MELISSA BLOCK, host: Now your letters, and okay ALL THINGS CONSIDERED can't take all of the credit for this. But Max Hassan(ph) of Peshastin, Washington, has shared this extreme story with us. He writes, my climbing partner and I recently returned from a great trip to the Stikine region of southeast Alaska. We brought a small, silver, hand-cranked powered radio, that when brought on the roof to higher elevations gave us one station: NPR. While climbing a new route on Mount Burkett we spent 30-plus hours huddled in a small tent testing the limits of our sanity and endurance. The radio kept us going in its own way. And so, we've renamed the route the National Public Ridge. Thank you Max for that story and thanks to Alaska Public Radio for keeping you and your climbing partner sane in that tent.</s>MELISSA BLOCK, host: Many of our listeners have been inspired by our Summer Song series. Scott Reed(ph) of Virginia Beach, Virginia, wrote: For me, summer music memories begin and end with James Taylor's rendition of Carole King's, "You've Got a Friend." It was June 1971 and I had found my one and only true love, Robin. I was a rising senior in high school, moving with my navy pilot father and our family from Virginia to Rhode Island and desperate to keep this new love alive. The radio had saved us. Countless time each day that summer, the song played on. We've now been married 33 years - seven children and four grandchildren. She is and always will be my best friend.</s>Mr. JAMES TAYLOR (Musician): (Singing) You've got a friend.</s>MELISSA BLOCK, host: If you have a song or a story you want to share, please write to us by going to npr.org and clicking on contact us.</s>Mr. JAMES TAYLOR (Musician): If the sky above you…</s>MELISSA BLOCK, host: This is NPR, National Public Radio.
Melissa Block reads from listener e-mails.