Time flies

2005 – Editor’s note: New columnist debuts in VJ

The Valley Journal debuts a new columnist this week, adding to our slate of local voices and divergent viewpoints.

Roaring Fork Valley native Jeannie Perry’s “Ps & Qs” will appear monthly in the VJ.

Jeannie was born in Aspen and grew up in the valley— part of the Perry ranching family— before moving to the Front Range… She returned after a spell a few years ago and now calls Carbondale home.

She brings a unique, slightly left of center perspective, coupled with an amusing sense of humor, not only on life in the Valley, but on life and politics outside the Valley as well.

We hope you enjoy Jeannie’s observations, and don’t forget to mind your “Ps & Qs.”

That was twenty years ago this month! My, how time flies when we’re having fun. And we are, right?! Still having fun, that is. I am so grateful for my community and all that it offers— to old locals and new bonedalers alike. Carbondale is a great place to call home.

I’m especially appreciative of all my editors over the last twenty years (and two newspapers): John Stroud, Trina Ortega, Terray Sylvester, Lynn Burton, Will Grandbois, Raleigh Burleigh, James Steindler. Sincerely, thank you all for proofing my myriad rants without stifling my voice. It must’ve felt a bit like being a bronc rider, just trying to stay on for 8 seconds.

My grandfather loved to rope and ride. Bob and Ditty lived just south of town on the Mt Sopris Ranch and when I started writing Ps & Qs, they would read it each month with anticipation (apprehension?) I’d go over to the ranch to hear what they both thought of my latest musings, and Ditty always had yellow highlights all over the page— several points she wanted to discuss. Once, I walked in and she had a black eye from a recent fall.

“Oh, my gods! What happened?!” I exclaimed.

Bob was quick to reply, “Same thing that’s gonna happen to you, you keep writing those articles.” He had a kidding sense of humor with a dry delivery.

Bob and Ditty lived and ranched here for over sixty years. Back in the good ole days you could stop your truck in the middle of Main Street to roll down the window and catch up… The Nugget was full of miners and RVR was empty land. A lot has changed in twenty years in Carbondale, but not the suicide lane on Hwy 133.

Recently my neighbor was pulled over by a Carbondale police officer for using the middle lane to make a left turn from Dolores Way. If they’re going to suddenly start enforcing the ordinance, then we’re going to need another entrance/exit to Satank. Here are a few viable options:

1) Install a roundabout at Hwy 133/Dolores/Chester’s Chicken Shack (or whatever the nickname of that new restaurant ends up being…)

2) Move a boulder at RFTA’s park & ride and let us use the Village Road light.

3) Install a gate at the pink bridge on Satank’s Lower West Side— although it could be even more dangerous trying to access Hwy 82 from Satank Road than it is trying to turn left from Dolores Way.

Anyway, the powers that be (CDOT, Town of Carbondale, Garfield County, RFTA) should probably get up to some good bureaucratic trouble and reopen this box of Pandora’s. Especially because the traffic and parking on Dolores is ridiculous. Back when the P&Z decided this would be a good place for multiplex residential mixed with “light industrial” behind a RFTA park & ride, I wish they had considered the fact that everyone in Carbondale has a car, and with all the roadway parking, there is not enough room for semi-trucks to unload or turn around. Traffic frequently backs up on our only access road: Dolores Way.

As I sit in my car waiting for the road to clear, I stare at Mount Sopris and remember my grandparents sitting at their dining table reading the paper— Ditty’s yellow highlighter on the Lazy Susan, all ready to go.

Thank you for reading! And don’t forget to mind your Ps & Qs.