[Philmont] The Hares and the Torturer

This is what happened this year to the crew I was in as the third advisor.
 
We had two extremely strong 18 & 19 year old boys who carried a disproportionate amount of crew gear. These guys could carry more and hike faster than the others and there was no slowing them down. This was their 3rd time to Philmont and had been to H&H before. We also had a 14 year old who moaned and groaned on every trail. "What time is it?" (Who cares.) "Who has the map?" "When are we stopping.", etc.
 
This is something that you could put up with on a short shakedown and laugh it off, but after the first 4-5 days of Philmont challenges (read soaked to the bone for 5 days straight) we could no longer take it as a crew.
 
Yes, we split the crew. This was just to keep our sanity. He hiked in the back with his parent and whoever else could stand it. I was back there on multiple occasions and let me tell you it was not pleasant. Don't tell me about mentoring this kid or any other ways to keep his morale up, it was just in his nature that we did not pick up on.
 
The first half stopped at every trail crossing or turn, and at every camp we came to. The boys had camp set up before the second half would arrive when we came to trail camps.
 
Should this have been noticed before our trek? Possibly, but what is the solution? Hike as a crew as slow as the slowest hiker while trying to maintain your sanity? I'd rather eat cave spiders.
 
Granted we are not talking about a crew member with blisters who has to hike slower or an Advisor who should have stayed home.
 
Steve

> Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2007 07:59:00 -0400> From: abthomson@charter.net> To: Philmont@troop47.com> Subject: [Philmont] The hare and the tortice> > Mark Liechty writes...> > One of those challenges is that we have a couple of people who want to go on trips but are dead slow. I don't mean they lag behind enough that they are stopping the rabbits. I mean that they stop and take pictures of everything on the trail and don't care that they are taking 2-3 times longer than the rest of the troop. > > One of these young men is planning on going on a 5 mile backpack trip in four weeks. If he goes and we put him in front it is probable that we will not be setting up camp in daylight and since none of have been to the area his presence puts the entire troop in jeopardy. I am not kidding when I say there are boys who could carry this kid and his gear and still make better time. > > The word "punish" is the correct word for what happens to the rest of the troop. They are forced to move at a pace that causes cramping and depletes water supplies. They are forced to do what should be a 2-3 hour hike in 5 hours and they lose the chance to enjoy resting and playing at camp. > > So again, I ask the list, what do you do if you are me? If the problem is not fixed we will never get these guys to the ranch as the troop will quickly revert back to a car camping country club. > > Comments...> > This is where the second part of my response comes into play - the crew is a team. If you have such wide variations in ability or atitude ("don't care") you need to be looking at separating the groups in two distinct crews or cutting a member or two (for these trips, not the troop) if you don't have enough numbers for separate crews.> > If you have the numbers for two smaller crews, you certainly can plan outings where the group camps at the same place at night after taking different routes (one long and challenging, one shorter).> > - Al Thomson> Crews '99, '01 & '03; AA '00, '02, '04, '06 & '08 > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------> 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.> -------------------------------------------------------> > > > > >
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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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Received on Sat Oct 20 08:33:06 2007