Wednesday, August 17
The final day on the trail. The earliest start yet, we wake up at 4:00 AM and are out of camp by 4:35, a new record. Mr. Kirkland leads the hike out and headed for Shaefers Peak. We get there in plenty of time to see the sunrise, something some of the crew has never seen in real life, only in the movies. We take lots of pictures and then begin to hike on. Next stop is the Tooth of Time. We get there around 9:00 and Mr. Kirkland takes the crew up to the top without packs and the Bad Knee Club (BKC) stays back and rests for the final descent. Mr. Kirkland brings back lady bugs for the BKC too see. We make plans on what we are going to do when we get back to base camp and set our sights on our next and final stop on the trail, base camp. The hike seems long to base camp as we all dream of the things we miss so bad, a flat bed, ice cream, the telephone and the need for a fork and knife. We spot base camp but it is still far away. We hike on, almost an hour later we see the back gate to Philmont and we cheer, but wait, "there is one last obstacle". Just before the gate is a river without a bridge. We look for a crossing and can not find one so we all just walk/jump the river, and back to base camp. We stop to pose for a picture under the gate. Mr. F and Rob L. yell as we cross the gate "806-03 ALL CLEAR OF THE BACK COUNTRY" and we complete 60+ miles of hiking and we are all elated. Mr. F and Rob L. check into the Welcome Center and get tent assignments. We unload our gear, get valuables, take showers (Whew did we stink!!!), share stories with the other crews, eat a real lunch and soak up our accomplishments. We turn in gear after lunch, and meet Jeff Butts. He helps explain what happened to our dinning fly and we get out of paying $60 for a new one. The rest of the day we eat ice cream, slushies and spend our money in the trading post. After dinner we went to church services and to the closing campfire. Then we met back together as a troop, congratulated everyone, and to bed.
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