Ohio_Scouter

For everything you've done and everything you continue to do each day, thanks to all you veterans. We'll never forget! Keep 'em flyin', gang. From all the men and women at Headquarters, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

I bought 2 full-size Bear Vaults, and my son and I used them out in Yellowstone back in 2004 on our high-adventure trip. They worked great for us. IMO, if you hold them between your feet and twist the lids counterclockwise, they're not too hard for a human being to open. I don't believe that a bear could figure out how to open them. They make a good seat, too, plenty big and high enough to sit comfortably.

Please add the following: most of your wardrobe is olive drab or khaki. you keep a bucket of water by your side while cooking dinner. you spontaneously break into strange songs in public. you carry your own toilet paper wherever you go. you always read by a flashlight. your radio is always tuned to the weather station. you hoard tent stakes. you keep a lantern hanging outside your bathroom door. you cannot walk by a piece of trash without picking it up. you carry a dufflebag size first-aid kit in your car. you always have hat hair. you continue to wear it

Lisa, My advice is to move on. It sounds like you've tried for several years to influence the troop to no avail. Time flies, and before long your son's tenure in scouting will be over, so go for the gusto--somwhere your son can enjoy the program. Good luck.

Fred, Under Godwin's law, when posting, don't you actually have to mention Hitler by name to forfeit the debate?

Our troop decides who gets to participate on high-adventure trips strictly based on which qualified scouts turn in their fees (first-come basis). We haven't found a more fair method. Good luck!

Hey BadenP, If you don't like hearing from your fellow Americans, tell Scouter Terry to stop starting these threads.

pack, I know your wallet has already taken a 50% hit, and the retirement you once looked forward to is now not possible. After having worked for over 40 years, I can't plan on retirement either because most of those savings have been squandered by Wall Street crooks. But I wouldn't be so sure that Obama'claus couldn't top that. Guess we'll just have to wait and see next year.

Hold on to your wallet, folks. Here it comes.

Go for it, pack. You've come close, but you haven't creeped me out yet .

Sorry, I thought this was another Obama thread. Never mind.

I guess I'll be canceling out your vote then, Terry.

I'll pay more taxes when the Wall Street crooks restore their losses from my retirement funds.

Hi scoutldr, Yeah, I'm getting the SPRINT popup ads, too. They are quite annoying; almost as annoying as getting political election ads.

TwoXForr, No, not really. All summer camps we attended have some combination of BB, rifle, shotgun, and archery ranges. Our troop is just big on shooting sports, so having a shooting range is just a check-list item in case the scouts are considering a summer camp that for some unknown reason may not have ranges.

In addition to what you already mentioned, our guys think a flexible merit badge program (not too overly structured) is important, too. We also like to attend camps that have rifle, shotgun, and archery ranges.

Don't sweat it, gwd. Take jtswestark's advice and take a hike with your scouts. The leaves are turning color, and the forests are beautiful. I think I will, too. Until now, I thought I would retire and maybe take a job at Philmont. Unfortunately, my 401k has been trashed, so I'll have to formulate a plan "B" sometime soon. On the plus side, in the last 2 years, I've survived a quadruple heart bypass and prostate cancer. I've really stopped worrying about retirement and most other problems, and I'm just happy to be here amongst the living, day by day.

My advice is to form a high-adventure Venture Patrol for the older Scouts to focus on, and let them run it. This patrol plans a high adventure trip each year like canoeing, sailing, or backpacking at a National High Adventure Base or elsewhere, and during the rest of the year, the patrol plans activities in preparation for this high adventure trip. The Venture Patrol also gives the younger scouts something to look forward to as they grow older and more experienced. This seems to work quite well for us. It keeps the older boys interested, and it keeps them active in the Troop much longer to

gwd-, Clearly, you have every right to be proud of your Scouts . They obviously have great leadership and have taken to heart the Scout Oath and Law. Congratulations to you and your boys! They have already received extra points for spirit in my book.

Ed, I crack up uncontrollably every time I picture Andy Kaufman singing "Here I come to save the day..." with his best disco moves.(This message has been edited by Ohio_Scouter)

rdcrisco, Based on your requirements, I would recommend Vasque Wasach GTX (or similar) hiking boots. Many outlets carry them including Red Wing Shoes and REI (see link). http://www.rei.com/product/721359 Good luck!

Buffalo Skipper, We have used Timberline 2s in our troop for many years, and we really love them (except for the zippers). They have plenty of room for 2 scouts which is our recommended maximum number of scouts per tent. We have a couple of T4s that our adults use because of all the additional room. We have not worked with the add-on vestibule or annex fly? We use our Spitfires on both backpacking and non-backpacking campouts. They are super light (less than 5 lbs. each) and have plenty of ventilation since they are about 75% screen mesh. The only down-side is that they are not

rdcrisco, Sorry for the long reply, but you asked for it. Following is excerpted from the BSA Backpacking Merit Badge pamphlet: Boots As a backpacker, your feet are as important to you as a plane is to a pilot, or a ship to a sailor. They transport you from place to place, and as long as they are healthy and content, you will hardly notice them. But if they become irritated, they will make their discomfort known with a vengeance. Keep your feet clean and dry, and trim your toenails straight across. Treat tender spots before they turn into blisters. Proper foot care

I counsel the following merit badges: -Auto Mechanics -Backpacking -Camping -Computers -Cooking -Electricity -Electronics -Engineering -Fishing -Fly-Fishing -Hiking -Home Repairs -Painting -Plumbing

Jack, Yes, our troop has had significant problems with our older Eureka Timberline zippers. That's why we switched to the new Eureka backpacking tents when we upgraded. The zippers on the backpacking tents seem to be sturdier, and we haven't broken one yet (knock-on-wood).