August 28 Good Friends and Fine Silver Oak Cabernet

At about 12:30 in the afternoon on the 28th of August, I can report that the entire BAI team is now all the way back down in the valley off the last cable car ride and feeling really satisfied about our great climb on Mount Elbrus. I rode the last cable car down and I looked down as I arrived and saw the part of the group who have hit the market at the base of the cable car station - they are buying sweaters and other souvenirs to take back home.

We have got two more nights in the Caucasus of course, when we’ll return down to the hotel now, this evening I am saving four bottles of some really fine Silver Oak Cabernet. Kevin Duncan’s family has this really excellent vineyard in the Napa called Silver Oak. David Pearcy was good enough to bring over four nice bottles that we are going to have this evening. Also to describe the BAI celebratory plans: I have been talking for a couple of days about how good the fresh lamb barbecue is - that will be our dinner tomorrow night.

(The end of the transmission is unintelligible.)


Above: Comet Hale-Bopp over Mt. Elbrus from Pik Terskol, Caucasus, April '97. ©"Observers", AlltheSky.com