up the Rio Grande to Wagon Wheel Gap. Story has it the "gap" was named for the narrow slip of maneuverable land between the Palisades on the north

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1 March 2014 Volume 39 Doug and Ginni Davlin know quite a bit about railroad history. They live in a piece of it. And if you have traveled from South Fork to Creede, you know exactly where their home is: the Depot at Wagon Wheel Gap. How did the Davlins come to own this building? Do they have a connection to the railroad line outside their front door? Take a quick tour through time to hear the tale! became the site of Colorado's last major silver strike. To serve the mining boomtown, the railroad extended their line 10 miles beyond the Wagon Wheel Gap Depot in ( historycolorado.org/ sites/default/files/files/ OAHP/crforms_edumat/pdfs/625.pdf.) Built as a multi-function building, the depot also housed the Wagon Wheel Gap Post Office for a while. Upstairs, living quarters provided home to the postmaster and often A Historic Building The journey starts in 1881, when the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad built 42 miles of narrow gauge track from Alamosa to South Fork. Two years later, The number below DENVER that line was extended 14 miles further is the number of track miles up the Rio Grande to Wagon Wheel Gap. from Denver to here. "We're not sure why this is platform Story has it the "gap" was named for 9¾," Doug Davlin said. All photographs in this article were the narrow slip of maneuverable land between the Palisades on the north taken by Doug Davlin. and the Rio Grande on the south: "Just wide enough to squeeze a wagon wheel through. It was a fine location to end the to the school teacher who taught at the railroad line and in 1883, there was no Freemont School as well. compelling reason to go further. Creede was yet a glimmer in the ground. The Davlin Connection Visitors to the area were interested Doug's father, Chuck Davlin, was born in fishing, ranching and "taking the and raised in Alamosa. After college, waters" at a hot springs long-favored by Chuck married Toni and the couple had the Ute Indians. ( a son, Doug. In 1941 or '42, the Davlin family moved to Creede. Today, the hot springs are located Doug remembers living in Creede as on the 4UR Ranch. Back then, in 1883, a youngster. "I was home-schooled," he guests stepped off the train onto the platform said. "I often went to Alamosa to visit my of the newly constructed Wagon grandparents." Wheel Gap Depot, climbed into a wagon Doug's grandfather, Dr. Charles A. and were shuttled across the bridge over Davlin, opened the Alamosa Hospital at the Rio Grande to the Hot Springs Hotel. 402 San Juan Avenue in Over the The railroad constructed a wye turnaround years, the hospital moved and manage- between the depot and a bend ment changed; however, Dr. Davlin con- on the river now known as Cottonwood tinued to serve as a respected doctor in Cove. Tracks ran on either side of the the community. depot, one for the main line and one as a Doug remembers watching his house track for railcars. grandfather at work. He said, "When I Issue 3 It changed in 1890, when Creede Continued on page 4

2 Spring Cleaning: maintaining powerline ROW Loren Howard, CEO SLVREC Spring gives us a chance to thaw out after a chilly winter. The longer daylight hours let us do a little spring cleaning and yard work, but the seasonal shift isn t all good news. The rapid change from harsh, cold air to warmer temperatures can trigger severe weather. Cold weather at high elevations in the surrounding mountains and warmer weather on the Valley floor also creates high winds. To protect our lines and keep power flowing safely to your home, San Luis Valley REC maintains our power line rights-of-way. Think of it as spring cleaning for power lines. Right-of-way (ROW) maintenance keeps tree limbs and other obstacles away from high-voltage power lines. It is an important part of the service we provide to you, our members, for three reasons: safety, reliability, and cost. Our primary concern is the safety of our workers and members. Properly maintained ROW keeps our crews safe when they are restoring service and maintaining our system. Keeping trees clear of power lines also keeps your family safe. From making sure a child s tree house doesn t hit power lines to creating a safe environment while doing yard work, a well-maintained ROW helps avoid tragedy. Last fire season we saw how important it is to keep our power line ROW clear in forested areas. A well-maintained ROW serves as a fuel break. A clear ROW also helps us protect power lines, which in turn helps us keep power on for members and fire fighters. Power lines are a constant part of our landscape; it s easy to forget they are around. We work hard to keep the area around our lines clear, but we need your help. Be alert this spring. Don t plant trees or tall vegetation under power lines, and keep an eye out for power lines when working in your yard. When severe spring weather blows through, a well-maintained ROW leads to fewer outages and faster response time. Trees are less of a threat. When trees do fall, crews are able to restore service more quickly than they could with poorly maintained areas. As a not-for-profit company, your electric cooperative strives to keep costs affordable for you, our members. Maintaining our ROW is an important part of controlling costs. Fewer and shorter outages save money for everyone. When crews work in well-maintained areas, we can reduces risks for employees and equipment too another way to keep costs low. Safety, reliability, and cost: this is why we believe in ROW "spring cleaning." If we compromise on one of these areas, it impacts the others. At SLVREC, we aren t willing to compromise. Maintaining our ROW is a priority for your safety, comfort and pocketbook. I know that many of you also like to engage in a little spring cleaning around ditches, fence lines and other areas. If that means burning, please be careful to protect power poles. Don't burn on windy days, clear out around the base of power poles before starting any fires and if you do burn a pole or support structure, please let us know. TM SLVREC's offices are open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Thursday. Offices are closed Friday through Sunday. Board of Directors Scott Wolfe, President Cole Wakasugi, Vice-President Ernie Ford, Secretary Carol Lee Dugan Rick Inman Mike Rierson Eleanor Valdez power@slvrec.com Your will be forwarded based upon the direction you provide in your message. CEO Loren Howard SLVREC Office (toll free) SLVREC Office (local calls) Scheduled Meetings Board Meeting March 25, 9:30 a.m. The Board of Directors meet the last Tuesday of each month unless otherwise stated. Members are welcome. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Statement of Publisher The Newsboy (publication # ) is an official publication of the San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.; 3625 US Hwy 160 W.; Monte Vista, CO The Newsboy is published monthly for SLVREC s members. Periodical postage paid at Monte Vista, CO Subscription price $20/year. Postmaster, send Form 3579 to NEWSBOY, P.O. Box 3625, Monte Vista, CO San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative. All rights reserved. Energy Assistance: 866-HEAT HELP ( )

3 Courtney Miller Accepts Job Courtney Miller was selected to fill a new position at SLVREC: Communications and Marketing Specialist. Courtney started work on January 28. She came to the cooperative from Valley-Wide Health Systems and is a graduate of Adams State University with a BS in business administration. She is currently pursuing a double masters degree in leadership and healthcare administration. "Although, I think I will focus on public administration instead of healthcare administration now that I've made this career move," Courtney said with a smile. She moved to the Valley about 5 years ago from Phoenix and enjoys the outdoor opportunities the Valley offers, especially skiing. Courtney also sings and has sung the national anthem at the start of games for the University of New Mexico Lobos. "I am very excited about working at SLVREC." Courtney said. "I want to thank the members for the opportunity to be a part of SLVREC. I plan to live my motto as I work here: keep moving forward. My goal is to bring innovation and energy to the cooperative while holding an immense amount of respect for where we've been and where we are headed." Courtney has four children and is engaged to be married to Justin Stone in July. Health Fairs 9Health Fair is Colorado s largest non-profit, volunteerdriven health fair program. The program promotes health awareness and encourages individuals to assume responsibility for their own health. This year, as in years past, 9Health Fair will come to the San Luis Valley in early to mid April. Verify exact dates, times, locations and screenings by visiting Additionally, Del Norte will once again sponsor their own Health Fair on March 29th, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Those wanting to participate in the Del Norte Fair may call the Rio Grande County Health Department at for more information. Company News Jed Larsen: New Job, New Baby A year ago, Jed Larsen moved from his job at SLVREC as a meter reader to become the cooperative's warehouseman. At the end of this month, Jed will make yet another career move at the cooperative this time to apprentice lineman. His apprenticeship will take four years to complete. Jed started work at SLVREC in He is a Valley native who attended Sangre de Cristo High School. He completed the lineworker program at Trinidad State Junior College and has been hoping he would be able to step into an opening in the line department at the cooperative. Jed and his wife Kaitlyn have other big news as well. Just five months ago, they welcomed daughter Emerson to their family. Jed and Kaitlyn also have another daughter, Hadley, who turned three in December. "I'm very excited about my new job," Jed said. Other linemen at the cooperative are just as excited. When asked when he would start work as an apprentice, before Jed could answer, SLVREC crew foreman Randy Magnuson said, "It should have been last month already!" Annual Meeting Plans Underway Mark your calendar! SLVREC will hold the cooperative's Annual Meeting on June 10, All members are encouraged to attend. The meeting format will be similar to last year's Annual Meeting: more streamlined and cost effective. Members will still have a chance to win many excellent door prizes including bill credits. Additionally, there will be a special drawing for digital Newsboy subscribers. Three or four subscribers will be selected to win $77 bill credits, with the award amount reflecting the number of years the cooperative has served the Valley. In 2014, the director position for Mineral/Hinsdale Counties will be open. Currently, Rick Inman represents members in these counties. If you are interested in running for this director seat, please contact SLVREC to obtain a copy of the nomination petition and to get information on important deadlines as soon as possible. power@slvrec.com

4 The Depot at Wagon Wheel Gap: Continued from page 1 Doug Davlin sometimes uses post processing techniques to give his photography an ethereal glow (below) and other times, allows the beauty of his subject to create the image focus (left). As he puts it, his photographs " are often surreal and chimerical quixotic and utopian." View more at davlinimages.com. was about five, I remember watching my grandfather operate on patients. It was amazing. I wanted to grow up to be a doctor." As time progressed, Chuck Davlin, a specialist in financial management, took a job with Senator Lawrence Phipps who owned La Garita Ranch, a guest ranch near Creede. The Senator would bring two rail cars up to the depot in the summer, one for family and one for friends. He parked the rail cars on the tracks beside the depot. Eventually, after his father started working as treasurer for the Phipps Foundation, the Davlins moved to Littleton. When Senator Phipps passed away, Doug's father began working for the Senator's son, Allan. Chuck and Toni moved back to the Creede area with their son Doug. Allan expanded the Creede operation, purchasing the 4UR Ranch. Doug's parent's managed both La Garita and 4UR guest ranches for several years. Doug said, "When I was in high school, my job was to mow lawns and keep fireplaces supplied with firewood." Allan eventually sold 4UR to the Leavell family of Texas. Before the sale, while his parents were running back and forth between the two ranches, Doug said, "Mother saw the old railroad depot falling apart due to neglect. She persuaded Allan to buy it from Bibs Wyley. Bibs and Nell started Cottonwood Cove; Bibs bought the building from the Denver & Rio Grande so he could use it as a place to store lumber while he was building the cabins. Bibs and his family even lived in the depot one winter while they built Cottonwood Cove." After the buildings at Cottonwood Cove were finished, the railroad building sat empty until Allan purchased it. "Allan turned the building over to my dad, saying 'Do something with it.' And Dad did," Doug recalled. "He hired a plumber and put in a septic system. He had the place wired for electricity." At first, the building served as an art gallery and beauty salon. "The beauty salon was located in the area that is now our kitchen," Doug said. The art gallery, even though Doug Davlin also enjoys kite photography, taking photographs with a camera suspended from a kite. Here, the proximity of the depot, railroad tracks and Rio Grande (dark area on the far right) are clearly shown. only open a couple of seasons, was very successful. Even now, people from out of state drop by thinking it still houses the gallery they remember from years ago. Aware of the building's history, Doug's father and Allan worked to get the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They achieved their goal; the Wagon Wheel Gap Depot was added to the Register on September 27, "After my dad died, Mother remarried," Doug said. "Toni told Allan, it's my turn to own the depot now, and she purchased it from him in 1989." By then, Doug was married to Ginni, who he met at college. Both had degrees in education and they accepted positions teaching in Anchorage, Alaska. For many years, the couple came down from Anchorage in the summer to rendezvous with Doug's mother and the rest of his family at the depot. "We would do the annual summer maintenance. The maintenance work has never ceased," Doug said. "Between the 50 to 60 degree daily temperature swings and the altitude, there is always work to do." Doug, a self-taught photographer, became a photography instructor at West Anchorage High and the University of Alaska Anchorage. He also offered private photography classes. For over twenty years he worked professionally with wellknown Alaskan photographer, Sam Kimura. 4 direct line for phone pay:

5 case of an outage. Ginni worked with students who were home-bound due to illness. As much as they loved Alaska, they also loved Colorado. "The cold, dark winters got old," Doug said. "When we retired, we moved back to Colorado." Now Doug spends time on his two favorite hobbies: photography and railroad motorcars. Ginni, also a motorcar enthusiast, enjoys working in her fiber studio at the depot. Motorcars and a Home Railroad motorcars were used by rail crews for track maintenance. No longer in production, the cars are difficult to come by and require constant tinkering. (Read more about motorcars in the September 2009 Newsboy.) Club members work together to learn safety rules and become certified operators. An excursion coordinator negotiates with railroads to arrange use and payment for a stretch of rail line for a particular set of dates. Then, a group of like-minded motorcar enthusiasts set off on the tracks for adventure. Ginni and Doug have taken their motorcar on trips to Leadville, various locations in Utah, to the Grand Canyon and even to Copper Canyon in Mexico. "With railroad tracks on two sides of the house, it was inevitable I would become interested in motorcars," Doug said. As president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of NARCOA (North American Railcar Operators Association, Doug and Ginni often host other motorcar enthusiasts at the depot. They even added a caboose to serve as a guest house. As far as motorcar trips on the rails next to their house, "Don Shank has been very supportive and generous of our local NARCOA chapter," Doug said. Doug and Ginni agree that even though the depot serves as their private home, it is important to preserve it. "We view ourselves as stewards of the place rather than owners," Doug said. Water Three-day supply, one gallon per person per day. Tools Flashlight and extra batteries, can opener, wind-up radio. + - Motorcars next to the Wagon Wheel Gap Depot. The cars were originally used by railroad crews in charge of track maintenance and as such, were often not very well maintained. The last ones were built about 40 years ago. Be Ready Before Lights out? a Storm Store these Strikes items at home in Food Three-day supply of nonperishable, high-energy food. First Aid, Medicine First aid supplies, hand sanitizer, and at least a week s supply of medications for the family. Documents Include copies of passports, birth certificates, and insurance policies. Learn more at Source: American Red Cross, Federal Emergency Management Agency power@slvrec.com

6 Current Issues SLVREC at Ag Conference SLVREC hosted breakfast at this year's Agriculture Conference on Wednesday, February 5. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth to say hello! Construction Complete Construction on the Plaza to Waverly transmission line has been completed. Before the line can Construction be energized and put into service, some of the Plaza testing must be completed. to Waverly After testing is done, a line SLVREC Transmission refers to as the "Prairie Line" will be used line is now to power substations on the west side complete. of the Valley while two structures are installed in the Plaza to Waverly loop. Once completed, the project will allow SLVREC to route power in two directions to most Valley substations. This creates a loop a more desirable configuration because when a problem occurs in one area, that area can be isolated and power can be fed to substations in a different direction. Save a Tree & Get a Chance to Win Visit and follow the link on the home page to have a copy of the Newsboy delivered to your inbox each month. If you like what you see, call customer service to have your snail-mail subscription to the newsletter cancelled. This change won't affect other correspondence from the cooperative. Best of all, going digital automatically enters you into a drawing for a $25 bill credit each month. This month Marshall Cox won! Digital editions of the Newsboy are in full color, contain bonus recipes and occasionally offer other bonus content. As part of the construction process, contractors used a helicopter to affix visibility markers to the Plaza to Waverly transmission line near the Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge. The visibility markers help Sandhill cranes and other migratory birds avoid collisions with powerlines. Phone Pay! If you prefer paying your electric bill by phone, remember you can now dial a direct number to reach phone pay: Call This toll-free number can be reached 24/7. If you have questions about phone pay or your bill, call customer service Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. 6 direct line for phone pay:

7 Irish Champ 2 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and halved 1 cup milk 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced ½ tsp. salt, or to taste ¼ cup butter, plus extra butter for serving freshly ground black pepper to taste Place potatoes in large pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Return to low heat and toss with a spoon, allowing the potatoes to dry out for a few minutes. Meanwhile, scald milk and green onions together gently in a saucepan. Mash potatoes with salt and butter. Stir in milk and green onion mixture. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Serve piping hot in bowls. Add a pat of butter to the top of each bowl of potatoes just before serving. Shepherd's Pie 4 cups mashed potatoes ¼ cup milk 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 lb. ground beef 1 large carrot, chopped (1 cup) 1 celery stalk, sliced (1 cup) 2 Tbsp. flour 2 cups chicken broth ½ cup frozen peas 2 potatoes, diced and cooked Heat oven to 400 F. Prepare mashed potatoes according to package directions, use leftover mashed potatoes or make fresh mashed potatoes by simmering diced potatoes in water for 20 minutes and mashing with milk and butter. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up Recipes with a spoon, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add carrot and celery, and cook another 5 minutes. Sprinkle in flour, stir, then add chicken broth. Simmer 3 minutes and remove from heat. Add peas and diced, cooked potatoes. Spoon into an ovenproof casserole and top with the mashed potatoes. Bake until the top is golden, about 40 minutes. Irish Potato Soup ½ cup unsalted butter 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 3 leeks, sliced 3 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices 3 (14½-oz.) cans chicken broth 1 tsp. salt ¼ sp. pepper Toppings: shredded Cheddar cheese, crumbled cooked bacon, chopped fresh chives Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat; stir in onion and leeks. Cover and cook 20 minutes. Stir in potato. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Stir in broth, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes or until potato is tender. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Process soup in batches in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Return to saucepan, and cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated. Serve with desired toppings. Irish Coddle 4 slices smoked ham or Canadian bacon, diced 4 large potatoes, sliced 4 large sausages black pepper 2 onions, sliced corn starch Place ham or Canadian bacon, sausages, potatoes, and onion in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until potatoes are very tender and sausage is cooked. Thicken with corn starch. Season with pepper. Irish Potato Casserole 4 to 5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced ½ tsp. salt 3 Tbsp. butter 2 Tbsp. flour Salt and pepper 2 cups milk 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced 2 Tbsp. chopped onion 3 Tbsp. seasoned bread crumbs Preheat oven to 350 F. Place potatoes in large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Add salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender, drain. Make white sauce by melting two tablespoons butter in medium saucepan. Add flour, salt and pepper; cook until bubbly. Add milk; stir well. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Use a whisk if needed to eliminate lumps. Combine potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, onion, salt and pepper in lightly greased 1½ quart casserole dish. Add white sauce; blend lightly with spatula. Melt remaining tablespoon butter. Add bread crumbs; mix well. Sprinkle buttered crumbs over casserole. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot. Did you know the digital edition of the Newsboy includes bonus recipes plus links to web sites with even more recipes? Sign up for the digital Newsboy on SLVREC's web site at power@slvrec.com

8 Periodical Postage Paid at Monte Vista, CO PO Box 3625 Monte Vista, CO In this Issue: The Depot at Wagon Wheel Gap CEO Column: Spring Cleaning Courtney Miller Accepts Communications & Marketing Job Jed Larson: New Job, New Baby Health Fairs Start This Month Annual Meeting Plans Underway Before a Storm Arrives SLVREC at Ag Conference Construction Complete Digital Newsboy Winner Irish Potato Recipes Happy St. Patrick's Day! March 2014 Conservation Corner Replacing Windows If your windows are more than 15 years old, you may be putting up with draftiness, windows that stick in their frames and higher energy bills. Energy-efficient windows could be a great improvement, but replacement can be expensive. For that reason, think long and hard before committing to new windows. In most cases you can get the same energy savings by investing $1,000 or so in insulation, sealing air leaks and repairing your windows instead of replacing. However, if you ve decided your windows should be replaced, some research can help you spend your window dollars wisely. While windows are expensive, that doesn t mean the numbers can t make sense. Window replacement is one of the best home remodeling projects in terms of investment return. For vinyl windows, you can recoup 75 percent of the project cost in added home value, according to remodeling magazine s annual Cost vs. Value Report ( New windows may also result in savings on your energy bill. Savings will vary widely by climate, local energy costs, and the energy efficiency of both the windows purchased and the windows being replaced. Learn more at: replace-old-windows-with-energy-efficient-models/#ixzz2txsxpcrh.