From mcduff@ocean.washington.edu Sun Jul 20 05:22:14 2003
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 21:48:50 -0700
Subject: Peter Starr

Hi Scott,

I've thought about this a couple of time more, but have failed to send it 
your way.  A thousand pardons.  First paraphrasing and then quoting from an 
essay from a senior law partner in the introductory material:

Walter Augustus Starr Jr. was born in Oakland, May 29, 1903...  He entered 
Stanford University in 1921, graduating in 1924 and from Stanford Law 
School in 1926, completing the usual seven years of work in five.  "Pete" 
as he was called by his friends, climbed forty-two main peaks between 
Yosemite Park and Sequoia Park, and covered at least two thousand miles of 
trails and knapsack routes, some of them several times.  In 1929 he 
conceived the idea of a comprehensive Guide to the High Sierra, and he set 
about compiling data for it in a studious and well-order way, doing the job 
himself.  When word went out in August 1933 that Peter was missing...

"There is special meaning in the name of Peter Starr.  He chose "Peter" 
himself for reasons of his own.  His patronym suggests his scintillating 
radiance and his home in high places.  His adoptive name is from the 
classic name for rock."

This is why I had a dog Petra and why Mark, if a girl, would have been 
Petra.  (I can't remember why Mark was preferable to Peter when he turned 
out to be a boy!)  That you have family name connection only makes the case 
stronger.  Also I'd totally missed the Stanford connection!

Hope all is well.  Exciting times!  Best to you and Annie.

Cheers,

Russ