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Time off means fun in the sun

Durangoans, visitors bask on Labor Day

For 12-year-old Lariet Martinez of Bayfield, Monday meant a day off from school and browsing shops along Main Avenue with his parents, Monteal and Patrick.

Though he had no idea what the holiday meant, he expressed excitement for having money to spend and was grateful for the family outing. Also, the day off from school didn’t exactly hurt his enthusiasm.

The first Monday in September has a variety of meanings. For some, it means a day of grilling steaks with friends, and others simply bask in the joy of not having to work.

Labor Day is a celebration of the American labor movement – a holiday to commemorate the economic achievements of workers. Yet, the true meaning behind a celebration born in the heavy-lifting of an industrial economy has been obscured in the mouse-clicking economy of the digital age.

The Durango Herald took to the streets of downtown Durango to find out what Labor Day means to residents – and visitors – of La Plata County.

Katie Benzel, of Colorado Springs, was taking a road trip throughout the Southwest making stops in Gunnison, Telluride, Ouray, Pagosa Springs and Durango before heading back to the Front Range.

“On the surface, (Labor Day) means an extra day off during a time of year when the weather is beautiful,” she said.

Also, Sept. 1 is right around the eighth anniversary of Benzel’s move to Colorado from North Carolina. She is happy with her decision, and has embraced Colorado’s outdoor lifestyle.

Jim Trudeau, on a business trip in Albuquerque, stopped by Durango, drawn by the lure of the mountains. He is considering living here in about five years. Mountain biking also brought him north.

He was well-aware of the historical significance of Labor Day, a day to commemorate the success of the workforce in the United States, and that it began as an egalitarian concept for working America.

The holiday’s meaning, along with its summer bookend partner, Memorial Day, has lost some focus, but he said Memorial Day still has more societal “memory” behind it. But for many, both holidays are simply synonymous with Americana and barbecuing.

“Nowadays, it simply signifies the end of summer and start of the new school year,” he said.

John Karsten, of Cortez, was sitting on his motorcycle smoking a cigar Monday afternoon. His red motorcycle glistened in sunlight alongside rows of other polished machines in town for the Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, the region’s Labor Day fixture event.

Karsten rode into Durango to sightsee.

“The labor force, through the years, has worked hard and deserves to have a day off,” he said.

vguthrie@durangoherald.com



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