and when compared to earlier travels at sub 3 years, this seems like a snap. Both Eitan and Madeleine proudly keep their back-packs and "buddies" closely held in the Tesco bag. We stay at the Le Veta Inn. The town has a population of 900 or so including local cowboys and urbanite yuppies. While I'm not able to buy the New York Times, there is excellent coffee at the local bakery (open four days a week) and the Denver Post gives me the baseball scores. Today the kids go to Martine and Bill's horse ranch to see their pals Praline, Buckwheat, Charlie and others.
