This year we not only have all the YM joined scout camp but we also have three more scouts from our Branch to join them: David Wang, Jacob Yang, and Clayton Zhao. Brother Zhao also went as a scout leader for the whole week. Brother Hunter became the new Scoutmaster since Brother Martinis moved to California. Here are the summary from Brother Hunter:
Day 1
It was a great first day and night at camp. We all arrived safely, got set up in our preferred camp site (site 18) and did a tour of camp. We all had swim checks to determine if we qualified as a swimmer, beginner, or learner. All the boys qualified as swimmers!We ate tacos for dinner, had a camp wide council fire then returned to our camp site and built our own fire. We reviewed the good and bad from the day, had a spiritual thought and prayer.With lots of boys sleeping in hammocks and the rest on army cots in tents we were all quiet by about 11:45. I was asleep by midnight. It was comfortably cool. I even had to get in my sleeping bag, and I'm always warm. Breakfast was eggs, bacon, hash browns, cereal, milk, juice, and fruit. Now the boys are all off at merit badge sessions. Things are going well.
Day 3
It's been an eventful 48 hours since you last heard from us.
Monday morning merit badge sessions went like clockwork. All the boys were right where they were supposed to be and have been knocking out requirement since that time.
The real adventures started about noon in our camp site. Brother Zhao and a few boys were in the site when a medium size black bear wandered into our camp looking for food. They were able to quickly scare it away and at lunch (which we had at the rifle range were everyone got to shoot 22 caliber rifles) we discussed getting any food out of our tents and into the trailer.
Late in the afternoon, the bear was back. We scared it away again and did get all the food into the trailer. But bears are persistent. About 8:15 it was back knocking down our trash can pulling the lid off and going through our trash. So, the trash can also went into the trailer. We informed camp staff at each incident and they came and searched but were unable to find the elusive bear.
We had our evening campfire, discussed the day prayed and went to bed around 11:00. At midnight the cry went out, "bear in camp". Everyone was awake and charged with energy. We again chased it away. There was a little bit of fear, one boy wanted to go to first aid for a bit. Some boys decided to sleep in the van, only a few stayed in their hammocks. Most retreated to their tents. To help everyone feel better, I stayed up and took first watch 1-4 and brother and Brother Zhao took second watch 4-7 and keep vigil with a propane lateen burning bright and a big pole at the ready. No bear. Camp staff offered to keep vigil for us Tuesday night if the bear returned.
Tuesday classes were great, no bear sighting and a good afternoon although there was the rumble of thunder in the distance much of the afternoon.
We were issued food to make foil dinners, but we had other ideas. I had been to town earlier in the day and bought a few supplemental ingredients (carrots, corn, onions, salt and pepper) and we cooked everything up in a pair of Dutch ovens. Things were moving along well. The food was close to being done, but as we were cooking, the thunder and lightning was getting closer.
Then the heavens opened up. Heavy rain, pea size hail, and the puddles started forming. It rained heavy for more than 90 minutes. Most of us hung out under a tarp or in a tent, but a few hearty souls donned rain ponchos and threw a football around as soon as the hail ended. Others pulled out shampoo and decided to take a natural shower.
Our fire and coals heating our food were, of course, doused. After the rain slowed to sprinkles, we started more charcoal and reheated dinner. The hot food tasted great along with desserts made by Mrs Sharpe. Everyone turned in and the site was quiet by 10:00.
Everyone slept like rocks as it sprinkled and drizzled all night. People were slow to wake up, but the rain has stopped, the fog is lifting and it looks like it's going to be a great day.
Day 5
We've spent our last night in our hammocks or tents. Just a few more merit badge classes this morning for those badges that haven't already complete (Many finished ahead of schedule because we had good weather each morning and the camp is significantly less than capacity this week).
We've had no more bear sightings in our site or heavy rain. It's been hot, but manageable.
John, Sotir, and James loved the wilderness survival overnighter Wednesday night -- sleeping in a shelter they built with sticks and leaves. James wasn't even doing the merit badge but decided it sounded fun, so he went.
David completed the mile swim last night, Cooper and Griffin were on an evening Astronomy hike to identify stars while Steven and William taught Jacob basic knots so he could sign off nearly everything for the Tenderfoot rank.
We also finished off Mrs Sharps snacks last night. The boys had been rationing them and storing them in the trailer so that we didn't have another visit by our local bear but could have desserts each night in camp.
Wednesday afternoon, Clayton came to me and asked me what he should do for an hour since he had already completed the wood carving merit badge on Monday and Tuesday. I quickly filled out a blue card for the finger printing merit badge and sent him to the handicraft area. That evening he reported to me that he had completed finger printing in less that 45 minutes.
We did have a few visits to first aid, but nothing serious. Last night Jacob touched a hot propane lantern and burned his hand a little. We quickly had it in ice water and he went to first aid as a precaution. We have some mosquito bits, a small rash here or there and Isaiah had a bloody nose, but all-in-all a pretty casualty free week.
There was a huge surprise at breakfast today. We had the expected scrambled eggs, hash browns, ham, cereal and juice, but for the adults, cook to order omelettes. Wow!
In a few hours we'll be packing up and heading home. David has a rocket launch event at 1 and I am supposed to get all the completed blue cards around noon. But history has shown it sometimes takes a little longer to get everything done.
Our planned departure time is about 2 which should get us back to the church parking lot about 5:30-6:30 (we will have to deal with Friday night traffic). But not everything is within our control. I'll have each boy call their parents when we are about 30 minutes away with a more accurate arrival time.
At last nights evening troop campfire, I spoke for a few minutes, then each boy took a minute or two and shared something they've learned about themselves or how they have grown. It was better than I had expected. Your boys are turning into men before our eyes.
It's been a week full of stories to tell. I strongly suggest you spend some time with your son and find out from him about the adventure we call 2017 scout camp.
