SPSCC Ordeal
Mount Hood
For those of you that actually read my Event Schedule that is posted on the right column of my blog, you may have noticed a slight slip-up. I personally did not catch it, I didn't notice it at all until my mom pointed it out to me. Where I had meant to write "SPSCC Orientation", I had written down "SPSCC Ordeal". Ordeal is a Boy Scout event. Orientation is for incoming students. For Ordeal, you have to be elected by your Troop. For Orientation, you just have to show up. About the only similarities between the two are that they both required me to attend, and that they both start with the letter "O". Clearly enough to get the two confused.
SPSCC requires that all Running Start students attend a Running Start Orientation, of which there are 4. The earliest one possible for me to attend was this afternoon, so I went to that one. We're really fortunate to live so close to SPSCC, so I could have just walked down to the school. Mom was coming with me, though, so we drove. They held the orientation in building 26, the Lecture Hall. There were a good number of students there, about forty. Most of them were first-time Juniors, as am I. A handful were seniors, but only about three were returning seniors that had done Running Start last year. They covered quite a few subjects during the entire presentation, but most of it I was already quite familiar with. Since my brother went through the program the year before, and also since I looked into it quite a bit, did all of the paperwork by myself, and chose my own classes, not much of it was new to me. I did pick up one or two things, though, and they proved helpful.
The thing that I found out there was that the books for this quarter's classes had already arrived at the campus bookstore, and I could go there to find out what books I need for my classes. I plan to look for them online instead of buying them in the bookstore, as the books there are quite overpriced. I know that college text books are inherently expensive, but I can definitely find the books I need at a reduced rate somewhere, especially if they are used. Another thing that kind of irked me about the bookstore was that they did not have a list of books for all the classes. The books were organised on the shelves alphabetically by class, but I had to go look for each class to find out what books I would need. I eventually did find them, and it was nice to find out that the most expensive book, the Physics text book, is one that we already own. My brother used it last year, and the professor didn't change his syllabus.
During the rest of the orientation, though, the most stressed on thing was to manage your schedule very well, and to turn in your registration as early as possible. Classes fill up fast, so I plan to register for my classes the day that registration for winter quarter starts: October 9th. That way, I can be guaranteed that I will be able to take all of the classes that I want to. Which is a good thing. The reason why they want you to manage your schedule well is because there have been instances where students have selected classes and not realized that they were at SPSCC's satellite campus about 20 miles east of here. With the class at the Hawk's Prairie Center ending at 8:55, and the class on the main campus starting at 9:00, you're probably in a bit of trouble.
All in all, the orientation session was somewhat informative. There wasn't much that was new for me, but hey, it was only 45 minutes. At least it was interesting.
thinkandrew
Refinishing a Piano
I've recently gotten back into the swing of refinishing my piano. I was really at it before my summer camping activities started, but when I got back, it just kind of slowed down. Slowed down a lot. I think I approached the piano once in the first week that I got back. But now, I've been really working on it. I've been out there every day; I put in about 4 hours today alone. There's still a lot of work to be done, but I can see the end now.
When I first started the project, it was clear to me that it would be quite a large undertaking. I didn't joke myself about how much work it would be, but I probably under-estimated how long it would take to finish the project. I suppose I could have finished sooner, but I don't like to be wrist-deep in stripper for any longer than I have to. That was the first step, of course, stripping it. What's pretty neat, though, is that the stripper I'm using is fairly safe to work with. It's biodegradable, and can be worked with without wearing gloves. The thing is, if you do that, the finish that you're lifting off of the wood tends to stain your fingernails quite badly. I didn't mind it too much, but mom made me start wearing rubber gloves. Probably a good idea. Another reason this has been taking as long as it has is because once you lay the stripper down, you have to let it soak in for at least 45 minutes. That's pretty fast for a stripper, but that's still 45 minutes where you can't touch the piece of wood. Unless there's a previously stripped piece that I can sand, there's not much that I can do. I don't want to start on another piece, either, or I might end up with much more than I can handle. If the stripper dries on the wood, then it's useless and I have to restart from the beginning.
I'm pretty much done with all of the stripping, though. I just have a few pieces of scroll work and 2 legs that I need to strip. All of the panels and covers have already been done. Sanding them is what I have to do after stripping it. I can't sand a piece of wood that was just stripped, I have to wait until the wood is fully dry. That usually isn't until the next day. I start out with a 100-grit sandpaper, to take off some of the stripper residue that has sunk into the wood. I don't use it for very long, or I might take off the veneer. Sometimes, the sandpaper will get clogged up with loose finish, which means I either have to re strip it, or I have to scrape it off with a putty knife. From 100, I move up to 150, then to 220. I've only done 2 panels with 220 right now. Then, I move on to buffing with 0000 steel wool. It's really fine stuff, it almost feels like a cotton ball. The instructions that I got off of the Internet said to buff until you can't stand it anymore; I buffed the panel for about 45 minutes. It really brought out a sheen, even though there was no finish on it whatsoever. Pretty neat stuff.
Now, I'm in the process of applying the new finish. I'm using a traditional oil, Formby's Tung Oil. It's pretty easy to work with, though I didn't realize how much I would have to use to cover up a surface. It comes in one pint bottles, I'll probably end up using three. What's really neat, though, is that you don't have to use an applicator. From what I've read, you're
supposed to just rub it in with the palm of your hand. The first layer on the panel I'm working on came out really neat. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to buff it again with steel wool, then apply a second layer. I'm really pleased with how it's coming out; I can't wait to have a new piano! The tung oil that worked into my hands is kinda sticky, though. The tackiness is starting to wear off, I can barely feel it now.
The piano is really going to be very cool when it's done. I'll make sure to post some photos, though I haven't been taking many "before and after" pictures. I think I have some. I'm leaving the interior of some of the panels the original finish, it'll be pretty neat to see how it was before.
thinkandrew
Last days of freedom, or first days of excitement?
No harm in preparing for winter.
School for most of the local area schools starts in one week from tomorrow. You know what that means. That means going back to daily routines, riding school buses, and looking out at bright sunny days through a dirty window. But is that all? The end of summer also signifies a new year of learning exciting new things, of meeting new people, and of stimulating thinking. It may be punishment to some, but it's a great experience to others.
We all remember the days of going to school as a child. Back then, it was a lot of fun to go to school. You got to learn new things, play in a playground, and drink juice from a box. It was fun to get to dress up and act out parts in a book that we were just beginning to learn how to read. I specifically remember getting blank notebooks for me to draw dinosaurs in, and we would always discuss how we knew what they looked like but not what color their scales were. Every day was a new adventure. I learnt new things every day. Whoever knew that leaves turn red in the fall because they actually are red? The green is just from chlorophyll! I had no idea that some insects only have a life-span of just a few days. When did we discover that the Earth rotates around the Sun? How interesting to learn new things!
But yet, school has now become a drag for many people. Everybody can point to the guy who just barely made the bus. You know the guy. The one that's still wearing pajama pants and has lines on his cheek from how his face pressed into his pillow? Classes seem to stretch for unbelievably long amounts of time, and the same subject has to be repeated so many times because only a fraction of what is said actually registered with the students. Then comes the time for exams, when everybody stresses out over information that they could've sworn that the teacher didn't go over. It's not their fault that they weren't paying attention. Their teacher is supposed to make them pay attention. They didn't want to be here in school today anyway. It's not that they hate school, it's just that they happened to be vegging out when the teacher spoke about protein-formation. The days are just too long.
What has happened to the excitement? Where's the enthusiasm? Somewhere along the line, school became less and less about learning new things and more and more about mundane days. It seems that people go through cycles, starting at massive excitement about going to school, which then dies out as people start entering middle and high school. But most adults I've talked to say they would love to go back to college. Somewhere along the same line, people begin the realise it would've been in their best interest to pay attention when talking about nucleotides and differentiation. People start getting excited about it again, and wish they were back in school. Many people follow this dream; the majority of the student population at South Puget Sound Community College is over 35. Once again, there is a child like excitement to better understand the world around us.
Personally, I seem to have either skipped over the "school-is-stupid" stage, and gone right to the "I-would-love-to-learn-again" stage. Either that, or I haven't yet reached the "school-is-stupid" stage. Hopefully I never will. I feel myself drawn towards the date on which classes will begin for me at SPSCC. I've been looking forward to September 18th ever since school let out in June. I look forward to looking through my new books, meeting my professors, making friends, and using my soon-to-be new found knowledge. School is a wonderful experience where you can learn to better understand the world. Make the most of it while you can.
thinkandrew
Goals and Priorities
There are so many things to do; so many things that I would love to do. Every once in a while, I'll suddenly stumble upon something that I figure I either
have to have, or
need to do. There are so many things! I want to earn enough money to buy a new
bike! I want to use it to ride in the
Seattle to Portland next year! I want to refinish and repair a piano! I want to learn how to properly take photos with an SLR! Eagle rank in Boy Scouts! Brotherhood member in the OA! Associates Degree at SPSCC! I surely can't do all of these at once. I'll have to pick and choose my goals, as well as set priorities. If I work hard, I may be able to do all of them. In fact, I know I can. It may take a year or two, but if I play my cards right, I'll come up on top. I'll have achieved everything I set out to do.
My goals have changed throughout my life. I have changed, as have my wants and needs. Now, instead of working towards that cool LEGO set, I'm earning my way towards an awesome new bike. This is one my material goals. Yes, I already have a bike, but this bike is a road bike. With this bike, I could ride in the Seattle to Portland. I could ride up to 100 miles every week. It would be my form of exercise! But how can I afford the $700 for such a bicycle? I could continue teaching piano, and possibly get a student job at SPSCC. I could perform odd-jobs around the neighborhood. I set the goal of a new bicycle, and by golly, I'm going to make it there. It'll be a lot of hard work, but I can just imagine myself pedaling up a mountain side with the wind blowing in my face. Who could resist that?
But those are just my material goals. I have many academic and personal goals as well. I want to be able to get an Associates Degree by the time that I graduate from high school. Having been home schooled for the past 6 years, I've never really had any clear academic goals that were defined for me, rather than defined by me. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It's just different. I also want to reach the rank of Eagle Scout, the Boy Scouts of America's highest rank achievement. I've seen many other people reach that goal, and I would like to join their ranks. I'm steadily working towards both right now.
My goals have already been clearly set before me. But I have to set priorities. I want my bike, but am I willing to put it on hold for the cost of financing summer camp? I also want to learn how to use an SLR, but becoming an Eagle Scout comes first. I could try to accomplish all of my goals at once, but it may be years before I got any of them done. It's important to work only at a few at a time, or I'll be completely swamped by all the work that is involved. Reaching Eagle Scout is no easy task, I still have a lot of merit badge work to complete. In the coming months, when school will really kick into high gear, I'm going to have to begin working on my time management. I'm going to have to set time aside for doing homework, for working on my merit badges, and for earning money for my bicycle. I haven't even added in my refurbishing of the piano. I have a long list of things that I want to do.
But things are coming along well. The end of the tunnel is already in sight for my piano project; I'm more than three quarters done at stripping the piano. After that, I'll just have to re-apply the new finish and put the piano back together. I have a written plan for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, and if all goes according to plan, I'll be an Eagle by April of next year. With the money I'm earning from teaching piano, I'm already beginning to save up for a bicycle and various summer camps. It will be wonderful, when I'm finished, to look back and gaze in awe at the mountain that I climbed. It will be a hard road, but I'll get there. Hopefully as an Eagle Scout in the saddle of a new bicycle.
thinkandrew
Where has summer gone?
It didn't seem that long ago that summer had started, after school parties were going on, and people started thinking about summer camping trips. And yet now, school is starting within the next week or two, summer camps are all over, and it's time yet again to start packing your bags for six and a half hours in school every day. Summer has sneaked past all of us while we were sleeping lazily in our lawn chairs. Even if your summer was jam-packed and full of work and adventure, as mine was, everything seems like it happened so fast. Will there be time to finish what I had planned?
I remember having to write a essay about "my very productive summer" when I was younger, and I certainly do not miss writing such essays. But this year, for me, was truly a summer full of events. So many things happened, it's hard to recall them all. Now that it's all over, I can actually sit back and realize what I have accomplished. Over these few months, I have camped a total of 20 nights with the Boy Scouts, 27 if you include camping with family. I have hiked well over 150 miles, flown about 4,000, and volunteered many times with various organizations. It has been a very productive summer. My summer camping trips have been the highlights of this summer; my camping was done everywhere from the San Juans, to Olympic National Park, to the Columbia River Gorge, to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. I think that I will cherish the memories of these camping trips for years to come, I might even call the trip to Philmont life-changing. I have seen so much that others will never get to opportunity to see, and it has opened new doors for me. I find myself striving to go back and explore more of Philmont, more of Olympic National Park, and more of the country. But yet there is so much more that was planned for this summer that is not yet accomplished.
I started working on my piano-project about 3 weeks after school let out, and I still haven't finished it yet. It's certainly slow going, but I've been working at it quite a bit. I must have put in 30 hours of work into just refinishing the piano, but I'm not quite done stripping it yet. I still have to sand it down, select a finish, and then apply it. It's a process, and I would be surprised if it wasn't taking as long as it is. It will get done eventually, and I'll be amazed that I actually did it. But it won't be done this summer. Probably not by the end of the year, either, with the way my schedule is looking. But it will get done.
Summer is almost gone! It will be a whole year before we see sunsets at 8:30 pm, or sunrises at 5 in the morning. We won't be able to wake up to sun streaming in through our bedroom windows, or eating our dinner without having to turn on any lights. We're about to be greeted by the gray autumns of Washington. But I'm not really dreading the leaving of summer. Although it only seemed like a week ago that I greeted summer, I shall remember it vividly as memories that rushed past. Some of those memories will be a blur, but many of them will be clear for ages. So many things happen during the summer. And more will happen throughout the year.
thinkandrew
Order of the Arrow
The Order of the Arrow is a Boy Scout National Honor Society, based in the high ordeals of camping. Members of the OA (Order of the Arrow) are there to be recognized for their superior camping skills. While not a secret society, there is a lot of mystique behind the special ceremonies that they hold, especially when initiating new members. They also get to wear a really cool patch on their Boy Scout uniforms. I got elected to join the OA this past May.
It is quite an honor to get elected into the OA. Every year, participating Troops hold elections in which peers are nominated to join the OA. To be nominated, you have to have achieved the rank of First Class, and camped for 15 nights over the past two years, including one long-term (6 days or more), but not more than one, camp. Then, once you are elected, you still must past an OA Ordeal to become a member. It is this Ordeal that is kept so secretive. And when secrets are kept, rumors are spread. Everybody thinks they know what the Ordeal is, but no one is completely sure of what is right. I have picked up on bits and pieces of what it is as well, but I'm sure that there is a lot that I have no idea about. About the only information that is widely spread is when you'll have the opportunity to participate, and that it's a 2 night event.
I got elected this past year, with almost 30 camping nights accumulated over a little more than a year. I got three chances to participate in an Ordeal, which is how many I needed. The first two were not an option for me, only the last one, which begins tonight, is open. You have to pass your Ordeal within a year of your election to become a member of the OA, otherwise you have to go through the election process again. You can imagine my anxiety as I look through the calendar and realize that my first two options are not available to me. Fortunately, August 25th was a long time away at that time, and nothing was planned. The OA Ordeal was given all priority, and that's why I'm going tonight. I look forward to it, though I have practically no idea what to expect. And even after it happens, I'm sworn to secrecy about what it is. So you, my blog readers, will never get to find out what it is. Unless you join the Boy Scouts. Which would be a good thing.
The OA Lodge that I will belong to is the Nisqually Lodge, #155. It is quite a large Lodge, as Lodges go, and events are held often. In fact, on September 10th, they will be holding a large trap shooting event in which OA members (called "Arrowmen") can participate. These events are called Conclaves, and I am told they're a lot of fun. If I pass my Ordeal this weekend, I'll get to participate. And I hope I do.
thinkandrew
Sand in the City
Our corner of Washington State is always teeming with different kinds of events. There must be 20 annual events that are within 2 hours of us, and most of them a are a lot of fun. One of the most popular local events is
Sand in the City. This year, Sand in the City is predicted to draw over 40,000 spectators from around the area. Teams from all over the area come to compete, including teams from Capitol Medical Center, the Washington State Patrol, and IBM. This event runs from Friday to Saturday, with a Gala Dinner on Friday night. Tickets to that dinner run $100 a person, to support the Hands on Children Museum, who puts on Sand in the City. There's even a community beach party on Saturday. What kind of event could be drawing so many people? Why, Sand in the City, of course!
Sand in the City is a large event where there is Sand in the City of Olympia. This morning, they trucked in 240 tons of very high grade sand. This sand has a very high clay content, so that it can stick and clump together much better. It also has very very fine grains. All of this sand was left in big piles on Percival Landing in downtown Olympia. Some of that sand will be used for a giant sandbox in which children can play in. The majority of it, though, will be opened to teams of artists tomorrow morning. Teams from around the area will each get a large pile, compact it and shape it to their liking, then begin carving it. Intricate sand sculptures will soon begin taking face on large mounds of sand, and judging by the public will take place on Saturday. These scultures are usually quite amazing, and can become quite large. You can see photos from past Sand in the City events at the Sand in the City website.
Every year, Sand in the City also needs many many volunteers to help set up and man the event. With over 40,000 people coming, that is no small feat. I went to volunteer this morning, when set up was just beginning. As I arrived, trucks were backing up and dumping loads of sand. That, of course, meant that I was to shovel it around. There were two very large sandboxes set up for children to play in, and it was my job (as well as the job of some others) to level out the large piles of sand to fill in the entire box. The box consisted of 4x12 inch wooden beams placed as a barrier for all the sand. The box must have been at least 30 feet long and 10 feet wide. That's a lot of sand. Anyway, it took us the better part of two hours to get all of the sand level and evened out around the entire box. With only shovels, it was quite difficult. Unfortunately, there were no rakes available; rakes would have been perfect for the job. A pizza lunch was supplied for us, but there was so much work to do that there was only enough time to grab a slice or two and eat on the way. Shoveling sand was not very fun, so I was quick to help out with setting up the large tents. Setting up tents is something I am very familiar with, even though the ones I set up aren't normally constructed of aluminium piping. Lights were strung up underneath in preparation for the evening Gala event. By the time that was done, it was time to go home. A good four hours of work had been put in, and the results could be easily seen.
Dissapointingly enough, I won't be here this weekend to see the fruits of my labor. I'll be at a Boy Scout event, and won't get to see the massive sand sculptures that will line the walkways. When I went two years ago, there was so much to see. Hundreds of people were at Percival Landing, walking in walkways that were spread out just enough so that every one could see the sculptures. Large castles, animals, giants, and even people constructed out of sand sat in the middle of the grounds. An enormous turtle peeked out at me from under its shell, while a towering castle - as tall as I was - sat beside it. The sand sculptures were something to behold, and really enjoyed looking at them. But alas, I will not get to this year. But if I am fortunate, I still might get the chance. My event with the Boy Scouts ends Sunday morning, and Sand in the City ends Sunday night. If I can finish early enough, I still might be able to!
thinkandrew
Teaching Piano
Those who can't, teach. I hope that isn't true in my case.
My older brother has been teaching beginner piano students for quite a while now. Having played for over 13 years, I would definitely think that he is qualified. However, he is now heading off to college, and I have "inherited" his piano students. Everybody has to start somewhere. I don't have visions of glory of my student playing the Saint-Saens Piano Concerto No. 2 in G-minor. Right now, I'm actually teaching him to recognize the "A" note when written in the bass-clef. Like I said, everybody has to start somewhere. But so far, he's been a great student.
It used to be my brother's regular routine, and now it is mine. Now, every Tuesday, I hop onto my bicycle and ride the half-mile or so to my student's house. I park my bike next to their driveway, then walk in to begin the lesson. It normally comprises of 15 minutes or so of practical piano work, then another 15 minutes of theory. He (my student) is quite talented, and has picked up rather fast on everything new that is being given to him. His retention is very good too, he remembers everything that I taught him the previous week. He is not
the perfect student - he still wiggles in his chair sometimes - but he is barely in second grade. I'm not sure if I sat still during my piano lessons while in the second grade. Once class is over, I talk to his parents a little to make sure that they know what I taught for this lesson. That way, they can ensure that he (my student) is practicing correctly. Then, it's just a short bike ride home.
I feel that when I'm teaching him the piano, I'm not just teaching him how to play the piano. Anybody can just sit down and plunk away at the keys. While there are certainly many piano-techniques that need to be learned, I don't feel that these are the core essence of what I am attempting to teach. What I am really trying to teach is music. While the techniques for playing music varies from instrument to instrument, the music itself never changes. A quarter note is still a quarter note, whether you play it on a violin or a tuba. While I may be picking a string on a ukulele instead of striking a note on the piano, the same note still comes out. It is very important to me that my student recognizes that he's learning how to play music very early on, rather than just playing target practice on keys. I'm sure we'll get there eventually. Right now, he's working on "Frogs on Logs".
Teaching the piano is a difficult job. Everything is so long-term, little happens immediately. When I first started playing, I don't think that I ever imagined myself prepping Rhapsody in Blue for a concert with my brother. It definitely takes time. But we're getting there. He's playing with two hands now. We'll see how it plays out. Who knows? I may have the next John Cage on my hands here.
thinkandrew
Sleepiness
As I have said in a previous post, I love to sleep. Sleeping is defined as "a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended", according to the Princeton WordNet. It is suggested that people get about 8 hours of sleep a day, and I normally do. Recently, though, even with the 8 hours of sleep, I have had a very difficult time staying awake.
While Philmont was definitely very physically demanding, I think I was running on a lot of emotional energy while there. It was very exciting to be in the New Mexico wilderness, and it was so much fun to be hiking in the mountains. It was one of the best experiences of my young life. Now that I'm home, I suddenly feel all of the tiredness that I thought I would be feeling at Philmont. Not just for one day, either, but pent up from 2 weeks. My head hurts. My eyelids feel heavy. I feel so tired right now that I don't even want to open my mouth to brush my teeth. I'm not sure why I'm so tired right now, but I definitely am. It hasn't been just today, either. I felt mostly the same way yesterday, on the drive down to Ocean Shores. Sunday afternoon was a very sleepy few hours as well. At least I stayed awake through the entire church service.
I once stayed awake for 36 hours straight, while on a flight to Singapore. I had left early in the morning, Seattle time, and arrived in Singapore around 6 am, Singapore time. Then it was a day filled with activities for me. I even ended up watching "King Kong" with my cousin at 9 pm. And I only fell asleep twice during the movie! But even after that long haul, I still feel more tired now than I did then. So I will go to bed now. I'll feel better in the morning.
thinkandrew
Kite Festival, Long Beach, WA
Long Beach is an ocean town on a peninsula in the very southwest corner of Washington. It's a quaint little town, with less that 1,500 people. Being right by the Pacific Ocean, though, has its benefits. Every year, there are several large festivals that have Long Beach as their location. One of the most popular is the Long Beach International Kite Festival.
Every year, thousands upon thousands of kites fly up into the air above Long Beach's beach-front. Hundreds of people come to watch the amazing kites go up into the air. We haven't been able to go for the past 2 years that we've been here, so we decided that this year would finally be a good time to go. We left in the morning, as it is about a 2 hour drive to get there. When we arrived, we had a quick lunch by the car, and then walked onto the beach. Imagine my surprise when I saw that all the kites were on the ground, without a single one up in the air. Of all the days to arrive; there was absolutely no sun and not even a gust of wind!! We were right by the Pacific Ocean, yet not even a trickle of wind came in from the sea. All of the kites laid sadly on the sandy beach. Once in a while, a little kid would run down the beach with his kite in tow. It was quite obvious that the kite wanted to fly, but there simply was not enough win. We sat there for about 2 hours, hoping that something would happen. Walking around and looking at the grounded kites was fun, but it would be much more fun to watch them in the air. And finally, we got to.
Around 4 o'clock, the wind suddenly picked up. Almost immediately, 20 kites flew straight up into the air as people realized that now was their chance to fly. Several large and fancy kites owned by "professional hobbyists" went up as well. One man sent up a kite train of 101 small kites, and it stretched up about 100 yards up into the sky. At the head of the train, 6 black kites had letters on each of them, spelling the word "engine". At the back, 7 red kites spelled out the word "kaboose". The man who let it up only flew it for a few minutes, before he began taking it down. Several arches of kites also flew, which are long strings of kites anchored down on each end. Some people flew large parafoils that almost seemed to climb up into the air on their own. One man had a large parafoil that had 2,200 square feet of material! He had to roll it out on the ground, anchor it to his car, and then lift up the front to have the wind catch it. The huge monster slowly inflated and floated up into the air; it was truly something to behold. Another circular kite blew so hard that it too had to be anchored to the back of the man's pick-up truck. While large kites are certainly impressive, they have too much maintenance for my tastes.
We even had the opportunity to see Ray Bethell, International Multiple Kite Champion. An old man from Canada, he flies three stunt kites at the same time! He was practicing this afternoon, in preparation for tomorrow afternoon's show. His shows, I am told, are something to behold. With music playing over speakers, his kites intricately dance to the beat. And yet he is fully deaf. This year, Ray Bethell was inducted into the International Kite Hall of Fame. How fortunate we were to see him practice!
The kites we saw were beautiful, and the pictures we took were equally stunning. Unfortunately for us, nearly half of the pictures that we took somehow got corrupted on the memory card. I'm not sure if they're recoverable or not, but I'm not counting on it. While this is definitely very dissapointing, this means two things. Number one, at least we got to see them with our own eyes. Number two, we'll just have to go back next year!
thinkandrew
Philmont Experiences, Part 2
I normally don't get many pictures of myself, and for obvious reasons. On this trip, though, I taught many of my friends how to use my camera. The Canon S2-IS is pretty easy to figure out, it
is basically a fancy point-and-shoot. Thus, I ended up being in some of my own pictures for once. It is a nice change. Out of all 700, I think I'm in about 20 of them. Other people in my crew took many pictures as well, so I hope to get copies of them. While most of them have digital cameras, they dared not risk bringing them with them on a 12 day backpacking trip. Many of them bought multiple disposable cameras. They plan to have the photos put on disc at the developers, so that the photos can be shared. If I can get them soon, I plan to compile them all onto one huge disk so that everybody can have the 1200+ photos that were taken on this trip.
Philmont is an area of New Mexico that is very rich in history. In certain parts of northern-Philmont, there are even a few archaeological digs. There is a T-Rex footprint fossil in one corner of Philmont, and many remnants of Native American villages in another. We were mostly in the Southern portion of Philmont, and that area is very rich in nature as well. We climbed Trail Peak, which had a crashed B-24 Liberator on top of it. It had crashed in 1942 during a training flight from Albuquerque to Kansas City, due to poor weather. All onboard died, including one Eagle Scout. Other pieces of history in the area run older. The Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) Mountains which Philmont surrounds is fairly rich in gold. In fact, there were quite a few gold-rushes in the area. While there is still gold in the mountains of Philmont, the Boy Scouts now own the land. Some mines have been reopened for touring purposes, and we got the opportunity to do that at Cypher's Mine, formerly operated by Charlie Cypher in the mid-19th century. Contention Mine has been reopened for the Scouts to tour, and it's well worth the trip.
The tour began with some description of mining in the area, including different mining techniques that were used to extract the gold from the ore. Apparently, it was normally done by using mercury to leach the gold out of the rock. I'm not very clear on how this happens, you can probably look it up on the internet. A walking tour of the mine is given as well. It only goes back around 100 yards or so, but within 5 yards, you're already surrounded by total darkness. While in the very back of the mine, our guide described a cave-in and how the foreman of the team would lead his men out by feel. The reason they would have to go out by feel is because all of the lights would be blown out by the rushing wind that came when rocks fell. We were then told to turn off our flashlights and slowly work our way out. At an opportune moment, our guide decided it would be fun to try and scare the heck out of us. It worked on at least one of us, and resulted in a back-handed slap to the face of our guide. That got us laughing.
Rock climbing at Miner's Park was also a lot of fun. I've barely done any rock climbing at all, and even then, it has all been on wooden towers with fake hand-holds. While still difficult, it was nothing compared to the sheer rock wall that I faced at Miner's Park. My first time on a real rock wall was a lot of fun, while very difficult at the same time. The route I took up is named "Bloody Mary", and proved the most challenging climbing I have ever done. I was stuck on the same hole for about 15 minutes, though it was comforting to find out that other people have been there longer. I was finally able to get my hand securely on that hand-hold, and pull myself over to the top. Then it was just a short rappel to the bottom, which was also a lot of fun.
We had to deal with the weather a lot as well. Philmont was experiencing its driest year in over 100 years, and has been in drought conditions for almost 7. However, we arrived at Philmont right around monsoon season, and got hit by quite a bit of rain. Hopefully, enough to make up for the dry earlier part of the year. Most of the time, it would be quite sunny in the morning and early afternoon. By around 3 o'clock, though, they sun would be hiding behind the clouds, and we probably wouldn't see it again until the next morning. Light rain would often follow around the early evening, though there were a few times when we got hit by very heavy rain. There was a rain/hail storm while we were in basecamp, and that was sort of fun. It could have been more fun, though, if I were wearing my waterproof boots instead of just regular running shoes. I didn't think I'd need waterproof boots in the high-desert. The second rain storm that hit us hit us when we were in Beaubien. When we arrived there, the staffers informed us that the National Weather Service had just warned them about the weather for the first time in Philmont History. Combinations of high and low pressure systems were drawing moist air into the area, and we were to expect up to 3 inches of rain per hour. And boy, did it happen. Rivers of water ran through previously dry fields, and we had to move our tents to avoid being flooded. But like they say in New Mexico, if you don't like the weather, come back in five minutes. It was all over within two hours. Then a really cool fog set in.
thinkandrew
Philmont Experiences
There was a whole lot to do every day. Morning until evening, we were on the run. If hiking took up most of the morning, activities would take up most of the evening. Before we even left on the trail, though, we spent a whole day in Basecamp. Basecamp is the central nervous system of Philmont, it's where all the logistics and planning happens. One of the very first things that I had to do as crew-leader was to head over to logistics and get our trek fully planned out. In there, I met "Crazy Tim". He was a really neat guy, though he had a knack for making rings, dings, squeaks, and bumps come out of every piece of furniture he touched. The meeting with him was very informative, from it I found out exactly what we would be doing while in the backcountry. Several other things happened in basecamp, including lunch (awful), tent-assignments (with cots!), shopping (more tomorrow), and health re-checks (quick). We had arrived in Basecamp quite early, so all essential items were finished by around lunch time. Then, we had some time to tour the area. One of the places I really wanted to see was the Villa Philmonte. When Waite Phillips (not to be mixed up with his twin brother, Wiate) donated the 215 square miles of land that Philmont sits on to the Boy Scouts, he also included the Villa Philmonte in his donation. The Villa Philmonte was the vacation-mansion of Waite Phillips and his wife. It is a beautiful home of 16,000 square feet, and was donated to be used as an adult training center for the Boy Scouts. A section of the Villa is kept as a house-museum, one which hour-long tours are taken through throughout the day. As I walked through it, it reminded me very much of all the other mansions that I have toured. Portions of it bore striking resemblance to Hearst Castle, the White House, and the Teak Palace in Thailand. It was a very beautiful building, with rustic charm yet grandness about it. It would have been wonderful to live there.
Lots of backcountry programs were available while hiking in Philmont. Our trek, trek 22, had an event scheduled for almost every day of hiking. These programs were open to any crew that happened to be in the staffed-camp at the time. The only real constraint was getting to the camp on time, which usually meant leaving early in the morning. We were able to attend most of them, and they were all very enjoyable. One of my favorite events happened on the second day on the trail. I've never shot a shotgun before, much less a 12-gauge over-under shotgun. The one I got to shoot was a beautiful firearm, and was a joy to shoot. The shells that I fired were loaded by myself, with a shell-loading machine. It's pretty easy to operate them; just pull the never and move the shell over to the next slot. Shooting clay-pigeons was no where near as easy. I expected the spread of the shot to be much larger, so I missed twice. After that, though, I immediately compensated and hit the next three targets. Shooting a shotgun is a lot more satisfying than shooting a rifle; it's a lot of fun to watch your target blow up. I could've stood there firing all day.
It's normally quite difficult for me to take a lot of pictures while hiking; the group I'm with seldom understands my photographic urges. But while here at Philmont, it was impossible for them not to. The land there is beautiful, with landscapes that literally take your breath away. Few people ever have the opportunity to see the sights that I see, and thus, I try to capture them to share with others. I believe I succeeded. I took almost 700 pictures over the 12 days that I was at Philmont, and every single one of them tells a story. I loved taking photos there, I could easily have taken thousands. And in this instance, my crew all took pictures with me. And now we'll all have a chance to share these views with others.
After a good night's sleep, it would be time to get up and make for the next camp. Camp set-up never took us over an hour; we got pretty good at it quite fast. It's not particularly difficult, it just involves knowing exactly what you're supposed to do and then doing it. Breaking down camp usually took us a bit longer, normally somewhere around two hours. This two hours included breakfast-eating time too, though, so it's not as long as it seems. Eventually, we'd always get on our way. And it only takes as long as it takes, so there's no point in worrying about being slow. We'll get there. Enjoy the experience while you can. We'll be ready when it's time to leave.
More tomorrow.
thinkandrew
I'm back!
I'm back! And this time, it really is me! Andrew! And the place I am back from is the epitome of Scouting Paradise, Philmont. Nestled deep in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in north-eastern New Mexico, Philmont covers 215 square-miles, making it the largest youth camp in the world. Every year, thousands of Scouts go through Philmont to experience the wonder and beauty of that area of the United States. I had the opportunity to do so this year, and it was a wonderful experience. I would defeinitely like to come back.
We saw a lot of beautiful scenary, including the Grizzly Tooth. All over these mountains, there are huge monoliths of stones sticking out of ridges. The most famous is the Tooth of Time, of which I do not yet have a picture up. On a few occasions, we were scrambling over these rocks, which made for quite a challange.
It also rained quite a bit. Out of all 12 days that we were in Philmont, there were only 3 days where it didn't rain. In fact, this first day that we were there, we got hit by a hail-storm. Even with all that rain, Philmont is still having its driest year in over 100 years. Such rainstorms frequently delayed chess games.
And eventually, after over 70-miles of trekking, we finally made it home. We did a lot, learned a lot, and experienced a lot, but there was still more to be done. Philmont is an incredible place, one which every Boy Scout should have the opportunity to go visit. My trek lasted almost 2 weeks, but yet, I'm sad that it's over. Although my feet may be sore, my legs tired, and my shoulders bruised, Philmont is where I'd love to be right now. I would love to be back on the trail.
P.S. I will write up a lot more tomorrow, when I am more fully functional. It has been a very very long day. A big thanks to all who posted for me while I was gone. I've already read some of them, and I've enjoyed the ones that I have read. Also, I took almost 700 pictures in my 12 days at Philmont. Look forward to seeing more of them!
thinkandrew
Vancouver, Canada
After traveling to many places around the world, I think Vancouver, BC, Canada is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Vancouver is located on the Pacific coast of Canada in the province of British Columbia. It is surrounded by the ocean and snow-capped mountains. The city has about 1.9 million residents with reputation as an ethnically integrated metropolis. It is the third largest cities in Canada.
Vancouver is famous for its natural beauty, stunning parks, playgrounds, skyscrapers, and authentic foods from around the world. There are many activities for everyone from young to old. Whether it’s sailing, swimming, fishing hiking, skiing, golf or tennis, music or fine arts, locals barely have to move to indulge in recreational shims.
The Canadian government sure spends a lot of money on parks and recreations to beautify the city. That’s one of the reasons why they have higher taxes. For instance, you will notice a big difference of public swimming pools in Vancouver and across the province. Their pools are much larger and fancier than the ones you normally see in the United States. They not only have fancy facilities for swimming pools, sauna, hot tubs, waterslides, gym, but also expensive pool toys for people to use. All included in the minimal admission fee.
Vancouver is a great place for dining. You can find unlimited authentic foods around the world here in the city for good prices. It’s dinner’s haven here. One of my favorite things to do in Vancouver is to have “dim sum” at Chinese Restaurants. Yummy!
One draw back about this great city is the weather. It rains quite a lot there! It can rain for days at a time. If you can handle the rain, then you'll be fine. Make sure you bring an umbrella or rain jacket with you when you go out.
If you have not visited Vancouver, I recommend you to make that your next vacation spot, and see if for yourself. The best time to visit would be late spring and summer when you get to see more sunshine.
Back from camp
Well I’m back from my week at jazz camp in Sly Park, California. Jazz camp was a blast; I played nearly four or five hours a day! The campers were split up into eight bands, based on how well one played. It was a lot of fun, getting to play in a band. Although I’ve played in church praise teams before, this was the first time I had ever played jazz regularly in a band. I thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of playing within a group, melding together and creating music. I loved listening and adapting to the rest of the rhythm section, changing my comping style according to the bassist.
Each day at camp consisted of lessons in improvisation and theory, sectional lectures on the camper’s instrument, half-hour private lessons, two-hour band practices, and jam sessions throughout the whole day. Jam sessions were a lot of fun as well. The first night, I played for three hours straight at a jam session, with about 15 trumpets, trombones, saxophones, and clarinets pointed towards the piano. My ears were ringing for a long time afterwards. It was worth it, however; the music was great.
Every night, each band performed a piece from a list of songs assigned to them. On Saturday night, at the final concert, each band had 10 minutes to perform. The faculty band also performed a set every night. It was interesting to watch each band improve as they gained not only musical experience, but also as they blended as a group. The faculty bands were incredible. It was inspiring to watch and learn from musicians of such high caliber. I hope to return and learn more next year!
Please turn off your handphones...
Is it possible to say that my family is addicted to movies?
We've got hundreds of DVDs and a lovely big screen complete with projector. We've had a movie marathon with Andrew and Joshua, watching three (or was it four?) movies in a row. People come to borrow or watch movies with us at least once a month.
Every week we watch at least one movie, and Dad buys a DVD every month too. Sure, we normally see the same movies, but we're very picky about the ones we watch. For instance, Dad doesn't like those sappy, or cheesy kind of movies. That's why we don't have movies such as Nanny McPhee or Legally Blonde.
Mom likes to watch those kind of movies sometimes, but since Dad will never, ever, ever buy those, she has to borrow them from our friends. Ethan doesn't like the same kind of movies as Dad. For me, I just dislike the more serious ones. I prefer light-hearted movies; cartoons or comedies.
Ethan and Dad read the latest on movies, and can probably tell you what interesting shows are coming out next year or month that they want to see. Ethan watches a lot of trailers too. Mom and I don't really keep track of these things, because we can just hear it all from Ethan and Dad. Heh heh heh.
Of course, that's not to mention the tons of tv shows we watch on the computer, ranging from the Simpsons to Lost. We've got all the episodes of Bleach, a Japanese anime that currently has 92 episodes, and all the episodes of Lost, right to the last season.
Seriously, I'd say we're addicted. What do you think?
Elliot
Alack! Allay!
Andrew isn’t here. He’s there. Somewhere out there. Away from his blog. At the moment I imagine he’s far away from home, wondering whether his faithful blog readers have begun to forget him already. Because he cannot let that happen, he has asked the daily doses of thinkandrew wisdom to be replaced by terribly poor substitutes – that being posts by his friends and family. Andrew may have been convinced of his readers’ thirst for consistently entertaining updates. Evidently, his friends and family don’t quite feel the same way. The daily updates have stopped since he left. What few updates there were have proved to be too brief, too long, or simply too odd. There are two possible reasons for it being so: (a) his friends and family couldn’t be bothered by Andrew’s restless fan-base, or (b) they were shy.
It is possible that his friends and family simply couldn’t be bothered to update a blog that isn’t theirs. Their philosophy could be something along the lines of, “What’s yours is yours and what’s mine is mine”. It is also equally possible that they’re nervous about standing their writing shoulder-to-shoulder against Andrew’s own. After all, one piece is going to be better than the other. There is no doubt in the minds of Andrew’s appointed substitutes as to who is the superior writer. Why risk looking like a fool?
Clearly, he is a writer of singular talent. His fans welcome each new day looking forward to more of his sophisticated wit and brilliant insight. His appointed writers are intimidated by the trademark quality of his posts.
The sad truth is that no one can reject his personal reality and substitute it for Andrew’s own. That’s because only Andrew does that. After all, it is his reality, and it is his blog. All us substitutes can do is hope that in writing here, the world will be a slightly better place. We write to give meaning to the act of continually checking this blog every other hour. We write to allay boredom. Face it, that’s why you’re reading this isn’t it?
* It is worth mentioning that Andrew is an honest guy (unless he tells a lie, of course) Take a good look at the Good Reading link box on the right. Click a link or two. Andrew didn't lie.
The Evil Twins
You can choose your friends but you are stuck with your relatives. Similarly, you can choose your neighborhood but you can't choose your neighbors. By and large we do like our neighborhood. It's tidy and neat, and most people are friendly, and we are right off the highway so it's convenient for travelling. Most places we frequent are within a 5 to 10 minute drive. The community college is just down the street so going to school in the morning is quick and easy on the bike.
Having said all that, there's certainly one thing we couldn't stand about our neighborhood. It's this pair of twins, the evil twins, I call them. They are the most obnoxious creatures on this street. They have no qualm about running into other people's yard and making themselves at home. I wonder how they behave at home, come to think of it. These kids come into our yards when no one is around. They destroy our flower plants just as the flowers are in full bloom. They pick off the young shoots and leaves of bushes. They are totally unrestrained! They come in the winter, they come in the summer! Sometimes they come when the sun is down, sometimes they even come in bright daylight. Don't they have any fear of people? They have the most useless mother! Maybe the mother is the instigator. I have seen her bringing her kids around last year. This year the kids are older and I suppose she lets them run free.
We have a small vegetable garden by the side of our house. We have planted some bush beans and they are about a foot tall now. The flower buds are swelling and we are anticipating the great taste of home grown beans soon. Everyday we go out to check on them, making sure they have plenty of water, fertilizing them to fatten them up.
Yesterday afternoon when we went to visit our beans, they appeared a bit sparse. On closer look we realised much to our horror that someone had come by and picked off the top leaves! The poor plants are standing kind of half naked with their leaves gone. Those twins! Who else could it be! They have the bad reputation. Everyone knows they are the trouble maker. We are so mad at them we could kill them, seriously. I bet they'd taste good too.
Here are two pictures of their earlier visit. If you see them, feel free to shoot.
Evil Twin #1
Evil Twin #2
Monochromatic
Black and white. For some reason, many of the best movies out there are monochromatic. Probably because what directors had to rely on then was a good plot and a decent cast. A great script played a bigger role in those days. That was before amazing Technicolor came along to bedazzle the senses, before CGI became an excuse for a movie. The good old days.
Schindler's List was deliberately filmed in black and white - way back in 1993 - and it promptly won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture.
Schindler's List tells a true story of the Holocaust and how one man, Oskar Schindler, rescued over 1100 Jews from German death camps. Critically acclaimed and arguably
Steven Spielberg's best cinematic offering of his career, it is still recognized as one of the greatest movies ever made.
Moving and powerful, as one reviewer wrote - and to my everlasting shame I've never seen it.
That is, until recently. I saw it on DVD with a few friends, who, to my bewilderment, found it more funny and educational (Malaysian textbooks don't cover the Holocaust) than anything. Of course there are moments of subtle wit and humour scattered throughout its three hours. A wry chuckle or two can be expected, but certainly to nothing to
laugh at. A man gets shot while crawling from the inside of a piano, and you laugh at the "irony" of the situation? The fear and terror on a family's faces when their hideout is discovered, and you laugh at that?
Spielberg didn't film with graphic detail the suffering and pain so many had to endure just for kicks. It wouldn't be surprising to feel shock, sorrow, or even anger on top of a swirling host of emotions - but to feel levity? Unthinkable. Some things you laugh at. Some things you don't.
Schindler's List is one of them. It's like laughing at the
Elephant Man.
Schindler's List tells a striking story of hope in one of the darkest periods of history, a story that has to be told and retold. And Spielberg, who wanted to make it a matter of "public record", did exactly that. It's impossible to see it and leave the room unaffected. Sometimes, everything should be black and white. Never forget.
Don't laugh.
* This article as seen on Ethan's blog!
Day 2
Well, we have heard from Andrew a few times since he left 3 days ago. The crew had arrived in Denver, Colorado, bought their fuel and driven to Raton, New Mexico and spent a night there. On Sunday, yesterday, which is officially Day 1 of their trek there, they arrived at Philmont Boys Scout Ranch early in the morning. According to the itinerary left for us, Day 1 is spent at Philmont Welcome Center. The scoutmasters have their meeting with the staff to finalize paperworks, the crew leader meets the itinerary planner at Logistics Services to finalize their trekking program, pick up food and so on.
Today is Day 2 where the crew start their hike. They camp tonight at Vaca, at an elevation of 7,620 feet. I don't know how far they hike today. The weather seems to be in the 70s. I hope they have a good day today.
Jazz Camp
Well, I'm going to jazz camp tomorrow. I am very fortunate to be able to attend the
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Camp. I will be studying traditional jazz and improvisation there for seven days. At the end of the camp, the campers hold a concert, showcasing their newly developed skills in jazz improvisation.
I've been playing the piano for about fourteen years now. I started piano lessons a couple weeks after I turned four. Although I've been playing classical piano for a while, I've actually only started studying jazz two or three years ago. Jazz has quite a different feel from classical music. On top of the syncopated rhythms, jazz musicians also improvise and create new melodies on the fly.
I'm getting a little better at improvisation now. It was very difficult for me, at first. I can sight-read jazz charts, for the most part, but I want to be able to create better sounding motifs (improve my improv). I've heard many good things about this camp from people who have attended before, so I am really looking forward to it.
See you all when I get back!
I've known Andrew for quite a few years now, ever since he was in Malaysia. We met through Homeschooling, and we visited his house many times. I still remember the days where we would sleep over at his house and play Scattergories and Risk.
Of course, now that they've moved to the US, we can't meet up anymore, unless we chat on Skype or Msn. Andrew is really quite a talented (don't let it get to your head, Andrew) person, being well versed in the arts of music and literature. Seriously, he can play what, 3/4 different instruments?
Also, Andrew is a very nice person to be with, unless you can't find anything to talk about at all with him, which is very unlikely. =p
qwertyelliot
Skunks
The skunk is a mammal. It is black with white stripes going down its back. It has bushy tail and is about the same size a cat. They have small eyes and small ears.
There are “wild skunks” and “city skunks”. The wild ones live in forests and grasslands, underground in dens. The city ones live under porches and buildings.
Skunks eat wild snakes, bird eggs, small rodents and mice. They also like insects, grasshoppers, spiders, weevils, grubs and even some small animals. The city skunks sometimes have to resort to eat food that has been left out for family pets and garbage.
The skunk is usually quiet, but sometimes makes a high screeching, whistling sound when it is mad or afraid.
The skunk waddles when it walks and it can run up to 14 kilometers an hour.
Other wild animals are a threat to the skunk. It must be aware of the bobcat, horned owl, fox, eagles, coyotes, badgers and fishers. The city skunk must be aware of dogs and automobiles.
Baby skunks are born black and white. It takes two weeks for their fur to thicken. In spring, skunks give birth in a grass lined den. They usually have between four and six babies. The mom stays with the babies for two weeks. The baby skunk can then go on its first hunt.
The skunk is special because of its ability to spray and squirt a bad smell to ward off predators.
By: Erika (8 years old)
Travel Itinerary
My travel schedule down to New Mexico is quite a wild a varied one. It involves a 3 hour plane-trip, car rentals, several hours of driving, and two motels. Just incase you guys are curious, I'll tell you exactly where I will be for the next two days.
Our crew is flying out of SeaTac airport tomorrow morning, at 7 a.m. With the SeaTac airport about an hour away, most of us didn't want to wake up at 3 so that we could make our flight in time. That's why tonight, we'll be driving up to SeaTac to stay the night in a motel. We'll be up bright and early tomorrow morning, and we'll be ready to go to the airport.
Then, it's a short hop down to Denver International Airport, where we'll rent some cars and start driving. I had said before in a previous post that we would be stopping by an REI or something to pick up fuel for our stoves; that will be done in Denver. The drive down into New Mexico isn't too long, it's only about 4 hours. Added up with the flight, though, it does make for a long day of traveling. I've already looked up all the good radio stations in the area, all the way from Denver down to Cimmaron. We'll need to stay another night on the road, though, as we aren't scheduled to arrive in Philmont until the 6th. Our night will be spent in Raton, NM, just a short 25-mile jaunt from Cimmaron.
The morning we arrive in Philmont will be a hectic one. At any given time, there are probably 600 scouts in Philmont at once. Considering that the town of Cimmaron is less than 900 people, that's quite a big number. The 6th will be the day that everybody gets geared up, gets organized, and ready to hit the trail the next morning. My whole day will be filled with paperwork and meetings, as I plan out our crew's final schedual and finalize payments with Philmont. I hope that I will have some time left over, because there's a lot of interesting things to do in the area. There's the Philmont Tooth of Time Traders - a large store, the Kit Carson museum, and even Villa Philmonte, the former private residence of Waite Phillips, the man who donated Philmont to the BSA. And Waite Phillips was the man behind Phillips Petroleum. Then we're off to 11 days of hiking, fishing, shooting, and riding!
We get back into basecamp on the afternoon of the 17th, when showers will be well anticipated. There will be a ceremonial campfire, then we'll all stay a night in basecamp. Next morning, bright and early, we'll be booted out. Then it's a drive back to Denver, a flight on the same day, and hopefully a warm bed in our own houses that night.
As you can see, this itinerary does not leave much room for internet access or blogging. Thus, I will not be blogging until the 18th. Some other people will be helping me keep this blog midly alive when I am gone, thanks to all who are. I'll see you all when I get back.
thinkandrew
Packing for the trip
I am no stranger to packing for trips. I have lived all over the world, and packed for countless trips. I've packed boxes when we moved here to the US, packed small duffels for weekend trips up to Penang, packed suitcases when we flew here to the US on holiday, packed duffels for a boat trip, and packed a backpack for a 12-day backpacking trip. It's become quite a routine for me, and I can normally get done packing within an hour or two.
For most family trips, space is not that much of an issue. Duffels are usually the luggage of choice. We recently got a car-top carrier, so now we can carry a lot more than we usually can. It also makes for much more comfortable car-rides, as things won't be piled up between us and under our legs. Most of the family trips we take involve quite a bit of driving as well, so being comfortable in our chairs is usually preferable. In my duffel, I'll bring a lot of clothes, books, and whatever toys and games that I think that I'll want on the trip. I usually end up using only half of it, but better safe than sorry, ya know? We never really get very dirty during our trips, so there's no real point in changing clothes. I've gone for a whole week at summer camp without any showers other than the daily swim and rub-down in the lake, and I was perfectly fine. Shower facilities sometimes just aren't really available.
Like I said just now, I usually bring quite a bit of clothes with me on our family trips. However, on this trip to Philmont, I'm bringing half the amount of clothes for a doubly-long trip. As far as hiking-clothes, I'm only bringing two full sets. You wear one until it's dirty, then wear the other one while you're washing the first set. I feel there's a certain level that your clothes will get to where they can't get any dirtier. By that conclusion, there is no reason to bring more clothes, as they will quickly reach that level as well. Then, not only will you have to carry the extra weight of the clothes, you'll have to carry the extra weight of the dirt on the clothes too. But as long as I can get my clothes reasonably clean by hand-washing it in some lake, I figure it's worth it to carry less weight. In fact, the clothes that I'm bringing takes up very little room inside my pack. Most of the bulk comes from my sleeping bag and pad, and whatever crew-gear I have to bring.
To transport my pack to Denver, I'll be putting it inside a large duffel before I check it onto the plane. While packs are quite sturdy on the trail, they're quite fragile while in an airport. Compression straps and daisy chains that hang off of the pack can be very handy for clipping on whatever water-bottles or jackets that you need. But when going through an airport check-in system, these straps can get caught anywhere and everywhere. A high-quality pack can quickly get decimated through such machines. That's why everything I'm bringing goes into one large duffel, then is repacked once I reach Philmont. That way, all my gear will remain safe, instead of strewn out over some floor in an inaccessible part of the airport.
thinkandrew
Food Time
Quick! It's the ice-cream boat!
Food is necessary for survival. There's just no getting around the fact that everybody needs to eat. For most of us, the consumption of food is also a routine. Most people, including myself, don't just eat when we get hungry, and just sit around when we're full. Regular meal-times always happen, and we often even have the same types of food for different meals. At home, breakfast is not a huge meal for me. Sometimes I'll eat it, other times I won't. But if I do, it either consists of toasted bread or cereal. Occasionally, we'll have eggs and sausages, but that's on rare occasions. Cereal and milk is normally sufficient for me. Lunch time is not strict in the house, either. If we haven't eaten breakfast, we'll normally serve lunch around 12. If we have eaten breakfast, then lunch will probably be served around 1, or even a little later. Lunch tends to be leftovers, or whatever can be prepared relatively quickly. It's my job to wash the dishes for lunch, too. Dinner is held anywhere from 6:30 until 7:30. I even recall once or twice when we ate dinner at 8. Dinner is our biggest meal, and usually involves the most cooking. It's my brother's job to take care of the dinner dishes, so I get to sit around and digest after dinner.
On my recent trip on the SSS Curtis, meal times were a lot more precise. Breakfast was always served at the same time, and so was lunch and dinner, with the exception of times when activities took priority over meal time. The boat had a very competent chef on it, usually with a helper from our crew. The food served was fantastic, and people always showed up in time to eat. With 28 people on board, there was usually quite a line. Leadership was supposed to eat first, but for me at least, I didn't really mind when I ate, as long as there was food left for me. And there was plenty of it. I recall one time where delays forced us to have a late lunch. Members of the crew wanted to watch a movie in Friday Harbor, so we were also forced to eat an early dinner. Both meals were great, as well as very large. With only about three and a half hours between the meals, eating the good food almost became a chore. Fortunately, there were leftovers for lunch the next day.
While on the trail, food comes when you're hungry. A certain number of miles need to be covered in a day, so we normally just keep on going until we feel like we need to stop. Normally, we eat lunch on the trail for the first day, as we had to drive up to the trail-head in the morning. Dinner is always eaten in camp, I can't think of any time where we had to eat dinner on the way. For the rest of the days, though, lunch can normally be eaten in camp as well. I like to get an early start, some time around 7 to 7:30, so we normally can get into camp by noon-ish. If we're still on the trail, food is usually self-served. On most of the backpacking trips I've been on, I just sort of take care of myself when it comes to food. Philmont training hikes are the only backpacking trips I've been on where food is planned on a group basis. I suppose either way works well, but I've always found it easier just to plan for myself. If it's the last day of hiking, and we're driving home that day, we normally stop in a restaurant for lunch. A burger joint of diner is usually the stop of choice. And if you didn't bring enough money, don't worry. Someone ALWAYS buys too much food and asks you to help him finish it. Always.
thinkandrew
Pack-Check
This evening, our Philmont Crew had our last crew meeting before heading off on Friday. Today was our pack-check, where we spread everything out on tables to make sure that we had everything we needed. A pack-check is a very important thing to hold, as you probably don't want to end up 5 miles up the trail and realize that you forgot some very important item. The pack-check we had was held at our regular meeting place, although there was no regular troop meeting that night. Nearly everybody came; we were only missing one person out of our crew of twelve. The pack-check went through without a hitch, and none of us were missing anything. Philmont provided us with a packing list, and we all followed it pretty well. Everything I need is now stowed away in my pack, and I'm not going to touch it until we leave Friday evening. The only thing that I could forget now is my shoes, when I walk out the door. And that's not as ridiculous as it sounds. It has happened before.
Mr. D, one of the adults in our crew, had the misfortune of forgetting his shoes on our last backpacking trip. Not actually his shoes, but his hiking boots. And not actually forgetting them, but grabbing the wrong ones. You see, he had forgotten to take them out the night before, so he just grabbed a pair off the rack when he left the house. Turns out that the ones he grabbed were his son's from 3 years ago, and thus were way too small. When you wear a size 9 1/2 shoe, wearing a size 7 1/2 can be quite a squeeze. He didn't even realize it until he put them on at the trail-head. I didn't actually find out about it until we reached our first campsite 6 miles in. Fortunately for him, I had brought two pairs of shoes with me; one pair of hiking boots, and one pair of trail-running-capable shoes. I loaned my boots to him for the rest of the trip, and I was perfectly comfortable in my shoes. It worked out great, though we still remind him about the incident as often as possible.
Fortunately for us, if we really forget anything when we leave on Friday, we'll still have the chance to grab what we need. We'll be stopping at REI in Denver on the way down, to grab some fuel for our stoves. We had previously shipped our stoves down to Philmont, as we aren't allowed to carry them on the plane. Fuel cannot be shipped, though, so we're having to buy some when we get there. Almost any gear that needs to be replaced can be replaced at REI. Philmont has the Tooth of Time Traders, too, which also carries a lot of gear for your outdoor needs. Thus, the mistake can be corrected, but it'll be a costly correction. The best thing to do is to plan for no mistakes at all. After all, the less money we spend on replacing gear, the more money we'll be able to spend on souvenirs. And when it's the trip of a lifetime, you probably will want a few souvenirs.
thinkandrew
