From: Johnlebl@aol.com
Date: Fri Nov 15 2002 - 14:53:07 CST
405geezer@igg-tx.net writes:
> In Chas (Clifton's) area, Scouts have to pay $250 to attend OA Trail Crew
> because they travel to Philmont via Oklahoma. (inside joke--long and very
> funny story).
>
Dear Phil Phriends,
Only if traveling with Chas!!!!!!!!!!
The rest of us take the more direct, 16 hour route!
That is why we made him stay at Raven House (he can't remember the Spanish
name) this past year, drive out there on his own and not ride with the
council contingent. In fact......not eve GO with the council contingent!
And the ploy worked, the bus only broke down once and we got a new bus in a
short five hours in Texas, not Oklahoma!
Very funny story indeed! And the more it is told, the funnier it gets! Like
all good Scout campfire stories, it grows by leaps and bounds with each
telling.
But Chas is getting better. HE NOW OWNS A MAP.. One of these days, I'm
going to make him an offer of he can't refuse.
Of course he is in another district from me and it's in an urban setting whre
map and compas skills are not emphasized as much as in the district I am in.
We are working on a inner-district help training class to help with the
deficiencies.
You know the main theme of the Venturing program is service to others,
especially younger Scout groups..........like Chas's Troop.
Well, the girls in our Venturing crew are preparing a "map and compass" class
and Chas's unit will be the first it is offered to. If he's nice and says
please, we'll let him sit in on the training!
You see, the way he got to Oklahoma on a trip to Philmont is that he thought
you always used a compass when traveling cross country. Since a compass only
points in one direction, North, that is the way he went! Thus the reason he
ended up in Oklahoma on the way to Philmont.
Everybody else from down here travels NorthWest through ONLY Texas before
crossing the border into New Mexico.
I started to tell him "just remember three numbers, 287" but I thought that
might just confuse the issue. You see, US highway 287 starts in Port
Arthur, Texas a mere five miles from Chas home and goes all the way through
Denver, Colorado and points farther. The only problem is I was afraid that
he would forget to switch highways from 287 to 87 in Dumas, Texas and he'd
end up lost somewhere in Montana.
You see, US 287 goes all the way to Choteau, Montana a mere hundred miles
from Glacier National Park.
To get to Philmont via US 287 from Chas area, one has to remember to switch
to US 87 in Dumas, Texas. That is usually in the wee hours of the night so
it's easy to miss the turn. And ALL of the Texas panhandle looks the same,
miles and miles of nothing but grass!
There are a few other turns too and if missed, one who got 87 confused with
287 would still end up in Montana as the two highways get pretty close to
each other near Great Falls but never quite touch. I'd hate for Chas to meet
the same fate as Custer in Montana, especially with Scouts along.
I mean Montana and Glacier National Park is beautiful country affording a lot
of hiking and backpacking, but they ain't Philmont.
All in all, I guess that going to Philmont via Oklahoma isn't so bad after
all.
I know he is going to deny this and he is going to try to blame it on the bus
driver, but I have inside sources that were there. I do know the truth when
I see it!
To paraphrase one of Chas favorites, "Remember, we are in this for the
kids..."
And we all know "A Scout is.....honest.......!"
It's map AND compass Chas, not just compass!
John LeBlanc
Eagle Class of 1959
Phirst Phil Ptrek 1959
PhilTrek 2002 630H2 Trek 16
My latest adventure was yesterday,
Today is not over yet!
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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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