From: Gary Dodge (dodge914@earthlink.net)
Date: Tue Aug 06 2002 - 08:56:11 CDT
Loaker@aol.com wrote:
> You bring up the height / weight issue.
>
> We had similar problems this year.
I know this thread is getting threadbare, but I'd like to share a positive
experience on the topic. We had one member of our crew have to drop out 10 days
before our departure for Philmont because of a severe arm fracture that required
surgery. A scout from a neighboring troop expressed interest in filling the
slot. He, like those mentioned on earlier posts, is overweight and terribly out
of shape. He had not, of course, done any of our training hikes. My gut feel
when we first met was that adding him at the last minute was a mistake, but we
did add him in.
First day, with even the short distance to be covered, Sam had difficulty...lots
of difficulty; after all he was carrying an extra 50 pounds before putting on
his pack.
I had a talk with the crew leader and then both of us talked with the crew. My
message wasn't about how to solve the problem but just that the crew was going to
either succeed or fail together as a crew. I left it at that and the crew talked
it over. The second morning, various members of the crew each took part of Sam's
load.
Even so, on our first long uphill day into Sawmill, Sam was frequently dragging
way behind the rest of the crew who then had to wait...then, fully rested, they'd
jack-rabbit off leaving Sam (and me, riding drag) way behind again. A very bad
day.
I was dreading the next day, with the long climb of Phillips, carrying extra
water. The crew leader, however, solved the pacing problem. He appointed one of
the strongest but most disciplined members as the pace setter for the day. Sam
was placed second in the line instead of allowing him to slip to the back. Grady
set a steady 1 mph pace that Sam could keep and everyone else followed. We
stayed together and made it to the top together. A big improvement, solved by
the crew leader and crew.
Several days later, when we faced the steep uphill out of Fish Camp, Sam was
having difficulties again. Without prompting from me, at about the 4th rest
stop, the crew started taking on even more of Sam's gear. Eventually his empty
pack was strapped onto the top of the packframe of a crew member. Sam carried
nothing up that steep hill.
The net of it was that Sam probably shouldn't have been on the trek. None of our
crew knew him when we started and could easily have made it tough enough on him
that he decided to quit. But they didn't. The entire crew, including Sam, DID
make it back.
Was it an ideal trek? No. Were some guys frustrated by the slow pace? You
bet. Did we miss some programs because of pace and fatigue. Yeah. But it was
the crew's decision and their success. I was never so proud of my guys.
Gary Dodge
Old and feeble, but still a Fox!
-------------------------------------------------------
Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
Subscribe/Unsubscribe at http://usscouts.org/lists/
Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
-------------------------------------------------------
Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
Send postings to: philmont@troop47.com
List FAQ found at: http://usscouts.org/lists/faq.asp
List Administrator: philmont_owner@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------
As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
-------------------------------------------------------
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.7 : Thu Mar 13 2003 - 10:37:27 CST