[Philmont] bear bags

Wow. Maybe I'm just old fashioned or just don't get it. Measuring the number of liters (Mon Dieu!) in bear bags you are bringing yourself and weighing smellable gear pre-trek as well as measuring its volume?

This doesn't sound like something the boys thought of by themselves. Can't imagine they really care all that much, give or take a fraction of a liter, a deciliter here or there. As a crew leader in the 1970's I would have observed: Je ne comprend pas.

Remember that tens of thousands of Scouts, year after year, for decades, have done just fine with the bear bags and bear ropes issued by Philmont. If you have a better rope, fine. Certainly bring a carabiner for the oops bag. If you have better bags, fine. But measuring and weighing on the shakedown? Sacre bleu!

Maybe I'm spoiled by Autumn Adventure. What they give you is fine. More than fine. And on a summer expedition, you have sixteen year olds to carry any fractions of a kilogram you think you may save by excessive concern prior to the trip. If you carry one bag more than you need, so what?

For those who have taken crews to the Ranch over and over and over, such as Dr. Bob, these extra touches become routine. But if it's your first trip, second trip or third trip, don't sweat these types of details. Concentrate on the important stuff. For me, that means physical conditioning for the adults and crew dynamics for the youth. If you fall down in any other areas, Philmont and your Ranger are there to bring you up to speed. They can't do anything, however, if the advisors are out of shape or if the crew is at war with itself. So concentrate on those things.

A relaxing evening with the crew, munching down pizza, prior to you trip, can bring more rewards than saving a few hundred grams here or there, in terms of the total enjoyment of your trip.

Well, that's all I've got. Adieu!

Bill Sheehan, ASM
Troop55, Pitman, NJ
Philmont '70.'72, Autumn Adventure '01,'03,'05,'07

-------------------------------------------------------
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 Tue Oct 9 11:41:29 2007