The week started off with a reception at The Wilderness Society's Washington offices for the folks who came from across the country to lobby for wilderness bills in Utah and Alaska.

This photo appeared in the following ideotrope albums:

DC and Baltimore March 2007 - I went all the way to Washington, D.C.
To tell my congressman something that is important to me
He shook my hand, and he patted me on the head,
But he did not hear a single word that I said.
--chorus from Washington, D.C. by Big Suckin' Moose

I wonder why Big Suckin' Moose went to Washington, D.C. They're from Utah so maybe they went for the same reason I did: Utah wilderness protection. I agreed to go in a moment of weakness, encouraged by an enthusiastic SUWA employee who told me that the legislation has the best chance in over a decade to get a hearing in the sub-committee. The changeover in Congress last election means not only a chance at a hearing, but a chance at a vote in the House as well.

Utah Wilderness Coalition organizes the lobbying efforts, what they called "Wilderness Week." This year's event coincided with Alaska wilderness week, a climate change rally on the steps of the Capitol, and Al Gore's address to Congress about said climate change problem. SUWA seems to be the most well-funded member of UWC (some big organizations like the Sierra Club and NRDC and also members of the coalition, but they don't appear to contribute as much resources to Utah wilderness as SUWA). Our specific goal was to get original cosponsors for America's Redrock Wilderness Act. With a chance of a vote in the House this session these names now mean more than just a list at the end the SUWA newsletter. Last session had over 160 cosponsors in the House. Our goal was to get more (218 anyone?).

I was teamed up with Lily Lewis from Tampa, FL and Brian Watson from St. George, UT. It's always good to have someone from Utah, but all our meetings were with the CO and FL congressional delegations. We met with staffers in every case but did get to meet John Salazar as he was heading out to a vote. We got in a quick ARWA pitch and certainly he saw our yellow pins. Later in the subterranean tunnels connecting the various House office buildings we passed him a couple more times. After a full day of training followed by 16 meetings in 2½ days it was time to go home. I learned a lot, was happy to be on a such a fun team, and liked everyone I met.

I didn't go straight home. Predictably I went a bike tour. I fedexed (ground) my bike to the hotel and did a 4 day tour through Maryland. It was less suburban sprawl than I expected. In fact there was hardly any. The development I saw during those 4 days was much more aesthetically pleasing and practical than the crap they've been building on the Front Range for the last 10 years. It was a good reminder that it doesn't have to be the way it is here. They can do better development, even in the US.

I spent two nights at my cousin's house in Baltimore. I hadn't seen in Ellen in about 5 years so it was great to catch up. The two best meals of the trip were a Thai dinner in Chinatown in DC with some fellow lobbyists and a Thai dinner in Mt. Vernon in Baltimore with Ellen. Makes me think it's time for another trip to Thailand.

Tags:   id_node_id_65089 id_perms_bryan_public id_album_65269

© All Rights Reserved

This photo appeared in the following ideotrope albums:

DC and Baltimore March 2007 - I went all the way to Washington, D.C.
To tell my congressman something that is important to me
He shook my hand, and he patted me on the head,
But he did not hear a single word that I said.
--chorus from Washington, D.C. by Big Suckin' Moose

I wonder why Big Suckin' Moose went to Washington, D.C. They're from Utah so maybe they went for the same reason I did: Utah wilderness protection. I agreed to go in a moment of weakness, encouraged by an enthusiastic SUWA employee who told me that the legislation has the best chance in over a decade to get a hearing in the sub-committee. The changeover in Congress last election means not only a chance at a hearing, but a chance at a vote in the House as well.

Utah Wilderness Coalition organizes the lobbying efforts, what they called "Wilderness Week." This year's event coincided with Alaska wilderness week, a climate change rally on the steps of the Capitol, and Al Gore's address to Congress about said climate change problem. SUWA seems to be the most well-funded member of UWC (some big organizations like the Sierra Club and NRDC and also members of the coalition, but they don't appear to contribute as much resources to Utah wilderness as SUWA). Our specific goal was to get original cosponsors for America's Redrock Wilderness Act. With a chance of a vote in the House this session these names now mean more than just a list at the end the SUWA newsletter. Last session had over 160 cosponsors in the House. Our goal was to get more (218 anyone?).

I was teamed up with Lily Lewis from Tampa, FL and Brian Watson from St. George, UT. It's always good to have someone from Utah, but all our meetings were with the CO and FL congressional delegations. We met with staffers in every case but did get to meet John Salazar as he was heading out to a vote. We got in a quick ARWA pitch and certainly he saw our yellow pins. Later in the subterranean tunnels connecting the various House office buildings we passed him a couple more times. After a full day of training followed by 16 meetings in 2½ days it was time to go home. I learned a lot, was happy to be on a such a fun team, and liked everyone I met.

I didn't go straight home. Predictably I went a bike tour. I fedexed (ground) my bike to the hotel and did a 4 day tour through Maryland. It was less suburban sprawl than I expected. In fact there was hardly any. The development I saw during those 4 days was much more aesthetically pleasing and practical than the crap they've been building on the Front Range for the last 10 years. It was a good reminder that it doesn't have to be the way it is here. They can do better development, even in the US.

I spent two nights at my cousin's house in Baltimore. I hadn't seen in Ellen in about 5 years so it was great to catch up. The two best meals of the trip were a Thai dinner in Chinatown in DC with some fellow lobbyists and a Thai dinner in Mt. Vernon in Baltimore with Ellen. Makes me think it's time for another trip to Thailand.

Tags:   id_node_id_65090 id_perms_bryan_public id_album_65269

© All Rights Reserved

This photo appeared in the following ideotrope albums:

DC and Baltimore March 2007 - I went all the way to Washington, D.C.
To tell my congressman something that is important to me
He shook my hand, and he patted me on the head,
But he did not hear a single word that I said.
--chorus from Washington, D.C. by Big Suckin' Moose

I wonder why Big Suckin' Moose went to Washington, D.C. They're from Utah so maybe they went for the same reason I did: Utah wilderness protection. I agreed to go in a moment of weakness, encouraged by an enthusiastic SUWA employee who told me that the legislation has the best chance in over a decade to get a hearing in the sub-committee. The changeover in Congress last election means not only a chance at a hearing, but a chance at a vote in the House as well.

Utah Wilderness Coalition organizes the lobbying efforts, what they called "Wilderness Week." This year's event coincided with Alaska wilderness week, a climate change rally on the steps of the Capitol, and Al Gore's address to Congress about said climate change problem. SUWA seems to be the most well-funded member of UWC (some big organizations like the Sierra Club and NRDC and also members of the coalition, but they don't appear to contribute as much resources to Utah wilderness as SUWA). Our specific goal was to get original cosponsors for America's Redrock Wilderness Act. With a chance of a vote in the House this session these names now mean more than just a list at the end the SUWA newsletter. Last session had over 160 cosponsors in the House. Our goal was to get more (218 anyone?).

I was teamed up with Lily Lewis from Tampa, FL and Brian Watson from St. George, UT. It's always good to have someone from Utah, but all our meetings were with the CO and FL congressional delegations. We met with staffers in every case but did get to meet John Salazar as he was heading out to a vote. We got in a quick ARWA pitch and certainly he saw our yellow pins. Later in the subterranean tunnels connecting the various House office buildings we passed him a couple more times. After a full day of training followed by 16 meetings in 2½ days it was time to go home. I learned a lot, was happy to be on a such a fun team, and liked everyone I met.

I didn't go straight home. Predictably I went a bike tour. I fedexed (ground) my bike to the hotel and did a 4 day tour through Maryland. It was less suburban sprawl than I expected. In fact there was hardly any. The development I saw during those 4 days was much more aesthetically pleasing and practical than the crap they've been building on the Front Range for the last 10 years. It was a good reminder that it doesn't have to be the way it is here. They can do better development, even in the US.

I spent two nights at my cousin's house in Baltimore. I hadn't seen in Ellen in about 5 years so it was great to catch up. The two best meals of the trip were a Thai dinner in Chinatown in DC with some fellow lobbyists and a Thai dinner in Mt. Vernon in Baltimore with Ellen. Makes me think it's time for another trip to Thailand.

Tags:   Bryan id_node_id_65091 id_perms_bryan_public id_album_65269

© All Rights Reserved

It was slightly out of the way to walk by the White House. This is the only time I saw it all week.

This photo appeared in the following ideotrope albums:

DC and Baltimore March 2007 - I went all the way to Washington, D.C.
To tell my congressman something that is important to me
He shook my hand, and he patted me on the head,
But he did not hear a single word that I said.
--chorus from Washington, D.C. by Big Suckin' Moose

I wonder why Big Suckin' Moose went to Washington, D.C. They're from Utah so maybe they went for the same reason I did: Utah wilderness protection. I agreed to go in a moment of weakness, encouraged by an enthusiastic SUWA employee who told me that the legislation has the best chance in over a decade to get a hearing in the sub-committee. The changeover in Congress last election means not only a chance at a hearing, but a chance at a vote in the House as well.

Utah Wilderness Coalition organizes the lobbying efforts, what they called "Wilderness Week." This year's event coincided with Alaska wilderness week, a climate change rally on the steps of the Capitol, and Al Gore's address to Congress about said climate change problem. SUWA seems to be the most well-funded member of UWC (some big organizations like the Sierra Club and NRDC and also members of the coalition, but they don't appear to contribute as much resources to Utah wilderness as SUWA). Our specific goal was to get original cosponsors for America's Redrock Wilderness Act. With a chance of a vote in the House this session these names now mean more than just a list at the end the SUWA newsletter. Last session had over 160 cosponsors in the House. Our goal was to get more (218 anyone?).

I was teamed up with Lily Lewis from Tampa, FL and Brian Watson from St. George, UT. It's always good to have someone from Utah, but all our meetings were with the CO and FL congressional delegations. We met with staffers in every case but did get to meet John Salazar as he was heading out to a vote. We got in a quick ARWA pitch and certainly he saw our yellow pins. Later in the subterranean tunnels connecting the various House office buildings we passed him a couple more times. After a full day of training followed by 16 meetings in 2½ days it was time to go home. I learned a lot, was happy to be on a such a fun team, and liked everyone I met.

I didn't go straight home. Predictably I went a bike tour. I fedexed (ground) my bike to the hotel and did a 4 day tour through Maryland. It was less suburban sprawl than I expected. In fact there was hardly any. The development I saw during those 4 days was much more aesthetically pleasing and practical than the crap they've been building on the Front Range for the last 10 years. It was a good reminder that it doesn't have to be the way it is here. They can do better development, even in the US.

I spent two nights at my cousin's house in Baltimore. I hadn't seen in Ellen in about 5 years so it was great to catch up. The two best meals of the trip were a Thai dinner in Chinatown in DC with some fellow lobbyists and a Thai dinner in Mt. Vernon in Baltimore with Ellen. Makes me think it's time for another trip to Thailand.

Tags:   id_node_id_65092 id_perms_bryan_public id_album_65269

© All Rights Reserved

This Peace Vigil across the street from the White House has been continuous since 1981. Maybe I saw it during my only other visit to Washington, over 20 years ago.

This photo appeared in the following ideotrope albums:

DC and Baltimore March 2007 - I went all the way to Washington, D.C.
To tell my congressman something that is important to me
He shook my hand, and he patted me on the head,
But he did not hear a single word that I said.
--chorus from Washington, D.C. by Big Suckin' Moose

I wonder why Big Suckin' Moose went to Washington, D.C. They're from Utah so maybe they went for the same reason I did: Utah wilderness protection. I agreed to go in a moment of weakness, encouraged by an enthusiastic SUWA employee who told me that the legislation has the best chance in over a decade to get a hearing in the sub-committee. The changeover in Congress last election means not only a chance at a hearing, but a chance at a vote in the House as well.

Utah Wilderness Coalition organizes the lobbying efforts, what they called "Wilderness Week." This year's event coincided with Alaska wilderness week, a climate change rally on the steps of the Capitol, and Al Gore's address to Congress about said climate change problem. SUWA seems to be the most well-funded member of UWC (some big organizations like the Sierra Club and NRDC and also members of the coalition, but they don't appear to contribute as much resources to Utah wilderness as SUWA). Our specific goal was to get original cosponsors for America's Redrock Wilderness Act. With a chance of a vote in the House this session these names now mean more than just a list at the end the SUWA newsletter. Last session had over 160 cosponsors in the House. Our goal was to get more (218 anyone?).

I was teamed up with Lily Lewis from Tampa, FL and Brian Watson from St. George, UT. It's always good to have someone from Utah, but all our meetings were with the CO and FL congressional delegations. We met with staffers in every case but did get to meet John Salazar as he was heading out to a vote. We got in a quick ARWA pitch and certainly he saw our yellow pins. Later in the subterranean tunnels connecting the various House office buildings we passed him a couple more times. After a full day of training followed by 16 meetings in 2½ days it was time to go home. I learned a lot, was happy to be on a such a fun team, and liked everyone I met.

I didn't go straight home. Predictably I went a bike tour. I fedexed (ground) my bike to the hotel and did a 4 day tour through Maryland. It was less suburban sprawl than I expected. In fact there was hardly any. The development I saw during those 4 days was much more aesthetically pleasing and practical than the crap they've been building on the Front Range for the last 10 years. It was a good reminder that it doesn't have to be the way it is here. They can do better development, even in the US.

I spent two nights at my cousin's house in Baltimore. I hadn't seen in Ellen in about 5 years so it was great to catch up. The two best meals of the trip were a Thai dinner in Chinatown in DC with some fellow lobbyists and a Thai dinner in Mt. Vernon in Baltimore with Ellen. Makes me think it's time for another trip to Thailand.

Tags:   id_node_id_65093 id_perms_bryan_public id_album_65269

© All Rights Reserved