Don,

       Will, Laura, and I are in the preliminary thinking stages of organizing a big tree rendezvous in Durango for next July. We're going to settle for a rendezvous instead of a full-fledged conference, due to time constraints, money, etc. The summer of 2011 would then see a full conference.

        In my humble opinion, the rendezvous  should be spearheaded by WNTS. We could assemble a measuring team and hit as many sites as possible during a 3 to 4-day stint and prepare a report to the Forest Service on our findings. Laura would choose the sites. The rendezvous  would really be a joint WNTS-Forest Service venture. Will is interested in climbing and modeling a big ponderosa while there. We could have lots of evening slide shows and maybe a couple of presentations for WNTS attendees and guests - just fun stuff . Will could show his climb to the top of the 311-ft sequoia. If Dave Stahle makes it, maybe we w ould hopefully persuade him to give a presentation on aging junipers. The rendezvous  would be all for the relatively small group of measurers (6 to 12)and guests. No big preparations necessary. Just hit the field and measure trees.

        While there, I 'm sure you would want to sample the local beers. Maybe you already have. Didn't you tell me that you'd been to Durango and rode the Durango to Silverton RR? I presume you had a frosted glass with a spirited beverage in it.

       With my allergy to alcohol, I'd have to settle for bright colored Cool A id-like drinks, but I'd pretend that they had alcohol in them and act I little daffy after a couple of hours. Wait. That happens anyway .

       Those with sporting blood could place bets on how long it would take Will to break my height records for the ponderosa and Colorado blue spruce. Will does that sort of thing with grim regularity. Oh, is it embarrassing, but h is eye is unfailingly accurate and I've come to be fatalistic about the whole thing. We could also have a little ceremony and crown Dave Stahle, Lord of the Rings, also the ruler of Western Earth position for Middle Earth is taken).

        Laura, since you are the on-site Ent, we would appoint you official keeper of the sacred numbers that we collected -  a position of the greatest trust.

       Well, what do you say, Don? Let's make Durango our first official WNTS rendezvous. YEA!

Bob