Well now that I have time to reflect on my trip I would like to share a little.

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This Summer I was given the Honor of being the Female Adult Advisor for our Venturing Crew to Hike Philmont Scout reservation. IF you haven't heard of Philmont take a sec and check out the website. It is so much more than I can tell you. It is located in Cimarron, New Mexico it is located at the beginning of the Rocky Mountains. And is exactly what I had heard "God's Country". 

We hiked over 100+ miles in 11 days. We packed all of our gear. Including food. We didn't bath. We had BEARS. We walked uphill A LOT and I was AMAZED! There were moments (Summating Mount Baldy 12,000 feet) that brought tears to my eyes!

One of the BEST parts was the group of people I went with. I was blessed with the GREATEST group of kids EVER.I am partial because 2 are part of my family (My DD, Jackie and My Niece, Ali) and one might as well BE my family (Marisa)and CORY!  Plus Dylan Fite (my camping SON when Sebastian isnt there!)Kyle, who I feel I have known as long as I have know ABOUT Philmont!I also had the honor of getting to know some FANTSTIC guys from Troop 2001! Tresier, Coulter, FINGER and JOBES brought our Crew togther and  for that time we were all we had and we were "Philmont Family"    Our group wasn't the fastest and we didn't care. We made fun out of EVERYTHING! Filling our Water bottles could turn into a comedy routine. The group made positives out of negatives and worked like a TEAM when I thought "cans they"??? YES they could! They inspired ME to keep going and there were MANY days when I thought, "How can I do this any MORE" It was THEM and Of course the thought that I could not let Chris Lombardo (aka BEASTMASTER) kick my ASS. Well folks 10 yrs my senior DID kick my ass all across Philmont~! Whether it was "double packing" for someone who needed help or hiking in the dark when I thought I might just fall over and die! He kept our Crew going! And SMILING  

My other inspiration was from my own house. My daughter Jackie. In short she was AMAZING! Not because she was the FASTEST or the STRONEST. Because she experienced it ALL. If there was an activity SHE did it. No matter HOW tired she was. She complained about NOTHING! Except maybe a lack of "red roof ins" But even that did not stop her! I can say Rather than race her way across Philmont, Jackie LOOKED and TOUCHED and TASTED all that is PHILMONT! And in the end isn't THAT what it is ALL about! Not who WON but who OWNED and my kid OWNED.

So to end. I say next to Marriage and CHILDBIRTH hiking Philmont was the most PAINFUL and REWARDING thing I have ever done! And Like Childbirth and some time passes and you forget the PAIN. You start to think, "Well maybe we could do an EASIER trek"?

So a month later I am eating Ramen Noodles and Canned Ham thinking…………………I WANNA GO BACK TO PHILMONT!