Looking Down

Today was a day for hiking in some beautiful country.  For the scouts it was day 5 and the last 10 miles of their 50 miler.  For myself and the 11 year old scouts it was day one.  Everyone did really well. 

We drove to our starting point and then we dropped down for a ways on a fairly rocky road.  At the bottom we gathered at a drinking hole and got to experience the community cup that hangs on the fence there.
As we were preparing to continue on I was asked about my first aid kit.  It was only a small backpacking kit I had put together with a few bandages, some moleskin and a few other items.  Turns out one of the boys was chaffing and Bro Thorley had forgotten his pack at camp.  There was nothing in my little kit for chaffing but I brought my chaffing stick in my bag.  The scout used it and was able to continue hiking the rest of the day.  Later another scout had the same problem and then another.  I donated the stick to the troop.  In my mind a community chaffing stick is not something I'm real interested in.  I highly recommend them though and will go pick up another "personal" stick.  I also suggested to Borden Jenkins that they add that item to their list of things to bring. 

We were hiking to the edge of the Narrows.  It was hot, it was dry and it reminded me why I prefer hiking in the water and in slot canyons but it was fun nonetheless.  Looking Down in the canyon was pretty amazing.  It is hard to capture that on film but I tried anyway.  We had lunch on the edge and that was pretty neat.  I thought so anyway. 

The 11 year old scouts made it.  There was some questioning as to why we had to do it but they all pulled through and did a good job.  It was good to be around the older scouts and to see them accomplish this 50 miler.  We came back to a great meal at camp that the scout committee took care of.  Families came up for it also.  It was a good time and a good finish to the day for me and the week for the scouts.