Miquin1978

"I don't know how carefully they checked, but I possess no Scouting material from my time as a youth, so couldn't have provided proof on my own had they asked."

A Scout is Trustworthy. One who lies about OA membership knows he's a liar. Good enough for me.

Love2Camp,

Is the new SM a man? Is it possible the committee is so old fashioned that they preferred to have a man as SM instead of two women?

Scoutfish,

Two months ago I bought an Old Town Guide 147 off of Craigslist for $350. This same canoe can be found new at Bass Pro Shop for $549. I couldn't be more happy with it, either solo or dual. It's plastic but 3 ply with foam core, rather than a single ply plastic. It is naturally buoyant and probably more damage resistant than Royalex (but heavier.) PM me if you want more details.

Bass Pro does have a good selection of canoe supplies as well as Dick's Sporting Goods.

A book that helped me make a decision on what to buy is Basic Essentials of Canoeing by Cliff Jacobson. The latest edition (3rd) was updated in 2007. Also a helpful website with canoe reviews is:

http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/

Good luck!!

And I made sure one of the first things I gave my cub's parents was the uniform inspection sheet. There's a few cubs and scouters in my pack with patches in very wrong places but it isn't my place nor style to be the patch police. Cubs is about FUN, not regulations, still though I wanted my families to get it right the first time.(This message has been edited by Miquin1978)

Lets hope the folks with the patches "sewn" on actually sewed them on instead of Badge Magic! I do sympathize for people using Badge Magic though, it took me 3 hours to get my CSP and three pack numerals sewn on straight and correct (and had to deal with making it look in line with the epaulet and sleeve pocket!). Obviously sewing isn't my strong suit.

Scoutfish,

As was previously said skip the Walmart canoe. In addition to the repair issues many single layer polyethylene canoes do not have added buoyancy and if they swamp they will sink. To me this defeats the purpose of the canoe as just about all the other types float (even the aluminum ones because foam is contained in the ends.)

I have an Old Town Guide 147 (14'7" long with a 38" beam.) If you are looking for a low priced canoe this one can't be beat. They can be found new at Bass Pro Shops, Dicks Sporting Goods and the like for about $100 more than that Walmart one. As a result you will probably find more of these on craigslist than Royalex canoes. The Guide 147, along with several other Old Town models, have a 3 layer polyethylene hull. Basically this makes the canoe nearly indestructible and gives it natural buoyancy. The drawback is that it is heavy, 74 lbs, about the same weight as if it were aluminum. Still I can put mine on top of my truck by myself and with a dolly I can easily portage it alone. I found mine on Craigslist for $350.

I am 5'11" and 190 lbs so my experience may differ from what you might expect so if you find a used one get it into the water first. Initially I found it to be a bit tippy but you quickly find you don't notice it. It also has great secondary stability. With over 800 lbs of useful load it makes a great family canoe (which is why I bought it.) A downside if you are camping with it is that it has no thwarts, just a single yoke, so you need to get creative in securing gear. As I said I do solo it but it gets difficult in the wind since solo it sits so high out of the water (very buoyant.) Usually it is me plus my wife and 6 year old son and then it very easy to handle.

My recommendation is to take time and educate yourself. A great resource for reviews on canoes is:

http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/

Look at craigslist and then look at the above link to see what people are saying about the model you are looking at. Also there might be a canoe/kayak club or group near you. You can meet folks that can help you make a good decision that will save you money and headaches.

Good luck and happy paddling.

Unless it is the enjoyment of the making of the coffee you seek just get Starbucks Via and leave the pot home. This was the best invention for camp cooking since the Dutch oven.

If you absolutely have to bring some paraphernalia I vote for the French press and your favorite ground coffee.

Either way all you have to do is make hot water.

I have had the Folgers tea bag coffee and believe it should only be served to those you do not like.

For the absolute coffee snob get a Bialetti espresso pot. This is what I use at home with Cafe Bustelo. Makes perfect espresso every time.

Watched Man vs Wild tonight, a repeat of "North Africa" and Bear had a World Scout Crest emblem on his jacket. It was plainly visible over and over throughout the program as well as the purple UK Scouts wristband.

Whether you question his techniques, choices, or the fact he has a crew filming him he is plainly doing all his own stunts (for the lack of a better term)and without a safety line. I just pray he doesn't mess up one day and get seriously injured. He comes off as a genuine guy and I haven't heard a single negative thing about him in the media.

My cub scout son thinks he's great (along with Dave and Cody too) and if scouts in the UK do as well then he's the right man for the job. Imagine if the BSA finds an equivalent?

(This message has been edited by Miquin1978)

I would but it is a "threat to the secrecy." ;-)

http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=282980

Another Unknown Scout.

Fantastic! That was only 3 weeks for me lamenting its demise after learning about it here.

Now to sign up to be a MBC for it.

NJ,

It must have been Camp Winnebago I was thinking of, not Allamuchy, that came into the Watchung Area Council through a merger with Union Council in 1980 (which I found out using "the Google"). I haven't been to that one either. It was the addition of the new camp (Winnebago) that led to the closure of Camp Watchung.

Interesting personal note: I attended the 50th anniversary celebration of Camp Watchung's opening in 1978 along with my father (who as I said camped there in the '40s) and my uncle who camped there the opening year, 1928. Little did we realize it would close just 3 years later.(This message has been edited by Miquin1978)

Adam,

If I am following you correctly you are speaking of the new Camp Watchung which is in Mountainside, NJ next to or part of the Watchung Reservation, a Union County park.

The original Camp Watchung is 30 miles west or so in Hunterdon County. It isn't even in the Watchung Mountains unlike the present camp but named for the Watchung Area Council.

I found this out when my Den Leader sister told me she was going to day camp at Camp Watchung and I got excited thinking the old camp was re-opened.

Is Wheeler the camp at Allamuchy? I never camped there as the Watchung Area Council had just merged with the council that operated Allamuchy right before I aged out and went off to college. Too bad for me as the area where Allamuchy is located is quite beautiful.

On a recent trip back to my home state of NJ I discovered that my dear beloved scout camp, Camp Watchung which closed in 1981, is now a county park. It had been planned for development but the developer got into financial trouble apparently and the county took the property over a few years ago.

After downloading a map I set out on a hike along with my dad who camped there as a scout in the late '40s and with my troop as an ASM to see if we could identify any of what was left. Most of the buildings are gone and trees filed in the campsites but there were enough reminders that all of my days and weeks there as a scout came back to me. The flagpole still stands on the parade field, albeit rusty and sans line.

If you are curious and want to visit here's the link to the park now known as Miquin Woods (after the now retired Miquin Lodge #68.)

http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/parks/guides/MiquinWoods.htm

With regard to the knots I believe the answer is in the eyes of the scouts. If THEY see your bling as silly then it is silly. If THEY see the bling as cool then it is cool.

The only difference, IMHO, between the two is how the scouter handles himself with his charge. If he is respected my guess is that the latter example would apply.

Ditto on the committee members in uniform. Back when I was a scout 30+ years ago nobody on our troop committee wore a uniform. I don't even know if it was an option then. But the committee members were active participants at meetings, campouts and other activities. Despite all of that activity, to a pre-teen you just don't seem to have the realization that these men were "part" of the troop beyond just being helpful fathers of my friends. Simply because they weren't in uniform.

It is hard for me to put this into words as I am trying to remember what my impressions were when I was 11-14 (by 14 I had figured out what the Troop Committee was.) It just didn't feel like they were leaders like the SM and ASM simply because they weren't in uniform.

This was sad news to hear. Bugling was my second merit badge (Music the third) and Bugler my first POR. I had hoped to be a counselor for it, oh well (I am not enough of a musician to do Music.) Worse yet my Tiger Cub son wants to play the bugle someday. Not that he can't but he will won't have that MB to look forward too (he's seen it on my sash.)

I suppose one way you could show the layman you are a scouter who earned the Eagle while a youth you could wear a NESA patch as a temporary patch on the right pocket. Assuming you can find the appropriate size patch of course(This message has been edited by Miquin1978)

Thanks to all for the warm welcome.

I have already heard of the popcorn from my DL sister. She has 3 cubs and has sold lots of the stuff.

Although the Tiger dens are not yet assigned we have been attending summer activities and completing the training.

I do remember when the HQ moved out of NJ, it was only 30 minutes from home and I visited the museum many times.

I did my Eagle project in 1979. Was that something new back then?

Also these new uniforms. It's interesting as I wore the dark green LC uniform in the day I remember when the ODL uniform came out. I hated it, never got one. Now I read all the comments about how much people dislike the Centennial uniform. Ha, Ha! Still with those silly epaulets.

And I hate GPS. Does anyone do orienteering anymore?

Looking forward to all of it.

Hi All,

I found this forum while researching information on how the BSA has changed since I was 18 in 1983. I have just signed up to be my son's Tiger Cub Den Leader along with my wife and am eager to return (or "pay forward") all that was given to me through 9+ years from Cub Scouting through my Eagle and the OA.

Of the many changes I have discovered since 1983 were the Tiger Cub program, Exploring becoming Venturing, the demise of the Leadership Corps, and my old council and OA lodge disappearing in a merger. So you see I have a lot of catching up to do.

I have been lurking here for a few days and already have learned a lot. I am certain I will post questions especially once the fall arrives and my Tiger Cub den moves into high gear.

Thanks.