# what I overheard on Main St in Durango



## mvhyde (Feb 3, 2004)

I was walking back to where my wife and kid were and there was this soccer mom ranting to her friend about the lady who drowned on Upper A. She was ranting about how they should make it off-limits and disallow any boating at all on Upper A because it was a bad influence to her kids and other kids. 

I stood there dazed and confused as she was ranting her way through this misguided, misinformed diatribe. Now I am not a SEXIST male pig, just a male pig, but I could not help myself, so those readers of female gender, please forgive my trespass. I piped in my 2 cents, well...maybe 50 cents, and told her that yeah, you're right about that ma'am, they ought to make running rivers illegal, ban it outright, jail the bastards, and while we're at it, maybe we should ban and/or jail do-gooder-betty crocker-soccer mom- bizitches who think they know what is best for the rest of the damn world, yet seemingly cannot figure out why they are the proud owner of the world's most dysfunctional family of Mom, Dad, 2.5 kids (one of which is the new heroin king/queen of the local junior high).

ARGH...God save us from these azzholes


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## sj (Aug 13, 2004)

Nice rant Mike. Yet another reason we as a boating community need to do less armchair quaterbacking and more reciting of the facts when stuff like this happens. Imagine if this ladies husband worked with mania. She would have added "They had only done browns and westwater and had no experience in anything harder we need to close the river". sj


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## mania (Oct 21, 2003)

sj said:


> Nice rant Mike. Yet another reason we as a boating community need to do less armchair quaterbacking and more reciting of the facts when stuff like this happens. Imagine if this ladies husband worked with mania. She would have added "They had only done browns and westwater and had no experience in anything harder we need to close the river". sj


get bent sj


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## sj (Aug 13, 2004)

that's how rumours get started. Lighten up and get the facts straight before you go posting or telling stories. What does get bent mean? I am from the "Go Fuck yourself" generation.


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## mvhyde (Feb 3, 2004)

*gee guys....*

easy easy easy......


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## sj (Aug 13, 2004)

I know Mike I wasn't trying to be an ass. The go f yourself line was actually a Cheny joke and a way of saying our age could effect our understanding of each other. i thought opening with a smily icon would help. sj


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## mania (Oct 21, 2003)

:twisted: 

so yeah the sherrif was actually asked if he would close the river and he was like - uh no.

i personally like the new zealand attitude of go for it its your own fault if something bad happens.


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

Isn't that how the ski industry in this state works anymore? Ski/ride at your own risk, right? The resort is not culpable. Why wouldn't boating or anything people do on the river be any different?

I hate soccer moms. I hate soccer. Oh...and minivans.


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## Laurey (Apr 26, 2005)

You should have just told her that if she was so worried about her kids to actually parent them. You know talk to them, lead them and be their greatest influence. Educating your kids and yourself keeps you safe in life and keeps you from looking and sounding like and idiot. But you know people... just need something to gossip or [email protected]#h about.


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

Yeah..I REALLY hate minivans.


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## bill (Oct 13, 2003)

i think minivans are great. ours gets 22 to25 miles per gal and hold lots of stuff. 5 people 5 boats, and kick ass on snow backed roads. i pass lots of SUV's in the ditch.


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## PhilBob (Jun 30, 2005)

What a stupid biatch!


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## mania (Oct 21, 2003)

so now our stupid newspaper is running an online poll called "should the upper animas be closed" or some such nonsense. please go to www.durangoherald.com and vote no! those dumbasses.


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## sj (Aug 13, 2004)

Holy Shit no is leading but no by much. When did this country become so enamored with big Gov. ? sj


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## stinginrivers (Oct 18, 2003)

That is completely F#@$#ed up. I always thought Durango was a cool mountain community filled with active adventurous souls. I guess I was wrong. It only is half full of cool people and well I am not going to get into what the other half might be...


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## WspSteamboater (Jan 23, 2004)

*Example of education needed*

I haven't chimed in on any of the things going on down south. First of all my thoughts to all who have been involved with the deaths and losses this year, both directly and indirectly. I have been in your position and I can understand what a lot of people are going through. I don't have comments on any of the "at fault" views that were discussed here. Life is a series of triumphs and failures. Sometimes the "failures" are greater than life itself. The triumphs are what make life larger than just existence.

Regarding the soccer mom - I can totally understand where Mike and others are coming from and that type of attitude (her's) is exactly the "bad press' that boating doesn't need. Not specifically because of the fact that people have died per say, but how those deaths are being percieved by a lot of people who are not part of the paddling community.

I guess all I want to say is this could be a perfect example of educating the general public. Whether that soccer mom is the typical, clueless, know-it-all that many of us have seen in life or not, I would suggest that in order to shed a positive light on a bad situation that "we" as representatives of the boating world need to at least relay the reality of the situation so that it doesn't result in some unrealistic government regulation that could affect a lot of the rivers we all enjoy. Maybe take a few minutes to express your viewpoint in contrast to what the press/news/gossip may be putting out there. A few cooments from your perspective could totally change the way she feels about the incidents and possibly the way she reacts to her kids when they are of age.

Having said that - I probably would have told her the same things if I were in your shoes. :twisted: 

Once again - my thoughts are with everyone who is part of this. It is so hard having someone ripped from your life at a young age. It is always hardest when those people are the "special one's" that impact the lives of everyone around them and push them to live their own lives to the fullest. 


*You call me on the phone, you say that it is crucial
You stick your fingers in your ears 'til they explode
I guess the business will be goin' on as usual
We must grab each others collar, we must rise out of the water
'Cause you know as well as I do that it's no fun to die alone*


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Any time someone names an SUV after your town, its no longer a place you'll want to live if being surrounded by "cool, adventurous people" is a main goal. Read the John Nichols books (Milagro Beanfield War, etc.) for a commentary of what's happening to Western towns like Durango, Salida, BV, Taos, etc. Nichols wrote the series almost 30 years ago but foretold what's happening to places that we think of as "mountain paradise." Durango (along with many other places) is Nichols' Chamisaville.

--Andy


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## FLOWTORCH (Mar 5, 2004)

Wow, she does sound like your typical colorado, annoying, know nothing bleeatch. I'm blown away that people would actually even consider closing a river. It also floors me that so many people think paddling class V is something to take lightly, people need to be more serious about their abilities. 

Anyways I think the real people we should be going after here are the RV drivers. Is anyone else as sick of them as I am, If not, go to the poudre on a weekend!!! Anyone notice that at almost every single campground in every single spot there was an RV last weekend (or any weekend)!!! It's so f-in annoying these people, they bring along a mobile house, every amenity you can think of and on top of that they are towing another trailer behind that with the 4-wheelers...and they are always fat asses. Defend the heavyweights all you want but its true. And this market is only getting BIGGER.


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## tboner (Oct 13, 2003)

i call them gasoline cowboys :twisted:


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## Roy (Oct 30, 2003)

I can't believe +40% of (presumably) Coloradans want a nanny government to close down the river!

That makes almost as much sense as the 10 people who took the time to answer "I don't know" to a one question poll... :?


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## mankster (Jul 6, 2005)

she is obviously not a native coloradoan. I mean how could you live in Colorado and not understand how important and cool the rivers are.

Seriously. I grew up playing soccer (extremely fun sport, but not as kewl as kayaking and not as nearly as elitist, you only need a ball) and ya, my parents had to drive me around to be able to play (in a station wagon no less). Man they must be bad parents to do that for their kids. And yes my parents were concerned with me playing in rivers too, weird how they didn't want me to die.

ease up on the lady. you perfect people. try having a family in a ski town/tourist town and see how easy and great it is, to rasie your kids when a bunch of idiots live there for a year or two and think they own it. Great influences on kids, not working, just being ski/kayak bums, risking their lives because they don't have one.

you don't know who she knows or knew or how she came to feel that way. (It must be because she drives a mini-van.) There have been a lot of tragic things happen in rivers this year. Have some compassion.


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## tomcat (Oct 16, 2003)

As was pointed out in the thread about the Boulder police.....that when an "authority" decides to close a section of river due to high water or some other "subjective" criteria...that sets them up for all types of lawsuits for the rivers they didn't close. In other words, they are stepping into the doodoo pretty deep when they set a standard that allows other rivers to be paddled and something bad happens. Afterall, it was the "autority" that decided that those others river levels or sections of river are OK to paddle so it must be safe and then when something happens, you can blame the authority for the decision to allow paddlers on that day. It's a legal nightmare that Durango may want to seriously consider before they decide where to draw the line. Some of you Durango residents need to find a good lawyer who can lay this out in some type of written response to the authorities.


tommy


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## FLOWTORCH (Mar 5, 2004)

Doesn't assumption of risk have something to do with that. I just dont see how the law should apply to paddling a river, I know it does, but it just amazes me.


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## Dirty Al (Oct 13, 2003)

Sorry for the change of subject..

Tomcat......I'm living in Little Rock for the Summer and we've been getting some good rain. I would love to do some padling if you are interested. I have both my creeker and playboat, but prefer the steep stuff. Either e-mail ([email protected]) or phone (970-227-3476) are good ways to get a hold of me. Thanks a lot.
--Al


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## mvhyde (Feb 3, 2004)

*hmmmm Durango Herald*

Dana,

I think I need to say something about that poll to the city editor (Tom).... That's very disturbing and well... plain wrong, but it is free speech I guess. I'm just afraid the soccer moms and dads will come out of the woodwork and considering the fact that the DPD tells Durango Herald what they can and cannot print out of the police reports... it makes you wonder who is scratching whom's back.

That being said, I still think most people who live here are pretty damn cool, although there is that element in every town that wants to regulate everything. We're a College/Ski/Tourista/River town here. Losing people on the river is bad publicity no matter which way you slice it. However, as the line goes.... Kayaking and Rafting are inherently dangerous sports, your participation is voluntary and you assume all risks associated with the sport, including having your cold and dead corpse pulled from the water and autopsied before we bury you appropriately and hoist some frosty ones in toast as you go on your merry way to Heaven, Hell, or whereever you think you need to be.

Did anyone see the DPD blotter from 6/28? A naked woman in her 20's was gassing up a Hummer at 6th & Main....no one got her license plate number.... wonder why?


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

Naked girls and hummers??!! I gotta get out that way...in my minivan. I hate moms.


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## gh (Oct 13, 2003)

Suddenly Durango sounds cool again with naked drivers. Anyway the paper is in the business of selling papers. They just picked the latest lightning rod and held it in the air. They have no authority to close the river.


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

Word. I hate the media.


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## mvhyde (Feb 3, 2004)

*well....*

I spoke with the City Editor for the Durango Herald last night when I was picking up my kid at school. It was an interesting conversation to say the least. But basically, Tom was told to put the poll out there, he said Dana called him and had a colorful conversation <snicker>.

Anyway, Tom himself is really about personal responsibility in all things, including the decision to float the Upper A. Basically, you do it, it's your butt if you die or get hurt. But there are those in town that want to regulate everything in life that we do because we might hurt ourselves. It's a commonality throughout the world, not just Durango or Colorado. People just love minding other people's lives.

What doesn't help us are idiots who jump off of bridges so they can emulate some movie they saw. I believe the guy who died doing that recently here was a complete and utter moron, but, that was HIS choice and so be it. I will never stand in the way of someone who truly deserves a Darwin Award.


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## mania (Oct 21, 2003)

*Re: well....*



mvhyde said:


> I spoke with the City Editor for the Durango Herald last night when I was picking up my kid at school. It was an interesting conversation to say the least. But basically, Tom was told to put the poll out there, he said Dana called him and had a colorful conversation <snicker>.


that's interesting as I have not called him. :?


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## mvhyde (Feb 3, 2004)

*weird*

he said it was you....from 4Corners Expeditions.... I'll ask him tonight when I pick the monkey


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

It won't be long until the good townfolk place the blame squarely where it rightfully belongs...on the whitewater community. We are the ones that lobby for access and other river issues and make it look so damn fun to be on the river! Take up your pitchforks and torches, good citizens, the bastille is this way!


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## chadmckenzie26 (Jun 23, 2005)

*Soccer*

Soccer Sucks I hated it. :wink:


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## chadmckenzie26 (Jun 23, 2005)

I guess as it stands soccer sucks. These are the the same lameos that telll us what to. I know what they are doing on a Saturday watching lame ass soccer.


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## chadmckenzie26 (Jun 23, 2005)

no goals, no fighting, no action. Just lame ass soccer. If your a soccer player please chime in, becuse I am just ripping on soccer. I'm a hockey player by the way....


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## mvhyde (Feb 3, 2004)

*if............*

if there's no blood or potential for blood, is it really a sport worth doing? Footie in the states (soccer for the uneducated) basically sucks. Everywhere else in the world it's a carnage sport, if you have never bee to a match between Man U and Glasgow, you're %^#&%^& missing it. If the player aren't getting pissy, the fans definitely are.


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## rivermanryan (Oct 30, 2003)

Play Rugby instead!


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