I hiked this morning, first time long distance since finishing the 50/20 Hike, and was disagreeably surprised at how stiff I was. Something for us all to keep in mind, I suspect.

As I mentioned in last night's email, I am hoping to receive the TREKS Book today, and if not today then tomorrow. Hugh S. has suggested that I contact people by both phone and email when they finally come in, and I will do so.

In order to minimize conflicts with sports, etc., I will likely try to hold our meeting either late Friday or Saturday (as in start at 9pm), or early Sunday (7am). As I said before, this is an inconvenience for us all, but we gotta do what we gotta do.

For now, I am forwarding the selection process materials, and asking that EVERYONE RETURN THE SELECTION SHEET TO ME BY RETURN EMAIL TODAY. The Selection Sheet will come as a separate email later this morning. Note that (except for Luke) everyone got a verbal rendition of selection process during the 50/20 Hike, so this is more of a review and reminder (Luke, however, should review this material with extra care). Because we may be meeting tonight (Friday), all Scouts should read this as soon as they get home today - and I ask that parents encourage the reading of this Newsletter and returning the Selection Sheet in a timely manner. If we are prepared going into our meeting, it will go much easier and faster.

** Update on Crew Status

Atom S. has dropped out, and Rick W. has dropped to standby status, meaning that Drew D. and Mark T. are now officially on-board. This gives us the maximum Crew size of 12: 10 Scouts and 2 Adults, as follows:

Luke B.
Drew D.
Michael D.
Todd G.
Matt G.
Will K.
Dr. Bob
William L.
Hugh S.
Thomas S.
Neil S.
Mark T.

Standby Scout - Charlie S.
Standby Adult - Rick W.

** Casual Adventure Sale THIS WEDNESDAY

As I mentioned in the Weekly Notes, this is C.A.'s 20% off sale for Scouts only, and is an excellent opportunity to purchase items that otherwise rarely go on sale. Every member of the Crew should review their equipment before this sale, and every member of the Crew should attend.

** Review of Trek Selection Process

The following is an overview of the process. Remember, this was laid out during the 50/20 Hike. Each Scout is expected to be well familiar with this information.

First we will select our Colorado Pre-Activities, then the Philmont Itineraries. We do it in this order because if we pick a popular activity in Colorado, we don't have to worry about it when picking activities at Philmont.

** Combined Crew Selection of Colorado Pre-Activities

The list of possible Colorado activities is detailed below. We'll be reverse voting on these, and picking the top 8 or so activities. Hugh S., Rick W., and I will then assemble a program that will incorporate as many of your choices as possible. Obviously, we cannot do all of the activities - that would take about six days and raise the cost about another two to three hundred dollars per participant. Each event is rated on a scale of 5 to 1 ***based on how the Scouts on my previous treks enjoyed them*** (yes, I track such things carefully.) Items with a Rating of "XXX" means I have never done this event, and have not discussed it with Scouts from other crews who have. Ratings listed as "- Other" means I haven't done it, but did talk to other Scouts and Advisors who have. Note that a Rating of 5 is best, 1 is terrible. The events are listed in random order.

Visit Royal Gorge (tallest suspension bridge in the U.S. - 1100 foot deep, very impressive place); may include other local attractions - 3.5

Cave of the Winds (commercial cave similar to Luray Caverns); Standard Tour - 3; Discovery Tour (for Scouts) - 4

Visit U.S. Air Force Academy (standard tourist tour) - 2

Manitou Cliff Dwellings Museum (genuine Anasazi Indian dwellings from the 1200's, plus Native American Dancing, plus museum tour) - 3

Visit the Garden of the Gods (extraordinary rock formations, like nothing else you've ever seen); walk-around tour, plus tour the Visitor's Center - 3

Rock Climbing in the Garden of the Gods or 11-Mile Canyon (the very real deal!) - 5

Horseback Riding in Cave of the Winds Area - 4

COG Railway tour of Pike's Peak (incredible views, 14,100 feet) - 4

Whitewater Rafting on the Arkansas River, Brown's Canyon (again, the very real deal) - 5

Mountain Biking in Buena Vista - 3.5

Visit Capulin Volcano - Tour a dormant volcano between La Junta and Philmont - 1

Visit Flying W Ranch - Tourist Trap tour of a quasi-authentic cattle ranch; waste of time except for a pretty decent chuck wagon dinner served every night with live music from a truly excellent Country Western Band - 1.5

Go Bowling - 3.5

Do a Miniature Golf Course (or a Driving Range) - 4

Go to a movie - 3

Other possibilities which we have never tried:

Attend a Colorado Rockies baseball game in Denver (if they're in town, if we can get tickets)

Visit Florrisant Fossil Beds/National Petrified Forest

Visit National Sand Dunes Monument

Visit a local Ghost town (the real deal, not a tourist trap; abandoned over 50 years ago)

Visit the Denver Mint

Do a rail tour of some of the mountainous regions west of Colorado Springs or Denver

Visit and tour a Gold Mine

Go Trout Fishing

** Selecting a Philmont Trek

Trek Difficulty

We have quite a spread in the physical sizes and ability levels of the Scouts signed up to go on this year's treks. I am assuming we will have one sub-group of hard-chargers who will wish to do a killer trek, and another sub-group that will want to remain within their limits. Well, since we have only one Crew, we all have to hike together. We CAN do a very hard trek, but only if the hard-chargers agree to shoulder more of the load and thereby ease the stress on the younger and smaller trekkers.

There is no room for machismo in this process. Remember my comments about "overtrekking" and "undertrekking." We don't want to choose a trivially easy trek that is vastly below our capabilities, and be bored to death (and "miss Philmont"); however, we also have to be careful not to pick a trek that's too difficult and end up half-dead every day. But frankly, there aren't any treks we can't do - as long as we prep ourselves both equipment-wise and physical preparation-wise. But be aware - picking one of Philmont's top treks requires a rock solid commitment on the part of every trekker.

The categories are Typical, Rugged, Strenuous, and SuperStrenuous. There will be about 35 treks to select from - 10 each in Typ, Rug, and Stren, and 5 SuperStren.

Typical - 45 - 55 miles; fairly easy days, mostly southern/central (lower altitude) territory; probably no major peaks or really tough climbs, many staff camps

Rugged - 50 - 70 miles; mix of easy and moderate days, mostly southern/central territory, possibly 1 - 2 peaks, many staff camps

Strenuous - 65 - 80 miles; mostly challenging days, mostly central/northern/western (higher altitude) territory, 3 - 6 peaks, fewer staff camps

Super-Strenuous - 75 - 90 miles, challenging every day, mostly central/northern/western territory, 5 - 8 peaks, many trail camps

For what it's worth, every Troop 111 Crew over the past 13 years has picked a Strenuous or SuperStrenuous Trek. We have never "OverTrekked", and we slightly "UnderTrekked" only once.

** Selection of Geographical Features

Each trekker needs to separately decide whether they wish to climb Baldy Mountain, Mt. Phillips, and or the Tooth of Time. This point is one of the major dividers between treks. A few treks do all 3 (these are strenuous or superstrenuous treks only), about half do 1 or 2, and the rest don't do any.

** Selection of 5 Primary Programs

A list of all the available programs is below. Pick the 5 you want to do most. Remember that we will do some activities in Colorado that will duplicate programs offered at Philmont - no need to do them twice! Remember also that the programs at Philmont are short "tastes" of an activity - not extensive versions like we'll do in Colorado. Programs are the third leg of the selection triad, but they're the least important; don't overemphasize their importance! [Note - Same Grading Scale As Above.]

Adobe Casa - Creating adobe bricks from scratch and continuing the building of various adobe structures in progress around the site. Rating: 2 - Other

Archaeology - Actual excavation of a archaeological dig (an 800 year old Anazasi Indian Kiva), plus the Indian Writings (Petroglyph) tour. Rating: 4 - Other.

Astronomy - Night-time program with expert astronomers and multiple telescopes. Spectacular if Mother Nature is in a cooperative mood. Many satellites, spaceships (when in orbit) and meteors/meteorites can be seen. Rating: 4 (based on Greg Butera's comments in 1996.)

Black Powder Rifle - Excellent but limited program - get to review and actually load and shoot a black-powder rifle; however, almost always just one shot allowed. Usually associated with Mountain Man Rendezvous. Rating: 3.5

Blacksmithing - Excellent but limited program - entire crew gets to work with a blacksmith in making a single item from wrought iron. Rating: 3.5

Burro Packing - Drag or be dragged by two of the most obnoxious creatures on Earth. A unique experience which you can't do anywhere else in Scouting. "Different." In addition, since the burros can carry up to 40 pounds each, everyone gets a temporary break on their pack weights. One and two-day programs. Rating: 3

Burro Racing - A super-fun time, enjoyed by one and all. Rating: 5

Cantina - Cards, checkers, junk-food, music, root-beer and a break from the trail. What's not to like? Rating: 4.5

Cantina Show - Nightime "campfire" program inside the cantina; usually excellent. Rating: 4

Challenge Events - Excellent Crew building COPE course. Enjoyed by one and all, and very useful for Crew development. Better early in the trek. Rating: 4.5

Chuck Wagon Breakfast - A break from Pemmican Bars and other inedibles; however, rarely enough food, long waits. Rating: 2.5

Chuck Wagon Dinner - Another break from cooking. Good stuff, universally enjoyed by one and all. Rating: 4.5 Better at Clark's Fork.

Continental Tie and Lumber Company - Combination of Events, including spar-pole climbing and railroad-tie building usually some lumberjack-type challenge events. Rating: 4

Environmental Awareness - Interesting tours, better when Mother Nature cooperates with respect to animal sightings. Rating: 3

Fly Tying and Fishing - Fun if you're into fishing, and have the patience to stalk wild trout. Yes, you can devour what you catch. Rating: 4 if you're into fishing, otherwise 2.

Shotgun Shooting - Reloading shotgun shells first, followed by minimum of 5 shots from a 12 gauge on a trap range. Most years, you can get 8 shots. Universally enjoyed. Rating: 5

30.06 Rifle Shooting - Also a reloading course, with shooting at stationary and moving targets. Not sure how many shots, but at least 4 (with the chance to purchase more) is what I've heard. Most Scouts enjoy, but some are afraid of the rifles (which are loud and have a pretty good kick to them.) Rating: 3.5 - Other.

Geology/Land Management - A interpretive lecture put on by experts from the Bureau of Land Management. Not as boring as it sounds, because the area has tremendous geological and man-made features. Best is at Baldytown. Rating: 2.5

Gold Mining and Panning - Tour a few hundred feet in one of the dozens of goldmines scattered throughout Philmont (only 3 can be toured.) Interesting. Goldpanning - the real deal, in the coldest water you ever stuck your hands into. If incredibly lucky, can actually find a gold nugget. This program is usually tied to the Blacksmithing program. Rating: 3.5

Homesteading - Visit an actual operating homestead in the Valle Vidal area, learn about low-technology living in Wilderness environments. Rating: XXX

Horse Riding - A "dude-Ranch" nose-to-derriere tour on one of Philmont's many trails. Early morning versions are usually excellent, afternoon versions less so (danger of thunderstorms mandates low altitude rides.) Lots of fun. Ride is just long enough to get tired of it, and marvel at folks who do it for a living. Morning Rating: 4.5; Afternoon Rating: 2.5

Jicarilla Apache Life - Tour a mock village, participate in a variety of American Indian activities, including a "sweat lodge" and arrowpoint chipping. Rating: 3 - Other.

Mexican Dinner - Similar to the Chuck Wagon Dinner, except you get everything and bring it back to your site to cook and eat. Plenty of food, and a break from the trail stuff, but a greasy mess to clean up. Rating: 2.5, but I haven't done since `89, so may be better now.

Mountain Biking - New Program in the Valle Vidal. Mountain Biking in a wilderness environment for several hours. Rating: 4 - Other.

Mountain Living - Participation in additional homesteading skills. Rating: 2.5 - Other

Mountain Man Rendezvous - Another "interpretive" program, with backcountry staff done up as mountain men. Displays of trapping accoutrements, plus knife and hatchet-throwing. Usually associated with black-powder rifle shooting. Rating: 2.5

Mountain Technology - A lecture format review of new technologies enabling modern living at remote wilderness encampments - satellite imagery, solar powered stills, etc. Rating: 2

No Trace Camping - Lecture and practical skills on low-impact camping, usually run by N.O.L.S. and Sierra-Club type fanatics with an insulting and condescending attitude. Interesting, but nothing to go out of your way to get. Rating: 1.5

Philmont Story Campfire - Either a flaming waste of time, or one of the best campfires you'll ever see; no way to predict year-to-year. [Not rated.]

Rock Climbing/Repelling - A taste of the real thing. Universally enjoyed, but a very limited experience. Experienced climbers need not apply. Rating: 4

Rocky Mountain Fur Company - Another "interpretive" display and lecture. Rating: 2 - Other.

Search and Rescue - Another new program in the Valle Vidal, emphasizing Wilderness First Aid and proper search and rescue procedures. Quality varies year-to-year. Rating: 3 - Other.

Trading Post/Commissary - Junk food and replacement equipment. Not a program, just a place to re-stock trail food and other needed supplies. Kind of a program for us, because we make the effort to "renovate" our food packages. [Not Rated.]

Western Lore - Associated with the horseback riding. Mock cattle roping, boot branding, horse-shoes, sometimes an interpretive lecture (by real cowboys) on the life. Rating: 3.5

Wildlife Safari - Similar to Environmental Awareness Program. Rating: 3 - Other.

Some of the above programs may not be offered this year. There may also be new programs which we will not know about until we receive our "Guidebook to Adventure" booklets.

** Trek Selections

If the TREKS Books don't arrive today, I will correlate the information from the Selection Sheets and "pre-select" about a dozen treks that fit most of the criteria that the Scouts specified. That way, we'll be selecting from a much smaller set of treks.

I will lay photocopies of the itinerary sheets out on a table-top, and will explain what the Crew's collective selections were, then briefly review the potential treks. Then we'll let the Scouts spend 20 - 30 minutes looking over the sheets, and asking questions. Then we'll vote in reverse order of desire, each Scouts "Top 5" (1st pick gets 5 points, second gets 4, and so on). The top five scored itineraries will be the choices that we send in. If we are quick, we will almost certainly get our #1 choice. However, if we have pre-selected properly, any of our top 5 choices will be a super trek.

** Closing Remarks

Again, I hope to have all our selections done within an hour. We WILL run over if the Scouts are poorly prepared, disorganized, or argumentative in their selection efforts, or have a lot of questions. Be fully prepared to stay longer.

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Parents, please share and discuss this letter with your sons. Scouts, please share and discuss this letter with your parents. Remember to send in those Selection Sheets pronto! Four months to go!

- Dr. Bob

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15 March 2002