It got windy again overnight, starting about 12:30 am.  A 7/8ths moon was dodging clouds most of the night, variably illuminating.  Once again, I slept fitfully from 12:30 til about 5:00.  I heard a few distant Crews getting going for sunrise on the Tooth, starting about 3:30 (which really is ridiculously early).  Got up at 5:05, and packed quickly.  Hugh was already wandering around, putting his own gear away.  We woke the guys at 5:15 am.  Another quick breakdown, and we were circled up at 5:45, and gone five minutes later on the “forever” hike, Charlie leading.  The guys were really humping it this morning - guess they hear the snack bar calling!  I was half jogging a couple of times.  We had a nice sunrise coming up, which we could occasionally see through the thinning trees, along with Basecamp.  Caught another Crew that had left even earlier than we had - they had also done the Tooth late yesterday.  Finally, we were out in the open (and under an already intense sun), with occasional views of Basecamp.  As usual, the guys groused about this silly trail that goes everywhere except where it’s supposed to (i.e., towards Basecamp).  We reached the “Welcome Back - You Made It!” sign about 7:35, and took the obligatory all-Scouts photo.  Then up into Basecamp itself, stopping at the first showerhouse and stacking our packs in the shade.  7:46, so less than 2 hours from Tooth Ridge, once again great time!  I had Matt phone his mom that we were in safe and sound.  Hugh went for our security packages, and Luke and I got our sign-in paperwork and tent assignments at the Welcome Center.  Quite surprisingly, they gave us our patches here - not at the Administration Center or at the Closing Campfire.  After everyone moved the packs to our tents (D1-D7), we went over for our locker stuff, and relayed that to the tents too (the locker keys went back to Security).  In all, we knocked off half the check-off sheet in less than half an hour.  Once everyone was assembled again, we held a quick Crew meeting - grab showers, do laundry if you need to, hit the Trading Post this morning, and meet back at tents at 11:00.  Hugh volunteered to investigate the Seton Museum and the Villa Philmonte tours, and the bus arrangements to Cimarron.  With that, the guys scattered.  I started re-sorting the Totelocker.  Hugh came back, confirming that we had the 3:30 bus to Cimarron; he then grabbed a long-anticipated shower.  Once he returned, it was my turn; felt great.  I went ahead and dressed in my Class A’s.  I got Charlie to watch everything while I hit the Equipment Return, Food Supply (they would not take our new, unopened food packets!), mail, and pack/share rental, knocking off all the needed initials on our check-off sheet.  We had eight pieces of mail.  At 11:00, the guys reassembled, as requested [Photos: 1, 2], and I reviewed packing protocols and other issues (reverse hipbelts, tighten all straps down, remove diaper pins and pack them inside, 2 of 3 canteens empty and packed inside, leave Troop gear easily accessible (nothing buried), dry or wash/dry all wet stuff, relay stoves and fuel bottles to Hugh, strip all dangerous items (souvenirs) from carry-on gear, etc.)  Also what color bolo ties does everyone want? (primary and alternate if the primary wasn’t available).  Next assembly outside the Dining Hall, for lunch.  Mark, Charlie, Drew, and I headed over to the Trading Post (we saw Brad on the way; he was with his new Crew, so no dinner in town with us tonight).  At the Trading Post, we bought bolo ties, Arrowhead protectors, maps, and one more roll of film, 800 speed for the campfire and airport shots.  I also loaned Drew some money to buy his parents some gifts.  Then we hung out at the snack bar (which was closed) for awhile, just chatting about the trek.  Crew 893 also came by and were very disappointed that the snack bar was closed.  We followed them back for lunch.  Brad was waiting with his new Crew (already in line) when I arrived, so we hung out for the entire lunch (our Crews at adjacent tables), talking about how things were going.  He was complaining about the lack of transportation for the Rangers, and so I offered my car if he needed it for this or next year.  Meanwhile, the guys filled out the Crew Chief’s evaluation forms.  Brad left with his Crew to continue the paper-chase, and the guys headed back to the tents to continue their packups.  Hugh and I stayed (with permission) in the Dining Hall, and filled out the Advisor evaluations while the Dining Hall Crew did a massive cleanup around us.  Hugh left at 2:00 to chaperone a visit to the Seton Museum (not sure which Scouts went with him).  He also mailed our stoves and fuel bottles home.  I wrote til 2:45, then visited Logistics to update the water board (I had been keeping a running track in my diary notes during the entire trek, so was able to update about 20 listings).  An older Administrative type who watched the proceedings asked if we had had a “good” trek - I replied:  “Absolutely not - we had a great trek”, which caused him to break out in a wide grin and vigorously shake my hand (guess he was tired of hearing people bitch and whine).  Then I headed over to Admin, where I got our photos (trash-can bad) and left a thank you message (with Jodie) for Betty and Fran (it was Sunday, so they were both off).  Hustled back over to the tents, where everyone was assembling to go into Cimarron on the shuttle bus.  We headed over to the Welcome Center, where the “shuttle bus” turned out to be another school bus.  Surprisingly, it was full to the brim - so a lot of folks passing on dinner at the Dining Hall.  No sign of Rene, so I guess he was still on his way in, or had a better offer.  After a quick stop at the Philmont Training Center (two people got off, one got on), we headed into Cimarron.  They dropped us off outside the Blue Moon and Cimarron Art Gallery.  We arranged to meet everyone at Simple Simons at 4:45 and gave them their release - sternly warning everyone not to play football with the local kids (who were playing in the local park).  I went into both the Blue Moon and the Cimarron Art Gallery (both “trinket” shops), looking for more copies of The Tobasco Donkeys CD - and was astounded to hear that there weren’t any more available anywhere.  Apparently “Dirty Larry” didn’t produce a second run, despite its popularity.  So I guess the single copy I have is now a collector’s item, unless he has a change of heart.  According to the owner of the Art Gallery, “Dirty Larry” was now an independent movie producer.  Well, Good Luck!  Hugh and I headed over to Simple Simons, and I ordered pizzas, sodas, and water at 4:30.  We then chatted with other Crews sitting at the tables while we waited.  Our guys dribbled in til 4:45, somewhat disappointed that so many of the stores were closed (well, it IS Sunday!).  The pizzas were late, arriving 5:00, but no one minded.  I immediately ordered two more medium pizzas for Brad and Rene, then sat down to a scene worthy of a Viking feast.  I limited myself to two slices, but everyone else went to town.  Good stuff, too.  At 5:40, I grabbed our last two pizzas, and we all headed back over to the Blue Moon - by the time I arrived, most of the guys had purchased an ice cream chaser for their pizza (I passed).  Thomas got a shot of a deer standing by a colorful fence.  Quite a crowd was gathering, but three buses showed up at about 5:50, so plenty of seats for everyone. A quick ride back.  Our bus driver told us about a mess at the Amtrak station in Raton early that day:  45 people expected, 95 actually there.  Ouch!  With other Crews also arriving in Raton all day long, he expected that things wouldn’t get straightened out til near midnight for the last Crews.  Heck of a way to start your arrival day.  Back at the Welcome Center, I pushed the guys to continue sorting their carry-on versus checked luggage.  Once done with that (and I emphasized DONE), they were free to hit the Trading Post, religious services, snack bar, or whatever else they fancied.  Brad and Rene were not present at Welcome Center, so I put their pizzas in the News Photo Services (NPS) refrigerator (where Eileen worked), and Luke and I tried to track them down at the Staff Cafeteria and then at the Ranger Office, no luck.  Naturally, we finally found them at our tents, where they were talking with the rest of the guys.  We chatted for about 30 minutes, grabbed a final photo, and said our goodbyes.  They immediately headed off to NPS at a high rate of speed (for their pizzas), and I returned to my tent.  After some more minor housekeeping and equipment sorting, I was about to head off for Catholic Mass when a spontaneous game of Ultimate Frisbee broke out between 111 and Crew 717-J-2 from New Jersey, in the open field between Homebound and Trailbound - which I figured I’d best monitor.  But no need - it was a very sportsmanlike and enjoyable game to watch.  And no trailbound Crews tried to join in, so I didn’t have to play The Ugly Advisor, either.  The only injury was to a dragonfly that lost out on a collision with a frisbee.  The 111 guys were adept at soccer-like rushes up the field, while the J-2 guys made some extraordinarily deft long passes through crowds of racing Scouts [Photos: 1, 2].  It was time-ended at exactly 7:30, with 111 winning 9 - 8, everyone (on both sides) dirty, sweaty, and happy.  Well, so much for this afternoons’ showers!  I went ahead and tasked everyone to get semi-cleaned up and back in their Class A’s (we had to wake up Will and Matt), while Charlie and I gathered up all our hiking poles and strapped them together in a bundle and marked them for “DCA” (Washington National).  Drew came in just after 8:00 - he had been at Mass.  We headed over for the Closing Campfire assembly around 8:10; warm, just a few clouds left, but a pretty good breeze.  Chatted with the guys from Crews II and III for a few minutes; John Ruppel told me that Ron Pelley had been at Mass and had asked about me - sorry to have missed him.  A few minutes later, we all headed down to the campfire amphitheater, with various songs blasting out of the PA system.  Once again, we got front-row seats.  The program started at 8:30 with the usual remarks, but was otherwise quite different from years past, and included:

- “Homebound” sign
- The Bear skit (“Luke!”)
- Song:  “Meet the Burro” (by Pat)
- “Homebound” sign thing (again)
- Black Beans and Rice skit (which led into)
- The Attack of the Mini-Bears (set to the Ride of the Valkyries) - this was hilarious!
- Pack Weight Survey skit
- Song: “Homebound” (by Pat) (a parody of Homeward Bound (by Simon and Garfunkel)
- Crew Chief/Adult Advisor Ceremony (Flags and “We All Made It” plaques)
- Song: “Philmont Hymn” (by Pat)
- Song: “Sons of Mother Nature” (by Pat)
- Letter from a Scout to home, 1941
[Attempted slide show (failed)]
      Note that here we saw a large satellite heading South to North (under the Big Dipper)
- Song:  “Baldy Town” - a parody of “Rocky Top” (by Pat)
- Slide show of Philmont scenes (succeeded this time)
- Letter from a Scout to home, 2002
- 1940’s era movie, showing very early Philmont scenes and some other tourist stuff (Mount
      Rushmore and Yellowstone/Old Faithful, etc.); very interesting.
- Closing remarks

Once the show finally ended, we assembled the Crew by the Philmont Arrowhead sign and took some photos with the help of a staff member.  Then took a few minutes to discussed the rest of the night and tomorrow morning (snack bar open til 10, finish packing, showers for guys who played Ultimate, recommend bed soon afterwards), up at 5:00, dress in Class A’s, pack sleeping gear in packs, wrap packs, etc.)  Everyone took off, but I stuck around for a minute to thank the closing campfire staff, then headed back to the tents.  Grabbed my diary and headed over to the Welcome Center (giving the Advisors’ lounge (a zoo as usual) a very wide berth).  Getting chillier quickly.  Chatted with two of the younger Scouts from another Troop 796 (not Crew III) for awhile, then wrote til 11:15, at which point my eyes started crossing again.  Headed back to the tents (nice stars) and crashed at 11:30.  Just before midnight, Mr. Skunk came into my tent.  Fortunately, just rolling over and making “spring” noises on the cot got him to leave without any further fuss.  William claimed the next morning that a prairie dog, or maybe a rat, was in his tent, but also left after exploring for a minute or two.  An otherwise uneventful night til about 3:30, when a contingent got up and departed with virtually no effort to be quiet - guess they lost the fifth point of the Scout Law somewhere out on the trail (thanks, guys, whoever you were!)  No coyotes tonight - probably scared off by all the racket!