4/5/00 3:43 PM
I was first approached with the offer to go to Philmont in December. My troop had two crews going out. All the slots filled quickly back in the summer, and I really didn’t have a strong urge to go at the time. This was part of the council contingent of like eighteen crews. I had already worked out there for four summers and had been on a trek in 1991 with my dad. My thought process was that the next time I would go backpacking there with a troop would be if I had my own kid or maybe on a special trek.
Sometime in December the trek coordinators of our trek called up and said they had a couple special slots open if I wanted to take one of them. Well, this sparked some special interest for me. They stated this slot was only open to me at this time, if I didn’t take it they would turn it back in to the Council for someone else to use.
I talked to various people who’s option I valued. I asked the Philmont staff email list I was on about my chance. I asked just about everyone I could think of that would help me decide on what to do. Some of the reasons I gave myself for not going was that I had already seen how it was done. Also, I couldn’t afford it right then and there. Jumping in the middle would cause problems. As you can tell, these thoughts lost out in the end.
One of the most convincing ideas for me for me was as follows:
“How often do you see a mid 20s advisor at Philmont? How important could it be for other older Scouts to see you hiking around and having a good time with your guys? It is possible to show the world that you don’t have to be a father or older Scouter to enjoy what Scouting has to offer.”
With that, I was off. I signed the forms, got the money lined up, and joined the ranks of Philmont bound. Thoughts about where I could go, things I could do, and what I would be experiencing raced through my head.
I started playing Logistics guy again with the crew advisors. Actually, no one in both crews had ever gone to Philmont before, I thought this was the best possible position for them to be in. They were not unholy influenced by previous preferences or prejudices, and willing to give anything a try. I was giving them the first hand accounts of various points on the ranch. Showing points on a map and then explaining through some pictures. All in all, trying to make myself as available to any question anyone could have about the experience they were about to undertake.
There were points I wanted to experience as well. I didn’t know what it was like to be an advisor or help plan the trek from the beginning. These were new experiences for me to undertake and understand. I have to admit, I was corrupted the minute I laid eyes on the PEAKS book.
I took the traditional 11 day trip, 14 day vacation in July. It was hard, not physically but mentally. After some consideration, I don't think I am going to write up my journal entries. You can check out a journal and other pictures from my trek on my troop's webpage.
[Below are thoughts and ideas I came up with as I was getting ready to go back to Philmont as a camper.]
My initial response to going back:
During the summer of 2000, I went back to Philmont with my Troop to be an advisor with the crew. I did have have the time of my life. This was a much different prospective than my first visit in 1991 as a camper. This was also a very different view than being staff for 4 summers. I tried to see what it is like to revisit just a couple years after working there. As I have said before, "it is like working with the magician. You know how the rabbit is shoved in the sleeve before the show. When you come back to see the show, you don't look for the rabbit, you see how the trick is done."
- Initial response to going back
- What I expect so far
- My history with Philmont- Why going back means something special for me. (Also see: A Brief history of what I have done at Philmont)
- What can you do at Philmont?
- What intrigues me about Philmont?