Totin Chip

Safety first! That is the motto of Scout leaders as we take the boys into the outdoors. The BSA has plenty of rules, regulations, and guidelines to follow as we head into the woods. One guideline is for the Scouts to earn their Totin Chip card before they use pocket knives, axes, hatchets, and saws. I agree. Troop 68 has used the Totin Chip nearly since the troop started in December of 1979. We take safety seriously and so far, knock on wood, we have had very few injuries during the last three decades.

Think you know your Totin Chip safety? Check it out! Take the test at the Melrose Troop 68 site and see how you do. You will find it HERE.

Take the test and then check your answers. No cheating! Let me know what you think of it, and if you are not shy, post your score for others to beat by posting a comment to this blog. Have fun.

Humorous Camping Tips

You need to check out Buffalo Eagle's latest post to the Lone Star Scout Blog. It lists over eighteen great humorous tips for camping. One of my favorites from this list is, "Lint from your navel makes a handy fire starter. Warning: Remove lint from navel before applying the match." You can find the posting here:
http://buffaloeagle.wordpress.com/2008/01/11/some-camping-tips/

My Pack Just Disappeared!

It had been a good day at Many Point Scout Camp, but it was time for a good night's sleep. My last check of the campsite was complete. The Scouts were all in their tents, crawled into their sleeping bags, laying on their cots. I walked into my canvas A-framed tent and began changing my clothes. I noticed a small field mouse exploring the far corner of the floorless tent, looking for something to eat. "You are looking in the wrong tent," I thought to myself as I pulled off my socks.

I had just crawled into my sleeping bag when the yelling began in the tent that was next to mine. It was the tent that housed the senior patrol leader (SPL) and his assistant. "There is something in our tent," the SPL shouted. "Steve, there is something in our tent!"

My first thought was of the little field mouse I had just seen in my tent, so I called back to him, "It's probably just a field mouse. Don't worry about it."

"It's not a field mouse," he yelled back. "There is something in our tent." Then, his voice became louder and higher pitched as he screamed, "My backpack just disappeared!" Okay, so it is not a field mouse, I thought to myself as I crawled out of my sleeping bag, grabbed a flashlight, and put on my shoes. I poked my head out of the tent, shined the flashlight around, and almost immediately spotted a couple beady pair of raccoon eyes reflecting back to me. I was startled to see how big they were. Obviously, they had been eating well this summer. I also saw two young raccoons on the edge of the woods. Isn't that nice, I thought. The whole family is here.

The raccoons were checking out the SPL's backpack for any tasty snacks. After scaring them off and returning the pack, the SPL admitted to having food hidden in his pack. He removed the food and returned the pack to his tent. Unfortunately, the damage had been done. The raccoon family now knew of a tent that may have food in it. That family of critters returned every night about 10:30 for the next three nights, hoping to find something to nibble on.

It turned out to be a good lesson for the troop, although it was a hard lesson for the senior patrol leader. It has turned into a good story for around the campfire. To me, it will always be known as "The Night The Backpack Disappeared!"

The Outdoor Code

How many of your troop members know the Outdoor Code? How many of you adult troop leaders know it by memory? I think the Outdoor Code is an important part of Scouting that sometimes get overlooked.

As an American, I will do my best to be clean in my outdoor manners, to be careful with fire, to be considerate in the outdoors, and to be conservation minded.

The four c's of the Outdoor code are great guides for camping anywhere, whether you are in a campground or
a back country wilderness area. Scouting is about keeping our country and campgrounds clean from trash and graffiti. Campfire safety is a priority. Scouts should be considerate of not only other campers but also the wildlife that call the woodlands their home. Scouts and leaders should always be thinking of conserving our natural resources and wilderness areas for future generations.

The Boy Scouts of Troop 68 are very familiar with the Outdoor Code. They sometimes recite it as part of the opening at troop meetings. It is part of their Totin Chip and Fireman Chit training.

In the First Class Rank ceremony found in Woods Wisdom, the First Class Scout is called a Scout Camper. A good Scout Camper should follow the guidelines of the Outdoor Code, so when a Scout comes to me for his First Class scoutmaster conference we will take a few minutes to discuss the code and what it means. Is it a requirement of attaining First Class? No. But I believe it is important enough that a Boy Scout should be familiar with it.

As adult leaders in Scouting we also need to follow the Outdoor Code. If we throw trash on the ground, or do things that are not safe around a campfire, or show disrespect for the outdoors, then we are telling the Scouts that the Outdoor Code is meaningless. Actions DO speak louder then words.

So, going back to the first paragraph of this post... Do you know the Outdoor Code? And more importantly, do you practice its principles?

And The Interpreter Slept

In 2002, Troop 68 sent two crews to the Charles Sommers Canoe Base near Ely, Minnesota, to canoe through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. This was the first time Troop 68 had sent anyone to this high adventure base that was practically in our own backyard. One crew consisted of the older Boy Scouts, 15-17 years old. The other crew was made up of the younger boys. I was one of the two adult advisers for the older boy crew.

We were assigned an interpreter when we arrived at the base camp. A CSCB interpreter is similar to the Philmont ranger. The interpreter prepared us for our five day trip, helped us to plan our trip through the BWCA, and then went on the trip with us, providing pointers and how-to advice along the way.

Our interpreter, Sinclair, was a very nice guy who really knew his stuff. We could tell he loved being a part of this high adventure base. He was easy to get along with and the Scouts enjoyed having him around. He also had the ability to fall asleep easily, in any position, and at any time. When we would take a rest break there would be Sinclair, sleeping on top of a fallen tree. Once camp was made for the day Sinclair would disappear into his tent for a quick nap.

We had no problems with Sinclair taking a nap. In fact, I envied him being able to nod off so easily. One of the first days though, it backfired on him. He was taking a nap in his tent after camp was set up. The Scouts had begun cooking the evening meal. They used every pot that we had brought along on the trip. Sinclair was not a happy camper when he woke up and all the messy pots. He had a nice chat with the Scouts about one pot meals, or at least using as few cooking utensils as possible. The next day we noticed he did not take a nap if there was work to be done by the crew.

Like I said, he got along great with the crew, both the boys and the adults. The boys enjoyed the trip so much that they wrote a poem about it, including various events along the way, the food, and of course, our interpreter's naps. One crew member read the poem during the closing program at base camp our last night. I think Sinclair was a little embarrassed. Here is is for your enjoyment....

And The Interpreter Slept
written by The 2002 BWCA Crew B, Melrose Troop 68

Our trip to the BWCA
began one glorious day.
The interpreter was late to eat.
He jumped to another when they would meet.
Then our interpreter slept.

We paddled through the rain
though a lot we did gain.
A downed tree interrupted our strut
We realized through it we must cut.
And our interpreter slept.

Through the deep mud we did trudge
All but two were stuck in the sludge.
Before a picture we took
No one escaped from the gook.
And our interpreter slept.

Though the portage had been tread
by two we still had not been fed.
To get us anything to eat
We pumped and pumped and pumped ‘till vee vere beat.
And our interpreter slept.

When it came time for supper that night
We used every pot in site.
Sand infiltrated the sweets we ate.
“It’s crunchy. It tastes like cereal. It’s awesome. It’s great!”
Because our interpreter slept.

Through the rapids we did walk
Though at the site of a ruined canoe we balked.
And though Ben’s hand was half ruined
all replied, “Tis only a flesh wound!”
As our interpreter slept.

Our interpreter could not count ‘til eight
so we had to share the food we ate.
Since he could not seem to count past six
We taught the Magic Eskimo Counting Sticks.
Then our interpreter slept.

Our Scout leader got us lost
to a lake only dogs cross in frost.
It took us out of our way
Adding two miles to our day.
While our interpreter slept.

A portage with rollers and a dock
Got us over with an easy walk.
The portage seemed to be a cheat
though Mike continued to loose his feet.
And our interpreter slept.

Schwieters took the rap
because our eggs tasted like cr___.
We took the portage two miles long
through a rain that could drown King Kong.
And our interpreter slept.

We arrived early to base
through the cold hard rain with haste.
So we finished our Northern Tier trek
Happy, but severely bent to heck.

And the crew finally slept.

**By the way, if you would like to see pictures from the trip check out of troop's high adventure page by clicking HERE.

Parker Scout Reservation

Parker Scout Reservation is the name of our council's camp. It is located north of Brainard in central Minnesota. It was the council's summer camp until the late 1970's when the council ran into financial difficulties. It is now used mainly for training sessions, Boy Scout weekends, and Cub Day activities.

I attended summer camp at Parker three times during the years that I was a Boy Scout of Troop 68 in the mid 1970's. I have many fond memories of those week-long camps. We ate in the dining hall and always had to sing a song or two before the evening meal would begin. The Friday night campfire programs were great fun and actually gave me a start in performing during campfire programs, something that has carried on through my time as a scoutmaster. I remember earning the pioneering merit badge and having so much fun that I really did not realize I was earning a badge.

I believe the camp closed down in the summer of 1978. In 1980 or 1981 a motorcycle gang tore through the seldom used camp and did major damage to the dining hall and beach area. Many of the windows in the dining hall were broken, and most items inside the hall were damaged or destroyed. Glass bottles were broken and thrown along the beach making it unsafe to use. I arrived for a training weekend shortly after the damage was done and was extremely saddened to see the vandalism done to this place of so many of my Scouting memories.

The was a bright spot to be found after all this vandalizing. The council began to once again invest money into the camp and begin making improvements. When the council began it's fall popcorn fundraisers it promised to invest the council profits from the sale into the camp.

A lot of camp improvements have been make during the past two decades. The dining hall and been improved and expanded. The kitchen has been modernized. A new freezer and food storage building has been built next to the hall. A large picnic shelter and barbecue grille shelter have been constructed. New shelters have been built at the rifle and archery ranges. Many of the camp buildings have been remodeled and winterized. A logging company has gone through the camp during the last two years and removed thousands of old growth trees thus reducing the risk of wild fires while adding addition funds for future camp improvements.

The are major projects planned for the next few years. The rifle range and the Order of the Arrow ceremony sites will be moved to another part of camp. This will make room for a new castle-shaped building to be used for Cub Scout Day Camps. A few existing buildings will also be receiving makeovers to make them more usable for weekend functions.

Will Parker even again be used as a summer camp? I doubt it. I think it is actually used more now then it ever was during its years as a summer camp. It will be interesting to see what the next decade or two has in store for this camp that was once know as Camp Clyde.

Chipmunks, and Raccoons, and Skunks! Oh My!

I would be willing to bet my ThermaRest sleeping pad that every troop has at least one critter story to tell. Maybe it was the chipmunk that sat by your feet waiting for you to throw him a crumb or two. Or the skunk who wondered through your campsite just as the boys returned to camp after an evening's campfire program. Or the eight point buck that walked into the nearby clearing as your troop sat down to supper.

Boy Scout Troop 68 has several stories of their own from the last twenty-seven years. Here is one about the Boy Scouts learning a lesson a little too late.

The troop was spending the weekend at Camp Stearns which is located about an hour from Melrose. The Scouts and adults had had a great time during the day as we played disc golf and other activities. We even collected several dozen wood ticks as we went on a nature hike. Everyone was good and tired when it came time to turn in for the night.The boy's whispers did not last long. It was soon as quiet as a cemetery in the campsite.

Quiet, that is, until about one or two o'clock in the morning when our campsite was invaded. I was one of two adults along on the outing. The other adult was a mother of one of the boys who was sleeping in a tent next to mine. We both woke up to sounds coming from the picnic table where our food box (tote) was placed. I was not too worried, but the mother was somewhat concerned. She was the first person to look outside her tent and discover the raccoons that were rummaging through our food box. It did not take long for her to inform me that we had a problem.

I got dressed, grabbed my flashlight, and crawled out of my tent. As I stood up I discovered two raccoons in our campsite, one raiding our kitchen and the other walking patrol around it. The boys had forgot to place the cover on the food box, and I did not catch it before I went to bed. Oh well. I guess we will have a little less food to eat this weekend.

I was about to scare off the raccoons when movement on the edge of the campsite caught my eye. It was a smaller animal, black in color, with a white stripe down it's back. Off to the side I noticed the first skunk had brought a buddy of his to this party.

Okay, I thought to myself, I am outnumbered. Two raccoons and two skunks. I crawled back into my tent and prepared to go back to sleep. When the mother asked if I had scared off the critters I replied no, but that she was welcome to try. I did not want to take the chance of getting sprayed by one or two skunks.

The next morning we discovered our guests had eaten pretty well. The Boy Scouts took notice of this. It appeared that the lesson given by our little furry friends was a better lesson then the one the scoutmaster ever gave. And it continues to be a great story/lesson to give to the current Scouts of the troop.

MMSPP #21: You Know You Are A Boy Scout When...

If you have been in Scouting for awhile then you probably have an answer to the question "You know you are a Boy Scout when..." (If you don't, then you have not been involved with Scouting long enough.) I belong to a Facebook group which does its best to answer that question in dozens of different ways.

I thought it would be fun to bring back Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, as he covers a few of the answers to this question. We (me and a volunteer crew) had fun filming him as he tries to answer the question at a cabin on King's Lake in central Minnesota. Unfortunately, it was pretty windy that day, as you will hear when you watch the video. Buttons presents five answers to the all important question, and things do not always go according to plan. My favorite part of this episode is when Buttons is sitting on the edge of the tent and the weather changes on him.

This is the first of two videos planned that will feature Buttons on this subject. I have seen many good answers to the question, but unfortunately they do not all lend themselves to being filmed with a character like Buttons. Especially when I do not have the budget that the Muppets have. (Um, there is no budget here.)

I hope you enjoy the video. Leave a comment and let me know what you think about it. If you have an answer to "You know you are a Boy Scout when..." then add it to the comments. If I receive enough good ones then maybe Buttons will appear in a third video on this subject.

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SUMMER CAMP 2007

Here are a few pictures from summer camp at Many Point Scout Camp.

U.S. Forest Service Camper Comments

I think you will really get a chuckle out of this. I was reading the the latest post to the Lone Star Scouter blog by buffaloeagle. He listed comments left by campers to the U.S. Forest Service in 1996. Here is a sampling. You can read the rest of the seventeen comments at his website.

• “A small deer came into my camp and stole my bag of pickles. Is there a way I can get reimbursed? Please call.”
• “Escalators would help on steep uphill sections.”
• “Instead of a permit system or regulations, the Forest Service needs to reduce worldwide population growth to limit the number of visitors to wilderness.”
• “Trails need to be wider so people can walk while holding hands.”
• “Ban walking sticks in wilderness. Hikers that use walking sticks are more likely to chase animals.”

After reading these, and giggling a little, I started thinking about how self-centered, and stupid, that people can be. I really wish that more people would get involved with Scouting and similar programs so that more of the population would appreciate what the outdoors and nature have to offer us. It is time that most Americans get off of their butts, away from their televisions and computers, leave the shopping malls behind, and enjoy nature at its finest. (Of course, I am writing this while sitting in front of a computer monitor in an air conditioned room. Ironic, isn't it?)

A Week of Adventure (Part #2)

The Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 awoke Thursday morning, July 16, knowing that they had only two days left to enjoy the fun and adventure of Many Point Scout Camp. And they planned to enjoy every minute of it.

The Scouts attended their merit badge sessions that morning, just like they had for the previous three days. The real fun began after lunch. The troop's first activity was at the archery range. Not only were the boys able to practice their skills with the bow and arrow but they also had the chance to shoot targets with the slingshot and throw the tomahawks.

The climbing tower was the next stop for the troop. The tower had several climbs set up, from fairly easy to rather difficult. The bouldering wall, on which a person climbed horizontally instead of vertically, was also popular with the boys. Zack proved himself as the troop's best climbing this year when he successfully climbed both the incline climb and the overhang.

The troop's third activity was to sit back and relax in the Buckskin sauna. The sauna is a building next to the swimming beach that is heated with a wood burning stove. This was a new experience for a couple of the boys. After three times of sweating in the sauna and cooling off in the lake many of the Scouts declared it to be one of their favorite activities.

The Melrose Scouts scattered to all parts of the camp as all the program areas opened after supper. The two oldest members of the troop traveled to Many Point's Flintlock Camp, the high adventure outpost. Andy and Dakota would be spending the evening and night on the Huck Finn Raft, located out on the lake.

Friday morning was the Scouts last chance to complete the merit badges they had been working on during the week. Then it time to hop into the vehicles for a drive to Itasca State Park, the location of the headwaters of the Mississippi River. The troop spent the entire afternoon at this huge state park. The boys even took the opportunity to walk down the first portion of the river, welcoming the cool water on a warm day.

The week's activities came to a close Friday night as the campers, adult leaders, and staff gathered for the closing campfire. It was a gorgeous evening as each troop performed a song or skit to the enjoyment of the entire camp. The Melrose Scouts performed a song they had never before done at a campfire program. Imagine the Chicken Dance song done with kazoos as the instruments and you may be able to picture what they did.

As the Scouts reflected on the week before going to bed that night, two boys commented that they were not ready to go home yet. They were having too much fun. However, after a good night's sleep, they were anxious to get home and back to their families and their own beds.
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A Week Of Adventure (Part#1)

The Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 began arriving at the meeting place at 8:45 on Sunday morning, July 15. They were packed, in uniform, and excited. They were ready for a week of adventure at Many Point Scout Camp located north of Park Rapids near Podsford, Minnesota.

The eight Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 and their leaders arrived at MPSC near 1:00 Sunday afternoon. After checking in at the administration building the troop headed to the Seton Campsite in Buckskin Camp to begin setting up their gear and tents. As a light rain began to fall the boys headed to the beach for their swim checks. After supper the Scouts took part in a camp orientation. The evening campfire program by the camp staff, was enjoyed by everyone.

A typical day at camp is divided into three parts. The Scouts work on learning skills and earning merit badges during the morning hours. The afternoons are filled with various troop activities. The camp's program areas are opened in the evening for Scouts to have fun where ever they like.

The Scouts from Melrose found themselves at the beach after lunch on Monday. Some of the guys worked on the swimming skills while others had fun on the camp's Aqua Trampoline. After the boys dried off it was time to head to the rifle range to shoot 22 rifles. The boys demonstrated they could shoot pretty well. Some of the boys had very nice groupings. The boys spent the rest of the afternoon around the campsite playing ball and games.

Sailing was the first troop activity Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, the wind was not very brisk so the boats moved very slowly. The next activity found the boys at the camp chapel to work on their SuperTroop project. The Scouts and leaders straightened a few benches that had moved and become crooked.

The big activity Tuesday afternoon was the camp's Ironman Triathlon. This three part competition consisted of canoeing, swimming, and running. Scouts could participate individually or as part of a team. The young Scouts from Melrose decided to compete as a team. Three boys were the troop's canoers. Jonah was the swimmer. Zack was the runner. The boys had a good time and did very well.

The two oldest Boy Scouts from Melrose did not compete in the Ironman because they spend the afternoon and evening at Many Point's Flintlock High Adventure Camp. They participated in a new camp activity called the Challenge Outpost. The Outpost is an eight hour activity in which a group of Scouts try to overcome various challenges, similar to the television show Survivor, only in this program no one gets kicked off the island.

The Scouts went canoeing during their first activity session Wednesday afternoon. This was followed by a few games during Ethics In Action that challenged the boys in problem solving. As the temperature rose to the upper 80's during the afternoon the boys appreciated that their troop swim that was scheduled. Several of the boys had fun when they checked out the snorkeling equipment.

Watch for this blog for a future post as I finish covering the Boy Scouts week at Many Point Scout Camp.

Philmont Games

Philmont Scout Ranch is a magical place. Just anyone who has been there. Most people want to go back again and enjoy the experience a second and third time. I have been lucky enough to participate on a Philmont trek five times with the Boy Scouts of Troop 68. Someday I may try a sixth trek.

Many of the camps through-out Philmont are staffed These staffed camps include programs for the campers. Themes include Indian Lore, gold mining, rock climbing, and the life of a mountain man. If you attend Philmont you need to be sure to include these programs in your stay. They are both informative and a lot of fun.

There are also many campsites through Philmont that are staffless and without any programs. These camps offer the crew a chance to kick back, relax, and really enjoy the wilderness of Philmont. Of course, boys being boys, they only kick back for so long before starting to look for something to keep themselves busy. Exploration of the nearby territory will keep them busy for a little while. I would also suggest you bring a few games to play.

Keep in mind that you will be carrying these game materials with you from campsite to campsite so a few things must be considered when choosing games. The game should be simple, lightweight, and limited in the number of pieces. After all, you will be carrying it on your back for ten days in a pack with a limited amount of room. Philmont games should not be electronic. You do not want to carry the weight of extra batteries in your back, or disrupt the relaxing songs of birds with the sounds of Mario racing through the next level.

My first suggestion for a Philmont game is a deck of cards. Cards are lightweight, small, and can be used to play many different games. You can play cards by yourself, with a friend, or with the crew. Cards can be played outside during a nice sunny day, or in the tent during an afternoon shower. A few decks of cards can keep a whole crew busy for hours.

My second suggestion is to bring a flying disc or two along, otherwise known as a frisbee. Simple catch is the most common game with the firsbee, of course. Crews can also play team games such as 500 or Ultimate. I have seen two crews playing each other in Tip and having a lot of fun competing against each other.

Hacky sack has been a very popular game during the last trips I have taken to Philmont. The bean filled sack is very small, and very lightweight. It can be played with two people or the whole crew. I have even seen Scouts play hacky still wearing their packs during a rest stop. I have discovered that most adults are not very good at this game, myself included.

Well, there you have it, three games small in size and weight that are great for a Philmont trek. Any of these can provide hours of entertainment for a bored crew. Of course, if you have been to Philmont you probably already know about these games. If you are a first timer be sure to bring them.

What other games has your crew played at Philmont?

MSPP #10 - 1989 Philmont Trek

The Boy Scouts of Troop 68 went to Philmont Scout Ranch the first time in 1986. They enjoyed the adventure so well that plans were made to attend the ranch again in 1989. Seven Scouts and two adults from the Melrose troop would attend the second trip. One of the Scouts and one of the adults of this crew would be making their second trek.

I am not going to write about this trip very much with this blog entry. However, if you would like to see several dozen pictures of what Philmont was like in 1989 you can check out the troop's photo galleries of the trip by clicking here.

As we did for the 1986 trip, we put together a slide show for the parents and others troop members, which was later turned into a video. This video becomes today's entry to the Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast. The script was written by one of the Scouts, and it was narrated by a few of the crew members. Let us know how you enjoy it by leaving a comment.

Watch (download) the video by clicking HERE.

Tennessee Boy Scout Council purchases 1600 acres

It sounds like the Boy and Cub Scouts around the Tennessee area are going to have a great place to go camping in near future. The Boy Scouts of America have purchased 1,600 acres on the Cumberland Plateau about two hours east of Nashville for a wilderness and adventure "reservation.," according to a post on the WNIR website. Makes me wish I lived nearer to Tennessee. Hmmm. Sounds like it might be an idea for a trip once they get things up and running. To read the full article click here.

MSPP #9: 1986 Philmont Trek

The Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 participated in a trek at Philmont Scout Ranch for the first time in 1986. I like taking a lot of photographs when I am out with the Scouts so I came home with over 200 pictures ready to be developed. I also wanted the parents and families to see what we did while we were on the Philmont trip so I wrote a script and used many of the pictures in a slide show, complete with narration and music.

Shortly after the trip, I also started taping Scouting activities and producing video programs for the local cable access television station. It did not take long before I turned the slide show into a video for the station. It was crude, being a video of an actual slide show, but it got the show on the air.

Years later I would have a computer capable of re-editing the program and making the production look much better. I scanned the pictures of the trip into the computer and re-made the program, keeping the soundtrack but replacing all the video with clearer pictures. I was now able to add more photographs. I was also able to pan across the photos, and zoom in and out of them. The program became a lot more fun to much and looked much more professional then the video of the slide show.

This entry to the Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast lets you download and view this reconstructed production. It presents a trip into the past of Philmont Scout Ranch, and our troop's first, but not last trip, to this Scouting paradise.
Watch Video
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Merit Badge Weekend

Last weekend the Boy Scouts of Troop 68 joined the Scouts of eight other troops at our council's camp, Parker Scout Reservation. They did not gather for a council or district event. These troops came together to provide their Scouts an opportunity to work on various merit badges. The eighty-seven Scouts were given the chance to work on up to four of the eighteen merit badges offered during the outing which lasted from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. The simpler merit badges were offered during the evening hours. The tougher merit badges were done through the morning and afternoon sessions. The councilors were provided by the troops who attended.

The merit badge subjects included quite a variety of topics. There were some Eagle required badges including First Aid, Communications, and the Citizenship awards. Other subjects included badges not usually found at summer camps. These included Auto Mechanics, Electricity, and Computers. The boys even had a chance to earn rarely earned badges such as Archeology, Chemistry, and Textile.

Nine Boy Scouts from Troop 68 attended the weekend. The boys realized this was a "work" weekend instead of a "fun" weekend. They knew it was a chance to earn merit badges and get a jump on their advancement. Each of the boys completed two, three, or four merit badges. Only a few partials were brought home.

The weather did not provide us with a nice sunny, warm weekend. (See the previous blog entry.) Luckily, the buildings around camp were reserved for the weekend. All except the Auto Mechanics and Archeology merit badges were able to be done indoors.

This was the second year that Troop 68 participated in this program. The boys enjoyed the classes and were thankful for the opportunities. The troop and I would like to thank John Chance for organizing the outing, the Cold Spring Venture Crew and other staff members, and the sixteen merit badge councilors who gave up their weekend to work with the Scouts. Thanks to everyone who helped, the nine Scouts from Melrose earned a total of 30 merit badges.

Tents and Wind

Boy Scout Troop 68 began using Eureka tents in the late 1980's. We began using the Alpine Meadows four man tents until Eureka discontinued making that model. Then we moved on to that popular model with Scout troops known as the Timberline. Along the way we also bought a few little two man backpacking tents.

We have had very good luck with the Eureka tent line. Yes, they cost a bit more then some other brands out there but the Eurekas are made with good quality materials. The tents have survived a lot of Boy Scout camping abuse. The main problem we have had is boys losing the aluminum stakes that come with the tents.

We have discovered a few tips for taking care of tents over the years. For example, when camping in grazing woodlands keep the cattle away from the campsite. Make sure the boys do not play football or other ball games next to the tents. Do not erect tents downwind and near campfire rings. Pack and store tents after they are completely dry, and not when they are soaking wet.

Last weekend was the troop's first camping trip of the new year. When we arrived at Parker Scout Reservation we had to set up the tents in a light rain, which did not make the Scouts very happy. Did I mention that we were camping on the side of the lake receiving the full strength of gale force winds?

For thirty-eight hours the tents were pounded by winds averaging twenty to thirty miles per hour, with gusts in the fifty to sixty miles per hour range. We staked the tents down with larger stakes then the ones that came with the tents, and even moved them Saturday morning so we could try blocking the wind with our cars and pickups. There were times during the evening hours while laying in our sleeping bags that we thought the tents would come down around our heads. The tent files flapped so fast and loudly it was tough to fall asleep.

When it came time to pack the tents Sunday morning we were glad the tents were Eureka. All the tents were still standing. They had done their job of providing us shelter during the rain and wind storms. However, almost every tent had received some sort of damage. A few pole assemblies were bowed beyond repair. Several rings found at the corners of the tents were stretched and would need to be replaced. Surprisingly, the tent fabric held up fine and did not rip. Only the metal portions of the tents received any damage.

This week I will have to go online and find the replacement parts from somewhere, and then find the time to pull the tents apart and start the repair work. That sounds like a good job for the quartermasters to help with. Now, where did I put the troop's credit card?