Proud_Papa

I went for the first time in 2005, and worked in the Bikathalon area in the Western Region Action Center. Like others had said, the heat for the first few days was horrible, and then it cooled down and became bearable. I got 1.5 days off to see the Jamboree, one of those days my wife and daughter came and toured with me. I slept in one of those 10 man army tents, (make sure to bring an electric fan with you to provide some breeze while sleeping). I thought the food was very good, much better than camp food, we paid an extra $25 per person with the sub-camp staff to have a fresh fruit and salad bar with our breakfast and dinner meals. My son was also going as an attendee and I saw him about every other day, but only because he and his buddies liked the event that I was working at.

And yes I will be back for the next one and will be working at the Western Region Bikathalon again. I had a lot fun in 2005 and expect to have much more in 2010.

In our troop of 50 we usually go camping with 30 - 35. Our patrols usually eat by them selves. (One or two trips a year we will cook in a large group). Each boy contributes $10 for food for a weekend to the patrol, and the patrol comes up with the menu and then one or two boys go shopping. This also seems to encourage boys to get their friends to go as that means that the patrol has more money to spend on food so they will eat better. It is amazing how much better patrol of 8 people can eat with $80 than 3 boys with $30. We also say that patrols can not have hot dogs, cereal or soda on campouts. And our adult patrol usually provides dessert for everyone on Saturday night.

I am going as regular staff. I have worked out with my council and my son's Jamboree Troop scoutmaster that I will be able pick up my son on the final day of Jamboree, since I will already to be there. Being on regular staff I don't anticipate having many interactions with my son or his troop, unless they come through my area.

My son and I are going to Jamboree this year. I am flying out from Oakland on Saturday the 23rd, and am then having a close friend drive me to Jamboree the next day. My son arrives with his troop on the 25th. A week later on Sunday the 31st my wife and daughter will be flying to Washington D.C. and will be visiting the Jamboree the next day. Our plan is then to have my wife and daughter pick my son and I up after Jamboree ends on the 3rd. I am wondering if it will be possible to have her pick my son and I up at my campsite location? If not how easy will it be to get a ride out of A.P. Hill, and any suggestions on where we can meet up with her in a nearby town? Once she picks us up we are then planning on being tourists for 2 1/2 weeks (North Carolina to Boston hopefully). My wife and I visited Washington D.C. 16 years ago, but we and the kids have not traveled anywhere else on the East Coast, so at this point we are doing lots of reading about places to see and things to do.

I would like to meet as many people from the forum as I can at the Jamboree. I'll bring the jerkey. Thanks for the kind responses.

Hi everyone, I have been following this forum off and on for the past 6 months, and figured that it was time to join.

My past scouting experience has been a great deal of fun, and of course a little bit of frustration. I was a cub scout drop out after 4 weeks, because I hated the uniform. That was it for me and Scouts when I was a kid. Then many years later my 7 year old son comes home from school and says that he wants to join cub scouts. So he goes and I follow along, helping out with den meetings and being bored at pack meetings. One year later the cubmaster leaves after his son bridges, and I end up becoming the cubmaster. I spend the next 3 years as cubmaster, and have a lot of fun doing it, and while working with others in the pack saw it double in size.

After my son bridged I became an ASM of his Troop, and have been enjoying it for the past 4 years. I have been having a blast, and enjoy being able to watch my son from a distance on the different trips that we go on. I have recently completed my last woodbadge ticket, and should be getting beaded within the next couple of months. (What a great course!) I am also going to Jamboree this summer along with my son. I will be working at the Western Region Action Center.

I look forward to taking part in these forums. Hopefully I can provide some suggestions and help to others.