The next day we set off from Lovers Leap campground full of good spirits.
Little did we know that we were about to learn a valuable Philmont lesson: the first thing you do when you get to camp is pitch your tent. Turns out that in August, it rains almost like clockwork in the early afternoon. Sometimes quite abruptly and violently.

Click on the thumbnail for full-sized picture..

Packing up at Oh-dark-Thirty by the light of a flashlight held in your teeth.		Jas shows us his wavy back.		The Deepster lets her hair down.		After packing, no one wanted to smile for the camera.
Mrs. S. and William do their stretches... or practice their own form of primitive forestry.		Ian and Matt.		The last of the dirty dozen: Ranger Dan. Here we catch him in the middle of his inimitable "cap flip". Done single handed and without looking... with the saddest looking cap you've ever seen.
		Here we get a peek at the Peak. We'll be back!		Look closely and you'll see Mr. Rattler. There is no blank on the Wildlife Census for "Snake, Rattler"...  so, who's counting? Tastes like chicken.		Very nice picture of a Black-eyed-Susan and its friend.
Looking back at the valley as we go up Urraca Mesa.		Note the Reverends buckle. I guess when you are a man of the cloth, you don't need a belt to hold your pants up.		The legendary camping Q-Tip!		Not the most flattering picture, but I include it to keep me humble.
Nice picture of our crew-leaderess.		Just the second day and Mooner is already looking for loopholes.				You know, sitting on jagged lava rock can tear hiking shorts easily...