Our Summer Meeting at Whistler, British Columbia was a great success.  It was held at the Fairmont Chateaux Whistler at the center of what was the 2000 Winter Olympics at the base of the many ski runs in the spectacular Canadian Rockies.  We could see the treelines and the snowlines. Many people were snow-skiing in July and others were  taking their mountain bikes up the gondolas and mountain biking down the mountains.

Our opening reception Wednesday night was on a high terrace with a wonderful view of the mountains across the valley from the ski mountains.  The valleys had lakes from which seaplanes were  taking off and landing to deliver and transport guests to and from Vancouver from time to time.  Golfing was on a magnificent mountainside course with many streams, wild flowers, and some bears… a challenging course, but it took our thoughts off of business and set us free.

At a lovely outdoor service, on the same Fairmont Chateaux terrace,  Gary and Penny Evans, who were married there at the LPBA Summer 2002 Meeting, and Betsy and I renewed our wedding vows in response to Gary and Penny’s open invitation to join them in the occasion. Now, this was something I had never even thought about doing until a few weeks before the conference.  At first it seemed a little corny.   But when we were standing there at the altar before the Marriage Commissioner of the Provence of British Columbia with the spectacular scenery all around us, with the friends and flowers and candles, it transported us. It really was a moving, enriching experience for us and I believe for the many members who graciously attended. And, of course, experiences like this don’t happen at your usual professional gatherings!

The CLE classes at Whistler were just outstanding and included topics diverse as air search and rescue operations on land and at sea in British Columbia, a seaplane crash analysis and safety recommendations by a panel of the lawyers on both sides trying the case and including the director of the Canadian Transportation Safety Board, ethics and conflicts of interest in legislative lobbying, aviation claims arising out of a Blackwater contract military flight in Afghanistan, re-manufactured aircraft parts and failure to disclose previous defects,  and many more – all excellent.