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Show THE ZEPHYR/ AUGUST-SEPTEMBER Jim set forth in his editorial, is much shallower. We're floating on a river and camping on its banks. What harm is that? I'm really not sure. In one of Abbey's stories he described a place that he discovered down in Arizona somewhere, and he wrote that he wasn't going to tell us where it was. Katy Lee poignantly described many times, how she felt like an intruder, almost regretting that she had walked into one of Glenn Canyons secret places. I'm only hoping that I'll be traveling with people with this on their mind. 2005 Bikes are too fast. You don't see the hummingbird hovering in your face, or the lizard pasted dead on the trail by knobby treads. There's too much you miss, and too much you DON'T miss. Speaking of speed, how furious some car drivers can get when they're compelled by a bike to dampen their precious automotive velocity for even a heartbeat! And they usually have some bumpersticker like "TREES ARE THE ANSWER". I mention this because Stiles wonders why people seek ramped up eco-adventures instead of quiet, solitude and Bill Richey Aurora, CO spirituality. You miss the point, my man. These people are accustomed to hurtling themselves around in insulated wheeled coffins, immersed in radio, cell phone chatter, and all manner of consumer noise.For them, the Float Fly & Flout Death Eco-Adventure Tour 1S solitude. It IS spirituality and remoteness. Sorry Stiles, it's worse than even you imagined. SQUARE FEET VERSUS BTUs Jim, Re: “Did anyone (Pitkin County Commission) think to limit the number of square feet on new home or re-model constructions?" That being said, I have the craziest idea that Moab, in particular, might be able to turn a lot of this around. Moab is blessed (or possibly cursed) by a phenomenally diverse and purchased two adjacent lots in Aspen and built a 20000 square foot house on EACH lot. The houses were then connected by an above ground passageway and a subterranean passageway. So the Pitkin County Commissioners in their own dopey little way were ‘trying to do something’. But you can't checkmate someone with unlimited money, the will and the ego to do whatever they want to do. talented population for its size. Let me put a rather daring concept on the table, just to look at: Permaculture. There's gobs of discussion about what that even means. But consider: This is desert. How about reusing water from sinks and bathtubs? Saves money; saves water. A truly conservative county or city government could get behind that. What to do with the water? Perhaps make a deal with the developers. Dwellings can remain. The parking lots go and get replaced by orchards and gardens. Obviously, that leaves many details to be worked out. But imagine the look on the eco-adventurer who checks into their motel room to see a sign: DO NOT PUT ANYTHING DOWN THE SINK OR TUB THAT YOU DO NOT WANT ON THE LOCALLY GROWN ORGANIC PRODUCE YOU WILL BE EATING HERE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE IT GOES. Moab is small enough that this type of truly eco-conscious advance could be made community wide. Yet it is big enough that such an Gary Eschman some people will actually pay to be shown that they can reuse their graywater. You can't export the canyon country; you can only trash it all by trying. But permaculture can, and Back in the mid-Ninties, when I was living in Telluride, the Pitkin County Commissioners DID limit the size of new construction. They set it at a maximum of 20000 square feet. Shortly thereafter, Prince Bandar (Bandar Bush, the oil sheik buddy of the Bushes) achievement would be world class and would attain worldwide attention. Believe it or not, Santa Fe, NM ENOUGH ADVENTURE should, be exported back to cities everywhere. COMPANIES ALREADY! Dear Jim, We recently completed a 12 day visit to Moab, our third in the last 12 years or so. The changes since 1993 are startling as you have been documenting so well in the Zephyr. Between our first and second trips, there was an explosion in the number of hotels, and a small increase in the number of restaurants. On this visit, the number of "Adventure" companies really caught us off guard. On our initial trip, there were a few rafting companies; I don't remember any climbing outfitters, nor do I recall any commercial group off road tours. Off road driving seemed to be limited to drive your own or rent locally. Main street seemed very familiar, however. on Which brings me to my point. With the demographics of aging baby boomers, I think many of these adventure companies will be struggling to stay in the black. As a55 year old, I acknowledge that my risk taking days are behind me. One good fall on the Slickrock trail was all it took to convince me. We rafted the Westwater, did some canyoneering, and the teenagers climbed. The adults enjoyed the hiking and the tamer biking as muchas the tours. But the reality is, we're going to be moving at a slower pace from here on out. With an aging population, I'll predict that the number of adventure seekers will be slowly declining. I'll also predict that there will be no need to buildmore motels. There will still be the thrill seekers, just not as many. Other than big weekend events, I think many motel rooms will go unsold. I believe (and hope) Moab has reached a saturation point in the number of Finally, a word of caution for our redoubtable Stiles. In his History of the Peloponnessian War, Thucydides recounts how the good people of Corcyra started killing each other as the Greek world began dividing itself between Athens and Sparta. Those who did not want to take sides were the first to get it. He wrote about this 2,500 years ago as though it were already a well established pattern. You tread a dangerous path, amigo. Do not let the fist in your face distract you from the knife headed for your back. : Matthew Haun Salt Lake City WHY SUBSCRIBE TO THE ZEPHYR? BECAUSE IT S THE. RIGHT THING TO DO. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ON PAGE 6 Ba = commercial enterprises that can support themselves. Sherm Beye ps. What the heck was that guy thinking when he built the chairlift near the portal? REMEMBER THUCYDIDES Well Stiles, you've outdone yourself again. The caca will take wing over this one, no doubt. I'm a bit dubious though about the assertion that, until recently, environmentalists have worked from a biocentric perspective of nature as its own reward, and that only now have we been sucked into the black hole of nature as "amenity". My memory is that mainstream enviros have always pushed the recreation angle. The biocentric crowd have always been marginal freaks in our culture. Even Thoreau, in his own way, talked about his time at Walden largely as a quality of life issue. Maybe it's not such a bad thing to think about what we get from wilderness. Of course, when that legitimate self-centeredness gets ramped up into an “amenities” economy... Well, you've covered that in painful detail. You have all but stated the core problem: We will never have a healthy relationship with our wild remote country while our urban lifestyle is so inherently consumptive and unsustainable. Most enviros have some vision of sustainable ecotopia, if you ask them. But somehow, that's always on the back burner behind the fight over rural land. Meanwhile rural residents, to no avail, have been consistently challenging us on that very hypocrisy, with every good right and reason. After all, the ranchers, miners, etc. have taken up the challenge of deriving their sustenance directly from the flesh of the land, instead of drawing a paycheck through seven degrees of separation. As environmentally destructive as it often is, nonetheless they bear this challenge; and that is no theory. Radical earthies show more integrity in recognizing the beast, but have yet to grapple it. It's too big. Every stitch of clothing or bite of food is almost invariably produced through some environmental HEY YOU! STOP!!! THIS IS REALLY A COUPON!!! CUT IT OUT AND TAKE IT TO THE FITNESS CENTER! ~ MOAB FRTWESS CENTER BRING IN THIS AD & GET'A 7 FREE MOAB FITNESS CENTER CAP OR T-SHIRT WITH EVERY NEW THREE MONTH OR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP OFFER GOOD THROUGH SEPT 30, 2005 SIGN UP AT THE INSURANCE OFFICE 170 EAST 100 SOUTH 259.5981 Monday-Friday: 8am to 5:30pm devastation. Amenities, indeed. Here on the Wasatch, pastures and vacant lots have been getting converted into condos and strip. malls at warp 10. Living in cookie-cutter neighborhoods with cookie-cutter neighbors and cookie-cutter jobs and chain stores, it's no wonder urban dwellers drive 1,000 miles to bike ten. That's no mystery.The question is why in the hell aren't they biking around town? I gave up my car 24 years ago and haven't looked back. My bike is my transportation. But when I get to where the road ends and the trail begins, I park the bike. fl | | COUPON OFFER!!! =~ by. FT 2 C We love the energy of Moab. May all in buisness be able to keep doing what they love to do. But I don't think anyone should seriously think about starting another bike shop, adventure company, rafting outfit, or motel. The demographics are against it. As for us, we'll probalby be back someday for a shorter stay looking for the canyon country qualities Abbey described that brought us here in the first place. As always, keep up the good fight, |
