Durango, CO June 2026

THE GENTLEMEN'S ISSUE STREN GTH • BAL AN CE • V ISIO N

J U N E 2 02 6

LIFESTYLE LETTER

Taking the Shot

June 2026 PUBLISHER

Branden (Brandy) Murray branden.murray@citylifestyle.com E D I TO R

James Leonard | james.leonard@citylifestyle.com

As the days grow longer and summer approaches, June feels like a natural time to check in on the intentions we may have set during the quieter days of winter. With warmer weather, open trails, and more time outdoors, it’s also the perfect season to continue—or even restart.

This month, we’re spotlighting some of Durango’s local men who are pushing limits, following their passions, and making a meaningful impact in our community. Their stories remind us that we’re often capable of more than we give ourselves credit for.

We also feature a local artist who is elevating a craft many readers may not have encountered, offering another perspective on what creativity and innovation can look like.

As Wayne Gretzky famously said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” longIf there’s something you’ve been putting off, maybe this is the season to take that step—try something new, start the project, or head in a direction you’ve been meant to explore.

See you out there, JAMES LEONARD, EDITOR @DURANGOCITYLIFESTYLE

P U B L I CAT I O N D I R E C TO R

Denise Leslie | denise.leslie@citylifestyle.com SAL E S S U P P O RT AS S I STAN T

Carley Ridley | carley.ridley@citylifestyle.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jennifer Mason | jennifer.mason@citylifestyle.com, Kalista Pena | kalista.pena11@gmail.com, Pauli Reep C O N T R I B U T I N G P H OTO G R AP H E R S

Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, Sean Englund, Doug Grover, Jonas Grushkin, Denise Leslie, Margaret Patterson, Brittany Dawn Short, U.S. Ski and Snowboard, Andy Wingerd

Corporate Team CEO Steven Schowengerdt President Matthew Perry COO David Stetler CRO Jamie Pentz CoS Janeane Thompson AD DESIGNER Rachel Chrisman LAYOUT DESIGNER Andi Foster QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Hannah Leimkuhler

Learn how to start your own publication at citylifestyle.com//franchise.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Durango City Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Durango area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle

Visit our Instagram CITYLIFESTYLE.COM/DURANGO

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L I F E ST Y LE LE T T E R

Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Durango City Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

Vadim Gluzman Andrew Litton

Artistic Director

2026 Principal Conductor-in-Residence

Classical Music Festival • July 9 – August 2, 2026 Durango • Southwest Colorado

Top Row: Cerus Sax Quartet (Free July 9), Eileen Ivers and The Brigideens (July 18), Sprezzatura (Free July 10), Tchaikovsky Discovers America Family Concert (July 22), Katarina String Quartet (Free July 11); Bottom Row: Chelsea Gallo, conductor, Dancing Queens (July 25), Cold Chocolate (July 21), Byron Stripling – Pops Night (August 1), Quarteto Nuevo (July 12), Julian Rhee (3 Performances), Philippe Quint (July 28)

Don’t miss this exceptional summer music festival with musicians of the highest caliber from across the globe.

For more information, call 970-385-6820 or visit MusicintheMountains.com

inside the issue JUNE 2 0 2 6 | G EN T L EMEN ’ S

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Featured

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16 20 24 6

Walking the Line and Freeing the Mind Truly unique and one of a kind, Uncharted Lines encourages you to explore new heights.

No Holds Barred

16 On the Cover

Departments

Cover by Ignited Imagery, Andy Wingerd. Custom discs created

by Doug Grover (p.20), taken under black light.

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Lifestyle Letter

8

Business Monthly

10

Outdoor Adventure ARTS + CULTURE

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Athlete Life FITNESS

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Get Active LOCAL SERVICES

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Back Stage ENTERTAINMENT

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Inspired By LIFE + CULTURE

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Events

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Culinary Creations FOOD + BEVERAG E

What Really Drives Three of Durango’s Elite Male Athletes to Push Beyond Limits

Color in Flight

Where Sport, Chemistry, and Creativity Collide

Behind the Curtain

Charles Leslie and the Art of Community

Photography: Andy Wingerd

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JUNE 2026

business monthly A R O U N D U P O F N E W S F R O M LO C A L B U S I N E S S E S

Thom Chacon | Creativity Coach Singer-songwriter, storyteller, and creativity coach Thom Chacon is helping artists reconnect with their creative voice through personalized coaching and songwriting sessions. Drawing from more than 30 years of writing, recording, touring, and storytelling, Chacon works one-on-one with creatives to overcome blocks, quiet selfdoubt, and build confidence in their process. His grounded, supportive approach blends practical guidance with artistic insight — helping writers and musicians move ideas from inspiration to completion. Visit ThomChacon.com to learn more.

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JUNE 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / D UR A N G O

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WALKING THE LINE AND FREEING THE MIND

ARTICLE BY KALISTA PEÑA | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF UNCHARTED LINES

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O UT D OOR A DV E N T U R E | ARTS + CU LT U RE

Truly unique and one of a kind, Uncharted Lines encourages you to explore new heights.

Suspended between two trees, two canyon walls, or two spires, the challenge remains the same – stay calm. Silence the chaotic thoughts bouncing around your brain and reach a state of tranquility. Simply place one foot in front of the other, knowing you’ll eventually reach the other side. Along the way, be sure to enjoy the passing of time, the moment, and the courage you bring as you walk.

Slacklining is a sport of balance, walking along a 1-inch line, usually 2-5 feet off the ground. Highlining takes this sentimate and expands it to significantly greater heights, with additional gear and lines for safety.

Sean Englund first discovered slacklining as a teenager but truly found his rhythm after moving to Durango and attending Fort Lewis College, where he studied Geology and Cartography. “I fell in love with slacklining and highlining because it was my quiet space away from school, my outlet to step away,” said Englund. He calls this moment forced meditation, the ability to focus and shut off the brain, not thinking about work, worries, or stress, and instead becoming wholly present in the moment.

His favorite pastime, once a hobby, quickly morphed into a lifestyle and, eventually, a career. England has traveled across the globe, earning certifications and mentorship while tackling world-record-length lines and competing in international highlining competitions.

CONTINUED >

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After a life-threatening speed-flying accident, Englund found himself in a period of rest, forced to slow down. He used the time to consider the next steps in his slackline and highline journey.

During his recovery, he began to shape his lifelong dream of creating a highline-focused company. He sought to share the sport through a lens centered on wellness and mindfulness, and thus Uncharted Lines (UL) was born.

The company’s name is a play on words. “It’s like when people talk about an area of a mountain that hasn’t been discovered or named, it is an uncharted area… no one’s been there. No one’s mapped it. No one knows what’s there,” said Englund. Uncharted Lines haven’t been rigged or walked, awaiting explorers to reach new heights. The name also alludes to the future, instilling the idea that “your imagination is your only limitation,” said Englund.

UL is founded on three essential elements: community, safety, and dreaming big. Englund has taken these pillars and asked, “What about the people that [we] could make an impact for right here in [our] community?” In August 2025, UL hosted “Art In Motion,” a multidisciplinary public arts and movement event at Buckley Park. UL partnered with more than 15 local nonprofits and businesses to highlight body movement, mindfulness, preventive care, rehabilitation, and breathwork. Englund and his team wrote 8 grant proposals to bring this vision to life, securing Visit Durango’s Marketing Grant and Creative District’s Lodgers Art and Culture Grant.

Last summer, UL worked with The HIVE to host 4 slacklining clinics for local youth. A great introduction to the sport, the clinics helped kids explore beginner-friendly skills and learn essential safety practices. The clinics began with a small yoga class, where instructors taught kids the importance of mobility work and stretching. Switching gears, they then focused on balancing using slack boards – small, portable balance trainers that simulate slacklining without anchoring between trees.

Gradually, kids worked up to walking slacklines between two trees with the assistance and guidance of UL instructors.

To learn more, please visit UL’s website at unchartedlines.com and Instagram at @unchartedlines.

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O UT D OOR A DV E N T U R E | ARTS + CU LT U RE

JUNE 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / D UR A N G O

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No Holds Barred Is there a singular, secret sauce fueling the competitive spirit of every athlete? Three elite Durango athletes sound off on training, tragedy, big sisters, and some other surprise ingredients. Meet Charlie Mickel, an Olympian freestyle skier specializing in moguls; Kyle Krieckhaus, an up-and-coming juggernaut in pro disc golf; and Noah Blue Elk Hotchkiss, a mono-ski and wheelchair basketball national champion.

What Really Drives Three of Durango’s Elite Male Athletes to Push Beyond Limits ARTICLE BY JENNIFER MASON PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARGARET PATTERSON, U.S. SKI AND SNOWBOARD

Kyle Krieckhaus slips into his zen mindset as he drains a putt

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AT H LE T E LIF E | FI TNESS

Charlie Mickel in the midst of perfectly executing a D-Spin Iron Cross

Q: WHAT SPARKED YOUR PASSION FOR SPORTS?

For Krieckhaus and Mickel, older sisters led the way.

Krieckhaus’s passion for disc golf surged during the COVID pandemic. It was the family’s escape hatch from lockdown, but for him, it also sparked a friendly sibling rivalry. He recounts, “My older sister was better than me at disc golf, apparently. And the story goes that I had to play more and get better to beat her.” In fact, he got so good that he’s now ranked among the top 1,000 pro players, fifth best among all college players, and won his division in the recent Collegiate National Disc Golf Championships.

Mickel notes that his parents were avid skiers, and as such, the kids learned to ski before they learned to ride bikes. With an older sister on the U.S. Ski Team and a win at the Junior World Championship as a teen, Mickel felt inspired to be like her…or maybe even better. “I’ve been a three-time National Champion, won the North American circuit, podiumed at a World Cup, and I’ve been to the Olympics,” he says, but notes

that he can’t catch her on academics now that she holds a doctorate in clinical psychology.

Tragedy on an unthinkable scale ushered Noah Blue Elk Hotchkiss into competitive downhill skiing and professional basketball. A life-altering accident took his stepmother’s life, left Noah paralyzed from the waist down, and hospitalized his brother and sister with severe injuries. He was only 11 years old. Many months later, Hotchkiss discovered mono-skiing through the Adaptive Sports Association. He went from never having skied before to ripping down mountains on a Sit-Ski adaptive device, and on to winning many awards and a national title in downhill ski competitions!

For a time, he trained with Paralympians, until another sport won Hotchkiss’s eternal devotion: wheelchair basketball. He confesses, “I didn’t even know that it existed until I went to an adaptive sports camp.” Before long, Hotchkiss rose to become a national champion and received a full-ride scholarship to play for the University of Illinois, where he made the All-American team.

CONTINUED >

Noah Blue Elk Hotchkiss beats a defender and lays one up

Kyle Krieckhaus unleashes a monster drive

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Q: HOW MUCH DO YOU TRAIN AND WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?

Currently, Krieckhaus juggles his training and college class schedules. “I normally go to the gym five times a week. I play tournaments on [weekends].”

However, give him a basket and a disk, and he’ll putt for hours.

As a youngster, traveling with parents who taught abroad, Krieckhaus has lived in about seven countries so far. He spent two years in Hong Kong with nowhere to play disc golf—except in the family’s apartment or in a rented room at a gym. This year, he’s angling for a top ten finish at a pro tour event and is looking on track with some first-place podiums already secured.

Mickel adheres to an arduous protocol with four days on and one day off. “On” days demand a whopping five hours of training that mixes weightlifting, cardio, and water ramping, which involves blasting down a ramp paved with a furry plastic grass to simulate icy snow. The skier vaults off the ramp and flips, twists, and pretzels in various acrobatic stunts.

With the next Winter Olympics a long way off in 2030, Mickel is looking forward to concentrating on perfecting his mogul techniques. “It’s a lot of stress with the pressure of competing, and there’s a ton of travel,” he explains. In the lead-up to the 2026 Winter Olympics, Mickel bounced among Austria, Chile, Finland, Canada, the U.S., Finland again, Italy, and Japan.

Hotchkiss maintains a consistent training regimen while also playing with the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) for the Utah Wheelin’ Jazz. He weightlifts three days a week and shoots hoops five days a week. In college, he could devote upwards of six hours a day to training and playing, but now he must balance his time with a full-time career leading the Charlie Mickel at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Games

Charlie Mickel races down the pumps like a demon

Tribal Adaptive Organization, which he founded at age 17! The TAO provides national outreach to connect Native American youth to adaptive sports opportunities. And if that weren’t enough, Hotchkiss has set his sights on qualifying for the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles. “I’m working on getting stronger. I’m feeling good! I’m feeling ready!”

Q: HOW HAS ATHLETIC COMPETITION CHANGED YOU?

Krieckhaus has developed a more Zen-like mindset. He cares less about winning or losing. He explains, “It’s not about performance. It’s the process. Did I put my best self out there? Did I stay in the present moment?” He goes on, “You can’t change the future because it’s not the future yet, and you can’t change the past because it’s already happened. All you can do is try to make the present the best it can be.”

Mickel notes that he has cultivated unshakable patience thanks to the daily routines and consistent habits woven into athletic training. He says, “It’s like what you do every day and like the small things that add up to make a big difference. If you’re trying to move in a steady direction, a little baby step every day is going to get you a lot farther than one big leap.”

“Sports is medicine,” Hotchkiss declares. “It was my medicine. It helped me heal from trauma.” Athletics radically altered how he saw himself following the accident. He was no longer a disabled person; instead, he was a serious athlete. “Nowadays, I’m an athlete. I’m an educator. I wear a lot of different hats and disability comes last,” he says, suggesting inadvertently that the biggest victory for any athlete is not necessarily one that appears on the scoreboard, but rather, one that occurs internally—a quiet triumph of spirit.

Noah Blue Elk Hotchkiss gives his competitor the stiff arm

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AT H LE T E LIF E | FI TNESS

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W h er e Spor t, Ch em istry, and C r eativ ity C ollid e

COLOR IN FLIGHT

ARTICLE BY JAMES LEONARD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDY WINGERD, DOUG GROVER

A Durango local and Fort Lewis alumnus, Doug Grover is turning heads in the local disc golf scene with his custom dyed discs. Half alchemy and half art, Doug has transformed his garage into a full-fledged disc dye lab, producing one-of-a-kind designs that are as dynamic as they are striking.

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G E T ACT IV E | LO CAL S ERVICE S

Doug’s introduction to disc golf was simple. A few friends invited him up to Fort Lewis College to play a round, handed him a couple of discs, and that was it. What started as a casual outing quickly became a lasting connection with the sport. Over time, that curiosity turned creative as Doug began exploring how players were customizing their discs. After seeing dyed discs at local league events, he connected with someone who showed him the basics, and the rest came through trial and error.

The process is both technical and artistic. Getting dye to adhere to different plastics is a niche, highly variable process. Some people use shaving cream, while others use professional dyes designed specifically for discs. Doug layers colors and patterns to make each disc unique. To frame each design, he uses an old record player to spin the disc and get the border just right. As he puts it, “It’s never perfect, but it’s always awesome.” No two discs come out the same, and part of the excitement is not knowing exactly what the final product will look like.

Once a design is set, the disc is placed face down under a heat lamp and left to incubate. The process hides the result until the very end. When it is rinsed and flipped over, the reveal is part of the reward. From drippy fractals to mythological beasts to abstract blends of color, the possibilities are nearly endless.

For those interested in trying it themselves, Doug recommends starting simple. Online communities like Reddit and YouTube offer a wealth of tutorials.

The disc dyeing community is collaborative, with people openly sharing techniques and ideas.

Lately, Doug has been experimenting with dyeing glow plastic discs, using designs that allow the glow to shine through without dimming it. While UV dyes can make a disc pop under a black light, the glow comes from the plastic itself, which charges under UV light and shines during nighttime rounds. Anyone who has lost a disc in the brush knows the frustration, but with a UV light at dusk, even a small edge of a glow disc can light up like a beacon in the night.

Doug is currently selling his discs at local league events and is working toward expanding online.

To check out his work, find him on Instagram at @dougiediscdyes. If you are looking to get involved, the Durango Disc Golf Facebook group page is a good place to stay updated on league play.

“There’s a funny saying in the disc golf world, It’s never perfect, but it’s always awesome”

Doug in perfect form!

JUNE 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / D UR A N G O

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Behind the Curtain Charles Leslie and the Art of Community For almost two decades, Charles Leslie has helped shape Durango’s cultural identity through a career rooted in music, performance, and community leadership, grounded in a deep belief in the power of the arts to connect people.

Raised in Texas, Charles developed an early appreciation for live performance and the behind-the-scenes work that brings artistic experiences to life. His path into the arts began on the production side of the performing arts world, where he gained firsthand experience with the technical and operational demands of live entertainment. That foundation eventually led him to arts administration and programming at the University of Texas at Austin, where he became immersed in presenting artists, developing audiences, and understanding how successful cultural programming can shape campuses and communities.

When Charles arrived in Durango to lead the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, he brought a broad vision for what a performing arts venue could become in a mountain town.

Over the years, he has helped transform the Concert Hall into one of the region’s most important cultural anchors, presenting internationally recognized musicians,

ARTICLE BY DENISE LESLIE PHOTOGRAPHY BY JONAS GRUSHKIN, COMMUNITY CONCERT HALL, DENISE LESLIE

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B ACK STAGE | ENTERTAI N ME N T

dancers, theater companies, and performers from around the world while also maintaining a strong commitment to local partnerships and regional collaboration. Under his leadership, audiences in Southwest Colorado have experienced everything from Americana and jazz to global music traditions, contemporary dance, symphony performances, and educational programming.

What makes Charles’s leadership distinctive is his understanding that the arts ecosystem thrives when organizations support one another. The Community Concert Hall has become a home not only for touring productions but also for countless regional nonprofits and arts organizations, including the San Juan Symphony, Durango Choral Society, Music in the Mountains, dance organizations, school performances, and community events. By opening the venue to collaborative partnerships, he has helped strengthen the broader cultural fabric of the Four Corners region.

His influence extends far beyond the stage.

Concert Hall @ The Park in Buckley Park in downtown Durango.

Charles also played an important role in Colorado Creative Industries’ Change Leader program, helping to facilitate leadership development focused on creative economies, placemaking, and the role of arts and culture in healthy communities.

Those conversations helped communities across Colorado recognize that investment in the arts is not simply about entertainment — it is about identity, economic vitality, tourism, education, and quality of life.

That philosophy became especially evident in the early development of the Durango Creative District, where Charles was part of the collaborative leadership shaping the city’s vision for arts and culture as an essential part of Durango’s future.

TAO: The Art of Drum

Charles Leslie, Director

One of the clearest reflections of that vision is Concert Hall @ The Park, the free summer music series that has become a beloved Durango tradition. What began as an idea to bring live music to the heart of downtown has evolved into a community gathering place where families, visitors, students, and locals share music beneath the trees of Buckley Park each summer.

For Charles Leslie, the arts have never been about prestige or exclusivity. They are about creating connections.

Through decades of leadership, collaboration, and thoughtful programming, he has helped build a world-class arts culture in Durango — one performance, one partnership, and one community gathering at a time.

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AN EXCERPT FROM EPISODE 6 OF SHARE THE LIFESTYLE, A CITY LIFESTYLE PODCAST

Photographer: Brittany Dawn Short Creative Director: Jen Birn Stylist: Stephanie Coultress O’Neill Location: Hotel Saint Cecilia, Austin, TX

MIKE JOHNSON HAS BUILT HIS LIFE AROUND ONE QUIETLY RADICAL IDEA: THE STANDARD YOU SET PRIVATELY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS.

After eight years in the Air Force, a celebrated run on national television, and a health crisis abroad that sent him deep into supply chains and ingredient certifications most founders never touch, the result is Oshun — a luxury ritual brand built on provenance you can trace and integrity you can verify. In an exclusive conversation for the Share the Lifestyle podcast, Mike shares what it actually takes to build something worth putting your name on. Read the highlights below, then scan the QR code for the full episode.

Q: YOU BECAME A FAN FAVORITE ON THE BACHELORETTE AND THEN LEFT THE SPOTLIGHT. YOU MOVED TO MEXICO, LEARNED SPANISH, THEN COSTA RICA, AND BUILT A COMPANY. WHAT DID THAT EXPERIENCE TEACH YOU ABOUT HUMAN BEHAVIOR?

A: “If you’re a good person going in, that shows. If you’re not, that shows too. I also learned that people form this parasocial relationship with you — they assume things about you. When in all actuality, different circumstances bring out different parts of who you are. I was on TV trying to find love.

The kindness people were showing after felt a bit fake, because they wanted to be a part of something that isn’t who I am individually, but a part of what they saw on TV. And so I had to get away from everybody and everything and the noise.”

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I NSP IR E D BY | L I FE + C ULT U RE

T H E Q U I E T S TA N D A R D :

MIKE JOHNSON

Q: YOU JOINED THE AIR FORCE RIGHT OUT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE. WHAT WERE YOU ACTUALLY RUNNING TOWARD?

A: “There was something in me that was saying: I’m not living up to my full potential. I was being a follower. My uncle said, ‘What’s going to make you become an adult the fastest?’ I said, obviously, the military. The Air Force broadened my thought process more than anything. We’re so caught up in our own perception — when you learn to understand different people’s perspectives, it adds to you in so many ways.”

Q: WITH OSHUN, YOU OWN YOUR MANUFACTURING, YOU EMPLOY A CHEMIST, EVERY PRODUCT HAS A BATCH NUMBER TRACEABLE TO ITS ORIGIN DATE. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GO THAT DEEP WITH THE BRAND?

A: “The EU bans 1,100 ingredients in personal care products. The U.S. bans nine. That’s my starting point. Oftentimes, it might be the same ingredient, but it comes from a place where it doesn’t have the highest purity. And 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed.

Every product Oshun makes carries a batch number that goes back to the exact day it was created — I can show you every single supplier, the date, the origin. I own more than one part of the supply chain because that’s the only way I can stand behind what’s in the bottle.”

“Too many people have prayed for me.

So I’ve got to get up and do the walking.”

— Mike Johnson

This conversation is just the beginning. Mike goes deeper into why he’s buying land up north, the family in the Philippines who prayed over his factory floor, and what he’d tell every person ready to stop performing and start building. Scan the QR code for the full, exclusive City Lifestyle interview on the Share the Lifestyle podcast.

F E AT U R I N G MIKE JOHNSON Scan for the full conversation.

JUNE 2 0 2 6 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / D UR A N G O

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JUNE 2026

events A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LO C A L E V E N T S

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TUESDAYS IN JUNE

Locals Night at LePlatt's Pond LePlatt's Pond at L-J Ranch, 311A CR 501 Bayfield, CO 81122 | 5:00 PM Enjoy live music, rotating food trucks, catch-and-release fishing, yard games, and time well spent with friends and family in a relaxed yet remarkable setting overlooking the pond. Tuesdays in June. Rain or shine, with covered tent seating available. Locals and visitors alike are invited to unplug, connect, and enjoy summer evenings in the Pine River Valley.

WEDNESDAYS IN JUNE

True Western Roundup La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave Durango, CO 81301 | 6:30 PM Every Wednesday night in June, experience the spirit of the American West at the True Western Roundup, where rodeo traditions, family fun, and cowboy culture come alive each week.

From bronc riding and barrel racing to mutton busting and team roping, these action-packed evenings celebrate the heritage, grit, and excitement of the rodeo arena.

JUNE 6TH

Steamworks Half Marathon Bakers Bridge, Durango, CO | 7:00 AM

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Set against the stunning backdrop of the San Juan Mountains, the Steamworks Half Marathon offers runners a scenic high-altitude challenge alongside the Animas River. More than just a race, the event blends endurance, community, and celebration with breathtaking views, energetic camaraderie, and a lively post-race atmosphere.

Packet pickup Friday, June 6, from 2 pm - 6 pm at Durango Running Company.

J UN E 1 1 T H

Women's Resource Center's Golf Open Glacier Club 600 Glacier Club Drive, Durango, CO | 9:00 AM Tee off for a day of mountain views, community spirit, and meaningful impact at the Women’s Resource Center Golf Open. This inaugural tournament brings golfers together in support of programs that empower women and girls across La Plata County, blending friendly competition with a shared commitment to strengthening the local community. (wrcdurango.org) J UN E 1 2 T H

KSUT 50th Anniversary Party Ska Brewing Company, 225 Girard Street Durango, CO 81303 | 5:00 PM Celebrate five decades of community radio, music discovery, and Four Corners culture at KSUT’s 50th Anniversary Party featuring the high-energy sounds of Shinyribs. With live music, craft beer, dancing, and a festive community atmosphere, this free celebration honors the enduring spirit and local impact of independent public radio.

J UN E 2 1 ST

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Center of Southwest Studies Gallery & Courtyard at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive Durango, CO 81301 5:30 AM Celebrate the summer solstice with a unique sunrise gathering honoring art, light, and the natural rhythms of the Southwest. Witness the striking spiral of sunlight cast through the Center of Southwest Studies Gallery & Courtyard solstice window, then take part in a hands-on cyanotype printmaking activity inspired by the season, creativity, and connection to place.

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In A

ARTICLE BY PAULI REEP

PICKLE-BRINED CHICKEN WINGS SOAR TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH ALABAMA WHITE SAUCE.

I’ve spent years searching for the perfect wing flavor, never quite satisfied, until I heard a podcast suggestion: brining chicken wings in pickle juice. It sounded strange at first, but it yields incredibly tender and flavorful wings! Since then, I save pickle juice from every jar I buy just to recreate these beloved wings. If I run out of pickle juice, olive juice works too. I air fry mine, but if you don’t have an air fryer, cook them as you normally would. Don’t forget to toss them in a buttery dill sauce and try the Alabama white BBQ sauce for an extra layer of goodness!

Pickle

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C ULIN A RY C R E AT ION S | F OOD + BE VE RAGE

Alabama White BBQ Sauce INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • •

1 ½ cups mayonnaise (I prefer Duke’s) ¼ cup water ¼ cup white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon pepper, coarsely ground 1 tablespoon Creole mustard 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

INSTRUCTIONS

Whisk all ingredients together until blended.

Dip your pickle juice-brined wings in this sauce and taste the joy! Store in the refrigerator for 1 - 2 weeks.

CONTINUED >

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Pickle Juice Brined Wings INGREDIENTS • • • • • • •

2 pounds chicken wings (flats and drumettes) Pickle juice - enough to cover wings 1 – 2 teaspoons garlic salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 6 tablespoons butter A few dashes of hot sauce 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place chicken wings in a non-reactive container and pour pickle juice over chicken wings until completely covered.

2. Place it in the fridge and let it marinate, covered, for at least 8 hours.

3. Drain wings, discard pickle juice, and completely pat wings dry.

4. Put dried wings in a bowl and sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Mix well.

5. Place wings in an air fryer basket, being careful not to crowd. Cook at 400 degrees for 28 minutes, turning every 8 minutes until crispy. If you don’t have an air fryer, bake them in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes at 400 degrees, flipping halfway through.

6. Melt the butter and add a few splashes of hot sauce of your choice and mix in a bowl. Add wings and completely cover with butter mixture. Sprinkle with fresh dill and toss a few times, and serve with my white barbeque sauce.

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C ULIN A RY C R E AT ION S | F OOD + BE VE RAGE

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