Philmont 2008 Pictures Posted on Flickr

Welcome back Scouts! I trust mom’s cooking, TV, and sleeping in an actual bed are now more fully appreciated!

I took over 430 pictures during our trip, here are the top 40 from Philmont; most are from the Rangers/Beavers/Flaming Arrows’ trek, but please check the last pictures in the set for a great composite shot (panorama) from the top of Tooth of Time with both crews together.

I’d like to thank parents for the great support we received across the board in helping get your scouts and their gear ready for the trip. This was a big operation in both time and money invested, but I believe that the challenges faced and tackled, the things we learned about ourselves, and the unique experiences from this trip will contribute positively to the character of all who were afforded this wonderful and unique experience. As we huddled under the dining fly during the hailstorm, one scout said it all: “I never believed that I could be this tough.” Well said!!

Click to check the pictures at this link: Bill’s Flickr

Bill Andrews

News from Philmont!

I got a message from Bill today. He was checking in from the top of Baldy Mtn. They had begun the climb at 5:30 AM and finished at 9 am. He said the weathers great! All the boys made it and he wanted to pass on 2 quotes. 1. “This is the most amazing thing I’ve ever done!”  2. (this was) The hardest climb I’ve ever made, but it’s the most amazing and rewarding one.”

It sounds like this trip is all we hoped it would be. Thanks for supporting your scouts and making this opportunity for them. I’m sure it’s something they’ll never forget.

Stacey

Can’t hear him now!

Bill called this AM from Philmont. He says the weather is perfect, cool in the AM. Unfortunately, verizon doesn’t have connectivity up in the mountains. He has service sometimes, but he can’t send the picture messages home. However, he says all the scouts are healthy and ready to go! They’ve done their final pack checks w/the rangers. “Bring this, don’t bring that etc.” It’s quite an operation. There are 500 scouts going in and out of Philmont daily! There are 1000 rangers there to help! Sooo… I’ll let you know if I hear from them.

Later!

Stacey

Checking Out From Colorado

This’ll be our last post from civilization; sorry if I didn’t get enough pictures out for everybody. My camera display is pretty small! We had a great visit to the AF Academy, eating lunch with cadets (pix below); touring the chapel, but most impressive to several of our scouts was a briefing by an impressive female cadet parachute instructor on free fall parachuting!

I don’t know how connected we’ll be in the mountains after today; I’ll try to send a cell phone picture when I get connected as long as my battery holds out!

Bill

The Cadet Chapel

lunch-with-cadets-1

lunch-with-cadets-2

lunch-with-cadets-3

more pics!

Pictures From 7-7

Here are some pictures from today–the food at the dining hall’s been great (and cheap–when was the last time you bought dinner for your party of 20 for 62$ ??!)

We visited Peterson AFB’s museum and drove up Pikes Peak–everyone’s having a great time.

Bill

panning-for-gold

great-dining-hall-food

Pikes Peak Vista

Peterson AFB Museum

Day 2

Relaxin!

Day 2

Peterson AFB

Day 2

Snow in July!

Climbing at Red Rock Canyon

Resting?

Waiting on the Sandstone rocks at Red Rock Canyon. Everybody made it to the top of at least one route! We had a total of three reoutes, each about 100-120 feet high.

More Day 1

Michael, Evan & Sam Climb On!

Philmont trip!

Rocky Mtn Nat’L Park

Exploring the tundra at 11,000′ atop Rocky Mt National Park. The thin air got everybody’s attention! Baldy Mtn in New Mexico goes up to 10,500′, so we know we’ll have our work cut out for us!