Re: [Philmont]: Hiking Boots

Anecdotal situations abound in things like this. Your scout had an exceptional experience and hopefully he had no long term repercussions. While interesting, I wouldn't want to disclose this information to lay people that have no experience on the trail, particularly moms. Jumping to occlusions (sic) can create all sorts of problems for advisors in planning for future treks. I know I don't sound specifically rah-rah, but at the same time, it's hard enough to keep these people on the straight and narrow as it is.

--
Joe Tavares
Lead Advisor '04 and '06
Wood Badge, Philmont '00
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> Here's a story that will curl some of you hiking maniac's nose hairs.  At
> our trek last year, we had a 100% pack check five days before we left.
> Everything was good to do.  We told the kids to put everything in one place
> and that way, they could just grab it all on the morning of our departure..
> All of the kids showed up for the drive to Philmont in traveling
> clothes--mostly Class B's and tennis shoes (in retrospect, we should have
> had them wearing their hiking boots, even if they changed out before the
> drive started).  We specifically asked if everyone had their boots and got
> all nodding heads.  Well, about 2 hours into the drive to Philmont, one of
> our senior scouts (who had been on a trek in 2002) realizes his boots are
> still sitting next to the couch at home.  All he had was a fairly
> lightweight pair of running shoes that he had been using for several months
> already (and were to be his camp shoes on the trail).  Of course, he tells
> no one, especially his parents who are BOTH advisors on the trek until we
> get to Philmont.  After lots of wailing, gnashing of teeth and discussions,
> he decided that it would be better to do the trek in his tennis shoes
> rather than buy new boots and wear them on the trail.  If his feet fell
> apart (physically), then he would have to be taken off the trail.  We
> grudgingly acquiesced and we hit the trail.  Well, to make a long story
> short, the only problem he had was with the fact that the tennis shoes
> weren't waterproof (and we hiked during monsoon season), but the flip side
> was that they dried out MUCH faster than other folk's wet boots.  His only
> COMPLAINT was that his feet were more tired when we hiked over the Tooth
> and into base camp on our last day.  This is certainly not a situation we
> want to find ourselves in, but the ending to the story was happy....  The
> main factors for his success were probably his youth and the fact that he
> is a hiking stud in great shape.  So, at least in this case, physical
> ability trumped bad gear....    YIS.  Mike ('76, '02 & '04).
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Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
Subscribe/Unsubscribe at http://usscouts.org/lists/
Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
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Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
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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.
-------------------------------------------------------