Re: Webelo[s] Bike Hike how far?

Susan Ganther <susan@EMAIL.UNC.EDU> asked:

>We are planning a bike hike on the New River Bike Trail for next year.
>The Webelos materials suggest that a bike hike should be no more than 5
>miles for Webelos, but we would like to do a longer one. Will we have
>trouble getting a tour permit? Are we expecting too much of the Weebs?
>The trail we are considering is easy, it is a converted railroad spur...
>[snip]
>... This will be a spring trip so all of the boys
>will be at least 10 years old, and half of them will already be 11.
>We hope to make this an all day excursion and cover about 20 miles. I
>doubt this will take more than 5 hours even with a lunch stop...

I would think this would be fairly easy for the age group you mention
and the trail you describe. After all, these boys are practically Boy
Scouts and will begin taking 10-mile hikes in a few months. We often
do a similar trip of 25 miles and even the newest Scouts with 1-speeds
have little trouble with the course. Can't say whether your council
will hassle you over the tour permit; ours wouldn't.

>... I am
>hoping that riding thru tunnels and over trestles and seeing other points of
>interest will keep them interested in going the distance, but we could have
>road support at road crossings in case we need to bail.

This is an important consideration. You do need to have the ability to
rescue anyone who is having problems, physical or mechanical. One other
tip we use is to designate an adult leader to be in the front and another
in the back. No one is permitted to ride ahead of the adult in front, nor
fall behind the adult in the back. When the SAG (support and gear?) wagon
driver sees the adult in the rear pass by the check point, the driver
knows that everyone else has passed safely and can go on. Also, be sure
to use the buddy system: if one rider (adult or Scout) needs to stop at
a restroom along the way, the buddy waits beside the trail to keep the
rear adult aware that someone is not riding at the moment.

>Has anyone else done a trip like this with Webelos? I know the adults
>want to do it, but would feel better about scheduling it if I had the
>benefit of someone else's experience on this subject.

Have a good time!

Alan R. Houser ** Scoutmaster, Berkeley Troop 24 ** troop24@emf.net
** WWW page ** http://www.emf.net/~troop24/t24.html **
Scoutmaster, Mt. Diablo Silverado Council Contingent Jamboree Troop #3

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