Well! I believe that Mr. Winter believes that he is a “Lion” this week. Last Saturday, Jan. 21, snow and wind came into Rico with a vengeance. I once read that a blizzard is a snowstorm with wind that lasts more than three hours ... hmmm. And it did blow two- and three-foot drifts in Town and I have no idea what was going on up on the Pass. The meadows up there near the top see snowstorms with wind routinely, but in Rico we normally enjoy those nice quiet snows with big snowflakes. Anyway, after 18 to 20 inches fell all day and that night, Sunday morning arrived very cold amid glorious sunshine and clear blue skies. Monday next the “Lion” returned and dropped another eight or nine inches. Now I am wondering just what our citizens will worry about next!
Eileen Cahalone (Kevin) our preschool and kindergarten teacher, and mother of student Katy (almost six), commutes daily to Rico over the Pass from their home in Ophir. Ophir is located up on top of Lizard Head pass along with San Bernardo, a tiny village located not too far away. I don’t believe that she misses a day because of bad weather. She’s a real trouper!
Mary Hagan and her family skied Telluride last Sunday. There was tons of fluffy powder and so much fun. Just mentioning this delight will increase the chances that more people down-valley will be calling in sick at work or skipping school and heading for Hesperus, Purgatory or Telluride, if the powder keeps on delighting us!
We are carefully watching the progress of our Amber Kenyon who suffered a bad accident up on the Pass last week, and now another tragedy has occurred just below Rico, down below the ball park. The driver of an 18-wheeler pulling a FedEx trailer lost control and plunged over the bank and down into the marshy-swamp area at the end of the ball park. The rig did not roll, but the driver lost his life. There were no skid marks on the roadway, so perhaps he suffered some physical problem. We shall never know. Fire Chief Todd Jones and Dave Harper, our Game Warden, were in the immediate area at that moment and were the first on the scene. The State Patrol and our County Coroner handled the situation.
Marlene Hazen has lived in Rico for two decades. An active member of the community, she participates in organizations such as the Rico Women’s Club and Rico Historical Society.