We struck camp and went out to the trail to our camp site. The guys were set to turn right, but Rich suggested that they go out to the junction of trails where they had come in and check the map. The crew decided that the correct direction wasn't behind us since that was the way they had come in and they knew that left lead nowhere because they had been down there to hang the bear bags. Since our camp had been straight ahead, they figured they had to turn right. I thought the guys had been correct the first time when they came out of the camp site and were about to go right (corresponding to straight ahead here), but after a few steps, I figured I would continue because it looked like there would be a good view ahead. I'm glad because I would have missed what happened next. We passed Denis's crew and he had been training them for some time for this event. Everyone in his crew yelled, "Hey Lady" when Rich walked by. This left our guys wondering, but left Rich laughing. This is a long running wimp joke between the two of them.
The trail ended shortly with a nice view to the South. Denis thought that our crew was just going for the view and only later found out the guys had taken the wrong path. We hiked back to the junction of the trails and tried the original straight ahead path back to where our camp site had been. It was the right path this time. There were some spectacular rocks and views along here. Everyone that sees this one on the East end of Tooth Ridge wants to know where the roadrunner is and whether someone is going to push off that rock you see purched on the top of the ridge.
As we wound down the Northeast end of the ridge and around and down the Southeast side, we got a view of the hot plains and tent city below. (No, I didn't use filters to shoot that picture.) In about two hours, we passed through the "You made it" gate leading into tent city and we were eating our last trail food breakfast. Rumor had it that you didn't need to do compaction and that they had real flush toilets and warm showers. I can substantiate those rumors.
We returned our equipment and had real food in the mess hall. We picked up our mail and received a note from Curt. He said that he did decide to hike out from Cypher's mine via Black Mountain but said that he ran out of water and laid down for about 3/4 of an hour and became hypothermic. He said that he was fine now though and hoped that our trek had gone well. He left us his mail and email address so that we could contact him.
After lunch, we took a bus into Cimarron where Rich bought everyone ice cream and we walked around the shops. We toured the old Saint James Hotel were Jesse James and other notorious figures lived and died. On the bus ride back to Philmont, we stopped at the Villa Philmonte for a tour of Waite Phillip's Summer home. It's bigger than many of the million dollar estates near our homes.
After dinner and services, there was a great closing camp fire "Saturday Night Live" style with "News" and music. What are some of the ways you can tell a scout that has successfully completed a trek? 1. He licks his plate and the pots and pans clean. 2. He compacts his friend's garbage. 3. He starts telling strangers that it is "clear and copious." After the camp fire, everyone received the 50 miler award and the arrow path for completing the trek and the conservation work. And for those making the climb to Tooth Peak, a highlight of the trip, all the scouts in crew 1 received a bull to be worn on the shoulder of the red scout jacket.
