For the next few days, this blog is going to take you on a trip to Phimont, a day for each day of the Trip, Join along and come for a hike with Crew 806-03-13. The next two weeks is taken from the Journal I did while on the trail with the Crew.
This is a day by day description of the 1994 Philmont trip of Rob Aronin, Sam Kirkland Scott Law, Nathan Pier, Tim Wells and Brent Wiltz. Rob Law serving as crew leader and Tim Falendysz and Jerry Kirkland serving as adult advisors. The words in bold italics are defined in the back of this booklet for your reference.
Friday-Sunday August 5-7
After many months of planning and preparations our Philmont trip has arrived. August 5, 1994, seemed as if at times it would never get here, at other times it got here to quick..
After some last minute confusion, with Amtrack canceling the 1:00 train out of Sturtevent we gathered at St. Rita's for a coach bus ride to Chicago. We gathered our gear, handed out crew gear and took pictures. We said our good bye's to everyone and off we went. The ride was comfortable, the excitement was in the air and we were pumped and ready to go. We arrive in Chicago and unloaded gear and find seats in the Grand Room at the train station. The crews break off and we head out to explore Chicago and grab a bite to eat and tour the town. Our crew's first stop is McDonalds and then we set out to find the Chicago Boy Scout Store, we find out it was moved several blocks away. We headed for its new location, on the way we met some interesting people. The most interesting was the guy who for some odd reason just did not like people in uniform, he started yelling and screaming at us and we just kept moving. After a while we decided that it was time to go back to the station and wait for the train. The group started to play hack, someone got the hack stuck in the light and we had to get the train station maintenance staff to come and get it out. After a long and warm wait we board the train.
Off we go from Chicago to Raton. The train ride was interesting, Mr. Manning and his tuna and onions stunk up the train. Several of us took off for the lounge car to get away from the smell. Several of the scouts play cards in the lounge car for a while. The night was long and slightly sleepless. Everyone has their unique way of sleeping in the coach seats. The next morning we wake up (for those who actually slept) and off to breakfast in the dinning car. Mr. F & K are seated with a woman from New York. They enjoy their conversation, which centers on the scouts and this women's very interesting life. At the conclusion of the breakfast this woman tells Mr. F & K that she was going to her son's funeral because he had just committed suicide, a real perk me up to start the trip off with. She stated that she felt much better because talking to them (Mr. F & K) made her remember all the good things about her son's troubled life. Mr. Vetrovec opened his beading shop and works on his weaving loom making OA bead work. We arrive in Raton about 45 minutes late which is pretty good for Amtrack.
We board a school bus for a quick stop at Dairy Queen or McDonalds for that last fast food stop for a while. Then we head down our last leg of our travels to Philmont. Some try to get one last try at sleeping in the hour trip from the train station to Philmont. The new scouts going to Philmont enjoy the views and are to excited to sleep.
We arrive at Philmont, Yeaaa! The next 24 hours become very busy and hectic, we are split into crews in order to get through all the many things required to make it to the trail. We meet our Ranger Jeff Butts who will be with us the first few days of the trip. All pass the blood pressure test including Mr. F who has been known to have had problems before. The other crews are getting ready to go as well. We take pictures and sing Matt Levandowski a round of Happy Birthday. Chris's crew is scheduled to leave base camp at 1:00, Erik's at 2:00 and our is at 3:00. Chris's crew misses getting the fuel for their stove before lunch so we swap stoves and fuel bottles and refuel after lunch. We survive the very rocky ride on the bus to the Ponil Turnaround where we will start our first day's hike to Sioux.
-To be continued
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