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 Today, the guys will awake with the satisfaction of having spent
12 days in the mountains, hiking to altitudes that on the Illinois
prairie is unheard of. They will eat their breakfast, go through
their morning routines, clean up their camping site, pack their
gear, and hike a total of 4.8 miles back to the base camp.
Tonight they will participate in their last organized campfire event
that will include awards and recognition for certain accomplishments
along the trail.
While the activities they will participate in tomorrow are not
spelled out on the itinerary, they will no doubt have a few chores
they need to do. They may also have an opportunity to spend time at
some of the Philmont museums and the trading posts or gift shops.
 At 4:50 p.m. on Wednesday evening the 16 travelers will board an
Amtrak and head back to Illinois. It is a 15 hour train ride with
expectations that they will arrive back in Galesburg at
approximately 12:08 p.m. on Thursday. They will load their gear in
the back of the Boy Scout Bus and by mid to late afternoon, they
will pull into the parking lot at the First United Methodist Church
in Lincoln. No doubt they will be greeted by family members, moms,
dads, siblings, wives, girlfriends, and maybe even a grandma and
grandpa or two. No doubt guys will hug their moms, but when they get home they may
very well kiss their beds and pillows as those will be the long lost
friends that they have not seen for a total of 16 days!
While LDN has made an effort to give readers an understanding of the
trip while the guys are gone, it should be noted that the stories
that have been published are very generic versions of what goes on
day to day on a Philmont hike.
The boys and the leaders will each have their own personal stories
to tell. They will have had experiences that were not carbon copies
of the Philmont handbook. These will be stories well worth hearing,
so be sure to listen when they begin to recount their great
adventure.
At the camp, there are different levels of hiking trips. The hike
Troop 102 has been on is the “Challenge” level. In the Philmont
handbook “Challenge” is defined as follows:
A Challenge Philmont
means more than just a series of scenic mountain camps or a
collection of exciting programs. It is more than just a physical
challenge. It is an experience in living together and cooperating
with others under sometimes difficult circumstances. It is learning
to surmount the challenges of hiking and camping at high altitudes
and learning to live in harmony with nature. You may get soaked to
the skin in torrential downpour. You will breathe harder and faster
than ever before in climbing a ridge or mountain, and after that you
may even burn your supper. But you will make it, even though there
will be times when you feel as if you can go no further. In
conquering these challenges you will gain confidence and a belief in
your ability and go on to even greater achievements. This new
knowledge of yourself will inspire you to do something for your
fellow man, your God, and your country. Now is the time to act! Set
your goals high and resolve to achieve them. You can do it. You will
be better for it and your Philmont experience will become even more
meaningful. It will never really end. During this trip the guys may have gotten blisters on their feet,
cuts and scrapes on their legs and arms. They may have been
sunburned and bug bit. They could have encountered rain and wind,
very warm days, and pretty cold nights. They may have seen bears, or
even had one try to rob their camp. They went without showers,
without their cell phones and computers, and they had no contact
with the outside world. But they have also hiked 66 miles, seen
mountain tops, beautiful sunrises and breathtaking sunsets. They
have been closer to the stars than most of us have ever been, and
they will be coming home with a greater appreciation of all God has
created in this great big world.
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They are also going to be coming home with a great knowledge of
themselves and each other. They have learned what they are made of,
how smart they are and how tough. They will know more about being
self-reliant, and at the same time, more about being a part of a
team.
Among the questions asked to the Scouts before leaving Lincoln two
weeks ago was, why? Why is taking this hike important to you
personally?
Here are some of their answers:
Elijah Burton: “I am excited to experience all the scenery and
hiking. I look forward to the time with my fellow scouts.”
Zachary Craig: “Many scouts from our troop have gone on this
adventure to Philmont prior to becoming an Eagle Scout. I’m
currently a Life Scout working on my Eagle Scout and I want to check
this off my Scouting bucket list.”
Jack Graue: “Because my brother, my sister, and father have all done
it, and it sounds like the trip of a lifetime.”
Blake Hermes: “This hike is important to me because I have always
viewed it as one of the higher accomplishments of scouting, and I
think that it will be a fun experience.”
Carter McCraith (2nd timer): “It's a lot of fun.”
Zach Smith: “Taking this hike is important to me personally because
it's one of the big famous high-adventure camps, and it's probably
the most well-known high-adventure camp. And you get to go to these
camps probably once or twice your whole time as a Boy Scout.”
William Trent: “It's going to help show what I can do without the
help of computers, and how I work with people I’m not with often.”
Leader David Smith: “I have known about Philmont for many years, and
I did not get to go as a youth. It is a challenge that I would like
to meet.”
Tonight, the campfire will include entertainment and music. Among
the songs the Scouts may hear and even participate in is the
Philmont Hymn.
That hymn is our last YouTube video for this series. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o45PWUrks9o
[Nila Smith]
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