[Philmont]: TRAIN trip from CA

Like I said, I have taken the train BOTH times I have gone to
PHILMONT.................and LOVED every minute of it.

The train was an experience that none of the boys ( or adutls) had done
before. Most of the adults didn't want the responsibility of driving back
to California after 10 days and nights on the trail.

The train is very restful, and boys can get up and move around. There are
movies in the club car at night, and meals in the dinning car are
good.............a little more than Denny's in cost, but GOOD food. All the
train employees are friendly and helpful. Our boys are also FANATICS about
playing cards......do any of your troops play CEO?????? (but that's another
story.............)

>From the New Mexico border to Albuquerque, a member of one of the local
Indian nations gives a historical, geological talk in the club
car..........the car with the BIG windows. In Albuquerque the train makes a
long stop, there are Indians selling jewelry, rugs, pottery, etc.......along
with sodas, food, etc. There is even enough time to run across the street
to Cold STone Ice cream or to get other food, if you're FAST. We thought
about calling AHEAD to a pizza place in Albuquerque and ordering PIZZA to be
delivered to the train station when we got there.

SUGGESTIONS -------bring ear plugs and a blanket (makes it quiet for you and
keeps you warm, the air conditioning makes it pretty clod at night). Check
into purchasing your tickets in February. In 1999 and 2003 we bought
tickets at a 2 for ONE rate, $155 COACH (2003 price) from San Diego to
Raton, roundtrip.

I brought a book, but didn't read too much. The advisors talked alot, and
went over details of the trek. I would suggest that NO one in your crew is
allowed to get a sleeper car -- the sleeper cars are not that close to the
Coach section. Amtrak even put all the Boy Scouts (4 different troops) on
the same train car. WE loaded our packs on the lower level of our train car
going to, and had to check them going home.

The bus from Philmont picks you up in Raton too, but you have to arrange it
ahead of time and pay extra.........for the bus and the extra night at
PHILMONT.........the train going EAST gets to Raton at about 6 PM at night -
official check in was the next morning. Use your own tents for the extra
night, PHILMONT will charge $5 or $6 more if you use empty tents in Tent
City.

The BEST part was the scenery and how rested I was when we got to Philmont,
and then I got to rest ALOT on the train home...............I think the
seats in Coach are pretty comfortable (they lean WAY back), BUT I plan to
bring a blanket next time.

www.troop681.org

Kim Pigorsch
Membership Chairmun (sic)
and Eagle Scout Advisor
Troop 681

>From: "Wayne Rascati" <wrascati@cox.net>
>Reply-To: Philmont@troop47.com
>To: Multiple recipients of list Philmont <Philmont@troop47.com>
>Subject: RE: [Philmont]: Philmont// trip costs.
>Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 18:56:38 -0800
>
>Don Roberts wrote <snip> .had this bit of a flaw. There is lots to be seen
>from the West of Philmont <snip>
>
>
>
>Don lists a number of great locations to visit in California, Arizona, and
>New Mexico. Unfortunately, our youth had visited nearly every one of them
>either on a family outing or a Scout trip. Our unit does a trip to the
>Colorado River every other year. We do sightseeing along the way, etc. On
>our 2002 trip to Philmont, we did visit Albuquerque and Taos on our way to
>Philmont. We did go through Santa Fe but it was early on a Sunday - the
>sidewalks weren't out yet. I'm not making fun of Santa Fe as in Santa
>Barbara they wouldn't be out yet either.
>
>
>
>Santa Barbara was in the midst of its annual Fiesta the weekend we left.
>Some of the kids wanted to do some Fiesta partying before we left. One boy
>was finishing up Driver Training. Thus we left as late as we could.
>
>
>
>Now there was one place that was mentioned that the kids wanted to visit -
>Las Vegas. The adults nixed that one.
>
>
>
>But when you are coming from only 1000 miles away, there are good and bad.
>The drive can be done in two days and the costs are lower. Unfortunately,
>the options to see new places is limited as some one or ones have already
>been there . done that.
>
>
>
>But when you are going across country like some of the units the territory
>is new, the opportunities are greater for exploring as its unexplored
>territory. But that's when the costs go up.
>
>
>
>It's like my original comment two weeks ago, Los Padres Council will be
>charging $2200 to $2500 for the National Jamboree, but that money includes
>a
>tremendous amount of sightseeing. Our unit is going to Philmont the same
>time as the Jamboree. Our costs will be much less than half of what the
>Jamboree charge would be. But remember -- Both offer lifetime memories.
>We
>intend to keep our costs low as some of the participants are siblings and
>the cost for sending two or more kids can be quite expensive.
>
>
>
>For myself I'm hoping we can take the train the next time, but that's up to
>the crew that is going. I have seen some beautiful territory from a train
>car and feel that would be a great trip.
>
>
>
>Wayne Rascati
>
>Crew 105, Los Padres Council
>
>Santa Barbara, CA
>
>2002 - Crew 805Q
>
>2005 - Crew 725-110
>
>
>
>"I used to be a beaver ... I used to be a staffer"
>
>
>

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Received on Thu Dec 25 02:28:50 2003