Hmmmm...these are hectic times. Indeed. =^]



We're on the verge of Secret Spot Denali...but I had to make a 'quick' trip to Washington D.C. to accept a Citizen's Award for Bravery from Secretary Kempthrone of the US Department of the Interior. It was an inspirational ceremony honouring many acts of valour. (Yes...I'm Canadian...so that's how we spell 'honouring' and 'valour'!)


US Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne and Phill

Washington DC is a fast paced city where things are definitely happening. My experience here has been purely positive. =^)

I flew here, from Seattle, on Monday and took a shuttle straight to the infamous Mayflower Hotel. Said establishment is where the ex-Governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer, managed to meet the untimely demise of his political career. My visit has been much more positive than his. =^]

Mike 'Gator' Gauthier, Director of Climbing Program and Search and Rescue Operations at Mount Rainier National Park, was good enough to meet me at the hotel...and we proceeded to take in a few sights and sounds of this nation's capital.


Phill and Mike Gauthier

Mike is not only an all around great guy, but he is also the Founder and Moderator of the Mount Rainier Climbing Blogspot. Apparently, he nominated me for the Award for Bravery. Thanks Mike! =^]

I expect that we will be seeing each other again...and possibly collaborating on some future wilderness river trips. B^)


Phill and Greg Lawler

I also had the pleasure of connecting with Greg Lawler, National Staff Ranger of the US National Park Service (Division of Law Enforcement). He's a super, well organized person and an excellent communicator...as well as a recipient of a Gold Medal for Valour for a rescue he participated in while working as a Ranger in Yosemite.

Greg is also responsible for making a White House tour happen on Wednesday. I'm looking forward to it!


Phill at CTV News in Washington D.C.

The Washington Bureau of CTV News Net(CTV.ca) was good enough to include me in their programming today. I went straight from the DOI (Department of the Interior) ceremony to the CTV studio...so I was a little over dressed. Que sera sera.

I'll post the brief CTV interview in a later blog entry. It looks like I'll be on Canada AM on the morn of Wednesday, May 14th too. Fun stuff!

Wednesday is go...go...go...until I eventually fly into Seattle and re-unite with the Secret Spot Denali Team. By late Wednesday night, we will all be in the same place at the same time...for the first time! Que bueno!
Soon it will all happen!

Until Soon

Phill =^)

PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits