I love to camp. Camping is at the top of my list of favorites next to food and girls. It's not just the sleeping outdoors and enjoying nature aspect of it that I find appealing, but also the many activities that are available while roughen it in the backwoods. Exploring caves, climbing trees, and hunting small animals are all things I like to do while camping. There are also other things that require more time and equipment that make for great camp activities, like shooting firearms and rock climbing. Now I've been camping since as far back as I can remember, with the scouts, my family, or just a small group of my friends. Most of those trips only included a portion of the previously mentioned activities that I so enjoy......... except one. It's called Philmont Scout Ranch and it's the mother load of all camping destinations. It's the boy scout capitol of the world, located in the mountains of northern New Mexico that thousands of avid campers flock to each year. It takes all of the coolest parts of camping and rolls them into a two week backpacking adventure that would blow your mind! (Unless you don't love camping , in which case you can go ahead and stop reading this blog right now. Shun the nonbeliever!) It's so awesome that literally every third memory that pops into my brain is from my Philmont adventure three years ago. I had to throw out an entire year of 7^th grade social studies to make sure I keep those precious memories at the forefront of my mind. What made Philmont 251extra special to me were the people that were there with me. Rex Self, my older brother was there along with my two favorite cousins Drew Shumway and Cameron Allred plus one of my best friends Caleb Layden. I don't always get along with my brother but I'm sure glad that we were able to share in that fun experience together. I haven't hung out with any of those guys since and not reminisced about our time together at good o'Philmont. The stories never get old even though they've been retold countless time. You know when someone tells a story and then no one laughs so they say “ you had to be there”, well this isn't one of those times. These stories are funny and entertaining to anyone, unless you hate camping then I would ask that you please review the fine print above. I've been meaning to write down my experiences from Philmont for a while now but I could never find the time. Now I record these stories and share them with you at the same time as I receive college credit! And with all of these memories written down I can finally have room in my noggin for the Periodic Table of Elements or the names of books from the Canon of Literature. It can't get any better than this! Each week I plan on writing a few of my adventures and sharing them with you. I hope you enjoy.