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Show tTlir Page A6 (Timrs-3iibrpnf- Thursday, June 1, 2000 nt OURTOWM Community ComiMENts by Sam Taylor Northern Virginia is a marvelous place to visit, particularly for history buffs Nearly every community has times a history stretching back to Civil War battle sites abound. Despite suburban is very much like it sprawl, much of the country-sidwere was when those famous battles fought. We teamed up with a niece and husband from Florida and rented a car for the week. We put a tot of miles on it on the strangest array of highways and I freeways I have ever seen. learned that going from B A to required a map, even if the two point point miles apart. And returning to few were a only points the starting point always required a different route. Those routes also varied depending on the time of day Motorists were, however, uniquely courteous. They used their signals. They traveled at sensible speeds. They made room when you needed to change lanes They even smiled at you on occasion. How different than freeway driving on the Wasatch Front, is the first rule of the road. where I Against my better judgment, agreed to join Adrien, Jack and Ginny on a Metro ride into Washington, D.C. They led me through it, once we had finally found a parking place at the West Falls Church Metro station. I'm not sure I could do it by myself. Our destination that day was the Smithsonian, and its current Vikings" exhibit. As always, the Institution was marvelous, aside from the hordes of kids being dumped by fleets of yellow buses. I Returning home last Wednesday, was exhausted. !t was a marvelous week off, and it was wonderful visiting with precious family members we rarely see. It is good to be home, though. The typical June heat and wind that always come before we settle into the I Doing something we rarely do, Adrien and took a whole week off together last week We trave'ed to northern Virginia, primarily to represent the western states clan of the Taylor tribe at the wedding of a grand-nepheThe extra days were for playing tourist, and we did enpy Our destination was Dulles International Airport It was a 700 The trip from the Delta Boeing 757 to the motel, which was only a few miles away took nearly as long as the flight from Salt Lake City At one point, not being able to find a taxi, I suggested that Adrien go back into the terminal to call the motel for a shuttle As she disappeared into the crowd, I wondered if I would ever see her again Maybe city people take this kind of chaos in stride For a country boy, though, it is disquieting to say the least. The visit later in the day. though, with family members from Florida and Virginia nearly made up for the hectic arrival Most of our trips to the nation's capitol and surrounding countryside are winter or early spring trips. This was our first summer visit in a long time. I had forgotten how green and lush the area is in the summertime II is a wonder that the early settlers in the area ever found a trail west. I attempted a short hike up a hillside behind our motel in Chantilly and hadn't gotten far before I realized that a hike of any length would require a sharp machete. I visit to the Far East recalled my forced e self-defen- h the 1950s Stationed in mountainous northern Honshu in Japan, never quite got used to all the green. My Dad, responding to my weekly letters, sent me a packet of umbo postcards of Arches (national monument j On Sunday afternoons, would let myself into my descried office and spread them out on my desk Red rocks never looked so good. in I I regular summer weather pattern in Moab are almost welcome. Brick Bats and Bouquets Accolades and Admonishment with regard to issues in our community Bouquets to Dale Irish and all those who contributed to restore the Dewey Bridge. It was a complex and difficult undertaking, and they pulled it off beautifully. Idle Thoughts from Mt. Waas by Ollie Harris The best time One of my persistent questions of the last few years has been: What is the best time oflifo?" It would be an easy question to answer if everything that was important came together at the same time. It doesnt happen that way for most of us. Any pondering of what is the best time of life would have to include an examination of those qualities that make life good for us. For example, few of us would choose a period when our physical health was poor as being the best time of life. We would also like for our relationships with significant others to be good. There arent many things that can rob us of joy as effectively as strained or broken relationships. Someone wisely observed that parents are only as happy as their most unhappy child. To that I would add that couples are only as happy as the least happy spouse. We probably wouldnt choose the time ofour greatest poverty, either, although when I once queried Barbara about her favorite Christmas, she said that it during our first year at college. It was definitely one of our worst times financially. There is no such thing as living without Btress, but the best time of life would likely be when stress was at least manageable. It would also be nice to choose a time when we had gained a bit of wisdom and understanding, as well as knowledge. Clearly, this mystical best time of life is going to be something of a compromise. We may have to settle for a time when most things are in place to an acceptable degree, although few of them will be perfect. There are two or three periods of my life that are in contention for the best overall. The year that I was s 17 in Moab was outstanding. I enjoyed excellent physical health, my relationships were in pretty good shape, g I got my first job and I had almost unlimited freedom. Life was good then, but it cannot be called the best time of life because of its brevity and because, as good as it was, it has been overshadowed. I can pinpoint the time when I was at my physical best It was sometime during October or November of the year I was 18. It was a time when climbing Mt. Peale was little more than an evening stroll after dinner. But it was not the best time of my life. You would think that ones 20s would be the best time of life. So many of the things that are important are in place. One has youth and vigor. Things are exciting. There was, for me, a strong feeling of optimism. But, the decade of my 20s was not the best time of my life. Most of those years were dominated by poverty. Starting a family, getting through school, becoming established in a career, all were accompanied by an uneasiness about whether I could pay the bills. For quite some time I have voiced the opinion that the best time of life was being the young father to young children. When you are a young father, you arent much more than a kid yourself. Anything good is better if shared with someone you love and I took my kids to play in all of my favorite places, including the top of Mt. Peale. It may, indeed, have been the best time of life. But, I am going to reserve judgment for now. Barbara and I recently spent an outstanding morning alone. She was binding a quilt. I was searching through old photographs for a certain picture. We had the Irish Tenors softly on the stereo. It doesnt get much better than that. Could it possibly be that the best is yet to come? good-payin- High Country News Writers on the Range Courteous driving in the West by Linda Hasselstrom As a longtime High Plains resident who drives 20,t)00 miles annually, I offer this handy guide for newcomers to the Mythic West. Many of you dont know Western rules of courteous driving-especia- lly the drivers of cars licensed in the Atlantic states, First crossing More than 100 people took the ceremonial first walk across the newly restored Dewey Bridge, 30 miles northeast of Moab, on Monday morning. The bridge is now open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Funds for the $100,000 project have been raised over the past couple of years by the Grand County Historical Preservation Commission, which unveiled a plaque at the bridge's rededication ceremony. Commission President Dale Irish thanked the many contributors, and also praised the cooperative efforts of several agencies, all of which helped to make the impossible dream" become a reality. Moab Mayor Karla Hancock lauded the restoration as a major accomplishment," and noted that news of the bridge's completion was reported in the June 2, s 1916 issue of Independent. How fitting that news of this dedication will also be in the June 2 issue of The Times. 84 years later," she said. The project was named one of the top 25 historical rehabilitation projects done in Utah during the 20th century by Utah Preservation magazine. Photo by Jeff Richards. The-Time- known locally as The Combat Zone, and Pacific states, or Fault Zone. These may look like Wide Open Spaces to you, but e highways are the main artery for Western commerce and considerable social interaction. If an oncoming driver raises his or her index fmger from the steeracknowledgment. ing wheel, return this Learn it as a survival skill, keeping your middle finger to yourself. If youve recently moved to the neighborhood, that driver probably knows your marital status, the size of your bank account, and your shoe size. If you return the greeting, you may be on your way to neightwo-lan- one-fing- er borliness. kif- - ljc c j?0 lEimcs-Sniicpcniic- ut ) (UPS) Entered as Second class Matter at the Post Office at Moab, Utah under the Act of March 3, 1897. Second class postage paid at Moab, Utah 84532. Official City and County Newspaper. Published each Thursday at: 35 East Center Street, Moab, Grand County, Utah 84532 6309-2000- address: editor6moabtimes.com ail Postmaster: Send changes of address to: The or 435-259-75- Member UTAH Flanders Franklin Seal T. Tom Taylor. Ron Flanders Mary Wright Sadie Warner. Dorothy Anderson Zane Taylor. FAX 435-259-77- NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION Samuel J. and Adrien Sena P.O. Box 129, Moab, UT 84532 Times-lndepende- PRESS ASSOCIATION Taylor, Editors and Publishers F. Associate Editor News Writer Circulation Mgr., T-- l Maps Systems Manager Advertising Representative News Writer, Sales Mail Room Supervisor Production Manager Ericson, Steve Cooper, Bobbie Domemck Jed Taylor, ....Backshop Ken Davey Contributing Writer Green River Correspondent Betty Bailey. Ron Drake Castle Valley columnist Ron George Columnist Oliver Harris .....Columnist Jose Churampi Distnbution Kelly tors hauling haystacks. Tbwing a stack that weighed around 35 tons, one of my neighbors was unaware of the impatient driver behind him, who couldnt see an oncoming truck. Signaling for the turn into his driveway, the rancher felt a slight bump and found a tourist embedded in the side of his hay. Pay attention to highway signs, including speed limits: 65" may mean 72, but in some areas it means 65-- 1 2. And remember that Bump" means BUMP we don't bother to mark potholes smaller than pickups. When the passing lane is empty and you see a vehicle parked on the right shoulder of the road, pull over. This is mannerly why buffet a driver whos having car trouble with your exhaust or gravel? But civil behavior can also mean A child or a drunk may lurch into your path Ive encountered both. Ive watched three vehicles on the roadside burn to the axles, and a burning recreational vehicle blew up, catapulting blazing debris in all directions. e Not long ago, driving a Wyoming under I noted at that over 40 tires signs warning repair, speeds would ding up chunks of chip seal rocks to civilians breaking windshields. Soon 10 vehicles were chugging along at 35, eating dust, considerately leaving space to protect glass and enhance visibility. Then the guy in the purple sports car with the California plates passed all of us, throwing up duet that blinded everyone including construction workers. Rocks cracked my windn. two-lan- The acknowledgment, the double-fingnod are merely differences in and the swipe, swipe and steering wheel technique. A three-fingwhack indicates a cheerful, friendly motorist, though the condition may wear off with the music, drugs or caffeine. Western drivers use a variety of other helpful signals. If I flash my headlights at you three times, or reach ahead of my steering wheel to point down, slow your speed: theres trouble ahead, and the highway n times Ive topjTed a hill may be blocked. A to find a cattle herd spread all over the road, and nervous cowboys trying to clear a path. A rancher is liable if you hit his cows, but hell probably be paying your estate. Be alert and keep your brakes in good shape. Slow' down for any animal inside the highway fence cows, antelope and buffalo are all likely to walk in front of you, and impact with most of them will demolish your car. Local residents may stop short to examine a neighbor's crop or swerve to run over snakes and grasshoppers. If I reach beyond my steering wheel holding one finger horizontally, expect a speed trap one mile onward. with my headlights on to remind you I drive of the usual challenges: farm equipment, elderly folk who poll onto the asphalt at 25, and trac two-fmg- er er er half-doze- two-lan- es slow-movi- shield. When the gravel ended, several of us exceeded the speed limits to catch you and express our annoy- ance by flashing headlights and honking horns. Be glad none of us had a really short temper. And remember that a gun rack in the back window often means a pistol under the seat, and we take good manners seriously. One more hint for civility and safety: Never arwith a truck stop waitress. Ive seen the gue knife Alta carries to deal with unruly customers who are not subdued when she pours hot coffee in their laps. Do not disagree with any of the waitresses in the Fireside Cafe in Lusk, Wyo. Trophies designating them as the State Sharpshooting Champions are displayed in the lobby. Linda Hasselstrom it a contributor to "Writers on fish-scali- the Range, a service of High Country News (www.hcn.org). She lives in Cheyenne, Wyo. |