CRE Day Two – Now this is Scout Camp!

Day Two – Now this is Scout Camp
On location from Camp Rock Enon
Embedded Civilian Report - August 4, 2009

Having completed my entry for day one I find that I may have to request a photographer accompany me on future assignments. There were a lot of things that I wish I had some pictures of that simply exist only in my mind. That is unfortunate since things there have a tendency to get lost….

Woke and arose around 6 am to find the Scoutmaster had already been awake for awhile dealing with another red puffy eyed youngster who was having some physical pain, but mostly mental anguish. I took a turn extolling the virtues of lake water, camp cots and the great outdoors. I'm thankful for all the prayers offered in the behalf of sons by mothers and their faith to help their sons. I'm also thankful for any prayers offered in behalf of the scout leaders as they do their best to help each boy do their best.

Revele played at 7:00 am. We began rousting the troop. At 7:30 we got to hear "I can see clearly now the rain is gone." This was a curious choice as the day before had been clear…. There was no dancing. (Please note rookie scoutmaster with his open toed shoes… tisk, tisk.)

We moseyed on down the hill for flag and breakfast. The best troop report yet – a la Monte Python a guy riding an invisible horse and a person behind him with a pack smacking coconut shells together. Classic. I don't recall what our shtick was this morning.

The camp director is there. I have provided this photo so you can see him. Having seen this I'll leave it to you to make your own determination about why they call him Pooh. He is a very nice guy. I'm pretty sure the lady from Goshen could take him (Zinger!).

Here is a picture of the entrance into the dining hall. You can see the picture of the grace. Grace is not required to quote the grace on the building, but most do.

Breakfast is pancakes with just enough syrup that you can almost imagine how that dry yellow clump might taste if you actually had syrup on them. On the plus side, there was no chance of them getting all soggy. Bacon is slightly undercooked but since none of it seems to be able to leave the table under its own power, we figure it must be ok and eat it.

Day two most of the classes are underway in earnest. Morning highlights include: Kevin working on a stool in basketry, Bryce learning v cut, push cut, and 2 other cuts (not including finger cut – parents note the gloves on the wood holding hand) (by way of information, woodcarving is taught by an instructor nicknamed "Nubs" who is missing the top 1/3 of his pointer finger on one hand…..) (not pictured here but also learning these cuts were both Jacob Holtom and Nathaniel).

Kolby and Jeremiah got to shoot some archery while Jacob Hamm, Daniel, Kyle were drilling targets at the shooting range trying to get 5 sets of 3 within a quarter and the 5 sets of 5 within a quarter to qualify for their rifle merit badge.

That is Kyle in the red. Also note the rope around Daniel as part of his Rock Climbing requirements. The only ones who got jipped today were the swimmers who got to, get this, watch a movie on safe swim and safe float. A quiz of an attendee shortly after attending said film found him sadly unable to provide me with the mnemonic.

The second hour found Nathaniel busy with what we called boondoggle weaving his key chain.

The rest of the crew was sprinkled throughout the camp including space exploration, CBH, emergency preparedness, canoeing, archery, reptile study, wilderness survival, and Environmental Science.

While the scouts attend their last class before lunch I enjoy a warm shower and flushing toilets. That is always nice. There are a few very important things to learn at any scout camp and one of the top three is where are the flushing toilets (the other two are when are the showers available to the male leaders and how much is an ice cream at the trading post).

Lunch was grilled chicken pieces in BBQ sauce – or PB&J. I see the front severs have pudding with Nilla wafers in it. Sweet, that sounds good. When I get to our service area I see that we only have jello again. I make a quick break for it and manage to cut into one of the pudding providing lines. Victory!! You know, it really is the small things….

Each troop gets 2 plastic pitchers at a meal. They must be filled with water. You must drink two water pitchers before you can go over to get bug juice (lest anyone be concerned, it is not, as far as I could ascertain, made from bugs. In fact, I don't think most bugs would drink it. It is very similar – indeed it may actually be – McDonalds orange drink). I was quite satisfied with my ice and water, however, the scouts got pretty creative in finding ways to drain a pitcher of water in order to get to the bug juice. After lunch is siesta – a word loosely interpreted to mean "a time when the scouts get to sit around in camp and use pocket knives to whittle sticks into extremely sharp points and then stick each other while asking "Is this sharp?" At times the flash of sun off of steel is blinding as there are more knives in a 10 foot radius than OSHA would ever allow. Blood circles shrink to a distance of inches. Alternative activities include spending any remaining money they have at the trading post and constructing bows from branches and string in order to launch aforementioned sharp sticks towards one another.

After lunch I head off to Rock Climbing with our five climbing scouts (Robert is not pictured, not sure where he was at the time).

I'm just glad that there are no girls at this camp right now because I know it must be hard to resist a scout in a shiny red hat and a harness. As I became an Instructor in training, I'm not sure what they did during this time unless I was the one belaying them. I note that I held both Jeremiah and Jacob's lives in my hands. We all live to tell about it. Here are some action shots. I also note that of those who attempted today (about 9) only two made it to the top and Jacob was one of them. Making it to the top is not required – only 3 best effort attempts are required. The other 3 did not get to make the attempt. They can try tomorrow.

As you can see, they looked for the fattest guy they could find to work as the belay (think of what you would want as an anchor). Note I'm strapped to the tree. When they fall it is my job to stop the rope and use the tree to save us all. Here is Jeremiah starting his ascent. Despite valiant efforts he got stuck where most of the scouts did.

Here is Jacob. I like this shot because it gives a feel for the size of the rock face. I think it was 80 feet. Tomorrow there will be 3 climbs set up so everyone should get a chance to try at least 2 climbs. After the students leave the instructors in training get a chance to give it a go. Rather than embarrass the scouts (or myself), I'll keep my results to myself….

Dinner was uneventful if not particularly tasty. But how wrong can you go with chicken nuggets and tater tots (insert favorite Napolean Dynamite joke here). It is our troop's turn to help serve and Austin and Jacob Hamm man one station and I think Daniel and _____ man the other. Unfortunatly, Jacob displays no favoritism towards his own flesh and blood and so I receive no bonanza of tots. Due to the heat, we are allowed to dress in Class Bs tonight (and there was much rejoicing – yea).

I will note that it is interesting how having to line up and then rush through the serving line and then going to a crowded table can change your attitude about dinner from an enjoyable relaxing experience into a winner take all aggressive mentality. Where is the bread? Can I have some more water? Is there any BBQ sauce left? This isn't dinner; it is survival of the fittest. I hypothesize that since I walk all over camp all day I can eat whatever I want (later measurements would obliterate that particular hypothesis).

After dinner there is a huge game of ultimate Frisbee – scouts against the staff. Following that is staff hunt. Most of the troop forgoes those activities and head over to the shooting ranges. Reuben gets his first chance to shoot a 22. He likes it so much he comes back a second time. Here he is later on at the archery range.

When the ranges close down around 8:30 everyone gathers back at camp. The campfire is blazing and I commence to make a Dutch oven peach cobbler. It wasn't enough to feed a crew that size and fill them up, but most folks had some and the reviews were all favorable – and there was none left. Both good things. Brother Hamm had fireside tonight and spoke about D&C 90:24 and how he knew that God knew each of them and loved them personally.

Shortly thereafter, taps played, we had prayer and most of them retired for the night. Jacob Hamm and Austin were our firemen and made sure the fire was out including making three runs to the water for us. Good work guys. Three or four of the scouts- Jacob H, Nathanial Cummings, ___________ and our Scoutmaster went down to the astronomy outpost at 10:30 to hear about the stars and look through a telescope. Unfortunately, the moon is very bright tonight which may make star gazing somewhat more difficult. This was a good day. The scouts got along, we made good progress on some merit badges, they got to do some fun activities and most eyes were dry.

As I sign off tonight I would be remiss, ungrateful and a big loser if I didn't give a shout out to my better half, who 20 years ago today became my wife. She is my greatest blessing in my life and I'm glad she won't kill me for spending our anniversary at scout camp!