07/04/2026
Back to Civilization! 🤠🐴🍕Another early start today—our alarm clock went off at the completely unreasonable hour of 3:30 AM. We packed up camp, loaded the pack horses, headed to the barn, saddled up our mounts, and made our way back toward Ponil by way of Pueblano.
After arriving back at Ponil, we unloaded our gear, grabbed some lunch, and prepared for the big event of the day: the Gymkhana (rodeo) against our sister cavalcade crew. The competition included four events: barrel racing, figure 8, flag relay, and herding burros. Our crew represented well, with Grayson Smith and Evie Allred taking home wins in both the barrel racing and figure 8 events. Their reward? The ultimate prize after a long trail ride—free ice cream tokens. 🏆🍦
After the rodeo, the youth headed off to complete a conservation project, while the adults took on the equally important task of visiting the Cantina. In a tremendous display of selfless leadership, Matt and Bob took on the challenge of transporting several open mugs of root beer back to camp without wearing them. Watching the two of them carefully carry a box full of sloshing root beer across camp was almost its own rodeo event. Somehow, they made it back just in time for the youth to return from the conservation project, enjoy their root beer, and load the bus for the trip back to base camp. 🍺 (Root beer, of course!)
Once back at base camp, we took our official "before and after" wagon photo. Let's just say the after photo definitely shows we've spent some quality time in the New Mexico backcountry. We looked a little less "fresh off the bus" and a little more "extras from an old western." 😂
Next stop was branding. Many of us had souvenirs branded, and I had my boots marked with both the PS (Philmont Scout Ranch cattle brand) and the Bar S horse brand. Nothing says "I survived a cavalcade" quite like permanently decorating your boots with hot metal. We wrapped up the day the best way possible: actual soda, pizza, and a return to civilization. After days on the trail, a cold drink and a hot pizza might as well be a five-star meal. It's been an incredible adventure. We rode miles of beautiful country, competed in a rodeo, herded burros, branded our gear, and somehow survived another 3:30 AM wakeup. But I won't lie—after a week on the trail, pizza, soda, and indoor plumbing are looking pretty amazing. 🤠🐴🍕🍦
