Type II Fun
the Crew of Expedition 612-7F at Philmont Scout Ranch
Supposedly there are three different types of fun.
Type I Fun is something that is recognizable as enjoyable at the same time it is experienced. Type II is something that might be challenging in the moment, but with the passage of time is remembered as being fun. Type III is something that isn’t fun in the moment and is never thought of as being pleasant in any way.
I learned about these classifications during a trip to Philmont Scout Ranch earlier this month. Every year, tens of thousands of Scouts from all over the country converge on its 140,000 acres of rugged New Mexico terrain to embark on a series of backpacking treks. My father went on one of these when he was in Boy Scouts in the late 1950s and although I, too, was a Scout in the early 1990s, I never made it to Philmont. I didn’t think I ever would given that I had two daughters, but in 2019 Boy Scouts of America began allowing girls into its signature program and so when my daughter’s organized an expedition to Philmont, I signed up as an “Adult Advisor.”
Philmont proved to be a singular experience. It is neither like a summer camp as participants are constantly on the move carrying everything they need on their backs, nor is it like a thru-hike in that a series staffed sites encountered on the trail offer participants activities ranging from those closely associated with scouting (fly fishing and rifle shooting) to those that are not (mountain biking and railroad building). The adults accompanying the scouts on these treks are charged with providing general guidance when needed and help in emergencies. Otherwise, it’s up to the scouts to make the decisions and lead themselves.
Even without describing the many characters, events, and inside jokes that defined our time at Philmont, the simple fact that seven teenagers from San Antonio managed to hike over fifty miles in six days through the wilderness of New Mexico says plenty. Words of complaint were heard on the trail, but so too were words of encouragement. Exhaustion and grumpiness was pervasive at the end of the long days, but so too was excitement and humor. And after emerging from the backcountry (and after taking long showers and eating real food), the girls could be heard laughing about the same things they had described as “torturous” only days before.
It is no secret that heightened experiences are often viewed fondly in retrospect: when viewed from the perspective of the future, we know how things turned out in the past. We know we overcame the challenges we faced. We know the cliche is true and that the thing that felt like it might kill us did indeed make us stronger.
And so as Expedition 612-7F began driving back to Texas, their time at Philmont seemed to have already been reclassified as Type II fun.
Below is a message I shared with the members of our crew. Not all of the references will make sense, but you can use your imagination:
To the Crew of Expedition 612-7F-
In the week that has passed since your triumphant return to civilization, I hope you've had time to clean your dirty laundry and heal your blistered feet. I also hope the memory of your time at Philmont has had time to evolve from Type III to Type II fun.
It was an intense few days to be sure: you hiked more miles while carrying more weight and completing more tasks than you probably thought was possible when you first arrived at Base Camp. But despite the uncertainty felt during that first day's arduous climb, you preserved. From my position at the back of the line, I watched as you learned from both your early experiences and from your fellow crew members. I watched as you accomplished more than what initially seemed possible. I watched as you proved you are capable of amazing things.
It should go without saying that I’m personally proud of each and every one of you, but my opinion should matter little. In the end, YOU should be proud of YOURSELF. It is my sincere hope that Philmont has provided fuel to propel you forward regardless of where your journey takes you. Even if you never again hike fifty miles through the mountains of northern New Mexico, I hope you take from Philmont the confidence that doing so has provided. Even if you never again carry around fifty pounds in an overstuffed backpack, I hope you take from Philmont an appreciation of the strength you proved to have. Even if you never again find yourself needing to hang a bear bag, I hope you take from Philmont an understanding that by working together you can do most anything… even on a rocky slope at night when you are tired.
And I do hope you will remember Philmont as fondly as I will. For me, it was all Type I fun (or at least MOSTLY Type I fun) and I will be forever grateful to have had the opportunity to share the adventure with you.
Thanks-
-Brantley Hightower
Expedition 612-7F Lead Advisor, Number Nine, Slug Tongue
