1959

With an e-mail address of "Surfer MD," I can only assume that Dr. Mike Kistler is checking in from the West Coast. Mike, describing himself as one of those "non-participating alumni," was inquiring about where Hank Wirts might be located. Perhaps Mike is not as farremoved as he thinks...nice to hear from you.

Not far from the Middle-of-the-Road is Richard Taylor, well-known head Nordic coach at Gould Academy, in Bethel, Maine. Dick we remember as Dartmouth ski team captain and later as captain of the U.S. Olympic Nordic team. Dick has just released his long-awaited book,NoPain,No Gain? which deals with the failure of U.S. cross-country skiers to be competitive with their counterparts in Europe and Scandinavia. Dick strongly feels that the American culture is partially at fault, addressing the problem of improper coaching and training in the United States.

Staying with snow and skiing, though summer must be close by now, Hartley Paul tells of his "absolute best ski crash ever," launching off a cat track at about a 75-degree angle into the treesbroke a rib, did some vertebrae damage and blew his whole Whistler ski season! Hartley, living in Bellevue, Washington, has spent 39 years as a business attorney in a big Seatde law firm. Not yet ready to "kick back," he has recently gone "of counsel," and had become a VP, general counsel of International Software Corp.—this does not sound like retirement!

Perhaps I should do more "wife-bonding" in order to get news about their modest husbands. I knew I had mentioned Jim Ertle's being elected to the American Dermatological Association, an elite honor society. Now wife Virginia informs us that Jim received a certificate of appreciation "In Grateful recognition of his Dedication to Dermatology in Developing Countries" from the International League of Dermatological Societies. The president of the ILDS, from Australia, presented the award at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology in Prague on October 4,2002. Jim was the sole recipient of the award at the meeting in the Czech Republic.

A wonderful note from Norris Nims.who is spending November through April in Belen, New Mexico, while still maintaining residency in Copper Center, Alaska. For someone with a great love of the land, Norris refers to his life as that of a "minimalist," which includes not being on the Internet! It has been difficult for Norris to make any mini-reunions in June, because the garden needs to be planted in Alaska—their summer must be shorter than Maine's!

A note from Ken Li bo extolling his pleasure at spending a weekend with Jack Lampe and wife Carolyn at their home in Uvalde, Texas. Jack and Carolyn have had a very positive impact in the area through their 30 years of teaching at the only college of its kind in southwest Texas.

P.O. Box 98, Newport, ME04953;(207)368-4319;(207)368-5029(fax);goodygilman@midmaine.com