le Voyageur

Another problem with summer camps Merit Badge programs is staff attrition as the summer proceeds. Often times, I've seen Program Directors plug the holes with C.I.T.'s. (speaking with 12 seasons under the belt, which includes one combat tour as a Program Director) Here,the principal culprit that attrits the staff is none other than the O.A. Why it is, for an organization that is suppose to promote camping, holds Conclaves in the middle of summer camp is beyound me. Why not Spring Break, hey... The other factor that eats away at the quality of the m.b. program is travel time, that is, for the boys to get from one area of instruction to another in a resonable time. Also, hourly scheduling dose not work, at best most Scouts receive only 4 1/2 hours of instruction in any badge they take. Better yet, would be 1 badge a day, and better still for the more difficult badges would be 1 for the whole week. Needless to say, this would have the SM's screaming. As for older boy's program, these can be pretty tuff for some council camp's to produce. Experienced, and seasoned C.O.P.E. Directors, Climbing Directors, and Trek Directors are not cheap, and finding people with the skills and talents for running an outpost can be very difficult. There is nothing more dishearting than watching a high adventure program being stuffed with merit badges, because the Camp Director can't find someone to make the original program happen.

Another method of helping your sleeping bag out is to consider layering, just as you would do with clothing. Consider a base layer (such as Smart Wool), a middle layer (fleece, including a tuque for the head) with the bag serving as the shell. Also, using a simple nylon liner within the bag will keep condensation down and out of the loft. Wind blocking to prevent wicking, covering one's ground pad with an e blanket, plus a good meal, some additional hydration and an empty bladder will round out the ticket...

FOG, FOG, FOG.... Since I'm an organ donor, I've now put you at the top of my list to receive a funny bone...

This is really not a mystery....it's in the genome. Women simply have an orgami gene whereas most males don't. Meaning we're forced to find out how incompentant we really are as it's Mother Nature way of keeping us humble before our women folk. However, the way I solved the problem was to simply wrap presents the same way that I make cartridges for the musket....

Okay, some advice for the younger generation reguardless of gender, hey! Quoting verbatim from my favorite piece of timeless advice.... "Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself, especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantement it is perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyound a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful word. Be careful. Strive to be happy." The Desiderata...

Nada, Life is a balance between the bitter and the sweet. And, as we journey through life we bcome the choices we made along the way. However, for the most of us, the only choice not allowed is who are parents and families are. Gotta admit, I lucked out here.....

You need to consider that the temperature ratings for bags are at best subjective, and that your comfort level may, or may not fall within the stated range of this bag. You really won't know until you get it out in the field. So spend a little time testing it the backyard, this way you can always bail out without jeopardizing your safety. Remember, a sleeping bag, especially a winter bag is more than a warm place to snuggle into at day's end. It's your last line of defence against hypothermia. So shop carefully, ask questions, and be very careful of hype. As a sidenote, take a look at Sierra Trading Post, they've got a very nice North Face rated at 20 deg (remember, subjective) for 80 bucks.

I agree with RF, paddling the still waters of a lake, or a large body of water can get tuff. More so if you're dealing with winds, I would rather run whitewater in a rain that wipes out the V's than to deal with wind. One of the easiest ways to reduce the fatigue, and the wear and tear on shoulder joints in flatwater is in paddle selections. For swift water a wide blade works great, but works against you in flat water. A better blade wood be either a narrow otter, or beaver tail blade. And one of the best traditional blades out there is the Nashwaak, a narrow blade otter tail using an old Maliseet design where the the center section has been thinned out. This allows the blade to flex on the draw thus acting like a shock absorber (I've no experience with the bents, so can't really comment on them, other than the fact that they don't work worth a hoot in swift water). The downside for most flatwater blades is the grip which are of the clam shell type. I've always found the T grips much better and more useful. With a T you can reach out to pull a boat toward you, hook it under the strap of a PFD, or as a step to help someone back into the boat. Another way to help reduce fatique is by switching postions every and now then between the bow and the stern. The safest way for folks to switch out is to have a buddy boat brace alongside. Now one of my chief complaints is with those cheap orange horsecollar PFD's that summer camps like to buy and use. My feelings is, that If your life is worth only 8 or 10 bucks, then fine, use them. However, the 3's and 5's are a much better choice. To serve their purpose proper fit is a must, and ride up must always be considered. For the wee folks it may be necessary to have a crotch strap to eliminate any ride up. As for life span of a PFD, I toss them after 3 years, but I tend to be out more than most, so maybe 5 years would be more reasonable if they are kept clean, and stored out of sunlight. However, if I was running a lot of salt water, then it would be no more than 2 years.....

I get to roam and live in a place rich both in nature and history. First explored by the English in 1584, a full generation before Jamestown this area is a history buff's delight. I spend as much time as possible paddling the backwaters and creek looking for the places where Weapemeaoc and Chowanoke villages might of stood. Canoeing into Sarem Creek is like stepping back 400 years in time, awesome..With Bennett Creek only a short portage away, or the Chownan river 3 miles out it's easy to get lost out here for a few hours, or even a week at a time. The only downside is that neither the Council, nor the District has done nothing to date to promote this diversity into any outdoor program... Here's a look at the place where hangs my hat... http://www.albemarle-nc.com/gates

It's easy guys....with the woods only a few yards away I'll be spending another night under the stars shortly. (looking forward to the cold snap coming in tonight....kinda nice to live in the boonies with everything close by...)

Combining Scouting, reenacting, hunting, general camping and horsing around in the woods, plus movie work about 240 days so far this year....

hmmmmmmmm.....time to elevate this thread with some class OK, ODT here's be one for OGE to croon aroun' ye fire.... O come a'ye tramps and hawker-lads an' gaitherers o'bla' That tramp the country roun' and roun', come listen one and a' I'll tell tae ye a rovin' tale, an' places I hae been Far up into the snowy north, or sooth by Gretna Green I've seen the high Ben Nevis that gangs towerin' tae the moon I've been roun' by Crieff an' Callander an' by Bonny Doon I've been by Nethy's silvery tide an' places ill tae ken Far up into the stormy north lies Urquart's fairy glen Sometimes noo I laugh tae mysel' when dodgin' alang the road Wi' a bag o' meal slung upon my back, my face as broun's a toad Wi' lumps o'cheese and tattie-scones or breid an' braxie ham Nae thinking whar' I'm comin' frae nor thinkin' whar I'm gang I'm happy in the summer-time beneath the dark blue sky Nae thinkin' in the mornin' at nicht where I'm gang to lie Bothies or byres or barns, or oot amangst the hay And if the weather does permit, I'm happy a' the day. Loch Katrine and Loch Lomond, they've oft been seen by me The Dee, the Don, the Devron, that a'flows tae the sea Dunrobin Castle, by the way, I nearly had forgot And the reckless stanes o'cairn that mairks the hoose o' John o'Groat. I've been by bonny Gallowa' an' often roun' Stranraer My business leads me anywhere, I travel near an' far I've got that rovin' notion I wouldna like tae loss For It's my daily fare an' as much'll pay by doss I think I'll gang tae Paddy's Lan', I'm makin' up my mind For Scotland's greatly altered noo, I canna raise the wind But if I can trust in Providence, if Providence should prove true I'll sing ye's a' of Erin's Isle when I come back to you Tramps and Hawkers circa, late 18th century

En Roulant Ma Boule Derriere chez nous y'a t'un etang, En roulant ma boule Derriere chez nous y'a t'un, En roulant ma boule Trois beaux canards s'en vont baignat, En roulant ma boule (x2) Le fils du roi s,en vont chassant Rouli Roulnt ma boule roulant En roulant ma boule roulant, En roulant ma boule There's a wee bit more, as well as nearly a 100 different variations for this song... and of course, this Irish tear jerker.... Danny Boy

Cabella's carries them...cost will be around about a 100 yankee dollars.

A rusty frizzen pivot screw will keep the frizzen from flying back, and making the gun go bang. Canoes will always pin where there are no anchor sites available to set up a pulley system. No matter how hard you work to keep a crew safe on a flood swollen river,the CD will always find fault with your decisions. You will always get a kid every week who is allergic to everything but pizza and whine.. Goodwill is the place to shop when the river gods take your gear....

Just an update....the event has been relocated to the actual battle site at the Bridge at Great Bridge (Callison Drive). http://www.cityofchesapeake.net and http://www.cityofchesapeake.net/cal/pdf?pdf=66 So, if you, or unit has no plans for that day, come on out and enjoy a day with us...

SPL-T15 Dan and others are right...don't wait to get everybody on board. Start having fun now. For canoes, since I've a feeling that you may live someplace swampy (as I)here's another ideal. Make your own punts, or pirots (pee roes). For a few dollars in plywood and some boards you can be polling the backwaters and having a blast. Two or three pirots can be outriggered together for a campspot at the end of the day, so dry land is really not needed. Carry a bucket with some sand in it for cooking (be sure to take a bit of firewood). A couple of narrow sheets of plywood can be carried in each boat which can be later laid across the boats to sleep on....or you can hang hammocks. Now, one of the areas of interest that I enjoy doing while out in the swamps is birding. And for the now, I'm trying to locate an Ivory Bill Woodpecker, which I fear may now be exticnt here. However, a few years back there was a confirmed sighting of one in your area...

Well, the weekend is near nigh over, and I hope Hops has had a great weekend and a lot of fun with his buds... However, concerning the topic, about the only problem I have with Camelbacks, or any other hydration systems is those folks who wear them over their PFD...I tend to think that this would lead to an acute case of over hydration... For a knife, I usually carry a small fixed blade knife when backpacking, but rarely need it since I'm now flaking rocks for the cutting tools that I need... For a mess kit, and especially the bowl, I've switched over to a small wooden bowl..great for hot food items such as soups and stews...the weight is a trade off, since I no longer have to carry any burn gel or oinment I guess it works out fine....

Here's some topics..... Safe Swim Defense Safety Afloat Trek Leader Climb on Safety Belay Training Wilderness/Backcountry Risk Management LNT UTM co ordinate system Gearing up the Unit Backpacker's Stoves (types, pros and cons, how to use, safety, cooking techniques, proper storage). Basic River Rescue Awareness (order of rescue, throw lines, hand and whistle signals, types of PFD, rating systems, fundlemental river dynamics) Simple Astronomy Techniques for direction finding

Before the dream times my spirit was created maybe 13 000 000 000 years ago from the stuff of the cosmos. For the moment, I travel the journey of self awarness called life. Ever moving, and ever constant I go forward to the Spirit Gatherer. Thus the markings of time by man has no meaning for this journey is eternal....

I know of the 71st. However, I've no formal contact with them, other than maybe some accidential crossings at events such as Camden, or Cowpens. Your day camp theme sounds like a lot of fun. Have you given it any thoughts for folks to make some of their own gear. Had a great Camporee lastweekend with a Mountain Man theme where a good number of the boys were wearing homemade tradeshirts (many made by mom of course). These shirts are simple to make, taking about an hour or so to turn out, and cost little....

....for you scouts and scouters in the Tidewater area, a bunch of us will be re enacting the Rev War battle of Great Bridge on the first weekend of December (the 6 and 7th). Sponsored by the D.A.R. and the City of Chesapeake this event is a lot of fun. The location is the Chesapeake City Park at 500 Greenbrier Rd., Chesapeake (just a short distance east of Volvo Parkway).

Lion Eagle - 4 Silvers, 1 Gold Palm Currently - C.O.P.E., Climbing Director, Venture Crew Advisor, White Water Canoeing Instructor With Vetern's Day on the morrow.... Bronze Star with V (valor) 2 Purple Hearts Criox de Guirre Air Medal (7, 3 with V's) Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry Combat Action Navy Expeditionary Armed Forces Expeditionary PUC MUC NUC Vietnamese Campaign with USMC emblem and a few others....

FOG... I teach GPS knowing that some of our scouts will eventually serve in the military. From my own experience, I know that good map skills can be the different between life and death. Better to start now, and ingrain those skills so they won't get befuddled in combat when the fertilizer hits the recipricating device...

Naw, don't have either...still using two cans on a string, plus a #2 pencil and one those really neat tablets with the Indian Head on it....