Raft races, various events will keep area residents busy

Raft races, various events will keep area residents busy

May 31, 2001

STAFF REPORT

Runoff is good, but not real high. However, there should be more than enough water for this year’s Dolores River Raft Races, set for this Saturday, June 2.

After a year off, the Dolores River Raft Days are back.

There was no rafting a year ago, thanks mainly to low-water conditions. But the runoff is good and the event is set for this weekend.

The 18th Dolores River Raft Days, sponsored by the Dolores Chamber of Commerce, will be held on June 2. Competitive heats are available. The first-place team will win $600. The cost is $200 per team of six persons. Rafts and guides will be provided. The races will begin at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

The business heat will be different than in past years. It will be a friendly tag team buoy race on McPhee Reservoir for prizes. The cost is $120 per six-person team. Rafts are still available for teams.

Many events are planned. Those spectators will not only be able to watch from the banks, but attend many different activities around town.

There will be food, music, paper airplane contest, arts and crafts show, and games at the Community Center. Funkyard, a local band, will be performing starting at 11 a.m. A special Pokemon Trading Card Swap Meet for kids will be held. A paper airplane flying contest, with heats, is planned.

RGS Galloping Goose No. 5 will be running on the tracks in front of the Galloping Goose Historical Society Rio Grande Southern Depot and Town Hall. Wayne Brown is the motorman. The short rides are free but donations will gladly be accepted.

The Hi-Altitude Steel Car Club, fresh off their annual Cortez Fun Run and Car Show (today, May 26) will hold a car show at Riverside Park. Various street rods, custom cars, vintage cars, muscle cars and other street machines will be on display.

Several members of the "Revengers of Montezuma," a single-action sport shooting society, will present a mounted shooting exhibition. The wear 1880s period costumes and will display their marksmanship.

The Hollywood Bar and Cafe is sponsoring a triathlon. It will consist of darts, shuffleboard and pocket billiards. Phone 882-9998 for more information.

A safety demonstration by the youth organization JAKES, sponsored by the National Turkey Federation and Four Corners Gobblers, will be held.

The Dolores Public Library will hold its annual book sale from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Volunteers are needed to help bring books down from the attic on Friday, June 1. Phone 882-4127 to sign-up to help out.

For more information about Dolores River Raft Races and events, phone the Ginger Jar at 882-2550 or the sponsoring Dolores Chamber of Commerce at 882-4018 or (800) 807-4712.