TYL Epilogue and thanks

We are all now slowly making our way home via different planes/trains and automobiles. Safe travels to the team.

TYL team:

Dale picked this TYL adventure and it has been bloody awesome. He is 71, 24 years post heart transplant and still amazes me – he embodies the meaning of team, has an indomitable spirit; and as an ambassador for heart transplant, I don’t think you can do better. We have been at this for 17 years now – and after TYL 2006 Vinson (see photo below), I don’t think either of us would have, in a million years, imagined where TYL was going to go – 4 million dollars raised for heart failure/heart transplant/innovative research and therapies – UNREAL – thank you to all our supporters!

Suneet – tackled the mountains with zest, got a starburst laceration on her knee and kept going. Only after an additional 6 hrs on Cayambe did she realize the extent of the damage. A real fighter with a perfect mani/pedi – thanks for always being there sister, I wanna be like you when I grow up. 

Farid – tech wizard, first time summiter (Cayambe) and master card player – nothing got him down, there was no stop in him. Farid was the video chronicler of the trip – (outtakes available upon request – and there are some doozies). Thank you!

Perry – also first time summiter (Cayambe) and the one with an undying sense of humour, jokes, irony, sarcasm etc. So bloody awesome to have you on the trip. Though your 6’3” stride was tough to keep up with! Perry got to know everyone at each Refugio, hostel etc – sweet – managed to get us papas fritas from a closed kitchen……

A huge shout out to Dave Smith – a card carrying TYL member who had to pull out at the last minute due to knee issues (what a theme for this trip). You were sorely missed, your attitude and ability to take the worst situation and make it better – but I did want you to know that Perry picked up the slack!

To our Yamnuska Guides (hey everyone this is a shameless plug – you want to try ice climbing, back country skiing, mountaineering, climbing – get your toe in the awesomeness of these adventures in Canada or abroad – this is the Co. for you!), so amazing to be guided by you. Our Mountain Man, Mountain Yoda – Barry Blanchard – with tales to amaze – the history of climbing tools, legends on the mountains, campfire tales (without the campfire) THANK YOU AGAIN, pretty awesome to do our 1st trip Vinson (thanks again for saving my life), and our 10th trip with you. Shaun, it was great to have you on your first TYL trip – you are now indoctrinated to TYL – ‘this is the way’. You were a master trail finder, and overall trip leader, hearts card player, gear/food/sunblock/lip gloss list manager – Thank you!

Nacho – our Ecuadorian guide – WOW – no words – you have a most gorgeous country, hospitality everywhere, never had a worry with you as our guide. You know the mountains like the back of your hand; and on top of that provided the local history and culture – brilliant. 

Thanks back home to Yas Moayedi for looking after my practice, Anna Woo and Alan Barolet for looking after the division, and to Anne Simard for looking after TRCHR. And to my two office miracle workers AG and Tiff who seem to make the impossible possible. 

Thanks to the Orthopedic program at TWH – for keeping this body going strong at 61 yoa (Lau, OH, Marshall, Veillette). 

Thanks to Anne Simard, Augusta Lipscombe, Sam Engbers – who managed the blog, no matter how late, how fragmented the messages, and regardless of the platform we used – you did an INCREDIBLE job putting out the blog. Thanks to all who read and in particular to those that provided encouragement along the way. 

And finally a super special thank you to IWD (you know who you are), Shauna Seabrook and the PMCC Foundation, our donors who believe in TYL, the PMCC program and know we will always do “Whatever It Takes”.

PS – Since Dale picked this trip the next one is my choice, hmmmmmmmmmm………..