le Voyageur

Decided to add a small capacity (3 liters) pressure cooker to the wanigan. Reason, besides being used for cooking,, been watching the water quality of the rivers in our area becoming ever more polluted, my thinking is that the higher temps of a pressure cooker would provide an additional level of protection to ensure clean drinkable water.... having just ordered the PC, I'll post updates over time as to how the device is working out.....

Per the OP's question... a strong yes. I see the softness, and lack of outdoor skills everytime I take a crew out on the river.... I've had crews in the past loaded with Eagles who's outdoor's skill sets were no better then Tenderfoots! Would have to spend the week just covering the basics....

Give the Greater Yosemite Area Council a call...

Would have to say yes. Numbers were down in all program areas .... way down. However, it's been said tounge in cheek that our Council has been too successful in the Gorge, and National wanted a piece of the action.

Blue Ridge Mountains Council's New River Adventure

and

Maine High Adventure

Dust your socks down real good with flower of sulfur...

The best has already been posted....don't move the pt. Immoblize the best you can, prep the pt the best you can for your absent, then go get help. The last thing you want to do is to cause a fracture to pierce, or sever an artery...bad juju....

Second, a one man fireman carry over a long distance on uneven terrain will soon see two people needing rescue...again, bad juju..

Third, it there's no choice but to move, then make a litter and use a tump line for an assist to save the hands...

If I may.... TGC (Tail Gate Camping).

Yes, we can learn from our mistakes. But, that's still a trap as it leads to the thinking that we've got our programs wired, that we've got the right "bomb proof" gear with "bomb proof" backups, that we've got the right people with the right experiences with certifications to match. Ergo, our programs are now "safe"....as I said, and keep saying.... accidents are normal - they complete the reality that is high adventure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_accident

.

Hate to sound cold...but accidents are a normal part of every outdoor program...things that never happen, happen all the time

From my own experience, the majority of parents, as well as Unit Leaders often lack a real understanding of both the subjective, and objective risks involved in high adventure programs.

As I tell people - the backcountry ain't an amusement park. People die out here.....

First, I would suggest forget offering merit badges - that's the domain of a base camp. High Adventure should always be merit badge free (mho).

Second, consider at first no more than two pilot programs to test the water. Suggestion here would be a canoe trek covering 50 miles, and a basic backpacking program with several staffed outpost. Maybe something simple like a SAR outpost, a mountain boarding outpost, and a Forestry outpost for an introduction to the area's ecology...

Down the road, other program can be added. But, it's always best to start small to prove to the money guys that your programs can attract customers, and return a profit...

We've just finished an awesome week of training BSA's first NCS Swiftwater Trek Leaders. Eleven in all, not bad for a new Section.

Looking back over that week, my own thinking is that at some point down the road, we could be seeing key changes in Safety Afloat requirements. One such area would be for BSA lifeguards and/or Unit leaders to receive supplemental training under the direction of a SWTL, before they head out on river trips involving swift/whitewater.

I also see where the SWTL may become a key Council resource much the same as Commissoners,Shooting Sports, COPE,Climbing and Aquatic Directors are now are.

Overall, changes are coming for how Units, and Camps will run their high adventure programs on rivers to keep our Scouts safe..hopefully next year we can double the number of SWTL's and start seeding more Councils with these guides....

Contact MHA directly via their Council office, and speak to Dan Flaminni, the Base Director. Spoke to him last week, and he's still short a guide or two...

Been in contact with Old Gray Eagle because of our interest in re enacting, but I've never met him in person. Overall, a pretty good guy...

dit dit/dah dah/dit dit dit dit/dah dah dah//.... the problem is that morse code, and Q codes are old school and rarely used today. Means Q codes will have to be brought up to date, and restandardized. I see nothing wrong with adapting them to the shorthand used in texting, would be a great start for scots to start learning code ....

JBlake...

-.-./--.-//-.-./--.- CQ, CQ (calling all stations)

Actually Q codes are the answer.... used no matter what language one speaks...

for example --.-/.-./--.- or QRQ means "Shall I send faster"

--.-/.-./- QRT or "Shall I stop sending"

Hopefully, scouts will make the effort to earn the strip....

Back in me Scout days, most of us realized early on that the two most important MB's in our advancement arsenal were Hiking, and Cycling.

Hikes, and bike trips were always planned around requirements for other MB's. Often times, we would be working on at any one time near about 15 other MB's. It was common in our Troop to have Stars and Lifes with MB's in the 40 plus range, and Eagles pushing 70 plus....

(This message has been edited by le Voyageur)

Give your local 4H a call....

Seattle -

A gun is like any other tool. It has to be maintained. Before hunting season it's a good policy to to use range time to troubleshoot the gun. If there are problems no matter how slight, then it might be necessary to take it to a gunsmith.

Gunny did hit on another aspect, and that is the safe way to carry a firearm in the field. For myself when hunting, the bolt stays out of my firearm until I'm set, and no longer moving.

hmmmmm....excessive headspace? firing pin set wrong? Receiver bedded to stock wrong? Weak firing pin spring? Extractor set wrong on the bolt face? Receiver not milled to spec's? Bullet's primer not seated correctly?

For myself, the first sign of any sticky bolt issue is to pull out the field gauge, and check for excessive headspace.

As for Remi 870 shotgun, my own experience with it, is that at least the one I own has never fired on it's own.(This message has been edited by le Voyageur)

Kinda thinking for hands on, instead of bannock simple hoe cakes. How to shuck corn, and grind it into meal, then turn it into flat bread. Fairly easy to roast them over coals. Followed up with a demo on how to cut meat NDN style ...

However, since this seems to be a Cub weekend with cubs rotating from station to station, I'm going to have to watch the clock...

I'm thinking along the lines of Long Hunters...maybe bannock, and smoking meat...not sure

First, I'm a High Adventure director who runs whitewater programs and extended canoe treks for older Scouts, and Venture crews. Been ask to do a living history program for Cubbies demonstrating 18th century cooking techniques on the Fronteer. The problem is, I've no experience working with this age group....thoughts, ideal on how to build a program, and any other suggestions from you pro's would be greatly appreciated....a big thanks in advance

Failed to make a village for the night during my trek across Kenya. Pitched camp in a boma (coral made of thorns to protect cattle), spent most of the night listening to those big cats that hunt the Tsavo...

A little info for planning

http://www.arizonashuttle.com/

http://www.flagshuttle.com/

http://www.grandcanyonhostel.com/GCindex.htm