A Week at Philmont Training Center

on June 22, 2014 in Advancement, National, Philmont, Training

PTCdeerWell, the week is now a part of history. Last week I spent my vacation at the Philmont Training Center at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. It was awesome! Sunny every day. Not a drop of rain. Great Scouters and instructors everywhere. And only one mosquito bit me. (Several dozen would bite me during a weekend outing in Minnesota.) And to top it off, I actually learned a few things about advancement, which is saying something after spending 30 years as a scoutmaster.

The food was fantastic. I had lost 25 pounds before going to Philmont, from 193 to 168. Yes, I hit my goal, but I knew that going on vacation to PTC it would be hard to keep up the diet. So I didn’t. The food prepared in the dining hall by the PTC staff was great. I never went away hungry. If you did not like the main course, you could fix something at the hot bar. If that did not meet your taste buds you could always fix yourself a salad or a sandwich of your choice. And if those did not suit your mood, well, fix yourself a bowl of cereal. I was a little worried when I stepped on the scale this morning. I guess all that walking while at PTC paid off. I only gained  four pounds back. I should have that gone by the end of next week or sooner.

My camera and iPad were busy during the trip. I usually took a few hundred photos when I was at Philmont in the past. I really outdid myself this year thanks to digital technology. In fact, I set a record not only for my trips to Philmont, but for any vacation I have ever taken. I have 907 photos of the trip between the two cameras. I also have 33 videos taken of various events through the week, including a talk given to my my class by  the National Commissioner Tico Perez. Photos and videos came to over 14 GB. Do you think I might have overdone it a bit?

Yep, it was a great trip, made better by sharing it with Bob, my district executive from the Central Minnesota Council. Keep a watch on this blog during the next few weeks as I share more stories, photos, and videos from the trip.

One Response to “A Week at Philmont Training Center”

  1. Paul Yelk says:

    Last year was my first year going to PTC. After spending the week dung the “Advancement Issues and Solutions” conference, I wondered why I waited all these year to go to PTC (I’m now on my 57th year of Scouting as an adult).

    Unfortunately I will not be attending any of the advancement conferences this year as I have been “promoted” from District Advancement Recognition Chair” for the Thunderbird District to Council Training Registrar.

    I am going back to PTC this year for the first ever PTC Ambassador Seminar. I’m sure it will be as much fun as last year’s Advancement conference. While I was a bit apprehensive about going last year, the webinar conducted in May 2013 eased a lot of my concerns. I drove from Spokane WA to PTC. Yes, a long 3-day trip, but mostly worth the time (except boring Wyoming!).

    Paul Y
    Council Training Registrar
    Inland Northwest Council
    Spokane WA
    “Once a Fox, always a Fox”

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