Hiking with Crew 715-G

The morning after I saw "Captain America", I left with some fellow staffers (Dave and Ryan) to meet up with 715 G, my crew from back home.  The cooler hanging from my pack is full of ice packs, a gallon of cookies and cream ice cream, and Otter Pops (the Western United States' version of freeze pops).   The crew was shocked that 1.) I met up with them, because I told them I wasn't going to and 2.) I brought cold things for them to enjoy.  

It was great to hike with them for three days-- they went to the same places I went three years ago when I came to Philmont for the first time.  After hiking from Pueblano to the last camp on the itenerary, Ponil, the guys enjoyed root beer at Ponil's cantina and went on a horse ride in the morning.  Their scheduled bus into base camp was at 2:45 p.m., which would provide little time to check out and take care of equipment before chapel services and campfire.  

I found out there was an 11 a.m. bus into base.  If there was enough room, we could make it back earlier.  So the crew decided to try.  The horse ride went longer than expected, so at 10:15 a.m. the crew booked it back to camp to finish packing up.  (They had strategically packed most of their gear after breakfast).  I told them to get to the bus as quickly as they could; I would try to find and hold one of the buses.  

Some didn't believe they could make it in time, but I did.  The hike from their campsite to the bus turnaround was a little under a mile.  I hiked ahead and to my surprise, there was an empty bus getting ready to pull out.  As the driver put the bus into gear, I sprinted to the window, told her the situation, and she agreed to wait 15 minutes for the crew to catch the bus.  

Ten minutes later, the first of eleven yellow shirts appeared in the distance.  We got the bus.  They made it.  And it was meant to be-- the bus number was 59, our troop number.  What an awesome ending to the trek.  

Late that night, the crew departed for Denver.  They had to catch an early flight in the morning.  All understood the awesomeness of Philmont and will undoubtedly want to come back.  Philmont will do that to you.