Trail Day 3

Monday, July 20^th, 2009

Urraca Mesa to Miner’s Park

GPS stats: Mileage: 12.25 mi

                Elevation: 8035ft

                Speed: 2.8 mi/hr

I’m sitting at Inspiration Point right now. We had to get up at 4 am to be here. Unfortunately we had to wait for another crew because staff saw a mountain lion last night. But we are now looking at the sunrise and behind us is Urraca Mesa’s peak. It is said that there is a spot on the Mesa that looks like an eye, and whoever is brave enough to sleep there for a night hears from the lost Boy Scout and other ghostly creatures. 

I think it’s going to be a great day and I can’t wait to rock climb in my fivefingers!

Got into camp at 12 pm. Not bad time for an 8 miles day.

Rock Climbing was amazing! I climbed the hardest one; names sweet tooth. We saw six bucks and two doe.

We once again have to get up early tomorrow.

Thorn: None

Rose: Climbed the hardest natural rock wall at Miner’s Park

Bud: Seeing the views from the tooth of time once again.

Trail Day 2

Sunday, July 19^th, 2009

Rim Rock to Urraca

GPS stats: mileage: About 4 miles

                Elevation: 7,918ft

                Speed: 2.4mi/hour

We made it to Urraca! We started hiking around 7 am. Had a 1000ft elevation and CATed the whole way. CAT is where the person in the front steps off the trail and then the next person takes 5-7 steps and steps off the trail and when the end of the line comes around to the first person they get back in line. It looks like a caterpillar. We made it to the top of Urraca Mesa around 9:45ish and got into camp around 10:45. That is making amazing time. Hopefully we’ll keep up the speed as we lighten out packs. After getting into camp we did some challenge courses. Only did a few and then we got rained out. Second day of rain, hopefully it doesn’t stay that way. On our challenge course we did the human knot. We stopped that after at least 15 minutes after realizing it wasn’t going to work. Then we did a think where we had to lock hands and go through a tire without breaking hands or touching the tires. I was first to go through. We also did another things where we had to swing on a rope to the other side of a lot that was blocked off by a log without spilling any water from a Nalgene.

We had canned chicken, crackers, and nutter butters after the challenge course. After that we went to set up camp. Hopefully we can break camp earlier tomorrow. We’re having Fettuccini tonight for supper.

We played a game called black magic; I still haven’t figured it out. I wrote postcards to Gram and Pap and Todd and Juli.

We’ve hiked 8 miles out of 83. Trent, our ranger, gave us pound cake and chocolate icing. It was the closest to a home-cooked cake we’ve had.

Urraca Mesa is known for mountain lions so I’m not coming out of my tent tonight!

Thorn: Not seeing a mini bear yet; mini bears are chipmunks on steroids. And not figuring out the black magic game.

Rose: seeing the crew come together on the challenge course and getting to the top on the Mesa as fast as we did. We really have a great crew for this trek.

Buds: Sunrise from Inspiration Point and getting to rock climb at Miner’s Park tomorrow. Long day ahead of us!

My view as people pass in CAT.

Swimming pool?

Panoramic view of Philmont's south country.

"If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space"

Trent, our ranger from Florida.

Most important thing while in Philmont: Stay hydrated.

Christmas card picture? DJ, Dad, Myself, and Tiffany

Tire challenge.

Trail Day 1

Saturday, July 18^th, 2009

Zastrow Turnaround to Rim Rock

GPS stats: Mileage:2.78 miles

                Elevation:7,200ft

                Speed:2.9 mi/hr

Well today we hiked to Rim Rock Camp. Rim Rock is a non-staff camp but we went through Abreau. It rained while we were making supper. Then it hailed. We couldn’t get the stoves started because of the elevation and the cold weather. Dad and I took cover under the dining fly. While we were under there he said something very touching. He looked at me and said, “You know you are my inspiration. To see you put on a 40 some pound pack and hike like you did today gave me power.” I almost cried. After we ate we did dishes, hung bear bags, did devotions and thorns and roses.

My thorn: having a heavier pack then I would have liked. (You are only supposed to have a pack 20% of your body weight)

Rose: Being back at Philmont and seeing how our group can work together.

Bud: Seeing the amazing views at Urraca Mesa.

Let me explain thorns and roses; they are done everyday after supper while we are all sitting around the campfire circle. A thorn means something bad that happened that day, or something you didn’t like about the day. A rose is the highlight of the day, or something that you really enjoyed. A bud is your expectations for the next day.

After devotions it got me thinking about how I don’t really connect with God like I should. So I’ve decided to start reading the Bible (unfortunately I only read the Bible while we were on the trail, it just sits on my nightstand now).

Zasrow Turnaround sign

Pack Line before we head out for Rim Rock

Very flat in the south country 

Our female leader with a group of cows at Abreau

The main house at Abreau

Another building at Abreau

Our campsite at Rim Rock; that green tent looking thing is the dining fly I was talking about in the body of this post.

IWTGBTP!

Base Camp

Friday, July 17^th, 2009

Raton to Philmont Scout Ranch Base Camp

We made it into Raton around 11 am. The town is smaller than Lewistown. We caught a bus to Philmont and stopped at McDonalds on the way.

10:20 pm

Got into camp today. It was really rushed at the beginning. I’m so excited to be back to this place! I love it here. I’m not going to write much tonight because it’s late and we have to be up early tomorrow.

The rangers all gathered around the dinner bell, like the usually do, and did their ranger ‘song’.

I want to go back to Philmont

Where the old Rayado flows,

Where the rain comes a seepin'

In the tent where you're a sleepin'

Arid the waters say hello. HELLO (shout)

I want to wake up in the morning

With my socks all wringing wet,

For it brings back fondest memories,

That a Ranger can't forget. WANNA BET (shout)

I want to hike once more the canyon floor

From Scribblins to Old Camp,

With my pack sack a-creakin',

With my back with sweat a-reekin',

And my legs beginning to cramp. OHHHH (shout)

I want to hike again with such great men

As made those famous treks,

From Beaubien to Porky

And from Cito to Car-Max. HIP, HIP, HORAY (shout 3 times)

Rock me momma like a south bound train

Travel Day 2
Thursday, July 16th, 2009

10:46 am

We are only ten minutes from Chicago. I am so excited.

8:50 pm

We arrived in Chicago around 12:30. Union Station is huge! Dad stayed with the packs at the station while the rest of us took off to explore Chicago. First stop was the Willis Tower, formally known at the Sears Tower, sky-deck. I have to say, 103 floors is quite high, especially in a little glass box that hangs out from the building with 19 people in it. It was quite the experience. After seeing Chicago from a birds eye view (literally) we headed to get some famous Chicago pizza that we took back to the train station. Let me tell you, Chicago knows how to make a great pizza. If you've never had some shame on you. 

Now we're on our way to Raton, New Mexico where we will take a bus to Cimarron. About an hour ago we had a three course meal; vegetarian pasta, salad, and cheese cake. Yum!

Only a few more hours and we'll be hiking in the greatest place in the United States.