[philmont] Leaving the List

In a couple of days, Linda and I depart for a week of being Grammy and
Grandpa for three little girls in Alexandria VA. Before leaving home, I
plan to go to "Nomail" and I'll probably stay that way for at least
several months.

Between the two of us, we've recorded 29 visits to Philmont since our
first backpacking trek at "Scouting's Paradise" in 1989. Philmont has
been and will continue to be one of our favorite places to visit,
especially during the fall when very few people are there.

Last summer, our troop had a cavalcade and our venturing crew had a
backpacking trek so we weren't eligible to apply for slots during the 2008
summer camping season. Neither our troop nor our crew was successful in
the backpacking or cavalcade lotteries for 2009. Maybe we'll have better
luck for 2010.

During the years I've been on this list, and Doug Gentry's Bowline list
before that, I've been fortunate to have met several fellow list members
at Philmont, at the PTC or in other venues around the country.

The bottom line is that I've enjoyed the fellowship, made several friends
and learned a whole lot. Maybe some of us will meet in the future during
Kanik, Autumn Adventure or at the PTC. Or maybe while enjoying ice cream
at the Cimarron Art Gallery.

To those of you going to the ranch this summer, have fun, let the young
people lead and don't forget this:

"One final paragraph of advice: Do not burn yourself out. Be as I am-a
reluctant enthusiast... a part time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save
the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and
adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more
important to enjoy it. While you can. While it is still there. So get out
there and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the
forests, encounter the grizz, climb the mountains. Run the rivers, breathe
deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and
contemplate the precious stillness, that lovely, mysterious and awesome
space. Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly
attached to your body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this
much: I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those
deskbound people with their hearts in a safe deposit box and their eyes
hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this: you will outlive the
bastards." -- Edward Abbey

YiS,

-- 
Calvin H. Gray
Scoutmaster, Troop 405
Associate Advisor, Venturing Crew 405
Georgetown, Texas
I used to be an Owl (WM-62-2-98 @ Philmont)
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As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
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