[Philmont]: what I did this weekend

I went on our first shakedown with our crew. 13mi total, 6.5 in, 6.5 out.

Of course, due to navigation snafu's on the way out, it ended up being
more like a 14mi weekend.

The main problems I saw that concerned me were the copius amounts of
finger pointing (It's not my job. I already did KP. That's not my trash. etc..)
Most of those problems could be solved by a written duty roster that my
two crew leader candidates didn't think they'd need. I think I'll have some
directed reflection with the two of them at the next meeting and see
what they think now.

Navigation is always an issue (shouldn't we really call it naviguession??)
and our skills there are weak, but they'll improve.

I got to use a practical example of why we don't navigate by GPS as well.
My GPS, with fresh batteries, turned itself off shortly into our hike out
saturday morning. Looks like the power button just got pushed. I've since
turned on the power button protection (you have to push power, then enter) so
that shouldn't be an issue, but at least my crew now sees why we shouldn't
navigate by GPS.

I also exposed a structural weakness in myself. (or so it seems)
About mile 5.5 my left hip started hurting. Once I got to camp and ditched
the gear, I could tell it wasn't that it couldn't hold weight, it only hurt
when I try to lift my left leg beyond about 30deg. This of course made
the trek back quite painful, and my crew slowed the pace for me (from about
2.2 inbound, to about 1.9 outbound) without having the crew leader needing
to remind them more than once a mile or so. The crew leader (the one of the
two candidates that showed the most leadership in my opinion, we havent had
election yet) was thoughtful in frequently looking for me and making sure
I didn't get too far behind.

So, I've taken myself off our crew list, and am going to find a replacement
amoung our parents (I've had a couple express interest in going if a slot
opened up).

I have to say it's very disappointing to have to take myself off that list,
but I've told the parents that if their son wasn't ready to go, I would
ask them to step off the list so they wouldn't degrade the trip for 11
other people. As it is, I HAVE to do the same myself. I will not ruin
or degrade the trip for these 11 other scouts and scouters.

I still plan to work closely with the crew and my replacement as I've done
lots of research here and on-line in the last year and a half, it would be
a loss to the crew to not work with them in such a fashion.

So now I just need to go to the doc and see what's wrong. I doubt it's
a muscle pull as those are usually accompanied by constant pain and
large knots in the muscle, I have neither. I'm expecting a strained
tendon or ligament. Of course, being on the left side, it agrivated my
torn rotator cuff on the left side.

Maybe I'll leave the long backpacking treks to these scouts and go back
to skydiving :)

-- 
Rob
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