Dear Phil Friends,
Like Calvin Gray, we also had a good time at Philmont during autumn adventure. What a wonderful invention for us.
When I taught school, I used to thing on teachers work days when the kids were not around "if we had it like this every day, we'd have it made". I felt the same way at AA without Scouts around. Seriously though without Scouts we would have no Scout camp, no Philmont, but I do think it good to be able to just slow down once in a while to reflect on what our program is and where it needs to be headed so we can guide and diretct it more usefully. IN thihs way AA is a good program for adults just like PTC is.
Unlike Calvin, I fell off to sleep right away with the knowledge that there were two bears a quarter mile upstream and two bears a quarter mile downstream of our tent while we slept at Ponil. I'm a biologist not a computer geek as shown by my lack of knowledge of how to use spellchecker.
Speaking of bears, the first evening there a group of bear hunters rode through on horseback with about ten bear hounds. Like always, I gotta go talk to them. I asked “had any luck?” to which one said “naw, not much around her”. Well, all bear hunters and all bear hunting dogs are not made the same because at that very moment there were four bears within a quarter mile of where I stood and I knew it but they didn’t. Life is good.
I think the difference was that I use an INTERIOR ground cloth and Calvin and the rest of the group used an EXTERIOR ground cloth. I felt secure using it the RIGHT way.
Both Calvin and I were using Timberline 4 person tents. That's a plus. Calvin has a vestibule added to protect from rain and bears but I’m too cheap to spend the $39.00 to buy one.
However, the INTERIOR ground cloth allowed me to get a good nights sleep even if there were four bears within rock throwing distance.
The first night there it rained some on and off several times throughout the night, but with my INTERIOR ground cloth, nothing got wet.
We set up the tents right across NM 204 (the dirt road) from the Ponil Cantina and used the porch between the cantina and trading post the next morning to sort out the stuff in our EXTERNAL frame packs and load the Camelback daypacks for a hike up Hart Peak.
As I usually do, I prowled around a little and in the back of the cantina under the drip line of the roof in the soft mud we found fresh bear tracks from the night before so during the night a bear was within 100 feet of our tents.
All joking aside, I did feel comfortable knowing that due to Philmont’s bear protection plan these bears did not associate humans and their tents with food and thusly did not come looking for food where we slept. That doesn’t come free, you have to work at it diligently but it is worth the effort. Philont has insisted their crews do this for decades. That is nice.
The next day on the back side of Hart Pea, our guide Cindy and I followed a trail of bear tracks and bear scat for over a mile. This was in McBride canyon. The bears are eating acorns right now for sure. Rock Rohrbacher inb his book Philmanac says this is a good place to observe animal tracks. He's right.
OK, I got a little ahead of myself.
My wife and I traveled to Philmont in her new Mustang on our first long road trip in that car and I really enjoyed it.It’s a dream to drive and ride in, but you gotta pack light for my standards.
The first day was long, 12hrs 20 min from Bridge City to Amarillo but that’s the price you pay when you live where we do.
We stayed in the pink room at the Big Texan Steak Ranch Motel and ate a splendid supper there, enjoyed the live music and the "overly Texan" atmosphere, but I did not attempt the free deal on the 72 oz steak. I just wasn’t that hungry. However, the prime rib was supurb! Maybe next time. All the food was delicilus and the room very “Texany” also. I felt just like Gabby Hayes.
Next day we visited the Cadillac Ranch and for the first time walked out to photograph the ten Cadillacs up close and personally write our name on them like a gazillion other Pholks have also. Thank you Mr. Stanley Marsh for the opportunity. Where else but in Texas do Cadillacs grow out of the ground?
Next day we followed old Route 66 to the Texas/New Mexico ghost town of Glen Rio which died when IH-40 opened.
We traveled West on Route 66 and just after crossing into New Mexico turned off on the oldest route 66, a dirt and gravel road and followed it for about ten miles across some really old wooden bridges. We felt just like our grandparents must have traveling that route in the 1930’s. It was fun. Stopped to investigate a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake and take a few pictures along the way.
Turning North at San Jon, we followed the back roads across the prairie through Logan, Gallegos, Mosquero, Solano, Roy and over to Wagon Mound. Just the trip through the Canadian River canyon is enough to route you this way, but the small towns are a throwback to yesteryear America.
In Roy we stopped at the local grocery to get a cold drink and watched as an ancient man with a eighteen inch beard carried his groceries out to his four wheeler parked in front, loaded them into saddle bags, got out the keys and drove away for home as he probably had for a hundred years whether it be by horse, car or four wheeler.
Bought gas at French Corners north of Springer and admired the restored 53, 54 and 57 Chevy and 59 Ford inside the station. Nice display. Of course being a Chevy man and my wife being a Ford person I had to point out that the reason there were three Chevys and only one Ford is that Chevys last longer because they are built better if not “Ford tough.”
We arrived at the Casa del Gavilan and were greeted at the gate not by the inn keeper but by Calvin Gray. After a brief visit we departed to the St James for a Buffalo Burger, good as always.
On the drive back, we had to drive around the many Mule Deer which congregate roadside in the evening along NM 21 between Cimarron and Philmont.
The stars were beautiful as was the Tooth of Time illuminated in the near full moonlight.
Next morning we shopped at the TOTT and Seton Museum to see if they had something we couldn’t live without. As always, we found a bunch of stuff meeting that criteria. Met Mark, the wayward and lost Californian and then went to visit some friends who live at Philmont year round and had a good visit. There we were reminded that at night in rattlesnake country one should ALWAYS use a light even when walking in the middle of the road least you step on and subsequently be bitten by a rattlesnake. That is not good for any part of you, health included.
Went back to the St James for supper. We call them shrimp, they call them prawns. Any way you say it, they were delicious. There we met up with the rest of the central Texas bunch who had just arrived. Eleven people and one Californian.
Checked in at CHQ, met our wonderful guide Cindy Oursler and when we found out she was from Kansas I asked Dorothy where Toto was. She said with a blush “do you know how many people ask me that?” She did so well with that we didn’t even call her Dorothy but three or four more times.
Let me just say this about her. She is mountain tough and trail savy. She is pretty and kind hearted and just simply a wonderful person. Three days later we would be eating fresh cooked squash from the garden at Rich Cabins that she had planted back in June as a backcountry staff member. She planted, watered, nourished, cooked and served them. Philmont is just full of surprises. And the corn on the cob was delicious too!
She is a five year veteran at Philmont having worked as a Ranger, Ranger Trainer, Logistice, Health Lodge and Backcountry and currently is awaiting call for the Pease Corps. The world is a better place because of her and we were part of that for a short six days with her. Those few days enriched our lives. Thank you Cindy.
Calvin asked her early on if she could “cook, wash, do” and her answer “yes I can” was proven by example many times over. Bluff called!
OK, we headed out for Ponil and set up camp, commandeered a staff cabin front porch for our kitchen and enjoyed a two night stay with side hikes to Hart Peak, McBride canyon through the Ponil Complex Fire of 2002 burned area, Indian Writings, Anastaze, T-Rex and back to six mile gate.
On the first evening while Bill went down the road to get water from the left side of a cabin, a large black bear went around the right side of the cabin. It was a classic bloopers film scene. They did not meet because Bills wife got the camera to record the goings on and the bear saw trouble brewing and sceddaled out of the area post haste. Bill never knew destiny lurked right around the corner of the cabin, but we all watched in either anticipation or fear whichever you prefer.
That night we had chicken and sausage gumbo for supper courtesy of yours truly.
A front moved through that night and temps went down to 26 with heavy frost in the AM.
On the second evening we saw two bears on the other end of camp and while riding back from Six Mile Gate saw another bear, a light brown one. Total count within a half mile from each other and a quarter mile from our camp was four bears with our tents in the middle. If it caused a stir among us, it was kept silent except Calvin’s comment “I guess that honey scented tent wash really does attract them”. Nightime trips to the Red Roof Inn were a bit slower and brighter than usual but hey, what the heck. Some people don’t know that wide mouth Lexan bottles aren’t just for drinking water. I never left the safety of my INTERIOR ground clothed Timberline 4 tent.
Next day we moved to Miranda for three nights. What a beautiful place.
Rock Rohrbacher says in Philmanac “Miranda remains one of the most beautiful locations on Philmont.”. Is he ever right!
The temps ranged from 40ish at night to neat 75 during the day.
Although it’s been a relative wet year, the spring shown on the maps is not flowing. I take this to be reasoned by the fact there is a solar powered well the provides water by pipe and faucet to the campsites. There is a one stall, wood fired water heated shower labeled “staff” behind the cabin. Beats a bucket for a three month stay.
Again we commandeered the cabin for our kitchen. Life is good.
Let me say this about that. We left the all places visited a lot cleaner than we found them but that was a hard thing to do as the places were immaculate. Give the staff and crews credit where credit is due. Most left only footprints, albeit over 20,000 sets of them. About the only thing we found laying around was a few lost coins which we slid under the doors as a present to the first staffers to find in 2008. Good luck finding something to spend it on!
I had a whole bunch of southern Cajun spices I wanted so badly to leave for next summers staff as a surprise, but better judgement, bear protection and anti rat experience in old cabins all my life prevented me from doing so. I’ll pack up a goody box and ship it and some like it to the staffed camps we visited as a thank you to them at the first of summer 2008.
Mesquite smoked Venison sausage flavored up a big pot of pinto beans and we licked the platter clean. My second non Philmont, Philmont meal.
Byut there was nothing wrong with the Philmont, Philmont meals we had. All were eatch ravenously.
One group hiked to the top of Baldy including a 75 year old father and his daughter. I hope when I’m 75 my daughter takes me back to Philmont to do that.
Markie had raced to the flagpole to put up “his” flag containing 50 stars and 13 stripes. We never figured why he is so embarrassed to fly the California flag. When he took off for Baldy, we put up the proper flag to be flown at Miranda, the Texas flag. A little history lesson is required here.
All lands in present New Mexico East of the Rio Grande are in the Republic of Texas and flying the Texas flag at Miranda is not only proper but is proper everywhere at Philmont.
As a courtesy to Mrak, we started to fly the appropriate California flag at half staff as a sign of distress but couldn’t find any of his underware to hoist on the halyard. I don’t think Californians wear any do they? Anyway, had we found any, a proper photograph of California drawers flying half staff could be posted, but none were found.
So the Texas flag flew! Full staff!
That group did not move around too lively that evening upon return from Baldy.
The rest of us prowled around the meadow and listened to the grass grow.
Next day some went to Head of Dean while the rest hung around a couple of ponds drowning worms and wetting dry flys. No luck. Fishing is fishing whether you catch any fish or not. It was still fun. Ate lunch around a fire ring noontime fire. The warmth felt good. So did the fellowship.
About this time our toted in water ran short and we experienced Micro Pur chlorine tablets. Four hours isn’t all that bad a wait time if you plan ahead. I mean we did that in the evening and it sat all night long. Ad it doesn’t taste like a old timey band aid coated with iodine!
About the only disaster we had was my attempt at fruit cobbler, a combination concoction of Ranger Cobbler and Northern Tier big pot fruit stew. It was a total disaster more like fruit flavored wall paper paste. First time I ever tried Martha White brand biscuit mix and it will be the last time I do that. Some things are just not meant to be. Oh well, there is always next year.
Speaking of food, I guess this is the time to talk about coffee, being that a full two weeks discussion was held on it prior to the trip.
Can Lauren ever drink coffee! Travis, her dad, the 75 year old Baldy conquerer brought a four gallon coffee pot and made it brim full every morning. Then after Lauren drank her twenty-five cups, he made another pot for the rest of us! But I’ll give Lauren her dues. She is not the bear she is made out to be before her first cup. She is a lady through and through and I’m proud to call her a friend and Phellow Philmonter.
The Aspen trees are a beautiful gold up on the mountains all over the place.
We studied nature from the mountaintops, the valleys and the meadows. We did porch duty by the hours and slowly absorbed what most miss while meeting their action packed itinerary. We did it our way and we took time to smell the roses along the way. We had Philmont rookies and Philmont veterans from the trail in 1957 and 1959. We were a varied group and we all loved what we did, enjoy God’s Country.
We made Phriends with the ground squirrels, I’ll not admit how, but it can be done. And about ten horses came to visit each day and pose for pictures and get scratched behind their ears and curried with ladies hair brushes. I think they really like the freedom of the Miranda meadow.
The Miranda Grace is still firmly written inside the blackpowder gun rack cabinet. You can tell it’s a long, hot, dry summer for the guys who work there. After a summer working there, they need to get a life for sure! But hey, they built the cabinet with hand tools so they can atone it any way they want to.
The cabin, built in 1997 is a blend of modern technology, old world craftsmanship, nostalgic windows from Waits office and college age Scouter ingenuity. It’s one fine place to call home for either three days or three months whichever.
The fence around Clarita Martinez grave has been recently rebuilt and painted white. Looks like they ran out of paint just before finishing but that probably will get finished in the summer of 2008. The cross is old and weathered and very difficult to make out the inscription. Hopefully that too will get the needed attention in the upcoming season.
Any persons condemning BSA Philmont backcountry safety (yes you editor of Outside Rag mag) should get out of their lofty no window office and hoof it up to Miranda and take a look at the black powder rifle range. But that might take some effort. Two separate orange flagged fences around the range. Numerous signs, seated waiting area BEHIND the firing line, covered firing line, a large, solid backstop inaccessable to people, warning signs, warning signs and more warning signs and a pole for the red range in use flag on the approaching trail and a solid lockable gun rack inside the staff cabin. Couldn’t ask for a more safety conscious setup.
Speaking of staff and work. While at Miranda we met Jonathan Lozen and Nate “Cheddar” Lay who were on their way up to Baldy Town to move the old car body up out of the ravine where each time the road gets graded the car gets buried more and put it on the upslope away from road dirt so it will not disappear over time. They were not sent there to do this, they did it for the love of the program on their own. Thank you Jon and Cheddar. Many a Scout has taken home pictures of himself and friends sitting in this car and now it will last for another hundred years or so thanks to these two great Philmont staffers.
Cheddars knowledge of area history was willingly shared and our group is more well informed because of his willingness. What great staffers these two are.
All the Red Roof Inns are named for different hotels at Miranda. Quite a unique identification. They have the old ones with homemade wooden seats and tin urinals which predate the 1972 influx of women on the trail to the modern back to back privateers with inside door latches. All are spotlessly clean except for a months worth of spider webs. Most have been recently repositioned and are ready for June 2008. The one by the cabin reportedly full or dug too shallow whichever description you prefer has been re-dug and moved over a new pit. Ready, set go!
After three nights at Miranda. it was time to depart the back country and return to CHQ for a shower and packing to return home. Some of us took advantage of the freshly fallen apples around the tents while awaiting our turn to shower. They were delicious. Some liked tent city so much they arranged to stay just one more night before leaving. Some left and drove straight through to home to meet family obligations and others slowly made their way back to civilization me included.
Susan and I spent one more night at the Casa under the Tooth of Time and a full moon, soaked chin deep in the warm deep old fashioned tub in the Nairn room for a leisurely sore muscle soaking. The next day we visited the shops in Cimarron one last time and then departed about noon on Saturday.
We drove west through Cimarron canyon and at Eagle Nest we turned north through Red River where I stopped at a fly shop just to see what they had that I could not live without. While buying a fly box on my debit card the clerk asked for an ID. She then exclaimed “Bridge City! My best friend is from there”. A short while later we found out her friend is also one of our friends from our home church. A few minutes later we walked into the Blue Moon gift shop and surprised the friends mother, a former school teacher and church member from our home church. Small world. We had a nice visit.
It took eons to make the short few miles into Taos for all the stopping, gawking and picture taking. The mountains are beautiful this time of year. Between the two of us, we took over 1,200 photographs including Pronghorn, Whitetail and Mule Deer, Meriams Turkey, Rio Grande Turkey and Bear. We heard Elk bugling in the evening and they answered our whistled calls but stayed hidden and we never saw any.
In Taos we slowly drove through the traffic of a Saturday morning with a scheduled art festival. It was like downtown Houston at rush hour, but we were patient. We took in a chance to eat Tacos in Taos as we thought that appropriate. Also stopped and bought a supply of roasted Pinyon nuts from a Taos Indian woman along side the road with two of the prettiest, friendly children I’ve seen in a long time. Did my heart good just to stop. I love those things, children and Pinon nuts. Have loved Pinon ever since a great uncle introduced me to them straight from the cone fifty-eight years ago.
Stopped at a grocery store and bought all the Blue Corn Cornmeal they had on the shelf, all twenty pounds of it. As I write this I just finished off a stack of Blue Corn Meal pancakes. None finer tasting!
If you haven’t cooked with blue corn cornmeal, well you just haven’t lived. It’s sacred to the Pueblo Indians and only found in central New Mexico and on the pricey Internet.
Leaving Taos, we took the road less traveled and a new route to us that took us through some beautiful country. Along the way we stopped and bought fresh raspberries which I saved some to put in my make them yourself waffles at the continental breakfast at the Marriot in Clovis, NM Sunday morning before surprising some old friends we had not seen for twenty-five years and going to church with them.
Here’s a helpful hint for Calvin, et al. Pay the extra $5.00 for a room on the OTHER side of town from the highway and railroad tracks and sleep soundly all night long AWAY from the highway and 18 wheelers and railroad tracks and trains.
If you wanna listen to trains all day and night, go stay in Folsom, NM. The train track there winds down through a canyon, through town and then up the other end of the canyon. You get about ten chances to “see, hear, feel” the train go by.
When we got to Clovis, NM the only clean clothes I had left was my class A BSA uniform so I wore it to church. I’ve felt comfortable in a BSA uniform for fifty-five years so it was just a natural thing for me to do. Unknown to me, the preacher was new to that church and afterward told me when he saw me in uniform and not recognizing me, he thought he had forgotten some special day. I assured him I wasn’t anything special, just a wayward Boy Scout who did not want to go straight home from Philmont. We enjoyed the visit.
Next we stopped in Muleshoe to pay tribute to the Mule on our way to Ozona, Texas and the ranch we lease for us to play at various times of the year. Spent a couple of nights there and prowled the hills and valleys some more before returning to our world. Saw lots of white tailed deer and rio grande turkey. It’s twenty-eight miles from the only town in the county and ten miles from the nearest light and phone. There are no neighbors.
There was still enough moon to see clearly for a swim in the recently cleaned out concrete stock tank. What a refreshing evening dip. If you haven’t done that, you haven’t lived. It can be downright romantic on a moonlit night. And cold too even with daytime temps in the 90’s.
All in all it was a wonderful time spent with wonderful people not only at Philmont but along the way to and from. Enjoyed meeting our New Jersey yankee friend Bill Sheehan from this list and all the other Scouters we ran into. Along the way, we saw friends we had not seen for over twenty-five years. That is how life ought to be. I love it.
And one more thing. Do bears go in the woods? Nope, they go right on the trail amongst their big footprints where you can see both well!
Now all you PhiList people repeat after me. It’s INTERIOR ground cloths in tents and EXTERIOR frames on backpacks. Do not get that confused.
And no Crocs allowed.
And that’s all I have to say about that.
John LeBlanc
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Received on Wed Oct 3 15:15:45 2007
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