April was the countdown to the inevitable. We knew mid-month that Philmont Scout Ranch would update their COVID-19 strategy on May 1 and that announcement could mean the end to our 2020 backpacking trek. Throughout April, NeutronLad and I maintained our Philmont routines and started thinking about how we could kick them into higher gear … Read more
We started actively training for our big 12-day backpacking trip to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico in January, and got into a good groove in February. And then everything changed. During the first half of the month, we maintained our regime of working out three times a week as a group, but by the middle of the month, … Read more
I expect to learn a lot on the Trail to Philmont. In February, I learned that if you run a lot … you need to periodically buy new running shoes. I bought my Hokas when I started running again after breaking my ankle. With thick soles and excellent support, they were like running on pillows … Read more
The Trail to Philmont started in January with three-times-a-week workouts at our local college. We exercised in a variety of temperatures, from a low in the 20s (maybe high teens) to a high in the low 40s. We ran the quad, we ran the track around the football field, and we ran the utility loop … Read more
My son and I are headed to the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico in six months. Once there we will spend 12 days backpacking with other scouts from NeutronLad’s troop. In total, three adults and six scouts are going. We’ll be backpacking approximately 60-80 miles while at Philmont. The variability comes from the … Read more