Good morning and welcome to Summit Up, the world’s only daily column that’s been thinking a lot about combustion lately. With all the dry biz out there, we were mentally assessing all the things we use that involve fire or sparks. All those cars out there, busily doing internal combustion; our stoves, dryers and dishwashers; even our dirtbikes and chainsaws (make sure yours has spark arresters!) – we’re surrounded by it.

And it makes us somewhat more appreciative of this crappy electric BBQ grill we have at the Summit Daily. Long have we scoffed at it, but now it seems like a pretty smart thing to have – even if it does take several hours to cook a burger.

Anyway, the point is if you’re doing anything with flame, spark or other stuff that heats up, be careful out there! We think even certain types of slacks can generate sparks if you walk too briskly, although we know not a lot of folks around here wear that kind of thing.

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Did you know that Thursday is DQ Miracle Treat Day?

MILLIONS OF SUMMIT UP READERS: No! What’s it all about?

SU: Well, if you go to Dairy Queen tomorrow (there’s one by Office Max in Dilverthorne) and buy a Blizzard treat, then DQ will donate a dollar (or more) to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Sounds like a good deal! More skinny on the dealio at http://www.MiracleTreat Day.com

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Here’s an Angel Alert!! Angel Alert!! going out from our columnist Micaela Gilchrist, who writes thusly:

“I’d like to thank Luis and Christi, two cyclists who helped me after my thrilling crash on the bike path Saturday morning. While riding from Breckenridge to Frisco, I saw a young man up ahead with his black Lab. Without looking around, he threw a stick and his dog bounded after it, directly in front of my bike and other cyclists as well. I hit the dog, went airborne, did an aerial somersault, came unclipped from my pedals and landed on the back of my helmet on the asphalt. It was spectacular!

“Stella, a robust black Lab, was not only unharmed, but seemed to think we had invented a new game. As I lay groaning on the pavement, she panted, ‘Again!’

“Luis and Christi, both mountain bikers, helped me to my feet, let me lean against them until I recovered and assured me my wounds looked gruesome but were only skin deep. Luis even poured water from his CamelBak over my bloody elbow. Whereupon, Stella body-checked me out of the way and began slurping up the water, which I thought was rather bad form.

“To his credit, the young man who owned Stella stayed with us until I got back on the bike. He apologized and I know he felt bad about the incident. I did too. Stella didn’t apologize. She just grinned and made me give her a massage before I took off.

“Luis and Christi rode back with me most of the way to Frisco to make sure I was all right. A lot of nice people stopped to help. Many thanks to all of you and especially to Luis and Christi!”

A good lesson, folks, to be extra careful on the recpaths! We out …