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 On Monday, day six, the boys visited a Mexican Homestead and a
Cantina. At the Cantina, they were able to purchase root beer and
nuts, and they had an opportunity to sit on something other than a
rock. It was noted in yesterday’s LDN article that the Cantina would
offer chairs for seating, and after four days of hiking, sitting in
a chair would be a luxury for the guys.
Before they left Lincoln, the Scouts answered some questions about
their expectation of this trip. One such question was “With no
modern amenities, what do you think you will miss most?”
Here are their answers:
Elijah Burton: “I will miss my bed, my dog, and showers.”
Zachary Craig: “I think I will miss listening to music the most. I
enjoy listening to it when I workout and at bedtime.”
Jack Graue: “Being able to listen to music whenever I want.”
Blake Hermes: “I think that I will miss showers the most.”
Carter McCraith: “Showers.”
 Zach Smith: “I think I’ll miss a lot of items, such as air
conditioning and electronics, but the itinerary and the scenery will
keep me busy and satisfied.”
William Trent: “I will miss my Xbox the most because it’s my best
way to talk with my friends, and it’s great for knowing what is
going on in the world.”
The boys brought up some interesting points. The things that many of
us take for granted; air conditioning, beds, and showers are the
things that the guys are unable to enjoy right now. Luckily, on Day
eight, they will get to take a shower!
William Trent also brought up another interesting point. The boys
are not in touch with the world right now, but as Zach Smith noted,
hopefully, the itinerary and the scenery is keeping them busy and
satisfied.
Today will be a busy day, and a beautiful day at Philmont as the
Scouts attend Fish Camp. The weather is predicted to be clear and
with temperatures at about 90 degrees during the day and 51 degrees
overnight.
The fish camp, located at Agua Fria will take the boys to an
elevation of 8,800 feet, which means the nighttime temperatures may
be cooler than predicted. But, it is forecast to be a dry day with
no rain, which is good, because the Aqua Fria area features a
multitude of streams, that flood quickly when it does rain.
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 While at the camp, the Scouts will learn from trained staff members
how to tie a fly, which is an art in itself, then they will take to
the streams and do some fly fishing for trout. Also on the agenda
for today will be a tour of the Waite Phillips Fishing Lodge.
Tonight the boys will camp on the trail, and
it may be a test of how well they have done at rationing their food
supply, as they should run out of food tomorrow sometime. But not to
worry, they will be able to pick up a new supply of rations on
Wednesday when they visit Apache Springs.
When this series began, and LDN introduced the
Scouts and adult advisors that were going on this trip, it may have
been noted that there were several common last names between kids
and leaders. That comes as no surprise as being a member of the Boy
Scouts is often a multi-generational event. Several boys can say
that they are Scouts, their dads were scouts, and so were their
grand-dads. It is also common that the leaders in any group are dads
(or moms) of Scouts, though that is not a requirement.
The father-son teams that will be on this trip are dad Tim and son
Carter McCraith, dad David and son Zach Smith, dad Edmund and son
Carter Robison, and dad Chris and son Jack Graue.
For Tim and Carter McCraith, this is the second time they have taken
the Philmont trip together. For Chris Graue, this is the third time
he has gone, but each time, he has gone with a different child. Jack
is the third Graue kid to make this trip as his brother Ethan and
sister Olivia have both made this trek (yes, girls can be Scouts,
and they are permitted at Philmont).
Getting to make this trip a third time was especially meaningful for
Chris as he stated, “I'm glad that I have another opportunity to go
on this trip with one of my kids. The comradery that develops
between the adults and scouts is fantastic. Unforgettable memories
with some great people.”
Today’s YouTube Philmont video: Renegades
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXtK
S54kZk&list=PLoxS5NZGVHvztJxIA5P
q6jcL0SBT2h4-7
[Nila Smith]
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