The Phil-list Aug_2007: [philmont] Pizza and Ice Cream -- was: L

From: <mycales@tx.rr.com>
Date: Tue Aug 07 2007 - 11:37:25 CDT

All right. I've gotta take up for the pizza eating crews (at least for our pizza eating crews). Sometimes you need to see the whole picture before you bring down the fire.

We do have a Day 12 post-trek pizza feast. We have Simple Simons deliver us a pile of pies to the Welcome Center and we eat right there. In 2005, we ate 21 pizzas (4 crews).

Now, we can do this without missing the tours and the lessons because we get to the Philmont area 2 or 3 days early. We stop by Philmont a couple of days before Day 1 and do our tours (and our shopping) early. We then go on to Taos and stay there. The day before we hit Philmont, we day hike up in the Taos ski area to further acclimate. For the 2008 trip, the guys want to add a day of white water rafting, so mark up another full day of acclimation. Arriving to the area this early is an advantage that most crews/contingents just can not or will not do.

Having done all of these activities before the trek allows us to be very leisurely on Day 12 (coming off the trail). The crew leaders work down their base camp check list, the advisors collect the stored valuables and the coveted arrowheads, the crews enjoy the snack bar patio, then we feast. Advisors say a few words and make a few challenges, then crew leaders present their crews with their arrowheads right there so they can be worn to the closing campfire.

As a young'un in the 80's, our Scoutmaster set up our Philmont trips in a similar way, arriving early to take the tours, and Day 12 dinner was cheeseburgers and milkshakes at the Cree-Mee (spelling?). The memories are not of the food (we've all had it), but of the fellowship between friends and the words spoken and the challenges given at that meal.

So please be a little more open minded about he pizza and ice cream. Some of us have tried to teach the values of humility,selflessness, philanthropy and vision. We just did it before the trek so the boys would have a better understanding of what they were about to experience.

Shane (from work)

---- Kevin Mineart <kjmineart@yahoo.com> wrote:
I totally agree. My crew didn't mention the possibility of going for pizza or burgers. I did offer them the options of going to town or going to the Kit Carson museum on day 13 and while I wasn't aware of a few sightseeing options in town, they did pick the museum/tour over going to town for tourist stuff and pizza/ice cream. We had already planned on ordering Pizza Hut at the train station and that may have also played into their decision some. We had enough of our check in complete on Day 1 that we went ahead and did a Villa tour mid-morning on Day 2 (our bus to Turkey Creek didn't leave until 2 PM.) This is my second trip to Philmont and I have yet to 'go to town'. While I realize it's been long standing tradition, I have been lucky enough to be with crews that are more interested in the history and sights on the ranch than they are to load up on pizza in their 'free' time.

Kevin Mineart
2007 618-E2 I-11 Lead Advisor
2003 802-B3 I-18 Co-Advisor

----- Original Message ----
From: Troop 6 Webmaster <troop6webmaster@comcast.net>
To: philmont List Member <philmont@troop47.com>
Sent: Monday, August 6, 2007 5:09:37 PM
Subject: [philmont] Last full crew / Backcountry soda and candy

There are already too many crews phoning in simple simons orders and taking
delivery along highway 64 ... ugh.

Look, celebrating accomplishments are fine, in fact essential, and if it's
candy that floats your crew's boat thats fine too ... but bring it from home
or base camp and like any other food item or smellable, treat it with the
appropriate level of respect.

Finally, and I know I won't be popular for this one ... 'cause I'm not with
my crews: Simple Simons is great as is the 64 drive-in ... but its just
burgers and pizza ... hardly a novelty in the real world. I'd rather see a
crew take the time to tour the villa and reflect a little about humility,
selflessness, philanthropy and vision than to bypass all that for a burger
or a slice. A fifteen year old left to his own devices isn't likely to make
that choice, but will likely remember it forever ... as this (once) 15 year
old did. If you have time for both, knock yourself out, if you don't the
choice, in my mind, is easy.

I was one that didn't mourn the loss of the town shuttle in '06; but applaud
Mike Pardue and Blue Sky for bringing it back.

Just my opinion.

YIS
Jim
HA Chair Chester County Council
www.troop6bsa.org?cmd=philmont
PSR '74(16) '04(4) '06(26)
IWTGBTP
www.troop6bsa.org?cmd=philsearch

-----Original Message-----
From: philmont@troop47.com [mailto:philmont@troop47.com]On Behalf Of
Dave Smith
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 3:08 PM
To: philmont List Member
Subject: [philmont] Last full crew / Backcountry soda and candy

What fun is there to roll into base camp on day 12 and head over to the
trading post for a soda and candy when you've been stuffing yourself all
trek long? What next, pizza slices for sale at staff camps, to take away
the fun of hurrying to Simple Simon's?

I carried individual packages of Skittles all trek for Baldy peak. I was
afraid M&Ms or anything chocolate would melt in base camp. If I had
known they sold Toblerone, I would have bought it along the way. The
kids were very thankful for the Skittles.

I agree they should eliminate or restrict the candy (maybe only sell
candy to advisors). They should keep the root beer, but limit it.

Dave Smith
Troop 32
Santa Rosa, CA

GEORGE TAYLOR wrote:

> Jim, I want to elaborate on Larry's toblerone comment. I became an
> amateur expert on Philmont by reading everything that comes out on
> this list (the old pros here are really awesome in terms of the depth
> of advice and soundness of reasoning, and some of them aren't really
> that old (50's doesn't count)), and one of the suggestions I read
> early on was that it is good to have something to do to celebrate
> making it to the top of Baldy. One adviser carried a bag of M&M's to
> the summit and shared them with the crew. Others have used other
> candy, all of which has to be purchased at home and hauled a long way.
>
> Buying the M&M's was one of those things on my list that didn't get
> done prior to departure, but when we arrived at Baldytown on our way
> to the summit, I ran in to the trading post (which actually has all
> kinds of stuff) and bought two small Toblerone bars for each Scout.
> When we got to the top, I gave them to the Scouts to celebrate our
> accomplishment. You would have thought I served them a steak dinner
> with all the words of thanks, and it really turned out well. My only
> cautionary note was that I required that one Scout take up and account
> for every single wrapper so that none were left in pants pockets or
> backpacks, but I highly recommend a couple of a pieces of chocolate as
> a good way to acknowledge a significant milestone in your trek.
>
> George

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Received on Tue Aug 7 11:41:12 2007

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[philmont] Pizza and Ice Cream -- was: Last full crew / Backcountry soda and candy