Philmont Journal: August 7
...was that the bear was actually right there on the mountain not more than 20 feet away! I didn't see the bear, but about 1/2 of our group did. We "telephoned" the message down the line about why we were waiting and why Jackie had left. When I turned to tell the girl behind me, she looked over my shoulder and through clenched teeth said "it's right there" when I turned to look I couldn't see it and then we were off. It's no wonder why our horses were so hard to hold as we waited for Jackie to return!
We managed to get everyone back to camp and stables safely despite the storm and bear and having to walk a little over a mile in our cow boy boots.
Setting up for camp for the first time was a total nightmare. Our leader - one of the kids - is not a good leader and my roll is to NOT lead. Advisors are here for emergencies and squabbles the rest is supposed to be up to the crew. We finally managed to get camp set up, but not before I reached a shut down. Once my tent was set and I'd had some dinner and used my Pond's wipes to clean up, I felt much better. Not to self: Do not let blood sugar drop too much!
The first stop was called Ponil (poh-neel). It's the stop the trekkers (hikers) like best because you can buy root beer. It was our first stop so I don't think we appreciated it as much, but it was still good. The rangers put on a show each night at Ponil, but with our rough strat we missed it. But I think we got a better show.
While we were sitting there sipping our root beer, we spotted a bear! There he was, just across the way, moseying along....all of a sudden I realized he was headed in the direction of our camps! Four rangers started heading toward the bear in an attempt to scare him back up the mountain. Their error was that they were trying to puch him in to a sheer rock wall. They shooed the troops inside after awhile. Half of my crew went back to camp, but before we started down the trail, we were stopped by the four rangers. They told us the bear was still around and to return if we see him near a camp.
Well, as we were walking back - almost to our camp - we saw a black mass step out of the bushes. We weren't sure if it was the bear - probably about 95% sure, but we didn't go back. We stood for about 15 minutes and then went to our camp. I have to admit it is probably the most scared I've been in a very long time - maybe ever. We had to get ready for bed and SLEEP when there was just a bear there - that I saw with my own eyes not just an "oh there's bears in these parts". It was scary!
Next morning, we heard that the bear sat on some stuff and ripped up some things at campe 16. We were in 12. I'm now 100% sure it was the bear we saw while walking back. We made it through the night and headed out for our 1st real day on the horses. It took us a while to get going. In the morning, 2 advisors from each troop made pancakes and sausage with juice for all the troops/crews. The left the kids to get camp broken down on their own. Our crew was 2nd last to arrive... a 1/2 hour late. Oh well. They still got to eat. Then we did program and Ponil. You could practice roping on metal cows, get things branded, and throw horseshoes. I got my boots branded with the Philmont horse brand on my left heal and the Chase Property brand on my right instep. The Chase property was/is (?) owned entirely by women even back in the 1800s. It also make me think of my little neighbor Chase who was born just before I left :) Oh and I branded the horse one on the underside of the brim on my hat.
After program, we had to meet our pack horses - one of which is named Randy, like my brother, and he bites, like my brother did. Luckily, he hasn't bitten me - learn to pack them, then actually pack them. THEN get out own saddle on and ready to go which is a production all in itself. Dealing with the horses is A LOT more work than I'd anticipated.
Once we were on our way, things went smoothly. We lost a few pack horses every now and then, but got them back quickly. We stopped for lunch - which is my favorite part of hte day, not because of the food, but how well we all get along and what great moods we're all in at that point in the day.
After lunch, we rode a little longer. When we got to our next camp, Pablano (pah-blah-noh), all hell broke loose. Everyone was tired and therefor cranky. Set up took a million years since I hit my breaking point the day before I'm not sure what you call what I was this day. Ugh. Leadership is poor, many-including me - don't know what to do and no one teacher they just get mad and do it, Plus, there seems to be too many cooks in the kichen as they say. It's this time of day, along with dinner cleanup and camp breakdown that makes me long for our pleasant lunches. We missed program at Pablano. It was logger ball - softball of sorts. Humph. Instead, we stayed at camp to do a devotional and Rosebud Thorn - a joys and concerns of sorts. Rose = joy, Bud = something you're looking forward to, and Thorn = concern. Most everyone's thorns were the same as mine about the inefficiency of how things get done.
We managed to break camp the next day and I'm hopeful it will get easier as we go. Before we left Pablano, we did another program - gaffing. It's a logging camp. This is when you shimmy up a tree. Think electricians up the telephon pole. It was fabulou! All of the kids did it - though it was painful and hard and we had to pull one girl up by the saftey line so she could make it to the top. I passed onthis. I don't kow why. It's not like me to pass on a new experience, but I was perfectly content to watch everyone andtake pics on their cameras.
After we got the pack horses ready and saddled on our own - which took way less time, we headed out for our best ride yet.
We were riding from Pabalano to Baldy (12000 feet). We rode up the side of a mountain all day. An hour or so into it was were in the middle of a rainstorm that started with hail and turned to cold rain and lasted until lunch. Thankfully, we caught a break and my favorite part of the day was not ruined. When we got going again, so did the rain. I loved it - we were in slickers and my camera was safe so there were no worries. We went down some super steep, muddy, rocky slopes. I loved every single second. On one, I was even laughing out loud! It was my rose for the night even though some of my crew said it was their thorn. Babies ;)
When we got to camp we found multipled "thorns"The campground had ZERO places to put tenst and sleep comfortably. Most of us slept on a slant that felt like you were riding a slide when you got in, or on rocks. Also, it was still raining - a lot. Though I wonder now if the rain was sent by God - we sure managed to get camp set-up with some pretty good teamwork. We even started a fire to try to dry clothes. Mine are still wet :( My jeans smell like wet horse. Ewe.
We're at Baldy camp now. My crew got a bit of a late start, but decided to climb to the top of Baldy mountain today. An additional 2,500 feet. I decided I would enjoy my day on the Ranger porch with a great look-out and time to write. Plus, I don't have shorts (though it's cold here) or proper shoes or prper lungs for that matter - I've had to take my inhaler 4 times already. Anyway, I'm loving my day on the porch here In Baldy Town. It's pretty cold though. I'm in softball socks (knee length), Adidas warm-up pants that have a liner, a long sleeved shirt, tennis shoes, a fleece zip-up, and beanie and still chilly! My poor crew must be freezing. A storm is running in on us at the moment, too.
I'm upset my jeans are out hang drying and I can't go get them without saturating my only dry outfit (the one I'm wearing). Boo. We'll have to start a fire tonight to get things dry by morning. It may be a late night.
Posted by
Katherine
at
16:13:01
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