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Show Nature Conservancy and the Redd family (who has owned the ranch since 1965), the new owner would maintain the 5,167 acre ranch and 250,000 acres in cattle allotments as a working cattle ranch. Heidi Redd would be allowed to live on the ranch indefinitely and to run the ranch for at least the next ten years. The Redd Family agreed to sell the ranch to the Conservancy at a price $13 million below its appraised value, hoping to see the ranch preserved intact. But, as the Nature Conservancy's Chris Montague said, "The clock is ticking." The Conservancy has until next September to raise the money. The Willard Eccles Foundation donated $100,000 toward the purchase of the ranch and the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation contributed another $25,000 and has pledged another $1.25 million as part of a challenge-gran- t plan. For every $100 donated, the foundation will kick in another $25. I can't think of a better way to spend a hundred bucks than to direct it toward the preservation of the Dugout Ranch. I can say nothing but good things about the Nature Conservancy and particularly the Redd family their willingness to sell the ranch at a price $1.7 million below its appraised value, in order to preserve the integrity of the ranch, is remarkable and worthy of the highest praise. If you'd like to make a contribution, send it to: THE NATURE CONSERVANCY P.O. Box 1329 Moab,UT 84532 or 559 S. Temple Salt Lake. City, UT 84532 (AND MAKE SURE YOU EARMARK THE CONTRIBUTION FOR "DUGOUT RANCH") ON THE CHECK Mountain Bikes.A Downhill Ride? This year's Fat Tire Festival turnout was down 75 from a year ago according to some, and various explanations have been given for the decline. Weather was certainly a contributing factor, but rotten rainy cold days and nights have almost become a Fat Tire tradition over the years. I heard from several bike shop owners that two national mountain bike magazines erroneously listed the wrong dates for the festival. And a front page story in the October 24 issue of the Moab that stated the festival "will begin on Tuesday October 27 through Sunday October 26" could explain it all. The damn thing was literally over before it began. But a recent story in The Wall Sired Journal suggests there may be a national trend developing...it depends on who you ask. According to the WSJ, bike sales have declined steadily since 1993, when 13 million bikes were sold nationwide. This year sales are expected to dip to 103 million, a 17 decline. Times-Independe- nt And Dan Shirey, the marketing and communications manager for Diamondback mountain bikes, echoes that concern: "I am inclined to think that mountain biking may have peaked. I hate to use the word 'fad,' (but) it's not as dramatic a sport as it was three years ago." What about Moab? According to Anthony Quintile, manager of Pbison Spider Bike Shop, the rate of growth has certainly slowed, but has by no means leveled off or started to decline. "Anybody who gets into the mountain bike business to get rich is crazy," explains Quintile, but he's optimistic that the canyon country will continue to draw mountain bikers to the area. What could adversely affect the bike shops in Moab is simply more of them. If the numbers of mountain bikers starts to level off, while the number of bike shops continues to escalate, it may be that none of them can make a decent profit. Sound familiar? Ask the myriad of restaurants in Moab who are struggling to stay afloat. Whatever happened to the tram? It was almost two years ago that this publication first reported a proposal to build a chairlift on the west wall of the Moab Valley near the Portal. The plan called for a for a 2200 foot chairlift that would rise 800 feet above the valley floor. Snack bars, a motel, an outdoor amphitheater, and nighttime scenic lighting were also to be a part of the Portal Recreation Area. And Emmett Mays, president of Portal Recreation, Inc. suggested that construction of the chairlift was imminent. But nothing has happened. According to city administrator, Donna Metzler, Portal Recreation, Inc. has completed and paid for a $6000 noise survey and has agreed to to pay an additional $7000 in street improvements in the vicinity of 500 West and Kane Springs Blvd., once construction begins. Mr. Mays did check with the dty about a month ago to assure them the project was proceeding but at a slower rate than had been anticipated. Gathering adequate financial backing appears to account for most of the delay. Nothing else stands in the way. continued on next page- .- jLgMMam JHU IT SMOOTHIES ESTKfcSSODIUMXS SODAS & fLOATS MlUKJMAH&S TKPSrt SQUEEZED OJ ICE COLD LEMOHADE HOMEMADE V--8 soyDfjHXfi CAHAprJUICE MIXED VEggiE JUICE wreaKiass PRICES YOULL LIKE food youll love omen Thanks for a great year. We'll be open most of the winter and I'm full of new Ideas for 1997. A slow year for the Fat Tire Festival Manufacturers are scrambling to develop the "next generation" of bicycle; from models using Stealth-bombtechnology to, what the industry calls, pricey like Fred bikes." But Clements, executive director of the National people "sports utility Bicycle Dealers Association are skeptical: T keep watching for the next mountain bike, the product that is going to spur and broaden our sales. We are still looking.. Jt may not be there." Y-fra- me er THE CORNER OF MAIN & KANE m feSSI "Clinging Hopefully to tHe future since 199 f H Emu SPIRIT GYBLINg "Civilized Tours in Uncivilized Terrain." 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