Hi Jerry,  We too didn't hike in CO after encountering so many ATVs, (stink machines) while exploring the Lake City area with such beautiful alpine meadows and peaks.  But after loss of sons no reason to stay in IA and I've always wanted to live in mountains in the west---have best of both worlds with canyons and Rocky Mountains with no traffic, and no drives longer than 2 hrs to UT and 14ners.  Know IA SC strong force against the polluters.  I do have San Juan Alliance, and a local group I will join.  We're all born activists who won't let the polluters ruin our health and life!  So good to hear from you!!!  Phyllis HI PHYLLIS!  So nice to hear from you.  I did not know you live in Colorado.  For many years I thought about Colorado the same as I think about California, I great place to visit but I wouldn't want   to live there.   I don't know why so many of those westerners who live in the great outdoors and yet they have little love for their environment and are all republicans (I refuse to capitalize that word).   The Iowa Chapter has been quite active in the fight against the Bakken Pipeline and the water quality in Iowa, especially in the Des Moines area.  You may have heard that the water company in Des Moines is seuing three counties along the skunk and raccoon rivers for allowing the farmers to pollute with runoff from row crops and liquid manure spills.   For several years I have been our group's outing leader and last Sunday we toured the town of Geneseo, Illinois's Green Energy Generator Station.  It includes 2 really big Wind Machines and a 5 acre+ Solar Array.  We saw the inside of one of the wind towers but we didn't climb it and we got up close and personal with more than 4,200 solar panels.  We had 22 people who were excited to see all this instead of looking at pretty colored trees as we would usually do on our fall outing.   Hope you are well and still taking those exciting trips.    Jerry Neff

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