Category Archives: David Feela

  Reaching its pinnacle at 8,755 feet, Mc­Clure Pass rises and falls for almost 50 miles between the Colorado towns of Carbondale and Somerset. It’s a treacherous road but it’s also awe-inspiring. I never allow the fear of falling boulders, … Continue reading →

We’ve been told in no uncertain terms that PCP is bad for you and that PPE is good, especially for health workers, if only they had an adequate supply. I wonder what’s up with PPO and PPV. The prob­lem with … Continue reading →

It’s the obvious problem we all can see but refuse to talk about. This time it’s a Repub­lican-branded beast, depicted as an elephant since 1874. Civil War soldiers used the expression of “seeing the elephant” to mean they had seen … Continue reading →

Over a decade of experience as a Boy Scout left me with an indelible respect for our American flag. Not only did I study the protocols for properly displaying it, I also found myself placed in situations where handling the … Continue reading →

Most readers are familiar with the phrase tour de force, which identifies a feat displaying great strength, skill, or ingenuity. A tour de farce, however, is quite different, referring to an empty or patently ridiculous proceeding, act, or situation that … Continue reading →

The light fixture in my bathroom blew a bulb. To fully illuminate the mirror it re­quired three. Instead of just replacing the single burned-out bulb and waiting like an audience for the cho­rus line’s next kick, I splurged and bought … Continue reading →

International travel might be improved these days if a good witch loaned me a pair of ruby slippers. Back in 2013, before travel bans existed, our journey to Italy required three cramped jets and too many mind-numbing hours shuttling between … Continue reading →

Sheds and garages across the county contain secret stashes no passerby can imagine, mostly because these caches are behind locked doors, which is as it should be. A stranger might steal something. It’s not worth taking the risk. It must … Continue reading →

Usually I can see how harsh reality is gilded with a precious layer of the absurd, but what happened on January 6th in our nation’s Capitol has left me uneasy: five dead and a mob of terrorists still loose, still … Continue reading →

In the pantheon of classical gods, the Furies once stood tall. Also referred to as the “Deities of Vengeance,” these three sisters — born of a union between Gaea (the Earth) and Uranus (a personification of the sky) — mythologically … Continue reading →

“Karhide is not a nation but a family quarrel.” — Ursula LeGuin, The Left Hand of Darkness A group of politically- fueled friends consuming a few beers at a local brewery engaged in a spirited debate about whether we Americans … Continue reading →

While out for a brisk walk — also known as my morning constitutional — I paused across from a flag that hung beside a neighborhood front door. It resembled an American flag, but this one fluttered grey, as if it … Continue reading →

“And the sign said…” —Five Man Electrical Band Instead of posting the Colorado state order that requires masks to be worn inside public places, the sign on this Montezuma County business door read, “We prefer to see your smiling faces, … Continue reading →

In theory, maybe the ancient Egyptians had it right, that a person would be better off stocking up on supplies for the afterlife. In practice, however, only the superfluously wealthy had the means to erect eternal storage sheds. Some people … Continue reading →

“Money is our madness, our vast collective madness” — D.H. Lawrence Some financial news junkies still associate “trickle-down economics” with Ronald Reagan, our 40th president, who popularized a policy of tax cuts for the wealthy because (as the theory goes) … Continue reading →

That old Jackson 5 number came into my head as I left the grocery store, the tune that goes something like “ABC, easy as 1-2-3.” I hummed a few bars until a fog settled on my brain while scanning my … Continue reading →

The idea of having a window into the next 50 years sounded sort of visionary. Don’t we all yearn for a closer look into the future? I called the masked volunteer over to the display case and asked if she … Continue reading →

When I resided in the country, dogs often rushed down their driveways as I bicycled past, growling, barking, and having themselves a canine tantrum, objecting to my presence on the road. I understood then and now that dogs have a … Continue reading →

At the annual winter solstice bonfire we stood around a mound of dry limbs, wrapped in layers of material warmth, anxious for that moment when the fire finally catches and the crisp branches burst into bright orange flames, all of … Continue reading →

Recent news suggests the Air in Airbnb comes from CEO Brian Chesky, who recently announced a ban on all party houses in response to a tragic shooting which left five dead in Orinda, Calif. A glass of wine? That’s fine, … Continue reading →

There are six surviving so-called “generations” in America. You might belong to the GI Generation, the Mature/Silents, the Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y (also known as the Millennials), or Generation Z (the Boomlets). Being born within a range of … Continue reading →

A few weeks after the Mars InSight touched down on the red planet’s surface, I clicked an audio link that captured 2 minutes and 27 seconds of a Martian wind. The idea of opening an electronic window and listening as … Continue reading →

Our South American neighbors who live within a 125-mile strip of exposure along the heartlands of Argentina and Chile had the chance this summer to witness a total solar eclipse. We North Americans had our viewing opportunity in 2017. Of … Continue reading →

The 1952 movie Viva Zapata starring Marlon Brando portrayed an account of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata. The screenplay was written by one of my favorite novelists, John Steinbeck. But instead of taking you there, let me direct your attention to … Continue reading →

While my neighbors were absent, I kept an eye on their house to make sure things stayed safe. Not so much a neighborhood watch as a casual glance in their direction whenever I happened to walk past. I didn’t know … Continue reading →

I pulled in, prompted by pure nostalgia, for a closer look at the abandoned M&M Truck Stop south of Cortez. For over a decade of Fridays my wife and I ate breakfast there before rushing off to my teaching assignments … Continue reading →

Generally speaking, a frost heave is prompted by freezing conditions. It has nothing to do with vomit. Moisture penetrates the soil and as the ice expands, the ground swells. It’s a natural phenomenon, especially in Vermont. Nothing to worry about, … Continue reading →

A steep Highway 49 weaves snakelike through the dry, golden hills of the Golden State as it crosses into Calaveras County. I pulled up beside a road worker holding his traffic sign. I had been warned, over five miles back, … Continue reading →

Sexual assault disorder (SAD) is not exclusively a man thing, but what’s really sad is the behavior is so ingrained in the drinking culture that this alcohol-induced lifestyle choice leads to acute cases of repressive memory disorder (RMD) and the … Continue reading →

Any day now I’ll walk into a shop where a “Gluten Free” sign hangs on the wall. Striding up to the counter, pointing toward the sign, I’ll request a free bag of gluten. I haven’t done it yet. I’m rehearsing … Continue reading →

It’s a beautiful autumn day, the mountain trail cobbled with golden leaves like a path to heaven. The sun warms your back, a breeze chatters among the leaves. You’re listening intently to the conversation when the crack of two rifle … Continue reading →

“Truth is the most valuable thing we have. Let us economize it.” –Mark Twain An ancient marble mask sculpted during the Roman Empire’s heyday hangs on a church wall outside Rome’s Santa Maria in Cosmedin. Archaeologists aren’t sure about the … Continue reading →

It requires determination to reach the Nebraska panhandle, an area wedged between South Dakota, Wyoming, and the northeast corner of Colorado. Some might go so far as to say there’s little to recommend the attempt. But over 60,000 visitors set … Continue reading →

One thing you never expect to find in a thrift store is your parents, and I don’t mean an elderly couple strolling the aisles reminiscing over items they used to own. Parents, especially retired ones living on fixed incomes, appreciate … Continue reading →

Recent threats over increased entrance fees targeted for parks located mostly in the West might make you might think it’s time to consider a few alternative travel itineraries for your summer vacation. After all, peak season had been defined by … Continue reading →

My daily bicycle ritual usually takes me north of town, past the hospital to pedal along our rural county roads. On a windy day at the end of April a most unusual scene unfolded as I headed out. I stopped … Continue reading →

I headed for the podium. The audience fell silent, all eyes pivoting toward the front of the room where I stood. Working up the courage to face them, I pulled my shoulders back, stood tall, and recited the words I … Continue reading →

Students gather around their teacher, pillows and cushions supporting their tender spots, as Miss Aimee introduces the book she’ll be reading. “Children,” she says, “quiet down now. Our story this afternoon is titled Good Guns, Bad Guns. Don’t be afraid … Continue reading →

A long-anticipated book release is sometimes worth the wait. Mark Twain died in 1910. His autobiography was scheduled to appear (by his explicit instructions) a century after his death. Lucky for me, I only had to wait 64 years before … Continue reading →

A notice prohibiting smoking while filling one’s gas tank is posted at every service station. It’s a common-sense rule, quite the opposite of the warning on every pillow and mattress declaring, under penalty of law this tag is not to … Continue reading →