Do cyclists in Washoe Valley have a death wish?

Grumble, grumble, grumble ... Carolyn thinks the bicyclists that ride along East Lake Boulevard around Washoe Valley are like Charles Bronson and have a "death wish."

It's a two-lane road with lots of blind corners and wicked turns, and when her car comes around a corner with them riding two abreast and she can't cross the double yellow to pass ... well, you probably know the rest ... they finally go into single file, and she passes, while muttering "interesting" words under her breath. Ha! So, bicyclists, beware: You are a vehicle. You are vulnerable. You need to be careful.

So do the cars, but they have the advantage, they're bigger, and, if you're careless, you may also be toast ... forewarned is forearmed. Please ...

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And that grumbling brings Maizie to fast-food places. How many times have you been through them and not received what you ordered - or only half the order's there?

Her advice now is to check everything before you leave the window, even if it takes up time, and make sure they get it right. Arrrgh ... she won't even get into the grumbling about not using your blinkers when you turn, or grafitti ... (add your own grumbles here _________).

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Don Quilici, our favorite "wild life" reporter, tells us of his wife, Elaine, and her mother, Mary, taking a 13-hour bus tour of Denali National Park in Alaska on June 23. They saw 14 grizzlies (the record was 15 on a previous tour), moose (or should that be "meese"?), caribou, Dall sheep, Rocky Mountain goat, and a red fox (of "Sanford and Son?").

They had a wonderful time, and Elaine was especially thrilled when she spotted a moose alongside the road ... and her mother was especially thrilled when she discovered that the "moose" was really a row of mailboxes. (Elaine, may we suggest an eye doctor?) It was "moost" funny.

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Well, we know we're being read ... last week we reported that Carolyn and Norma Conway were going to Los Angeles this week to see Kate Hutter's show, "The Reveal" ... when they got to work Tuesday, both were confronted by their bosses wanting to know when they were going to get around to putting in a leave slip showing they were going out of town.

Now the Big C knows that putting it in the paper does not a secret keep ...

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Dee Ann Parsons tells us of George and Edith meeting in a rest home and deciding to get married.

One day, they walked downtown and passed a drugstore. George stopped and told Edith he wanted to go in. He addressed the man behind the counter and asked, "Are you the owner"

"Why, yes," said the man. "What can I do for you?"

"Well," says George, "Do you carry heart and other medications?"

"Of course," answers the pharmacist.

"Do you carry support hose and Depends?"

"Why, yes, we do."

"And do you have denture supplies, Preparation H and Ex-Lax?"

"That, too," said the owner.

George turns to Emily, who smiled shyly at him, and says, "We've decided to get married, and want to use your store as our bridal registry ..."

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Wimbledon is officially known as the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club ... so when's the next croquet tournament? Or did we miss it? Darn ...

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"Someone" we know and love ... a relative ... not us ... got a ticket coming home from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir appearance in Reno.

The highway patrolman didn't fall for the story that they were so caught up in the music that they were "transcending" the speed limit ... too bad ... now they have to "face the music" (groooan ... but, somebody had to say it).

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It's always a privilege to meet nice people in town like Doug at the deli at north Albertsons, who stopped to help Carolyn the other day when she had a problem ... Craig McEwan of Silver State Fitness and Superior Physical Therapy, who's gotten Maizie's shoulder back in shape (and, of course, Joe Walls, MD, the charming and excellent, who "excavated" it in the first place ... the devil makes her say those things).

Donna at the south McDonald's, who's been the "morning girl" there for the past 11 years and who's always cheerful ... Jim Hall, a train attendant at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, who helps people on and off trains so well .. and Dina Bahurka and son, Jacob, who so graciously came by and told us we were the reason she buys the paper (now hear that, Barry)

Thank you all ... you are just part of the reason this town is so great ..

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Comma Coffee just had David Lindley, former sideman for Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt and more, appear at its "Secret Concert Society" program.

He's played all over the country and told June Joplin, the owner, that it was one of the best venues he'd played, and compared it to the Red Door in Atlanta. He so liked the intimacy of the room, he said it could be included on the national music circuit.

If you want to find out who'll appear next, get on their e-mail list at www.commaconcerts.com, or call them at 883-2662.

Good coffee, too.

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Sherry Hester is soooo excited to announce that her daughter, Stacy Byers, has become engaged to Nicolae Toma, of Pitesti, Romania ... he's with the Romanian military, currently stationed in Texas.

Congratulations ... and her other daughter, Ashley Glover, is home from UNLV for the summer ... that's great, too.

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Carolyn's been in an Asian mood this week ... she dined at the new Hunan Garden on North Carson Street and said it was very good.

She also went to the Basil Friday night, and was treated to Nan, TJ and Paul performing Thai dances ... she even joined in... that's scary. Next thing you know, she'll be "dancing" in a WNCC musical ... be afraid, be very afraid.

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We close this week with the immortal words of Mark Twain on government ... "Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself ..." Tsk, tsk.

n Carolyn DeMar and Maizie Harris Jesse have been expressing their opinions on Carson City goings-on for years. Now, they're in the Nevada Appeal. Send your questions to editor@nevadaappeal.com.