Just Discovered - Itinerary 1961 Philmont Expedition - Non Valkyrie Related

[carolinarider09]

Was looking for some other stuff and found a couple of manila envelops with stuff.   One contained my report cards from 1956 and 1965 and other stuff.  But one contained the brochure for the Philmont Expedition Ranch and the itinerary of the trip.  That is the image below. 

I may have ridden a bus before but don't remember doing it.  So, my first bus ride.  About 20 or 25 other Scouts were with me on the bus and a couple of Scout Masters as "adult supervision". 

The trip was six days to get there. We stayed at the Ranch for 12 days and then five days back home.

Most of the overnight stops, as you can see, were military bases.  That was an additional experience for me.  I did read a lot of books related to the military but, my knowledge of the bases themselves was very limited (well Myrtle Beach Air Force Base was nearby but I rarely went there).

It was truly an enlightening experience for a young 15 year old teenager.  Oh, and try as I will, I cannot remember the stop over in New Orleans but..... 

Just had to share and yes, its the original paper, over 60 years old.  And, as you can note, the trip is firmly in my memory, especially waking up outside of my tent one morning as I had rolled out during the night. 

Oh and my first horse back ride and dropping the reins, dismounting the horse to pick them up (horse stopped) and the minute I picked them up, the horse (as trained) began to trot to catch up with the others. Had to run and mount.   See, I told you it is firmly in my memory.

And the cost of the trip in 1961 was $200.   That, I suspect, was a significant amount for my parents.   Again, something else I did not truly understand till later. 

[Jess from VA]

I was a Scout too Bill.  Troop 1262 (we were a new expansion troop from the old one on the other end of our island home).

We were sponsored by the Grosse Ile Naval Air Station, which was fantastic since they had a first class gym and basketball court, and (at the time) the 3d largest indoor pool in the world (double olympic).  Plus, they let us bunk in one week each summer with their small basic training outfit (not like huge Great Lakes).  We learned close order drill from real DIs (but with nicer language).  I went from tenderfoot to senior patrol leader.

I always dreamed of Philmont, but it was not in the cards.

You can see the air station on the south end of the island.  It could only handle prop aircraft, so was closed a few years later.  It became a municipal airport, and my brother ran a fixed base operation there for some years (gas, maintenance, and 3 Cessnas for flight training).

[DIGGER]

I was a scout leader also.   Our Troop 113 in Tomball Texas did the Philmont experience in 1994.   We took 4 adult leaders and 15 scouts 10 days on the trail traveling a total of  around 75 miles over the mountains of NM.    If I remember right Philmont is a 260 square mile ranch donated to the boy scouts of America by the Phillips Petroleum Company.  Very organized staff that in 1994 put an average of 400 scouts and leaders onto trails per day.   Great trip where you put to use all the skills you have learned in the scouting program.   My son was 14 at the time and later made "Eagle Scout ".   

[Challenger]

I went to Philmont twice. Once in 64 and again in 66 as an Eagle Scout.  My Dad even went as a Scout Master and camp leader in 80. On our trips from Il. We spent the night at the Air Force Academy in Co. Springs. Learned some survival skills there also. Fond memories. Now I will have to go dig out my treasure box of Scout stuff and reminisce. Thanks for bringing this up.  Order of the Arrow also. W.W.W.

[DIGGER]

We spent the night in route to Philmont at a Scout Troops building in Amarillo Texas.    Good facility.   It was sbout 600 miles from Tomball Tx.   Next morning we stopped for a break at the "Texas / New Mexico sign.  It was a ground mounted sign.   The troop of scouts gathered around the sign to take a picture then we continued on to Philmont.   When we got to Philmont one of our scouts said he had lost his wallet somewhere along the way.  We had to pool our money and pay his way.    When we got back home his parents had his wallet.    An older couple came along and stopped to take a picture at the sign and found his wallet.   They lived about 10 miles from the address in the wallet.   When they got home they delivered the wallet to his home.    What are the odds.   There are still some good people out there.

[Disco]

Wearing one of my Philmont belts and buckles as I write this...  

I was fortunate to go in '75 and '76.  My knees might argue with me about that because I carried too much weight and they never really forgave me.

Lots of fond memories, but some are better stories now than the real-time experience!  Hiking in and setting up tents on inches of hail - in the summer - was crazy coming from DFW.

One of the most vivid memories I have was that one of the fathers joined us mid-trek in '76.  And, he brought a couple loaves of plain ol' white bread, a large Hebrew National Salami, and a big jar of French's mustard.  We sat on the edge of a trail, cut salami with our pocketknives, made fold over sandwiches, and slathered them up.  I'm not a huge mustard guy, but after about a week of dehydrated food, I'd never tasted anything so delicious in my life!

For the rest of his life, my father referred to warm sun and cool breeze as Philmont weather.  Dad was an Eagle, and remained active in Troop 729, North Trails District, and Circle 10 Council until receiving his Silver Beaver award.  I stopped at Eagle.

I recently gave a plaque of the Philmont Blessing, like the one that hangs in my dining room, to a friend (he also went to Philmont) who opened a BBQ restaurant in E TX.  If you're inclined, all sorts of goodies are available at

https://store.philmontscoutranch.org/.

[carolinarider09]

I recently gave a plaque of the Philmont Blessing, like the one that hangs in my dining room, to a friend (he also went to Philmont) who opened a BBQ restaurant in E TX.  If you're inclined, all sorts of goodies are available at

https://store.philmontscoutranch.org/.

Thanks.  I was not aware of the gift shop.   I will certainly give it a look.   

I only got to the Life Rank.   But it was a fun experience and many things I learned in the Boy Scouts have been with me in life. 

[Jess from VA]

I only got to the Star rank, but in our very junior troop it was the highest.  I stayed active after most boys my age had quit... thus Senior Patrol Leader.

Thereafter, I only pursued merit badges I was interested in, not the ones (and other requirements) I wasn't interested in.  I had enough (number wise) for Life, but not the right mix.  By this time, I was really only interested in the camping, canoeing, swimming, hiking, sailing, etc.  That's why I stayed in.

Today............ I love my bed and recliner.     (though I am active every single day)

[The emperor has no clothes]

Like most stuff around here, I seem to be different than most of you folks. I was in Cub Scouts. I was a Webelo. I did a year in Boy Scouts. But by that time girls and motorcycles had got ahold of me. All of the dudes in my Troop were complete nerds that were devoted to Scouts. I left that stuff in the dust.