[philmont] mileage

Mike Conkey (under the heading "Are crocs 'approved' shoes") writes: "I'm very excited to get this group on the trail at Philmont. They are already talking about adding mileage to get a century in (our trek base mileage is 78 miles).

Ah, youth! So exuberant!

My kids always ask, on a weekend trip, "how many miles are we hiking? How many miles do you think we've gone? How many miles do we have to go? How many miles...? How many miles...?" Sometimes it reminds me of the kids riding in the back seat, pleading "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?".

I try to impress upon them the fact that they have very little frame of reference for what a mile is, how long it should take to walk a mile, under what conditions. Since they have no frame of reference, what use is the raw information. (If they are really that interested, I steer them to the handout in the crew leader's possession, or one of the copies held by other youth, which break down the route in miles).

I urge them to see the hike in terms that make some sense, that the hike is designed to end before lunch, or in time to set up camp before dinner, or in time to meet our transportation at the appointed time. Way points should be seen in corresponding terms, so that the enjoyment of the hike fits into a time structure. The hike should not be raced through and thus end at 1:00 p.m. rather than 4:00. Ending it prematurely can mean that some spots that should have been savored instead got the bums' rush.

I would therefore urge adding side hikes to see additional features, different vistas, or simply taking the road less travelled by, rather than simply an attempt to meet an artificial number of miles. Getting an early start on the trail to schedule additional time at a summit, or an extra half hour lazing next to the burbling Rayado, or just some time to stop and smell the roses would be preferable to simply chewing up the miles.

The same thing goes for vertical altitude as an absolute. The fact that Baldy is higher than Phillips as Phillips is higher than Black Mountain as Black Mountain is higher than Shaeffer's Peak, as Shaeffer's is higher than the Tooth tells you very little as to the unique features of summitting each of those peaks. (Grizzly Tooth is actually a few feet higher than the Tooth of Time, yet how many crews have bushwacked off the ridge between Black Mountain and Shaeffer's Pass to check it out?).

The mile swim and the 50 miler award necessarily require the miles to be measured. Note that the 50 miler requires the trek to last at least 5 days so it is a trek, not a marathon.

The kids are exuberant about "miles" because they're still essentially flatlanders (although Mike's youth are from Colorado). Miles will sure impress the flatlanders at home who didn't get to go. Fortunately, the kids will figure it out for themselves within the first couple of days and set their hiking goals in terms of the total experience, not just the statute miles. It's what enhances the entire trip for those lucky enough to attend, not what will impress those back home who can't begin to grasp the totality of achievement that is completion of a Philmont trek, that will come to the fore (and come naturally).

I'm sure they will have a great trip and I hope they fit in a few nice side hikes.

Cf. Bryson, Bill, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail, Broadway Books, 1998 at p. 53-54 for an amusing discussion of "miles". In part:

" 'How many miles did you do today?'

'About ten" Actually, we had done eight point four, but this had included several formidable escarpments, including a notable wall of hell called Preaching Rock, the highest eminence since Springer Mountain, for which we had awarded ourselves bonus miles, for purposes of morale."

I seem to recall that Mark Twain had a few amusing reflections on the subject of "miles" in his travelogue "A Tramp Abroad", but I've gone on for too long already. Perhaps in "Roughing It", as well.

All for now.

Yours in Scouting,

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

-------------------------------------------------------
Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
-------------------------------------------------------
Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
Send postings to: philmont@troop47.com
List FAQ found at: http://usscouts.org/lists/faq.asp
List Administrator: philmont_owner@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------
To Unsubscribe send text email to:

     To: listserv@troop47.com
     Subject: unsubscribe
     Body: unsubscribe philmont@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------

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.
-------------------------------------------------------

 
Received on Mon May 14 22:10:05 2007