questions about long trips with scouts

[Lisabob 13]

Ah, you guys are all wonderful. A couple of you asked about our destination. The troop is going to summer camp at Camp Bonner & Pamlico Sea Base in Washington, NC (East Carolina Council). Pamlico is one of the newest BSA high adventure-designated locations and offers a sailing school and a week-long sea kayaking trek in the Pamlico Sound for older scouts. Bonner is a traditional BSA camp.

 

SSScout, as a matter of fact it looks like we'll be on the "inner banks" just a little way from Hatteras!

 

Lisa'bob

[Eagledad 2780]

Boy, weve done many of these kinds of trips and learned a lot. The more you break up the group, the faster and less stressful it can go.

 

Eight to ten hours is about all most drivers and passengers can stand. After that everyone starts to get a little edgy.

 

We found that it is best to have two adults per car. Not so much to give drivers a break from driving, but so one adult can attend to the scouts and prevent the driver from getting distracted. Also, we once had a driver get very sick in a matter of minutes. Our other adult was able to help the sick driver get comfortable in the back seat then continue to the next town an hour away where we took him to a hospital. And, it is nice to have an adult to talk to during a 10 hour drive.

 

Never drive in caravan. The BSA sets that as a policy because most accidents in units occur with cars in the caravan. But we found it is just less stressful on all the drivers if they drive at a speed more comfortable for them and not focus on the car in front of them in heavy traffic. Typically all the cars arrive at the destination within 20 minutes even on long 500 mile trips. And it is much easier to manage one car load of scouts at stops than a whole unit of them. Add ten minutes for each additional car that stop together for a break or lunch.

 

Our Troop usually gives each car a packet that includes:

a. Detail directions along with a map to the destination.

b. A list of phone numbers that includes all the drivers and a few numbers of spouses at home just in case of an emergency and cell phones are unreliable.

c. Suggested stops for gas, breaks every 2 hours, and lunch so that the each group can meet if they choose, but not required.

d. A copy of each Scouts medical in that car incase of an emergency.

 

We are use to side trips on long travel because it can enhance trips and make long ones seem shorter. Your agenda and time will dictate where you can go, but we have stopped at amusement parks, Mall of America in Minneapolis, rafting and park tours. I like amusement parks because they are almost no work for the adults, but they can be very expensive. Watch your budget. Many of the amusement parks will give a big discount if the scouts do a quick service project, usually pick up trash for 30 minutes.

 

Look for accommodations like churches or military installations to sleep overnight. Sometimes troops in local areas can help find places to stay as well. We rarely camp on long trips because of the amount of time it takes to set and break camp. Just eating meals during travel can take a long time for large groups. There are some places (hostels) that actually cater to large traveling groups for a small fee of a buck or two per scout. They are very nice for large groups and fast for getting in and getting out.

 

I know this may sound a little silly, but travel can be a very good Patrol Method experience for the troop. In our troop, nobody moves until the SPL has verified the vehicles are loaded correctly. One scout is leader in each vehicle and the adults should only need to talk to him for controlling the group. Doesnt always work, but in general the scouts understand the system. I agree on the herding cats, large groups can be very difficult (stressful), so make those boy leaders do their job.

 

One final thing, we learned the hard way that scouts tend to loose respect for the vehicles they ride in as they get tired during long trips. Whether we rent vans and/or use personal vehicles, our last stop before we get home is a car wash where the scouts use their own money to clean out the vehicles to the satisfaction of the drivers. It made a big difference once we started that tradition because nobody likes to stop when they are just minutes from home.

 

Barry

[packsaddle 753]

We've taken numerous 1000+ mile trips. Good advice has been given. If you're coming from the midwest, you might also consider stopping at Cumberland Falls State Park or Breaks Interstate Park on the way, depending on your route. In NC, after you leave the mountains, the piedmont is pure drudgery so enjoy yourself while you can. NC is a long drive and much of it is very boring and somewhat depressing, kind of like all of Mississippi as well as much of SC, GA, AL, LA and TX. I'd vote for someplace that has a swimming pool and CFSP is perfect for that. But it is a really long way from Washington, NC. Perhaps one of the NC state parks in the mountains and, dare I mention it, there is always the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It's a nice place as well, and only a little shy of 8 hours away from the outer banks.

 

We always take the church bus or else I have rented a large van (depending on how many are going). I estimate a total budget for the trip, set it up in a spread sheet, calculate the 'break-even' point based on the number of boys going, and set an estimated total cost. Then we fund-raise to try to make it a small number. The mileage/fuel is a fixed cost in the budget. For those really long trips, I always try not to involve private vehicles. That way if there is a breakdown, the rental company can usually handle the problem locally. A private vehicle can be a huge burden under the wrong circumstances, not to mention the wear and tear from these trips.

I've rented vans from the local Ford dealership and their rates were very competitive with unlimited mileage. And man, did we ever pile on the miles. But they were always nearly new vehicles with Ford dealers almost as often as Walmarts. Gave a little peace of mind for the leaders. Have fun.

I'd take the trip to Hatteras if I were you. Better yet, take a little time to see Ocracoke as well.

[John-in-KC 311]

I'm going to reinforce the comment about military installations.

 

Before 9-11, it was pretty easy to get onto a base. Point of fact, many installations were wide open for access.

 

Post 9-11, just getting on a DOD installation is a chore. At my post, if you do not have a DOD sticker, you can expect to:

 

- Show license, registration, and insurance.

- Show VALID PHOTO ID for each person in the vehicle.

- Unpack the vehicle, and if the troop trailer is taken, unpack it.

 

Overall, I recommend contacting the local Councils enroute for church floors before I'd recommend novices going onto military installations.

 

Now, if you are AT YOUR DESTINATION, and the vehicles are basically empty, going to an installation as a side trip is a different matter, and can be very rewarding. Again, an alternative is to contact troops in the area or resident on the installtion to assist getting through the gate.

[SSScout 1616]

Lisabob: Strongly recommend a side trip to see the Hatterras Light house. Tallest lighthouse in America, and it was MOVED almost a mile back from the ocean, which coastline had moved over the years and the LH was threatened with destruction from the surf. Definitely take the ferry down the Outer Banks, Ocracoke is a nice little touristy town, too, as has been mentioned. And look up the Double L Bird Ranch, really neat place, in Buxton.

 

God Speed!

 

YiS