Philmont
Where: Philmont Scout Ranch, NM When: Summer 1972 With: Boy Scouts I first learned of this trip the previous summer, while attending the Boy Scout summer camp at Stratton Mt. in Vermont. Philmont was the ultimate hiking goal for any Scout and I set my sights on participating. I don't recall all of the details, but there was significant expense involved and we probably had a variety of fundraisers, etc. throughout the intervening year. Ultimately my maternal grandmother contributed a large portion of the necessary funds. The contingent travelling to Philmont consisted of Scouts from a number of Troops in the area. There were only one or two others from my Troop...everyone else was a stranger. To get to New Mexico the organizers chartered two motorcoaches and planned a route that would take us past some of the more significant sights in America. Each night we'd stay at a high school, Armory or something to keep the expenses down. All told, the entire trip probably lasted abou...