[philmont] keep those trek reports coming

As Joe Jansen requested, more books:

There is a book published only a few years ago by a NYTimes writer named (I believe) Appledore called "Scout's Honor" which details the author's experiences as a "helpful dad" when his son joins Scouts in a suburban NY scout troop. It also explores contemporary issues facing the Scouting movement, such as the gay ban. Very entertaining read.

For a HIGHLY technical account of the B-24 crash on Trail Peak, with VERY great insight into the lives of the crew, Bill Cass' book "The Last Flight of Liberator 41-1133" is available. It's great if you're interested, but not at all the joy to read that is Bill's "Return to the Summit of Scouting".

In preparation for a trek, but not particularly for inflight or trail reading, is the BSA publication "Passport to High Adventure". This is a soup to nuts guide of how to plan your own high adventure expedition, as well as a compendium of all available Council high adventure opportunities. Worthy adjunct to Coop and Wally's advisor's guide.

For a quick brush-up on the flight out, how about a copy of the First Aid merit badge pamphlet, or a similar CPR or Wilderness First Aid publication.

The Journals of Lewis and Clark, or Stephen Ambrose's Uncommon Courage make good reading when setting out on a twenty-first century wilderness expedition, to remind us of the difficulties of wilderness travel in the nineteenth century. I believe Bill Cass chose this option on his "Return".

The BSA publication "Okpik: Guide to Winter Camping" is a good read and could come in very useful in six months if you live in the part of the country that has winter and the opportunity for winter camping. I particularly like the appendix which is a reprint of the first (1934) BSA guide to winter camping which urges scoutmasters to get a winter camping program started and counsels hardy youth to prepare for same by sleeping with their windows open and taking ice cold baths. It's a hoot!

I've always been a fan of the 1967 edition of the Fieldbook. It's much less technical than the current editions and is written in a folksy style that always puts a smile on my face. Chapter 15, Winter Camping, begins " HAVE YOU ever heard some guy say "Go camping in the winter! Are you out of your ever lovin' mind?" The cooking chapter includes a recipe and plan for a clambake, a method of roasting a chicken by filling the cavity with hot rocks and then carrying it (or stowing it in a canoe) in a leaf-insulated backpack, and a salmon bake with a whole salmon stretched on a green-stick framework. I'm still itching to try the Dakota fireplace and the bean hole. Too heavy a book for the trail, though. Find it at flea markets, trade-o-rees, or ebay.

The "Two Ounce Backpacker" does not have the weight problem, and has some very good tips. Available at camping stores.

Tooth of Time Traders has many publications you can check out on the Internet, including Philmanack by Rock Rohrbacker, a virtually complete guide to all Philmont Campsites, Philmont by Larry Murphy, a couple of coffee table books good for souvenirs at home but not suitable for travel, High Adventure Among the Magic Mountains by Minor Huffman, and various books detailing the exploits of Kit Carson, Lucien Maxwell, Clay Allison, Blackjack Ketchum, and others of the era of the Colfax County War, as well as Philmont ghost stories, etc., etc, etc.

No need to wait to get to the Ranch to order one or more of these volumes or anything else from TOT Traders.

KEEP IN MIND that the Seton Museum has a completely different assortment of publications than does the TOT traders and that (as of September 05, when I was last at the Ranch), the Seton Museum is not online. They will answer your questions cordially and in depth by telephone, however. They will ship and take payment by credit card. The Museum is just across the street from Camping Headquarters. Anyone in boots or sneakers can easily make the stroll.

ALSO KEEP IN MIND that the Seton Museum is your headquarters for silver and turquoise jewelry for the womenfolk left at home (and those hitting the trail as well). Unless you hit some place like Taos, this is the place for that special, perhaps romantic, souvenir of the Southwest. (textile goods are available as well). TOT traders does not have this stuff. There are also some patches available at the Museum that are not in stock at TOT traders.

The Museum itself is well worth a visit, as is the library, full of back issures of Boy's Life, as well as the Bronc Burnett book Eagle Scout.

Finally, if you are a voracious reader and wish to take just one or two reasonably sized volumes along without the fear that you will finish them in the first few days, let me recommend the two volume paperback set "The Complete Sherlock Holmes", published by Bantam. You can plunge into one of the four novels ( A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles, or The Valley of Fear), or take a briefer sojourn into any one of 56 short stories. Those you may have read in the past will come back to life for you, while you are sure to discover much of which you were previously unaware in the balance.

Great content to weight value, in my opinion. Some of the short stories could even, perhaps, be read around the campfire. Even one of the two volumes might provide enough for your two weeks. (But if one or more of your boys are clamoring for you to share the wealth, you might want to bring both). You be the judge.

This is an excellent set for those planning a week at the beach, as well.

Well, all for now.

YIS
Bill Sheehan, ASM
Troop 55, Pitman, NJ
Philmont '70,'72, Autumn Adventure '01,'03,'05

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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.
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Received on Wed Jul 19 07:35:44 2006