OCR Text |
Show 16B Moab Happenings April 1997 dob Walkers Awe-inspir- ed It was beautiful, sunny day in late winterearly spring of 1971 that I first experienced the Moab area. I had recently completed my studies at the University of Utah and received my degree m architecture So I was living in Landscapes museum to fighting local zoning change battles. Theres never a dull moment in Moab, where sometimes just running errands can turn out to be an adventure. Speaking of fun and adventure, I must not forget to mention my favorite things to do here, besides art projects, and those are hiking, skiing, and windsurfing; all with the main purpose of getting out to enjoy the spectacular country we can access from here. Salt Lake and working for the architects w ho were doing designs for the Snowbird Ski Area and one day my boss said "Pack a bag. Bob, were going to Moab'" I replied "Wheres Moab'1" The Moab Chamber of Commerce had hired the firm I was working tor to do a feasibility study for a ski resort in the La Sal mountains, so off we went After a morning of breathtaking . lews ot the canvons and mountains rom an airplane. I was fortunate to ipend the afternoon wandering with i new tnend on horseback m upper TastleValle) through the juniper and age. snow patches and red sand I vas amazed bv the vivid blue sky igainst redrock and by the feeling hat this day would change my life orever I realized I had found my lome in this canyon :ountry of southeastern Utah. During the next few years I spent is much time as possible camping out af Old Truck in this area and by 1975 my wife Diane and I had made the La Sal Mountains and Moab our permanent base of operations. Having lived here since those days, we have watched Moab go through some pretty dramatic changes as a result of its discovery, and, so far, it is still a wonderful small town, made great by its location and by the people who live here. It has also been fun taking part in various aspects of the community, from organizing group art shows for the r at h i e t e-- h news flash from Moab Area Chamber of Commerce Aids Triathlon About my artwork: In my paintings I study light and color relationships as I am seeking the essential character of my subjects. I try to create images that are luminous and rich; that mesmerize the viewer into a state of stillness - where the power of nature is the focus and hopefully the inspiration to preserve it for future generations. f t frdVrifcrfi- - U i Bob Walkers work can be seen at The Overlook Gallery, located at 83 E. Center. His prints and posters can also be seen at Moab Mercantile (78 N. Main) and One Shot Gallery (40 N. 100 West) in Moab. Cleaning your bouse while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing. Phyllis Diller K athlete comes thru Moab In his lifetime, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote 40 symphonies, 24 string quartets and 21 piano concertos. Intends to swim the Colorado River When athlete Jim Howley sets off rom Los Angeles on Sunday, April 6, he will attempt ne of the most grueling endurance challenges of all ime- The Polar Transcontinental Triathlon for Life. n Howley, who was diagnosed with IDS m 1989 and 18 months to live, will given only ittempt to swim, bike, and run across the United states in 54 days from Los Angeles to New York. On the day I received my AIDS diagnosis, I iegan training for a triathlon in an attempt to beat he disease. Eight years later, I have run more than 50 marathons and successfully completed the Ironman Triathlon. Now, through my y trip, I want o tell my story to others that are suffering from any lisease m hopes of inspiring them to live each day to ts fullest. y trek is being regarded as Howley 's n he first across America. The Santa tarbara, CA resident will swim across such bodies f water as the Mississippi and Colorado Rivers and long the shores of Lake Michigan; cycle over the .ocky Mountains and through Moab, UT, the lountain bike capital of the world; and run down the as Vegas Strip, past the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia nd up the steps of the City Hall in New York where e will conclude his journey on Tuesday, May 27. Along the way, Howley will visit hospitals, speak - full-blow- cross-countr- cross-countr- solo-triathlo- with elementary and high school students, and give motivational speeches and seminars to groups of doctors, patients, and athletes. In addition to inspiring others, Howley hopes his trip will raise more than $250,000 which will be donated to several chanties that are important to him, including the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, American Lung Association, American Foundation for AIDS Research (AMFAR), Breast Cancer Research, and the Leukemia Society of America. Howley credits his remarkable fitness despite his diagnosis to a positive attitude, rigorous training optimized with the use of a heart rate monitor, and drug therapy with the protease inhibitor Norvir combined with Invirase. Six years ago, Howley was diagnosed with CMV, a debilitating eye disorder that is common and ultimately fatal to many people with AIDS. Howley credits his ability to maintain his vision to a tiny devise that delivers ganciclovir directly into his eye. Called Vitrasert, the devise is implanted in the eye and allows Jim to train and participate in the triathlon without daily intravenous infusions of ganciclovir. y Howleys journey is being made several possible by corporations who have donated significant amounts of funding and product and become partners with him in his quest to help others. cross-countr- Foremost among those corporations is Polar Electro Inc., the worlds leading manufacturer of heart rate monitors. Howley was first introduced to Polar Heart Rate Monitors while training for the Los Angeles Marathon. The heart rate monitor enabled him to train at longer lengths of time without experiencing the fever, soreness, & lengthy recovery time due to AIDS. Other companies who will also be sponsoring The Polar Transcontinental Triathlon for Life are PowerBar, Softride Bicycles, Saucony, and Profile, Spinergy, and Abbott Laboratories, the developer and manufacturer of Norvir. Pearl Izumi is supplying apparel for the thriathlon. During the past six years, Howley has had testicular cancer and battled CMV. Despite those setbacks, his count, the backbone of the immune system, actually has risen to a level of 260 from a low of 2 cells less than a year ago. The normal immune system has 800-- 1 000 After one year of drug therapy with Norvir and Invirase, the AIDS virus is now undetectable in Howley. Anyone who wishes to help Howley in his effort to reach his goal of raising more than $250,000 for the five national charities can make a check out to Athletics Instead of Depression and Sic kness, and mail to P.O. Box 417, Carpinteria, CA 93014. For more information, call er 1. |