What a conference! Once again, the remarkable folks over at the Pipeline Safety Trust— Carl Weimer (at right, in the goofy hat), Rebecca Craven, and Samya Lutz put together a fantastic two days for industry representatives, regulators, and landowners and other citizen advocates. We’re home and still a little giddy over the experience, not to mention deeply gratified to have the chance to meet and learn from so many wonderful, interesting people. Like last year, we were reminded– despite all of our attempts to appear knowledgeable and authoritative– of just how little we know. We learned a lot and have much to continue to think about. We are so grateful to the Trust for their efforts arranging this kind of event and for giving us the opportunity to be a part of it.

In our heads, we are already composing a series of posts. But we can’t get to all of it at once. We need to digest and ruminate and cogitate. If you’d like to read another account of the conference, take a look at Emily Krajack’s post over at C.O.G.E.N.T. (and check out the awesome website while you’re at it; it’s indispensable for anyone who is at all concerned about fracking). As for us, for now we’ll just mention some highlights, some of which we’ll discuss in more detail in the coming days. Here they are, in no particular order and–in homage to the relentless, oppressive Power Point slides we endured for a full two days– in handy bullet point format:

• Rebecca Craven. Period.
• Carl Weimer speaking bluntly and critically in the most amiable, disarming way imaginable. How he pulls that off is either magic or genius. Probably both.
• The cookbook– just you wait!!
• Catching up with new friends from last year: Robert Whitesides, Randy Stansberry, Mike Holmstrom, Linda Phillips, Emily Krafjack, Ben Gotschall, Glenn Archambault
• Making new friends: Julie Dermansky, Ann Jarrell, Jennie Baker (total badass), Chuck Lesniak, Lois Epstein
• Talking homebrew and Tommy Tutone with Rick Kessler
• Bill Byrd saying far less objectionable things than usual– and quoting Mark Twain!
• The KXL activist from Texas interrupting the evening reception to raise a toast to a world without fossil fuels
• San Francisco city attorney Austin Yang reminding PHMSA that delegation does not mean abdication
• David Barnett of the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters calling for more industry transparency
• Rich Kuprewicz on “wild ass guesses”
• Whiskey with Josh Joswick telling of his fascinating youthful travels–on bicycle!
• Learning about Liam’s fly-fishing class from Bruce Brabec
• Learning about smoked salmon and Lummi Island from Samya Lutz
• Learning about Shawn Lyon’s Hoosier roots
• Craig Pierson using Shawn Lyon as a napkin at Cafe du Monde
• The traditional post-conference taxi ride to the airport with Mike Holmstrom
• The waiter at the airport restaurant repeatedly calling Beth Wallace “baby” (and somehow not getting himself slapped)
• Fellow Line 6B landowner Dave Gallagher calling out Enbridge reps by name
• Mayflower, Arkansas resident Ann Jarrell leaving not a dry eye in the building