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FREE Sept. 24, 2026 Vol. XXV, No. 37 durangotelegraph.com
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T H E
O R I G I N A L
I N D I E
W E E K L Y
L I N E
O N
D U R A N G O
&
B E Y O N D
Peak feral
Closing the gap
The ‘other’ Devo
Dumpster pizza, cops & other adventures in bike touring p4
Colorado makes strides in EV fast-charger network p8
High Country Devo building bike culture in the M.C. p10
LocalNews
Riders with High Desert Devo take in a training lap at the Aqueduct Trails near Mancos./ Sarah Seymour Photography
The other Devo For a decade, High Desert Devo has been quietly building youth cycling in the M.C. by Missy Votel
S
ure, we’ve all heard about Durango’s powerhouse youth cycling organization, Durango Devo, which celebrates 20 years this year and has cranked out such phenoms as Sepp Kuss, Riley Amos and Christopher Blevins. But it’s not the only Devo on the block. For the last 10 years, High Desert Devo has quietly been working to grow youth cycling culture and programs on the west side of the San Juans. At least, in between all the recent rainstorms. See, rain – while good for everything else – is not conducive to riding outside with kids, which is why High Desert Devo Executive Director Ed Whritner has been glued to the radar lately. “Our fall programs are in full swing, and it’s been crazy, because it’s just been really unpredictable,” Whritner said last week. “Between noon and 4 o’clock, when we have to make a call, it’s just like, ‘Oh, there’s a huge cell’ and 15 minutes later, it’s gone off the radar. Then, ‘Pop!’ There’s another one that’s back. It’s been nuts.”
10 n Sept. 24, 2026
The ever-changing weather isn’t the only thing Whritner has on his plate, as two-thirds of the nonprofit’s paid staff. High Desert Devo currently has nearly 480 kids in its programs throughout Montezuma County, which include youth, coach-led, after-school cycling sessions; programs at schools in Dove Creek, Towaoc and Mancos; as well as free summer camps. They have even fielded a high school racing team, a composite of riders from schools throughout the M.C., which rides in the Colorado High School Cycling League series. But perhaps the biggest thing Whritner is focused on is the upcoming High Desert Bike Festival, taking place for Oct. 2-4 in Joe Rowell Park in Dolores. After years of talking about hosting such an event, this will be the first annual, featuring workshops and clinics, camping, live music, vendors, food trucks, a beer garden and, of course, lots of riding. In addition to a mini cross-country race, there will be guided MTB and gravel rides as well as a bike polo tournament. “We have a couple fundraisers in the winter, but we were looking to do one more event that was more of a
telegraph
big community gathering,” said Whritner. “It just so happened there were other like-minded individuals. We kind of got a buzz going about it.” Before he knew it, Whritner had several other entities on board, including Zuma Bike Ranch, between Cortez and Dolores, and Lost Canyon, the new bike and skate park in Joe Rowell Park. “It’s all coming to fruition, which has been a really exciting, fun process for us to get more and more people, vendors and organizations involved,” said Whritner. “Friday night is just going to be an absolute freak show, the skate park operators got a light show set up, DJ, bonfire, and we’ll have pickup bike polo going on.” A Durango ex-pat, Whritner and his family moved to Mancos a few years ago. He said the new bike and skate park in Dolores is a great addition to the area’s growing cycling scene. “It’s a great resource,” said Whritner. “Durango has so much of that stuff, and it’s so great, and we’re trying to get more of that established in Montezuma County, because we know that’s the ticket, having facilities that
give kids the opportunity to develop skills.” Of course, it’s no surprise that a vibrant cycling scene is sprouting in Durango’s neighbor to the west. The building blocks were already there, starting with the riding mecca that is Phil’s World as well as Dolores’ Boggy Draw Trail System and the rustic high-country singletrack in the Western La Platas and San Juans. Over the years, trails have been added at both Phil’s and Boggy, as well as the Aqueduct Trails in Mancos. “There’s definitely a lot happening, between the Southwest Colorado Cycling Association and the Mancos Trails Group,” Whritner said. High Desert Devo came about several years ago, he said, when two separate youth cycling efforts, one started by former FLC racer Sabina Kraushaar, and the other by the owner of Cortez’s Kokopelli bike shop, decided to team up. “Both were kind of doing – based off the Durango Devo model – some low-key, casual youth bike clubs concurrently and didn’t really know the other was doing the same thing,” said Whritner. “Once they realized, they joined forces, and it gained momentum and just grew organically to the point where, in 2016, it established itself as a 501C3 and became an official thing.” Whritner, who has a background in school administration and teaching and joined High Desert Devo two years ago, said the biggest key to growing the program has been funding. In addition to donations from local businesses and sponsors, like Osprey, it has secured grants the last four years from the Catena Foundation, an offshoot of the Walton Family, as well as funds from the 12 Hours of Mesa Verde race. “We’ve got some really solid foundational funding.
Fifth-grade students from the Kwiyagat Community Academy (KCA) in Towaoc participate in an "Adventure Day" with HD DEVO at Boggy Draw./ Courtesy photo So the last two years, we’ve made huge efforts,” he said. For example, in 2025, High Desert Devo was able to buy a van and a trailer, which will be used to transport kids to and from the Towaoc Middle School for a new indigenous bike club, among other things. “We’ve really been able to extend our reach and the awareness about our
organization, and now, there’s people that are like, ‘Whoa, we want in.’ Which has been really great.” And, all that word of mouth, funding and hard work is starting to pay off (so look out, Durango.) “We’ve got good riders and great riding,” said Whritner. “We’ve actually got some fast kids this year. Things
Hairstyles come and go, but Tina will always be the right choice.
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Sept. 24, 2026 n 11
StufftoDo Submit items for “Stuff to Do” by Monday at noon at: www.durangotelegraph.com/send-us-your-stuff-to-do/
Thursday24 Thursday Morning Cribbage, 8-10 a.m., Just the Drip Coffee Shop, 1600 Florida Rd. Elmore’s Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., 306 Florida Grange, 656 CR 172
“Ordinary Days,” 7:30 p.m., FLC Black Box Theatre
National Public Lands Day Volunteer Event, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., La Plata Canyon campgrounds
Friday25
Animas River Clean Up with 5RTU, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., meet at Santa Rita Park, 149 S. Camino del Rio
Veterans Friday Morning Coffee, 8-10:30 a.m., American Legion, 878 E. 2nd Ave.
Community Venue Garden Dedication Ceremony, 5-6 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
San Juan Songwriters Festival, 12 noon-10 p.m., various locations, downtown Durango
Durango Green Drinks, 5-7 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Authors in the Parklet with Jennifer Prothero, 4-6 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.
Spanish Conversation Hour, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Sunnyside Library, 75 CR 218
Julian Blue plays, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Barons Creek Vineyards Durango, 901 Main Ave.
Theology Night, 5:30-7 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
Starry Starry Night plays, 6-9 p.m., The Oxford Bar, 119 W. 8th St.
Ranger Series: Edible Plants, 5:30-7 p.m., Durango Community Recreational Center, 2700 Main Ave.
Tom Ward’s Downfall plays, 6-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.
Manna’s 2nd annual “Our Streets Our Stories,” 5:30-7:30 p.m., 1100 Avenida Del Sol Dart Tournament, 5:30-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave. Adam Swanson plays, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Poetry Open Mic, 6 p.m. The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave., or live streamed on Facebook Jeff Solon Jazz plays, 6 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave. “Woven Landscapes,” presentation with Diné artist Darby Raymond-Overstreet, 6-7:30 p.m., FLC Center of Southwest Studies, Lyceum Room 120. Name That Tune Trivia Bingo, 6-8 p.m., Barons Creek Vineyards, 901 Main Ave. Ian Lennox plays, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave. Rob Webster plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Trivia Night, 6:30-8:30 p.m., The Powerhouse, 1333 Camino Del Rio Bluegrass Jam, 6:30-9 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice, 3000 Main Ave.
San Juan Songwriters Festival, 12 noon-10 p.m., various locations, downtown Durango Yarn Meetup, 1-3 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E 3rd Ave. The Autumn Clothing Exchange, 1-4 p.m., EsoTerra Arboretum, 270 CR 303 Tibetan Buddhist Practice Group, 4 p.m., Dreams of Tibet, 988 Main Ave. SW Colorado Public Lands Days Celebration, 5-8 p.m., Rotary Park
Leah Orlikowski plays, 6-9 p.m., Fox Fire Farms Winery, 5513 CR 321, Ignacio
Adam Swanson plays, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Dustin Burley plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Nina Sasaki & Dan Carlson play, 6-8 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.
San Juan Songwriters Festival presents Marti Frederiksen and Kara DioGuardi, 6-10 p.m., Durango Harley-Davidson Showroom, 750 S. Camino del Rio
Branch & Friends play, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Mark Farina with Ramona and DJ Spark Madden, doors 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr. “The Importance of Being Earnest,” 7-9:30 p.m., Merely Underground, 789 Tech Center Dr. “We’re All Doing Great and Other Lies,” stand-up comedy, 7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
Matt Rupnow plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. A Night of Slam, Death and Metalcore, doors 6:30, The Swarm at The Hive, 1175 Camino Del Rio Colorado’s 150th Film Festival screening of “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” 7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. “Ordinary Days,” 7:30 p.m., Fort Lewis College Black Box Theatre
Pete Guiliani plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave. “Ordinary Days,” 7:30 p.m., FLC Black Box Theatre
Saturday26 Fall Birding, 8 a.m.-12 noon, Durango Nature Center, 63 CR 310 Durango Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-12 noon, TBK Parking Lot, 259 W. 9th St.
The BoomRoots w/ Mister Kali, Same Flame & MC Rasta Stevie, doors 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr.
Bayfield Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-12 noon, Pine Valley Church, 1328 CR 501
San Juan Songwriters Festival Pre-Party, 78:30 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E 2nd Ave.
Walk to End Alzheimer’s, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Rotary Park
Kirtan Chanting with GaiaShakti, 7-8:30 p.m., Pause Yoga Studio, 1970 E 3rd Ave, Suite 111
Heritage Day & Sheep Trailing Association, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Stephenson Park, 134 W. Mill St., Bayfield
12 n Sept. 24, 2026
Oktoberfest with music by Polka Giest and Three Way Street, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Buckley Park
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Sunday27 Durango Flea Market, 7 a.m.-3 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds Veterans Benefit Breakfast, 9-11 a.m., VFW Post 4031, 1550 Main Ave. Oktoberfest, featuring music by Agave, Galavant and Caute Roma, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Buckley Park Sunday Record Brunch Club, 12 noon-3 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave. Sunday Irish Jams, 12:30-3 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice, 3000 Main Ave. “Nourishing Each Other, Embracing Our Future,” installation of Rev. Jamie Boyce, 1 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Durango, 419 San Juan Dr.
AskRachel
Parental texting, neighborly suitors and gift anxiety Interesting fact: About 25B text messages are sent every day. And that’s just from mothers alone. Dear Rachel, What’s the appropriate “normal” amount for a parent to text their grown children? I feel like it is not every day. (For the record, I mean VERY grown children. My siblings and I are all 30s and 40s. No college students here.) Our mother tries to send us voice-totext novellas every day. On the other hand, our dad does the very dad-style text once every two or three months. I try to split the diff and engage with each of them about once a week, but both seem immovable in their habits. – Abnormal Adult Dear Epistolary Pete, My family is not normal. I am not normal. I have no idea what a healthy parental relationship looks like. Do normal healthy adults still talk to their parents? I thought the American way was shuttle them into assisted living as fast as possible. That’s in contrast to my family, where we were told, “Put me in a car and shove me into an intersection when I get old.” Maybe just … message however you like? – Kid gloves off, Rachel
Dear Rachel, My neighbor is 20 years younger than me. He keeps propositioning me and doesn’t seem to understand that to me, he is a child. OK, “proposition” isn’t fair – he asks me out. He’s been a relative gentleman (doesn’t creep me out or get aggressive) and doesn’t try to escalate when I say no. But every couple months, he shoots his shot again. What can I say or do to deter him for good, short of pepper spray? – Wary Cougar Dear Catnip, I want to suggest that you tell him precisely that he is a child. But also, I’m aware that there’s a preponderance of familial relations fantasy videos out there. So maybe that’s not your best path. Pepper spray might be one step too far, but why not just a regular squirt bottle? When he approaches, give him a good solid tepid-water shot and say “No!” in your firmest off-the-counter voice. – Claws out, Rachel
Email Rachel at telegraph@durangotelegraph.com
Dear Rachel, My girlfriend’s birthday is a month before mine. This is our first year together for birthdays. That means I have to give her presents without knowing what she’s giving me. I am
afraid of doing too much and also not doing enough. What’s your best advice? – Present Danger Dear Gifted Kid, I’m going to get real here. Go for sentiment and meaning over cost and showiness. Put some heart into acknowledging your inside jokes. Pay attention to what she’s said to you. Write something meaningful using an actual pen on paper. Make it about love. Because this could be the first of many, many gifts, until your future children push you both into an intersection. – Good luck, Rachel
“Ordinary Days,” 2 p.m., FLC Black Box Theatre
Clinic Defense at Planned Parenthood, 1 p.m., Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, 46 Suttle St.
Liz Longley performs for the Backstage Pass Series, 7:30 p.m., FLC Community Concert Hall
“Nourishing Each Other, Embracing Our Future,” Rev. Jamie Boyce reception, 3-5 p.m., FLC Ballroom
Adam Swanson plays, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Ongoing
Matt Lewis plays, 6-9 p.m., Office, 699 Main Ave. Blue Moon Ramblers play, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Monday28 Happy Hour Yoga, 5:30 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St. Terry Rickard plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Jazz Church, 7:30-9:30 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Rotary Club of Durango presents D&SNGRR’s Al Harper on “Trains, Chocolate and Horses,” 6 p.m., Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave. “Weaving a Partnership: The Cedar Mesa Perishables Project,” 6-7:30 p.m., FLC Center of Southwest Studies, Lyceum Room 120 Tuesday Trivia, 6-8:30 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave. Randy Crumbaugh plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Wednesday30
Adam Swanson plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Meditations on Compassion, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave., Ste.109
Tuesday29
Adam Swanson plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
“Drink Your Juice!” by Ilza Aviks, thru September, The Recess Gallery, 1027 Main Ave. “Nature’s Tapestry in Plein Air,” juried exhibit, thru Oct. 10, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. NFL Sunday Ticket Football, Sundays thru Jan. 10, 2027, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave.
Upcoming “100 Years of Route 66,” Fri., Oct. 2, 5-7 p.m., Blue Rain Gallery, 934 Main Ave., Unit B Durango Open Studio Tour Opening Art Exhibition, Fri., Oct. 2, 5-7 p.m., Durango Creative District, 1135 Main Ave. Community Meetup & Potluck, Fri., Oct. 2, 5:30-7 p.m., Esoterra Arboretum, 270 CR 303
Blue Corn Harvest, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., The Old Fort, 18683 Hwy 140
Devin Scott, 6-9 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave.
Ragged Oak plays, Fri., Oct. 2, 8-10 p.m., Durango Coffee Co., 730 Main Ave.
Cowboy Tuesdays, 12 noon-3 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Community Story Circle with author Brooke Heller, 6:30 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
Plein Air Painters Demonstration, Sat., Oct. 3, 9 a.m.-12 noon, Oxbow Preserve
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Sept. 24, 2026 n 13
classifieds
Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon. Ads are a bargain at 10 cents a character with a $10 minimum. Prepayment is required via cash, credit card or check. (Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.)
Ads can be submitted by emailing: classifieds@ durangotelegraph.com Announcements Notice of Public Sale To enforce self-service storage facility lien. “Personal Property,” stored at Unit C32 of The Animas Mini Storage at 20995 Highway 160, Durango, CO 81301, described as: fishing pole, suitcase, duffel bag, tent & boxes/bins/bags of misc., which are stored under a Rental Agreement between The Animas Mini Storage and Levon Ellison, will be sold to the highest cash bidder unless all rents and fees are paid in full prior to the auction. Date and time of Sale: October 10, 2026, at 9:30 AM Terms of Sale: CASH Place of Sale: The Animas Mini Storage, 20995 Highway 160, Durango, CO. All bidders must present a valid State-issued picture ID to place bids.
BodyWork Massage by Meg Bush 30, 60 & 90 min Meg Bush, LMT 970759-0199
MeetMarket SWF Seeks Date for SYMPH Do we harmonize enough to enjoy the symphony? Enough to explore beyond? Let's start with coffee or a stroll and find out. I am mid-40s, cis, non-smoker, brainy, sporty, artsy. Interested in a gentleman seeking meaningful connection. Call or text J at 970-501-5665
ForSale Firestone HLT 245/70R17 All season tires $125/set of 4. Like new, 4000 miles. Retails for $128.99 each 970403-7765 if interested
Used LP Records All genres. Please call 970-759-7663. Snow Tires for Sale 225/65R17 Sumitomo Ice Edge used snow tires Good condition $75 per tire Text 5057282057 Reruns Home Furnishings Refresh your iiving spaces. Small furniture and furnishings, rugs, kitchenwares, artwork and more! Also looking to consign. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat.
Services
CommunityService Durango PlayFest Seeks Submissions Durango PlayFest is accepting play submissions through Oct. 1 for its 9th annual festival June 22-27, 2027. Established and up-and-coming playwrights are encouraged to submit works. Selected playwrights will workshop their new plays with professional directors and actors before presenting staged readings to live audiences. The number of submissions is capped at 200. Visit durangoplay fest.org/submit-a-play for guidelines and information.
HaikuMovieReview ‘Tapawingo’ Did you love the film “Napoleon Dynamite?” This is that but bad – Lainie Maxson Dog Fosters Needed Parker’s Animas Rescue urgently needs fosters to provide temporary homes for rescued dogs. We supply all necessary items: crate, food, leash, toys, behavioral support and vet care. You provide the love and guidance. parkersanimalrescue.com.
Electric Repair Roof, gutter cleaning, fence, floors,. walls, flood damage, mold, heating service Tired of Feeling Stuck? Lacking forward momentum in your life? In your health and well being? Offering customized solutions. coherence labdrerin.com
New kid on the block? (Don’t worry – the Telegraph is here for you step by step.)
50% OFF one month of display ads* Boiler Service - Water Heater Serving Durango over 30 years. Brad, 970-759-2869. Master Plbg Lic #179917
*1/8th page or larger • Ads start at just $80/week! Get your business in front of thousands of adoring fans each week to make sure you’r not a one-hit wonder
For details email: missy@durangotelegraph.com
Wanted Books Wanted at White Rabbit Donate/Trade/Sell 970 259-2213
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Sept. 24, 2026 n 15
16 n Sept. 24, 2026
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2 n Sept. 24, 2026
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lineup
4 La Vida Local
Dumpster Dominos ... cops, camp tattoos and other adventures in bike touring by Jennaye Derge
4 Sign of the Downfall 4 Thumbin’ It 5 Writers on the Range
5
6-7 Soapbox 8 Big Pivots
The right moooves E-collared cattle the latest unlikely weapon in fighting wildfires
10 Local News
by David Marston / Writers on the Range
12-13 Stuff to Do
8
13 Ask Rachel
Emerald pilgrimage
thepole
4
RegularOccurrences
If you’re up for a fall road trip, here’s as good a reason as any. The Emerald Mile, as in the legendary dory of Grand Canyon speed run fame, is coming to Green River, Utah. The vaunted vessel, which was owned by Kenton Grua, the mastermind behind the 1983 mission detailed in Kevin Fedarko’s eponymous best-selling book, will be there as part of the John Wesley Powell River History Museum’s River Runners Hall of Fame event Oct. 2-3. Grua, a longtime Grand Canyon river guide who died Aug. 25, 2002, at the age of 52 from injuries sustained in a mountain biking accident near his home in Flagstaff, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. His wife, Michelle, will be there to accept the honor, talk about her late husband’s life and, of course, deliver the boat (which we’re pretty sure you won’t be able to touch, but at least you can look). In addition, Fedarko, (which, shame!, if you don’t have “The Emerald Mile” in your bookshelf or ammo can) will be the keynote speaker Saturday night. Grua in his trusty rig
14 Free Will Astrology
In the fast lane
Colorado continues to fill EV fastcharger gaps, with 83% coverage
15 Classifieds
by Allen Best / Big Pivots
15 Haiku Movie Review
10
On the cover A bull moose browses the foliage while on the lookout for a lady moose in the high country. The moose rutting season is in full swing, so it’s probably best to keep your distance from the amorous ungulates now more than ever./ Photo by Alex Krebs
Cranking it up The “other” Devo celebrates 10 years of growing youth cycling in the M.C. by Missy Votel
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EDITORIALISTA: MISSY VOTEL missy@durangotelegraph.com PIT CREW: JENNAYE DERGE jennaye@durangotelegraph.com STAR-STUDDED CAST: Jennaye Derge, David Marston, Allen Best, Lainie Maxson, Jesse Anderson, Rob Brezsny & Clint Reid
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But that’s not all! Durango’s very own man of the river, Kent Ford, will also be inducting three European kayakers – Walter Kirshbaum (yes, that Kirshbaum), Roger Paris and Uli Martin – into the Hall of Fame on Oct. 2. Ford will also be on hand the next day for the museum’s opening exhibit on the history of kayaking (don’t forget your Pro-Tecs, high-floats and “pile.”) In addition to the three kayakers, two female rafters will be inducted into the Hall. The first is Millie Davis, who rowed her own raft at age 15 from Gates of Lodore to Lee's Ferry in the mid-1950s. Now in her 90s, Davis will be at the event to definitely spin a yarn or two. The second woman being inducted is "Big Linda" Witkopf, who holds the record, with a couple other compatriots, for running Cataract Canyon at the largest flows boated in 1984 (~120,000 cfs). In addition, there will be a boat parade, dinner at the museum, and an after-party at the legendary Ray's Tavern. “It should be a hoot!” Levi Jamison, board member for the museum said in an email. “It’s a big event, usually drawing around 200-300 river-runners from around the region and has been a pretty special time to connect each year.” Sept. 24, 2026 n 3
LaVidaLocal Tits to the wind A few weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon, I was behind a Domino’s Pizza on Bainbridge Island in Washington State. My new friend Erik was climbing into a dumpster while I stood by, saying things like “Wow, that’s amazing!” and “Oh my gosh, that looks so good!” Erik lifted out several discarded but intact pizza boxes – he owns a grabber stick specifically for such occasions – and handed them to me. Some pizzas were still warm. Erik said they were probably mis-orders or forgotten by the customers. “Eat up!” he said with a smile as he passed me a box of chocolate lava cakes, “This is dinner.” It was about that time – day six of a threeweek bike tour – that I hit peak feral. I was riding my bike from Portland, Ore., to British Columbia – a trip I didn’t really know I needed to take until I’d planted the seed in my brain earlier this summer. I didn’t have routes planned, places to sleep or things to see. My only plan was to pedal my heavy, fully loaded bike, eat a bunch of food, sleep in a tent and do it all again the next day until I reached Canada. I crave this routine like Erik craves a good dumpster find for all the reasons bike tourers say they love touring. It reminds us of our resilience; we get to meet kind and generous people along the way; and each pedal stroke through a new landscape feels meditative. I need bike touring to feel like my true, whole self. But I also need it, because it’s the one time I can stop caring and go completely feral. Not like growling-and-biting-people feral. More like, “tits-to-the-wind” feral. The kind of feral that doesn’t shower or wear makeup, wears the same shirt over and over, and lets you do things you wouldn’t normally do, like eat pizza from a dumpster with a relative stranger or let him tattoo your leg with his travel tattoo kit later that night at camp. Going feral has an element of “f**k it,” to it, which is also how I found myself getting pulled over by state troopers on I-5. I didn’t do anything illegal or wrong. I quadruple-checked to make sure it was, in fact, legal to ride a bike on I-5. What I didn’t check is how it would make people feel to see a solo female cyclist on the side of the highway.
It’s true, most freeways are illegal to ride bikes on. But the few that aren’t, I love, because contrary to popular opinion, I feel safer on (most) of them than I do on narrow, curving, no-shoulder backroads. Backroads tend to harbor erratic, speeding drivers who cross yellow lines and cut corners. Highways and interstates are wide open, with huge shoulders almost as big as an actual car lane. They have a line of sight that goes on forever, and drivers can see me clearly. There are no surprise curves where drivers can “accidentally” hit me from behind, and no one can get stuck behind me and try to pass me when there is oncoming traffic. Really, the only downside is that highways and interstates are generally loud and sometimes there’s garbage on the shoulder. But I can push big miles while I’m on an interstate and feel safe doing so. I don’t put myself in dangerous situations, and I take most of the exits, so I don’t have to cross offramps. I use these detours as an excuse for another snack, and that is where I found myself on a Tuesday afternoon, reciting my date of birth and phone number to two state troopers. I had just stopped on a grassy shoulder and pulled out my phone to read the news of Dolly Parton’s death. Literally seconds into my grieving, “WWWOOOPPP” blasted my ears. The police car rolled up behind me and two troopers approached as I wiped tears away. The officers asked if I knew why they were pulling me over. I wanted to yell, “NO … BUT DID YOU HEAR ABOUT DOLLY???” “We got a call about a cyclist on the freeway, and we just wanted to make sure you were all right,” one of them said. They agreed it was legal for me to be there, but because of people’s judgments and perceptions, I should probably take backroads the rest of the way. I wanted to tell them I didn’t care what people thought and ask him why he wasn’t pulling over the drivers who were making it dangerous for me to be on the road. And I wanted to ask them why Dolly died and not the other guy. I wanted to reassure them that dumpster diving, meeting kind strangers and riding on the highway tits to the wind aren’t bad or dangerous, and maybe it’s good to be feral once in a while. But instead, I reluctantly agreed just so I could get on my way. Then, after I’d ridden on the backroads long enough to lose them, I went back to the interstate where I could be my freest, most tits-to-the-wind, feral self. – Jennaye Derge
Thumbin’It
SignoftheDownfall:
Colorado is the first state to enact 2024 EPA methane standards, approving even stronger rules to cut emissions from oil and gas. The rules are expected to keep about 30,000 metric tons of methane out of the atmosphere – equivalent to taking 500,000 gas cars off the road.
Welp. St. Mary’s Glacier, about 10 miles northwest of Idaho Springs, is … uh … gone? Apparently the glacier, which technically is not a glacier but a semi-permanent snowfield, is the latest victim of climate change, manifested in our abnormally dry winter and exceptionally hot summer.
Hmmm, we don’t seem to have any of our usual thumbs down fodder about Donald Trump this week, and we’re actually not feeling as enraged as usual. Maybe this press pool boycott is a good thing?
Hurricane Polo, off the west coast of Mexico, is now being called one of the strongest Pacific cyclones ever recorded. Although not expected to make landfall, it is likely to bring heavy rains and flooding to the coast.
Happy news for leaf peepers: Despite predictions to the contrary, the fall color extravaganza is popping up north, with recent rains expected make the display even more ooh- and ahh-inducing.
Thanks to MAHA-generated vaccine hysteria, measles is making a comeback and on the verge of becoming a full-blown pandemic, according to experts. Good thing our Health and Human Services Department is in such capable hands ... oh wait.
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telegraph
Baa-back that Kash Up In June, Kash Patel quietly issued a memo that removed bestiality as an automatic disqualifier for FBI job applicants, and somehow, we made it all the way to September before the memes hit. It’s probably because Patel was forced to defend his memo this month in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing: he purportedly did it to protect trafficking victims who were forced into sexual acts with animals, and this gets to be a permanent part of American history now. But the real story here is that AI is saving us with tons of Kash Patel bestiality memes (that may be the weirdest sentence ever written). My favorite is “Broke-baaack Mountain,” which shows Kash and a sheep wearing matching cowboy hats. Art has peaked.
WritersontheRange
Beefing up the fire line Solar-collared cattle the secret weapon in fighting Gold Mountain Fire by Dave Marston
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hen fire commanders try to figure out how to contain a major wildfire, the last thing you might expect them to deploy is a herd of beef cattle. But on the recent Gold Mountain Fire near Ouray, cows are eating the “fine fuels” along a 3mile fire line on the Big Cimarron River. Putting that idea into practice five years ago would have required miles of electric fencing and a range rider to gather strays. Now, new technology has changed the game for cattle grazing by putting electronic collars – all solar-powered – on cows and linking them by satellite. “The Halter Collar is similar to a dog collar, has a tone, vibrate and a shock,” Mike Higuera, agricultural manager of Western States Ranches, based in Delta County, explained. An app on a smartphone allows range riders to draw electronic fences and track each cow by GPS. “Gathering cattle in fall used to take four or more weeks and hundreds of person hours, but now it’s a few days,” said Higuera. The idea for using cows to help contain wildfire came from Sean Brown, a 23-year veteran of range management at the U.S. Forest Service, who pulls in overtime organizing logistics for major forest fires near his base in Montrose. He said he and the fire commanders realized that cattle could offer a safer way than setting a hazardous back burn to add to an “indirect” fire line, one away from direct flames. Once Brown had permission from his bosses, he called Tyler Westhoff, Western States Ranches’ ranch manager. Westhoff quickly agreed to bring 350 radiocollared cows onto the fringes of the fire zone, which at that point, in mid-August, was 87% contained. “Tyler flew into action,” Brown said. It turned out that Higuera and Westhoff were relieved to put cows onto their Big Cimarron federal grazing permit. “We’d been trucking water on another permit on the Uncompahgre Plateau, but this is better feed and good water,” said Higuera, who stressed that fire officials were ready to remove the cows if conditions turned ugly. Brown said equipping the cows electronically gave him confidence that they could eat their way to an expanded fire line. This would reduce the burden on fire crews trying to keep the 39,000-acre fire contained until a season-ending event, typically rain or snow.
E-haltered cows working the fire line in Big Cimarron. / Photo by Tyler Westhoff Westhoff loves what he calls the “Big Cim” grazing permit: “The top of it goes from 8,800 up to 12,000 feet. It’s northern San Juans and a prime grazing permit.” Best of all, he added, “There’s lots of grass.” Brown took me on a Big Cim tour five days after the herd went to work. Standing in a field where grasses were now 3 inches tall, he explained that cattle are typically kept off burned permits for two years. Nature comes back, Brown said, but without constant herding, cattle can move into sensitive areas and exacerbate erosion. “We’ll have this herd in the Cimarron Valley next year, and fire-affected areas will be excluded with a virtual fence,” he said. The wildfire work on the Big Cim is good news for Western States Ranches, which was having a dismal summer. The Gold Mountain Fire started quickly roared across the ranch’s Owl Creek permit outside Ridgway, and traveled 26 miles onto the ranch’s Big Cimarron permit. “We felt like we had a target on our back,” Higuera said. “We were geared to release cattle above Ridgway, then four days later our evacuated cow
camp was in flames.” What does an electronic Halter Collar cost? The leased equipment costs $96 per cow per season. “But for sprawling operations, when you add up person hours, diesel and trucking water, a Halter pays for itself quickly,” Higuera said. The collars have other uses besides wildfire work, especially for weed control. Often the first grasses to return after a burn are cheatgrass, which grows quickly in spring and then dries to become highly flammable. “But cows love it,” Westhoff said, “and on lower elevation permits, we’ve made it through a couple winters on cheatgrass.” The ranchers said they were grateful to Brown and fire commanders for letting the cows perform. “Typically, there’s a risk aversion in the agency… but we showed we can be part of the solution,” Higuera said. As for Brown, he said that sending in cows to expand a fire line was unique: “Never in my 23 years have I ever done something like this.” Dave Marston is publisher of Writers on the Range, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He lives in Durango. ■
Upcoming and Ongoing Classes: Individualized and small-group yoga for whole-person health and healing DurangoYogaTherapy.com
telegraph
• Yoga for Healing with Michele Lawrence Wed., 11am-12noon, ongoing • Yoga for Grief & Loss with Lynn Wickersham 8-week series, Thurs., 6-7:30pm, Oct. 1-Nov. 19 • Yoga of Recovery with Elyse Perry Fri., 8:30-9:30am, beginning Oct. 2 Sept. 24, 2026 n 5
SoapBox
D-Toon/by Rob Pudim
Living safely with bears We live in a region that supports a healthy population of black bears. Living in bear country is a privilege, but it also comes with a responsibility: we must take steps to prevent conflicts between bears and people. Residents play an important role by reporting bear activity. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) relies on information from the public to understand where bears are active and identify developing patterns of human-bear interaction. Residents are encouraged to report bear sightings, not just conflicts. In La Plata County, call the La Plata Bear Hotline at 970-247-BEAR (2327) to report on bear activity. A sighting report does not necessarily mean CPW will act to remove or euthanize the bear. Instead, these reports help CPW monitor bear activity and determine when intervention may be necessary. Early reports can help CPW address problems before a bear becomes foodconditioned or habituated to people, potentially helping preserve the bear’s life. Residents also play an essential role in preventing conflicts by keeping bears from gaining access to human-provided food. When bears find unsecured food, they can become food-conditioned or habituated to people. Leaving attractants unsecured – whether intentionally or through negligence – can teach bears that neighborhoods, homes and people are sources of food. Once a bear loses its natural wariness of humans, conflicts can become dangerous for both people and bears. Common attractants include unsecured garbage, bird feeders, pet food, fallen or ripe fruit, livestock feed, and other food sources accessible to bears. A food source discovered by a bear can become a recurring attraction, increasing the likelihood that CPW will eventually have to intervene. CPW goes to great lengths to prevent conflicts from escalating to the point where a bear must be relocated or euthanized. Education and prevention are important tools in that effort. Colorado has also strengthened its laws concerning the placement of food or edible waste that may lure bears. In 2026, the Colorado General Assembly passed House Bill 26-1342, the “Negligently Luring Bears” law, which was signed by Gov. Jared Polis on May 27. The law strengthens restrictions on placing food or edible waste where there is a reasonable probability of luring
a wild bear. It also significantly increases penalties for repeat violations. The message is simple: If you want to help bears, don’t feed them. Keeping human-provided food away from bears allows them to retain their natural wariness of people and reduces the likelihood they will become conflict animals. Living safely with bears is a shared responsibility. By securing attractants, reporting bear activity and keeping bears wild and wary, we can reduce conflicts and give both people and bears a better chance to coexist safely. – Larry Zauberis, La Plata County Living With Wildlife Advisory Board
Hurd enables Trump’s actions We all have experienced the negative impacts of Trump’s policies. Tariffs, which were never approved by Congress, are a tax on the American public that have cost $1,745 per family in 2025 and are estimated to cost $2,500 per family in 2026. The Iran war, also not approved by Congress, has resulted in 18 U.S. service members killed and 820 wounded and has cost $44 billion, increasing by $2 to $3 billion per month. Trump’s Iran war also has driven gas prices up to $4.48/ gal and diesel to $6.51/gal., which increases our commuting cost and the cost of
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6 n Sept. 24, 2026
telegraph
Call or text Merida or Forrest: 970-382-8147
our food and goods, which use diesel for their production and transportation. The deportation of immigrants without due process is budgeted to cost $278 billion or $2,358 per taxpayer. Although Trump claimed that only violent criminals would be deported, only 5% of those deported have been convicted of violent crime. It should be noted that 3.9% to 5% of U.S. citizens are convicted for violent crimes. Perhaps Trump will deport all of them, too! Trump is not the whole problem. The Constitution designed Congress as a check on rogue presidential power, yet republican senators voted with Trump’s agenda 99.6% of the time and representatives 99.5%. Our own CD3 Rep. Jeff Hurd voted with Trump’s agenda 95% of the time. He, as well as all the other Republican senators and representatives, are complicit with allowing Trump to act as he has. Remove Jeff Hurd and vote for Dwayne Romero in November. – John Redemske, Durango
Beware nefarious voter site With midterms approaching, use safe, official options to check your voter registration. Two are VOTE411.org (from the League of Women Voters) and Vote.gov (run by the federal Election Assistance Commission). Neither collects personal data or tracks you. Unfortunately, many voters are seeing ads – often funded by Elon Musk’s America PAC – directing them to VoteSafe.org to check their registration. Voters should know what this site really is. VoteSafe.org is essentially a voter astroturfing operation: a PAC-funded site designed to look like a neutral
public service. Reporting shows it collects your full name, birthdate, home address, email, phone number, precise location, browsing activity and even voter registration details pulled from private data – not official state records. In late August 2026, its privacy policy quietly changed. America PAC can now sell your information and behavioral “inferences” (predispositions, aptitude, attitudes) to unnamed “business partners,” who can pass it to still more parties. Using the site means agreeing to calls and texts from America PAC and others. The site reportedly sends your data automatically to Facebook, Google, X, and ad-tracking firms, and creates a “device fingerprint” so you can be tracked even after clearing cookies. Its technology has also been white-labeled: rebranded under other groups’ names while feeding the same system. America PAC has spent more than $180,000 promoting this site on Meta alone. Skip any third-party voter site tied to a political operation, however official it looks. Use Vote.gov or VOTE411.org instead. Stay safe out there and vote! – League of Women Voters La Plata, Voter Services
Give bootlicker Hurd the boot Jeff Hurd thinks we’re stupid. He sold Coloradans out by voting to gut our healthcare to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. But the healthcare cuts were cleverly set up to go into effect after the November election. Hurd thinks we’re too dumb to remember. If Hurd is re-elected, we will all lose a lot.
telegraph
Because Hurd voted to cut benefits, 377,000 Coloradans will likely lose Medicaid coverage, and nearly 300,000 could lose SNAP (food stamp) coverage. Hurd literally took away our healthcare. The “Big Beautiful Bill” passed the House by 1 vote. Hurd could have stopped it, but he chose billionaires over his constituents. Because of Hurd, six rural hospitals in Colorado now face closure. The cuts to Medicaid do not only affect those receiving Medicaid, but everyone in the counties who may lose their hospitals because of the cuts. Dwayne Romero is running against Hurd. He has pledged to reverse cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. It’s time we had someone in the House who is working for us, not for the elite billionaires. Check your voter registration at www.coloradosos. gov/voter/pages/pub/olvr/findVoterReg.xhtml And be sure to vote for Dwayne Romero for U.S. House of Representatives, CD3. Show our incumbent bootlicker that we’re not as dumb as he thinks we are. Save our healthcare. Save our hospitals. Vote for Dwayne Romero. – Philip Riffe, Hesperus
We’ll print damned near anything The Telegraph welcomes healthy civil discourse in 750 words or less. Writers must include their (real) name and place of residence. Personal attacks, hate speech or libelous content are not welcome. Please email your profundities to: telegraph@durangotele graph.com
Sept. 24, 2026 n 7
BigPivots
EV fast-chargers in Pagosa Springs were among the most recent added to the state’s network in the latest round of federal grants. Today, 83% of Colorado’s state highway network is within 30 miles of a fast-charging station, more than double the amount six years ago. The next round of funding seeks to add fast chargers in Ignacio, Gunnison and Saguache, among other locales./ Colorado Energy Office photo
Closing the gap Drivers now within 30 miles of a fast-charger on 83% of Colorado’s highways by Allen Best
C
olorado now has nearly 500 fast-charging EV stations compared to 2,350 gas and diesel stations. Although EV drivers will not find an EV fast charger on every street, state officials say Colorado is quickly approaching the time where EV drivers can travel anywhere between the state’s four corners – not just along the Front Range and major interstates – and be relatively close to a fast-charging station. This, say state officials, represents a milestone. “Public investment has helped make it possible to establish charging in locations that are essential to a truly statewide network,” Shoshana Lew, executive director of the Colorado Department of Transportation said in a press release. Today, 83% of Colorado’s state highway network is within 30 miles of a DC fast-charging station, more than
8 n Sept. 24, 2026
double the 40% six years ago. Now, a new round of state funding is focused on providing drivers confidence they will be no more than 30 miles from a fast-charging station on federal highways. Decline in sales Ironically, the boom in sales of EVs has slackened. New battery-electric vehicle registrations declined 55% this year through June compared to the same period in 2025, according to the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association. In the final months of 2024, Colorado led the nation in the percentage of sales for EVs and plug-in hybrids. At one point, about a third of new car sales in Colorado were battery-electric, plug-in hybrid or hybrid. In 2025, sales of electric-only vehicles began slowing in favor of plug-in hybrids. This most recent decline can be explained in part by the end of generous state and federal tax-based dis-
telegraph
counts. Tax credits of up to $6,000 offered by Colorado in 2025 dropped to $750 in January. The federal tax credit of $6,000 ended in September 2025. Also relevant is that car sales altogether have slowed 15% in Colorado. This decline in EV sales is part of that broader decline. However, advocates expect EV sales to recover. “The investment Colorado is making recognizes that the future of road transportation will be electric,” Travis Madsen, the director of transportation programs for the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, an environmental advocacy organization, said. “These investments are smart. Coloradans will save a ton of money, because it’s cheaper to drive an EV than an internal combustion engine vehicle.” Madsen also expects improving incentives will be part of the discussion when Colorado legislators gather in January for the 2027 session. Too, he suspects that a
shift in the political makeup of Congress and perhaps the presidency in 2028 may result in restored federal tax incentives. In addition, Madsen suspects the introduction of new models of bare-bones electric pickup trucks will spur sales. One new pickup, called Slate, comes in at $25,000 and will have a range of 205 miles. Ford’s Fathom will sell for a bit more, at $30,000. Ford says the Fathom will have a range of 300 miles, but some auto writers seem skeptical, saying an optional higher-capacity battery may be necessary to get this range. Currently, Colorado has 217,000 registered EVS and plug-in hybrids among its 5.54 million cars, pickups and vans, according to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. The state has a 2030 goal of 940,000 and a 2035 goal of 2.1 million. A lot of federal help Federal funding of $56.5 million administered through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, or NEVI, has bolstered Colorado’s efforts to create its EV fast-charging network. So far, 17 of the fast-charging locations supported by the federal program have opened, and another 33 are under development. Several of the EV fast-charging gaps on the lesser-traveled highways of Colorado’s Eastern Plains have been narrowed in the last year with the help of this federal program. For example, somebody driving from Limon to Kansas would have had no way to charge an electric vehicle until fast-charging stations were added in 2025 at Eads and Kit Carson. Wray also gained a station. Another gap was filled in southwestern Colorado for drivers traveling the 80 miles from Durango to the Four Corners Monument, with a station in Cortez. Other stations installed with help of the federal program are operating in Frisco, Longmont, Monument, Seibert, Grand Junction, Limon, Montrose, Maybell, Sterling, Durango, Lyons, Pagosa Springs and Walsenburg.
Now CDOT and the Colorado Energy Office are evaluating applications from the ninth round of the NEVI funding, known as the Direct Current Fast-Charging Plazas Grant. The state expects to have $14 million available. In this funding round, the state also introduced a “gap incentive” of $174,000 per charging port aimed at attracting projects to highpriority communities and segments with persistent charging gaps. Those include Fraser/Winter Park; Gunnison; Ignacio / Southern Ute Reservation; Julesburg; and Saguache, among others. State officials did not say how much state money has been used to expand this fast-charging network. Also unclear is how the fast-charging stations installed by Tesla figure into this statewide matrix. Nearly every major EV brand now has access to Tesla’s supercharging network. Achieving scale The state’s first fast-charging stations were entirely along the Front Range. The first fast-charger in a rural area was installed in 2017 in the San Luis Valley, followed by more along interstates and secondary highways. The expansion has been particularly rapid since 2020. “Colorado has reached the point where we are no longer simply building the foundation of an EV fast-charging network – we are filling in the remaining gaps and making that network increasingly useful,” said CDOT’s Lew. Sifting through the numbers, though, the International Council on Clean Transportation in April released a report that paints a slightly less rosy picture of Colorado’s fast-charging infrastructure. “Meeting Colorado’s EV goals will require significant continued investment in charging infrastructure,” the council said. According to the council, existing state and federal grants and utility investments, if made, could cover about 84% of nonhome fast-charger needs through 2035. And there is also this. Charging stations
still take more time and are somewhat less assured, especially when traveling beyond Colorado’s borders. Consider the story of Florence resident Steve Andrews, an EV driver (Bolt) for many years. In driving to Wisconsin this year, he will use an internal-combustion engine. Driving his Bolt, with its range of 250 to 300 miles, he says, would take close to a day longer. Just how the charging infrastructure will evolve is anybody’s guess. It currently takes about 30 minutes to juice up a depleted battery, compared to 5 minutes to gas up a car, or 10 or more minutes to fill the 36-gallon tank of a hulking pickup like a Ford 250 or 350. Madsen said high-speed charging technology may yet evolve. China already has very fast charging that can fill a depleted battery in 9 minutes, but that technology is not yet available in the United States.
telegraph
Highways with few travelers Colorado – luckily – still has places where you need to think ahead no matter what kind of car you have. Consider U.S. 160, which connects Trinidad and Springfield, in the state’s southeastern quadrant. The landscape is delightfully sparse. You can drive 20 minutes or more, even on a holiday weekend, without encountering another vehicle. It’s you and the cows and likely pronghorn, too. That 122-mile stretch of highway currently has one place to buy gasoline or diesel. It has no place to charge your EV, whether slowly or fast. It’s not among the “gaps” identified in state transportation planning. Probably, it will stay that way for a while. Allen Best is a Colorado-based journalist who publishes an e-magazine about Colorado energy transition called Big Pivots. Reach him at allen.best@comcast.net. ■
Sept. 24, 2026 n 9
FreeWillAstrology by Rob Brezsny ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the practice of niwaki, Japanese gardeners shape trees so they look both natural and artfully composed. They prune and style the branches to dramatize the tree’s inherent character. Their goal is to collaborate. I recommend you experiment with a similar approach in the coming weeks, Aries. Try partnering with the living processes in your sphere rather than simply imposing your will on them. Ask yourself: What is trying to flourish here? Can I coax out some useful beauty? How can I coordinate my own intelligence with nature’s intelligence? TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Your spirit creatures for the coming weeks are the slow-moving giant tortoises of the Galápagos Islands. They can live for more than a century. They conserve energy, move deliberately, and carry their protection with them. I believe you will benefit from embracing their ways in the coming weeks, Taurus. Refuse to be rushed or pressured, either by others or yourself. Proceed at the precise rate you need to. Your natural strength will thrive through your incremental steadiness. PS: Consider giving yourself a tortoise nickname. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A master perfumer composes a fragrance in three layers. The top notes are what you smell first. They’re vivid and volatile. The next layer blooms gradually, unfurling the heart notes of the fragrance. Underneath everything are the deep, resinous base notes, which don’t fully reveal themselves for hours and cling longest to the skin. Let this be a metaphor to guide your joys and pleasures in the coming weeks, Gemini. Relish the bright top notes that flare and vanish, but persist long enough for the heart to open, and longer still for the deep base notes to emerge. Gather all the rich delights, not just some. CANCER (June 21-July 22): It’s hard, scary work for a crab to molt its shell and grow a bigger one. As it waits for its new protection to grow, its soft, tender body is exposed and vulnerable. That’s why it often hides in rock crevices, neither moving nor eating until its armor returns. Your situation, dear Cancerian, isn’t nearly as dire as the poor, defenseless crab’s. But as you power through your own personal molting season, I urge you to enhance your psychic protection. You need to feel extra safe and secure.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Bats navigate by echolocation. They send out sounds and interpret the echoes. But when competing for food, they may also jam each other’s sonar, generating acoustic interference that makes navigation harder for rivals. A similar phenomenon occurs in human populations. Some of the noisy talk we hear is other people’s jamming signals. Consciously or unconsciously, they’re creating interference that may make it harder for us to navigate. Now is a good time for you to learn how to distinguish between real information and meaningless hubbub. Refine your filters. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Jan Tschichold (1902–74) was a brilliant typographer who revolutionized graphic design. He left his mark on millions of books. But later in life, he rejected some of his own rules, returning to classical typography and critiquing his earlier work as too rigid. In this spirit, dear Virgo, I will ask you if some of your long-standing rules no longer serve you. Is it possible that some of your own “best practices” may have calcified into unexamined dogma? The coming months will invite productive heresy against your past selves. You’re allowed to contradict your earlier convictions. Hint: Your vigorous evolution requires it. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In the 18th century, Libran philosopher Denis Diderot was instrumental in creating the Encyclopédie. It wasn’t the first compendium of the world’s knowledge, but it was the most ambitious and comprehensive. In 28 volumes, it assembled contributions from a large number of writers, including leading figures of the French Enlightenment. Robust collaboration was key to its enduring influence. In coming weeks, I’m hoping that you, like Diderot, will be an initiator and facilitator of rich cooperation. Conversations, partnerships and shared projects could generate insights that none of the participants would have discovered alone. By inviting multiple perspectives, you will help cultivate a fertile weave of ideas. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In the volcanic seas around Iceland, underwater eruptions sometimes build entirely new islands that rise from the waves as bare, black rock. During the ensuing years, wind and waves and seabirds seed them with life. Mosses, lichens, hardy plants, and nesting birds slowly transform the raw lava into a living shore. I’m rooting for you to instigate a similar process, Scorpio. My prediction: A development that initially seems stark or unfinished could become fertile ground for growth. Your perceptive instincts will recognize possibilities before they are obvious to others. Be patient with beginnings that look raw.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I invite you to achieve minor miracles that will enable you to brag about how you created something out of nothing. Not in a loud, egotistical way, but with a sly glimmer in your eye, as if you’re sharing secrets about how reality can be coaxed into generosity if you approach it with imagination. Now is a favorable moment to turn scraps into usefulness, boredom into invention and vague hunches into tangible results. Be alert! Scout around for raw materials that have been overlooked or dismissed. Half-abandoned projects? Mercurial inclinations? Fugitive fantasies? Seemingly idle conversations? These are the “nothings” you can turn into treasures. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’ve got a rough, tough assignment for you: Dare yourself to be startled by your own exquisite beauty. Be bold and even brazen in appreciating what a marvelous creature you are. Can you summon the necessary audacity? I think you can. Please notice the ways you have underestimated your gifts, minimized your impact, or edited out your brilliance to make others comfortable. Allow yourself to feel the tender shock of recognizing that you’re more interesting and mysteriously compelling than you’ve been trained to believe. PS: This will help you call on even deeper inner resources in the coming weeks. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian writer Virginia Woolf was a fount of interesting ideas. Sometimes she pushed her active mind to track them down and capture them, but on other occasions, she enjoyed gathering gems that arrived as her imagination wandered. These “moments of being” provided her with small treasures while she was walking in nature, taking a bath or doing nothing in particular. I believe that you are now primed to experience many such pleasurable eruptions of insight. In the coming weeks, pauses and lulls and intermissions will open unexpected portals. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): For $199, I could dispel that annoying curse you’ve been lugging around. But I would feel sleazy taking your cash when you are capable of zapping the curse yourself. Instead, perform this banishing ritual, then write yourself a check for $199. Here’s how. Step 1: Visualize an object that represents the curse. Imagine hurling it into a bonfire and watching it burn. Step 2: Bring to mind a person you believe contributes to the curse. Envision a rope that ties the two of you together. Then imagine yourself revving up a chainsaw, slicing through the binding and declaring, “You have no power over me!” Step 3: Roll on the floor as you laugh and cry tears of giddy release.
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14 n Sept. 24, 2026
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