Canyon Country Zephyr Page 5

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FROM A GRUMPY WOMAN IN AUSTRALIA

Dear Mr Stiles,

Congratulations on your latest issue of the tree-free Zephyr. You seem to be slowly getting the hang of this 'technology caper. Thanks for still requesting our feedback.

I have been reading The Zephyr for quite some issues now, yet have not previously felt compelled toward public or instant comment, until I got to this one: 'Hell is the Gunbar-rel Highway.

I know several Australians who have completed it - some multiple times. One of them is my father, who on one occasion went by motorcycle (a Honda 185 - hard work).

Just in case you've inspired any of those "adventurist" lunatics to fly in and spend their vacation not ruining your Utah rocks but our Western Australian ones, and lest they are not as lucky as you and your buddy to be stuck on a straight and defined part of the track only a night's walk from other people and a winch, I'd like to point out the rules for leaving the metropolitan areas in Australia. Number l: Never leave your vehicle. And if you forget rule 1, then you'd better remember rule 2: NEVER leave your vehicle.

Of course there are more, but from explorers Burke and Wills to the extremely sad story of teenagers James Annetts and Simon Amos, they've mainly got to do with Not splitting up the party, and Never leaving your vehicle.

Most of the 'travellers' killed in this country are not taken by our huge stealthy sharks, our massive camouflaged crocodiles, our silent venomous snakes, or our poisonous yet tiny spiders, (or even our herds of frustrated flatulent camels) but their own Stupidity.

Please, keep your dumb-arse 4wd tourists over there where yes, at least they're in radio-range of a nearby chopper/hospital, and not endangering our Police Service and Flying Doctor to go find them.

Underprepared, low water, no shovels: I shake my head Mr Stiles, I thought You would know better. Believe me, a beer is Not what you deserve, unless its weighting a spare boot aimed at your backside. This country Kills People.

And by the way, if you think our wildlife is scarily dangerous, you should meet our women.

Yours,

Ms Lindelle Winter

Mt Lawley, Western Australia.

Editor's Note: Yes, I am painfully aware of both hazards, though it is often difficult for me to distinguish between the wildlife and the women. I spend most of my time talking to ravens these days. They always get the last word but they make more sense... JS

OBAMA...HE'S JUST A MAN WHO DOESN'T WANT TO GET SHOT

Dear Stiles,

I sang the Obama hymn during the 2008 electoral campaign, along with a huge majority of other Canadians. Maybe I was fired up by seven seasons of "West Wing", or soured by my own countrys move to the right since the Harper gang took over in 2006. Maybe I just wanted to see two little black girls running through the hallways of the White House. Whatever the reason, it was easy to forget Howard Zinn's "People's History of the United States" when listening to Obama orate — easy to get on the messiah bandwagon. I could understand the entire world (except Jim Stiles and my Marxist Argentinian aunt and a few other grumpy nay-sayers) turning into frenzied groupies, genuflecting whenever B.O. took the microphone. (I was in Moab in May 2008 when that print issue of the Zephyr was still in the stands, and I was literally mad at you, Jim, for not being on the bandwagon...I thought: can't you let yourself have a crazy-good feeling for just a minute?)

continued on next page

Feedback

The Readers Respond

MAYBE NOT ZEPHYR SUICIDE AFTER ALL?

Jim:

I have always found the Canyon Country Zephyr a unique and interesting paper. I started reading it 20 years ago when I moved to Moab and had the opportunity to meet you. I doubt you remember. While I was only there for a couple of years, I have always enjoyed my occasional reading of your musings. When I found you were going on-line and eliminating your print copy, I thought you were committing editorial suicide. I just read your on-line version for the first time and I can say it is still the same interesting paper as your old print version. I hope you can endure for years to come. Your points of view are good for all to reflect on from time to time.

A quick comment on the future source of our continuing and growing need for reliable energy would be that it is time to stop and look carefully at each and every current and potential source. It is not an easy issue to resolve and cannot be resolved in a paragraph or two. Each and every source has its pros and cons. Whatever decisions we make today our great grandkids will live with tomorrow, both from an efficiency and an economical standpoint. I hope we find the right balance.

Good luck with your on-line excursion and may the Canyon Country Zephyr continue its run for many years to come.

Doug Fullmer Murray, UT

THE BIKE FEST DISEASE NOW FESTERS

Jim

I need your help. I think I need your book though I have never read it and have no idea what you say in it. But I feel I already know. For the past 20or mor, or less, years I have been picking up your paper on my trips through Moab - once a very frequent event now a place I force to hold my breath in to make sure I get the hell out quick like. Anyway I've been reading your paper every now and than and have read things I thought only existed in my own head. So its been good to know there is someone else out there that everyone thinks is wacked. Here's the problem. I live in this amazingly beautiful small town in Colorado that no one seems to care about - except us folk who five here. Great everything just out our doors and best of all no people - or hardly any. Sort of like Moab was in the 70's. But this place is better. We actually have water here and can grow some mighty great food.

So the local bike guy - John the bike guy - and a couple of folks on the Chamber are starting to throw an annual BIKE FESTIVAL! To draw folks in and make a few bucks and fuck the place up. Scares the shit out of me after seeing what such festivals nave done to our beloved S Utah. So I looked on your website - been meaning to do so for months now - and no place to buy your book. So I have to go through some Amazon type place??? What to buy it for you or a local Moab bookstore. Help me out. And if your book has nothing in it to convince these people they are idiots going after the tourism dollar then where is the documentation that recreational tourism is the devil.

Thanks Chris Carrier Somewhere in Colorado

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	FROM A GRUMPY WOMAN IN AUSTRALIA Dear Mr Stiles, Congratulations on your latest issue of the tree-free Zephyr. You seem to be slowly getting the hang of this 'technology caper. Thanks for still requesting our feedback. I have been reading The Zephyr for quite some issues now, yet have not previously felt compelled toward public or instant comment, until I got to this one: 'Hell is the Gunbar-rel Highway. I know several Australians who have completed it - some multiple times. One of them is my father, who on one occasion went by motorcycle (a Honda 185 - hard work). Just in case you've inspired any of those "adventurist" lunatics to fly in and spend their vacation not ruining your Utah rocks but our Western Australian ones, and lest they are not as lucky as you and your buddy to be stuck on a straight and defined part of the track only a night's walk from other people and a winch, I'd like to point out the rules for leaving the metropolitan areas in Australia. Number l: Never leave your vehicle. And if you forget rule 1, then you'd better remember rule 2: NEVER leave your vehicle. Of course there are more, but from explorers Burke and Wills to the extremely sad story of teenagers James Annetts and Simon Amos, they've mainly got to do with Not splitting up the party, and Never leaving your vehicle. Most of the 'travellers' killed in this country are not taken by our huge stealthy sharks, our massive camouflaged crocodiles, our silent venomous snakes, or our poisonous yet tiny spiders, (or even our herds of frustrated flatulent camels) but their own Stupidity. Please, keep your dumb-arse 4wd tourists over there where yes, at least they're in radio-range of a nearby chopper/hospital, and not endangering our Police Service and Flying Doctor to go find them. Underprepared, low water, no shovels: I shake my head Mr Stiles, I thought You would know better. Believe me, a beer is Not what you deserve, unless its weighting a spare boot aimed at your backside. This country Kills People. And by the way, if you think our wildlife is scarily dangerous, you should meet our women. Yours, Ms Lindelle Winter Mt Lawley, Western Australia. Editor's Note: Yes, I am painfully aware of both hazards, though it is often difficult for me to distinguish between the wildlife and the women. I spend most of my time talking to ravens these days. They always get the last word but they make more sense... JS OBAMA...HE'S JUST A MAN WHO DOESN'T WANT TO GET SHOT Dear Stiles, I sang the Obama hymn during the 2008 electoral campaign, along with a huge majority of other Canadians. Maybe I was fired up by seven seasons of "West Wing", or soured by my own countrys move to the right since the Harper gang took over in 2006. Maybe I just wanted to see two little black girls running through the hallways of the White House. Whatever the reason, it was easy to forget Howard Zinn's "People's History of the United States" when listening to Obama orate — easy to get on the messiah bandwagon. I could understand the entire world (except Jim Stiles and my Marxist Argentinian aunt and a few other grumpy nay-sayers) turning into frenzied groupies, genuflecting whenever B.O. took the microphone. (I was in Moab in May 2008 when that print issue of the Zephyr was still in the stands, and I was literally mad at you, Jim, for not being on the bandwagon...I thought: can't you let yourself have a crazy-good feeling for just a minute?) continued on next page Feedback *The Readers Respond* MAYBE NOT ZEPHYR SUICIDE AFTER ALL? Jim: I have always found the Canyon Country Zephyr a unique and interesting paper. I started reading it 20 years ago when I moved to Moab and had the opportunity to meet you. I doubt you remember. While I was only there for a couple of years, I have always enjoyed my occasional reading of your musings. When I found you were going on-line and eliminating your print copy, I thought you were committing editorial suicide. I just read your on-line version for the first time and I can say it is still the same interesting paper as your old print version. I hope you can endure for years to come. Your points of view are good for all to reflect on from time to time. A quick comment on the future source of our continuing and growing need for reliable energy would be that it is time to stop and look carefully at each and every current and potential source. It is not an easy issue to resolve and cannot be resolved in a paragraph or two. Each and every source has its pros and cons. Whatever decisions we make today our great grandkids will live with tomorrow, both from an efficiency and an economical standpoint. I hope we find the right balance. Good luck with your on-line excursion and may the Canyon Country Zephyr continue its run for many years to come. Doug Fullmer Murray, UT THE BIKE FEST DISEASE NOW FESTERS Jim I need your help. I think I need your book though I have never read it and have no idea what you say in it. But I feel I already know. For the past 20or mor, or less, years I have been picking up your paper on my trips through Moab - once a very frequent event now a place I force to hold my breath in to make sure I get the hell out quick like. Anyway I've been reading your paper every now and than and have read things I thought only existed in my own head. So its been good to know there is someone else out there that everyone thinks is wacked. Here's the problem. I live in this amazingly beautiful small town in Colorado that no one seems to care about - except us folk who five here. Great everything just out our doors and best of all no people - or hardly any. Sort of like Moab was in the 70's. But this place is better. We actually have water here and can grow some mighty great food. So the local bike guy - John the bike guy - and a couple of folks on the Chamber are starting to throw an annual BIKE FESTIVAL! To draw folks in and make a few bucks and fuck the place up. Scares the shit out of me after seeing what such festivals nave done to our beloved S Utah. So I looked on your website - been meaning to do so for months now - and no place to buy your book. So I have to go through some Amazon type place??? What to buy it for you or a local Moab bookstore. Help me out. And if your book has nothing in it to convince these people they are idiots going after the tourism dollar then where is the documentation that recreational tourism is the devil. Thanks Chris Carrier Somewhere in Colorado

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