GC> Unfortunately scouting is not always a cheap 
 GC> endeavour!
Fortunately, as a leader in the USA, my "out of pocket" expenses as a leader 
are tax deductable.  With automobile mileage included, it can be a hefty 
deduction.
 GC> That would be a blast!  The longest hike we did last 
 GC> year was 25Km.
This is one of the shorter hikes.  The son of one of my friends (Scoutmaster 
of another troop) participated in an 84 mile hike at Philmont this summer.  
They were arriving at the camp as we were finishing our trek.
 MB> One of the many neat things about Philmont is all 
 MB> the interesting folks
 MB> from all over the USA and perhaps even Japan or 
 MB> Europe.
 GC> It is always very interesting to meet scouts from 
 GC> other nations!  We are all the same but we are all 
 GC> different!
We did not encounter any foreign crews this year, but did meet some from 
Europe last year.  We did meet one crew this year who had a cousin from 
England who was spending the summer in the USA to go on a trek.  It was 
interesting to speak with him.
Mike Bourne
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