Degrees of Separation

Last night, when I was ranting about traffic, I left out one of the most important and interesting parts of last evening: time spent with Jim Whittaker.

For those of you too young to know, Jim was the first American, and one of the first persons, to conquer Mt. Everest. In May of 1963, Jim and his sherpa Gambu, led a party of bearers from Kathmandu to Mt. Everest. There were no roads. Jim and his party hiked over 180 miles, beginning in thick jungles with bananas hanging and monkeys gibbering, up into the Himalayas to the first assault. The trek took a full month.

Jim is one of the heroes of the American 20th century.

Jim and I chatted for a while last night. Jim, at 79 years old, still stands 6 foot five and is straight as a rod. He is constantly joking. Jim told me a drinking story from "his younger days." He recounted a story of a rambunctious evening aboard a yacht when he and a friend got so drunk they started throwing each other into the swimming pool. "Swimming pool?" I wondered, remembering that this story took place on a yacht. Jim grinned and said, "Yeah, we were making so much noise that Aristotle sent his man up and told us we were keeping him awake." For the denser among my readers who haven't pieced this together, Jim was partying with Aristotle Onassis and Jackie Kennedy aboard Onassis's private "ship." And yes -- there apparently was a swimming pool.

Jim knew Jackie Kennedy well. Jim and Bobby Kennedy were close. I am told that Jim was one of Bobby's pall bearers in 1968. Jim was also a skiing companion with Jackie Kennedy at Sun Valley in the late 60's.

For such a friendly, funny and unassuming guy, it's hard to imagine the size of the footprints he's leaving. I'm honored to know him.

In 1987, Jim led the America/Russia/Chinese "Freedom Climb" up Mt. Everest. At base camp, Jim was handed the satellite telephone by one of his climbing partners. The voice on the line said, "Mr. Whittaker? Hold for the president of the United States." Jim had a fine chat with George Sr.

Don't be misled. Jim and his wife Dianne (a delightful person and ex- National Geographic photographer) are Obama supporters it would seem, staying true democratic ideals.

This trip will be memorable for many reasons, but being close to this kind of guy is really a fabulous treat. I'll never forget it.

A bientot!