March 2014 Volume 39 Issue 3

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!
March 2014
Volume 39
Issue 3
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,
that line was extended 14 miles further
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
and the Rio Grande on the south: "Just
wide enough to squeeze a wagon wheel
through.” It was a fine location to end the
railroad line and in 1883, there was no
compelling reason to go further. Creede
was yet a glimmer in the ground.
Visitors to the area were interested
in fishing, ranching and "taking the
waters" at a hot springs long-favored by
the Ute Indians. (http://www.creede.com/discover-creede/history.html).
Today, the hot springs are located
on the 4UR Ranch. Back then, in 1883,
guests stepped off the train onto the platform of the newly constructed Wagon
Wheel Gap Depot, climbed into a wagon
and were shuttled across the bridge over
the Rio Grande to the Hot Springs Hotel.
The railroad constructed a wye turnaround between the depot and a bend
on the river now known as Cottonwood
Cove. Tracks ran on either side of the
depot, one for the main line and one as a
house track for railcars.
It changed in 1890, when Creede
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
1891. (http://www.
historycolorado.org/
sites/default/files/files/
OAHP/crforms_edumat/pdfs/625.pdf.)
Built as a
multi-function build- The number below “DENVER”
ing, the depot also is the number of track miles
housed the Wagon from Denver to here. "We're
not sure why this is platform
Wheel Gap Post Office 9¾," Doug Davlin said. All phofor a while. Upstairs, tographs in this article were
living quarters pro- taken by Doug Davlin.
vided home to the
postmaster and often
to the school teacher who taught at the
Freemont School as well.
The Davlin Connection
Doug's father, Chuck Davlin, was born
and raised in Alamosa. After college,
Chuck married Toni and the couple had
a son, Doug. In 1941 or '42, the Davlin
family moved to Creede.
Doug remembers living in Creede as
a youngster. "I was home-schooled," he
said. "I often went to Alamosa to visit my
grandparents."
Doug's grandfather, Dr. Charles A.
Davlin, opened the Alamosa Hospital at
402 San Juan Avenue in 1912. Over the
years, the hospital moved and management changed; however, Dr. Davlin continued to serve as a respected doctor in
the community.
Doug remembers watching his
grandfather at work. He said, "When I
Continued on page 4
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
CEO
Scott Wolfe, President
719-852-0966
Cole Wakasugi, Vice-President 719-379-2629
Ernie Ford, Secretary
719-588-0255
Carol Lee Dugan
719-852-5412
Rick Inman
719-658-2455
Mike Rierson
719-754-2588
Eleanor Valdez
719-274-5680
Loren Howard
SLVREC Office (toll free)
SLVREC Office (local calls)
E-mail
[email protected]
Your e-mail will be forwarded based upon
the direction you provide in your message.
Energy Assistance:
Statement of Publisher
719-852-6630
800-332-7634
719-852-3538
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.
The Newsboy (publication #551-450) is an
official publication of the San Luis Valley
Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.; 3625 US
Hwy 160 W.; Monte Vista, CO 81144. The
Newsboy is published monthly for SLVREC’s
members. Periodical postage paid at Monte
Vista, CO 81144. Subscription price $20/year.
Postmaster, send Form 3579 to NEWSBOY,
P.O. Box 3625, Monte Vista, CO 81144-3625.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
© 2014 San Luis Valley Rural Electric
Cooperative. All rights reserved.
Scheduled Meetings
866-HEAT HELP (866-432-8435)
http://www.energyoutreach.org
Company News
Courtney Miller Accepts Job
Jed Larsen: New Job, New Baby
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. •
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 2010. 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!" •
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 http://
www.9healthfair.org/findafair.
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 719657-3352 for more information. •
Annual Meeting Plans Underway
Mark your calendar! SLVREC will hold the cooperative's Annual Meeting on June 10, 2014. 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. •
[email protected] · www.slvrec.com · 719-852-3538 · 800-332-7634
3
The Depot at Wagon Wheel Gap: Continued from page 1
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 fin-
ished, 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 Doug Davlin also enjoys kite photography, taking photographs with a
as an art gallery and beauty camera suspended from a kite. Here,
salon. "The beauty salon was the proximity of the depot, railroad
located in the area that is now tracks and Rio Grande (dark area on
the far right) are clearly shown.
our kitchen," Doug said.
The art gallery, even though
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, 1976.
"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 mainDoug Davlin sometimes uses post processing techtenance. The maintenance work has
niques to give his photography an ethereal glow
never ceased," Doug said. "Between
(below) and other times, allows the beauty of his sub- the 50 to 60 degree daily temperaject to create the image focus (left). As he puts it, his
ture swings and the altitude, there is
photographs "…are often surreal and chimerical…
always work to do."
quixotic and utopian." View more at http://www.
Doug, a self-taught photogradavlinimages.com.
pher, 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: 877-760-7468
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, www.narcoa.org), 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
www.Ready.gov.
Source: American Red Cross, Federal Emergency Management Agency
[email protected] · www.slvrec.com · 719-852-3538 · 800-332-7634
5
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. •
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.
Save a Tree & Get a Chance to Win
Phone Pay!
Visit www.slvrec.com 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. •
6
If you prefer paying your electric bill by
phone, remember you can now dial a
direct number to reach phone pay: Call
877-760-7468. 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.
direct line for phone pay: 877-760-7468
Recipes
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
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.
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
Irish Potato Soup
3 Tbsp. butter
½ cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
3 leeks, sliced
2 cups milk
3 large baking potatoes, peeled
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and
and cut into ¼-inch-thick
sliced
slices
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
3 (14½-oz.) cans chicken broth
3 Tbsp. seasoned bread crumbs
1 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place pota¼ sp. pepper
toes in large saucepan. Cover with
Toppings: shredded Cheddar
cold water. Add salt and bring to a
cheese, crumbled cooked
boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 20
bacon, chopped fresh chives
to 25 minutes or until potatoes are
Melt butter in a large saucepan over tender, drain.
low heat; stir in onion and leeks.
Make white sauce by melting
Cover and cook 20 minutes. Stir in two tablespoons butter in medium
potato. Cover and cook 15 minutes. saucepan. Add flour, salt and pepStir in broth, salt and pepper; per; cook until bubbly. Add milk;
bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir well. Cook, stirring constantly,
simmer 30 minutes or until potato is until thickened. Use a whisk if
tender. Remove from heat and cool needed to eliminate lumps.
slightly.
Combine potatoes, hard-boiled
Process soup in batches in a eggs, onion, salt and pepper in
blender until smooth, stopping to lightly greased 1½ quart casserole
scrape down sides. Return to sauce- dish. Add white sauce; blend lightly
pan, and cook over medium heat with spatula.
until thoroughly heated. Serve with
Melt remaining tablespoon butdesired toppings.
ter. Add bread crumbs; mix well.
Sprinkle buttered crumbs over casIrish Coddle
serole. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve
4 slices smoked ham or Canahot.
dian bacon, diced
Did you know the digital edition of the
4 large potatoes, sliced
Newsboy includes bonus recipes plus
4 large sausages
links to web sites with even more reciblack pepper
pes? Sign up for the digital Newsboy on
2 onions, sliced
SLVREC's web site at www.slvrec.com.
corn starch
[email protected] · www.slvrec.com · 719-852-3538 · 800-332-7634
7
Periodical Postage
Paid at Monte Vista, CO
PO Box 3625
Monte Vista, CO 81144
Conservation Corner
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
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 (www.remodeling.hw.net).
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:
http://www.energystar.gov
http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/windows-doors/
replace-old-windows-with-energy-efficient-models/#ixzz2tXsxpcRh.