Tuesday, November 06, 2007

These Men Might Save Your Life

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned Esquire was doing a style layout with members of Portland Mountain Rescue. Hubby bought me the magazine last week, and it was great to read given what I'm currently writing. Perfect inspiration as I knew it would be. Plus I could call it research. I sure love my job!

Here's the article online, complete with pictures taken on Mount Hood. As I read the story, I couldn't help but think of my search and rescue hero, Jake Porter. Could I imagine him as one of the guys pictured? You betcha.

Of the nine guys pictured, I've been in contact with four of them in one form or another about this book and/or climbing. One is my SAR expert (and now friend), who has helped me so much with all three books I've written this year. Another I met at the dinner arranged (by my friend above) with a few of PMR members so I could talk to them about my book and watch how they interacted with each other. The final two I know online, having met them via messages sent on a climbing forum. I only found out they were PMR members after they replied.

I've been thinking (a dangerous thing I know!), but I need to send a hero picture in with my AFS, and now that I've seen these pics, who better to send in than a real SAR guy! That's the direction I've been leaning from the beginning. What do you think? Should I send in one of these pics for my hero, Jake? Who would you pick?