My Trip to Vancouver

Last week, I had the honor of being invited to speak to an audience of nearly 6,000 people at the General Motors Place in Vancouver, BC. My speech was just part of a day of motivational speaking run by a company called The Power Within www.powerwithin.com, which produces motivational and training programs for the general public as well as corporations. I was thrilled to be included with guest speakers such as music legend, Quincy Jones and tennis extraordinaire, Andre Agassi. It’s always fascinating to hear the success stories of truly inspirational people. My speech was about who influenced me to strive for higher goals and how I went about building my business. One of the highlights of the trip was flying over the magnificent mountains of the Cascade Range. The Cascade Range of Western North America extends through Oregon and Washington States into Southern British Columbia in Canada. Being part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, some of the Cascades are volcanic, including Mount St. Helens which produced a major eruption in 1980.

Here I am with Quincy Jones!!

A very lively and receptive audience! I took a snapshot of them.

The very handsome Canadian Tenors

Mount Baker, in Washington State, has an elevation of 10,778 feet, or 3,285 meters. It was named by explorer George Vancouver for 3rd Lieutenant Joseph Baker of the HMS Discovery, who saw it in 1792. The peak is heavily glaciated and it receives record amounts of snow and is famous for its Mount Baker Ski Area.

Mount Rainier, also in Washington State, is the highest peak in the Cascade Range reaching 14,410 feet, or 4,392 meters.  It has the most glaciers of any peak in the lower 48 states and its summit has two volcanic craters.  The last volcanic eruption occurred sometime during the 1800's, and geologists expect that the volcano will someday erupt again.  Explorer George Vancouver named this peak to honor his friend, Rear Admiral Peter Rainier.  All of Seattle is treated to its magnificence - its glorious shape and omnipresence - I have never been closer to it than on this flight when our pilot flew right over it for our cameras!

Even closer! I love my Canon EOS 1D!

Comments

[Nancy]

Looks like you had an amazing time. Aren't the tenors terrific...as a Canadian, I am especially proud! Your camera takes amazing pics...just beautiful. I must get one of those cameras!

Nancy

[KellySchwark.com]

Oh, I wish that I could have been there to hear you speak of your inspirations!

I also want to thank you for the beautiful photographs. I absolutely LOVE flying just for the sake of being able to gaze upon the ground below! My husband and I were just talking about this topic this weekend. When we looked at our newly laid FLOR tiles, we said that they looked like perfectly planned farmlands and crops from above. (By the way, your products through FLOR are perfect!)

Thanks!
Kelly
http://kellyschwark.com

[Amanda]

Great pictures Martha, I am originally from Vancouver but now am living in Calgary, Alberta & I miss it SO very much, wish I could have come to the seminar... you didnt talk much about Vancouver, did you enjoy your time there? Do you have any more pictures of your time there?

[Trish]

What a nice pilot to fly over close enough for you to get these great pictures! I'm glad you weren't hanging out the side of a helicopter!

I'm getting a feeling that the Canadian Tenors are getting an invite to the show and I'm glad you had a receptive audience to hear your speech. How about sharing a few snippets of it in another blog! Trish

[Jannicke]

It was nice to see you again, and great to hear your speech. I was the one laughing the loudest from the bloopers shown...

Jannicke (and Brad)

[Andrew Ritchie]

Glad you had a good reception in Canada, Martha. We do love you here! Did you know that your Weddings magazine is the most popular weddings magazine in Canada?

Vancouver is so much fun! I hope you had a chance to dine out while you were there - so many amazing restaurants!

I've been there a few times and just love the climate, the mountains, the ocean, the culture...

-Andrew in Ottawa, Ontario

PS: I'm a handsome Canadian tenor, too...in the shower, at least.

[Neoma]

Thank you so much for taking me along on your adventures I love the pictures! I look forward each day to see where or what you will share with me. Keep up the interesting and fun blog. You are able to go to places I can only dream about seeing and doing.

[Kathy]

Who did influence you ?? I would bet your parents ?? Are you a close knit family ??

I enjoyed seeing you give your nephew a driving lesson, he did great. You do have a warm and fuzzy side !!! LOL

Great post thank you,
Kathy

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, WOW! Another fantastic blog! I especially enjoyed this one because if I get up on my roof, I can see Mt. Rainier on any sunny day. Your pictures are possibly the best I have ever seen. Have you ever visited Mt. Rainier on the ground? If not it is even more spectacular from that vantage point. I love your other pictures also, especially Quincy Jones. I hope you had fun in Vancouver. Thanks so much for sharing. Jan

[Louise]

Martha, couldn't agree more. I had the great pleasure of meeting Quincy Jones while he was in Vancouver. What a warm and wonderful preson. I'm glad you enjoyed your dinner, Chef Clark and Chef de Cuisine Quang Dang are extrodinary talents.

We welcome you back anytime.

[Tammy Circeo]

Martha--We love when our mountains are 'out' here in WA State! That means that the clouds have lifted enough to see them! They are gorgeous--so regal.
My husband saw you today at the Letterman show! Couldn't believe he had "the Dave" AND you all in one afternoon! Yes, I was jealous sitting out here on the opposite coast!
t

[Kathy]

Martha,
Thanks for a glimpse of the fascinating and inspirational speeches as well as your photographs and discussion of the Cascade Range. I would have enjoyed hearing your speech about who influenced you to strive for higher goals and how you went about building your business.
Kathy

[cindi]

As a resident of the beautiful Evergreen State, I am treated to this beautiful scenery on a daily basis!!! It's hard to take for granted, thank goodness!!!

[JBrennan]

Martha:

You're blog is great! We get to travel vicariously with you through picture and word to places we might never go ordinarily.

The Canon EOS takes fantastic photos. I have the same camera. I bought it a couple years ago after you showed us via the Martha show what wonderful pictures it takes. Of course, the photographer has to have an artist's eye, which you evidently have.

I'm looking forward to seeing where you will go next.

[BeachMama]

Wow, you got some great shots of the mountains. I wish you had made the stop in Ottawa, it would have been great to see you at the conference.

[Linda Gail]

Martha:)
Another fascinating blog. The pictures of Mt Rainier are awesome. My son lived in Seattle for awhile and he said it was absolutely beautiful.
The Canadian Tenors really look sharp. When will we get to see them on the show?
Linda Gail

[Kelly]

Martha,
Thanks for the great pictures, you are quite the photographer! I think it's easily said, that you yourself motivate so many people!
Kelly

[Sharon]

Martha,

It was wonderful to hear you speak. What touched me most was that you have a wonderful witty side just like me - ha ha. I enjoyed the first part of your speech as it was more personalized, but the last part, I felt that it was a bit too much on the 'sales' side, but hey, you are a smart woman to try and incorporate a little plug for your product lines (ps. I would too - ha ha). Anyways, it would have been awesome if I could have asked you about your genoise technique using a mixer instead of folding in the flour - lol - but, oh well, next time - wink wink =).

Anyways, your talk about the costco ham made me hungry for a ham and gruyere sandwich, but you know what? They don't carry your ham at costco canada - what a pity, as the English would say =).

Come back soon =)

[Sues]

Those lucky audience members! You motivate me every day and I haven't yet heard you speak in person :)

And those pictures are awesome.

Sues

[Carolyn]

I love the pictures of the Mountain!! Amazing view!!

Carolyn

[Margie]

Martha,
Thank you for taking time to present speeches at conferences such as the one in Vancouver. We all need them and they are a special gift when people such as your self will share what stimulated you along the way.

[AndreaWiebe]

Your pictures are truly breathtaking!

[Jennifer]

I see Mt Rainier from my house every day in Sidney(on Vancouver Island, North of Victoria)but have never seen it from the top! Thanks for the great photo. I wish I could have gone to your speech - you are my hero!!!!

[Todd Foley]

Martha,

Thanks for a fantastic time at the Power Within Seminar. As soon as we saw your name on the line up my wife bought tickets instantly!

What a day it was! I hope you appear at more events as cities like Calgary and Edmonton are olny 1 hour plan rides. We will pack up the whole family again to hear you speak live!

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.

Todd & Linda Foley
From BC

[Nicole]

Hi Martha!

I saw the Canadian Tenors perform with Bill Clinton in Toronto and have been a fan ever since. I found their website: www.canadiantenors.com - check it out! I'd love to see them on your show . . .

Nicole