Goshen 2013 Adiou

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

We awoke to a foggy morning but with a clear promise of burning off and providing a beautiful day which it turned out to be.   The trek on the dirt (aka mud and tidal basin) road was a little slipper y at points, but I didn’t see any scouts fall nor any scout leaders needing hip replacements so everyone managed. 

Breakfast was pancakes, sausage and eggs.  If those didn’t suit you, we also had raisin bran (which it turned out suited none of the scouts at all, but suited all the leaders!).  For those of you who may be unaware, our scouts do what is called “heater stack.”  There are two options at Goshen – patrol cook and heater stack.  When I was a boy and walking uphill both ways to camp we always cooked our own food.  I was hoping my kids would do the same.  However, the food delivery is sometimes spotty and when the food arrives a little late it becomes very difficult for cooking, eating and clean up to take place prior to them having to head off to merit badge classes on time.  And since merit badges are the focus at scout camp, we focus on the cooking requirements at other camps during the year.  So the food is delivered fully cooked.  The scouts have to go down to the commissary and pick up what is typically a food box and a garbage bag full of items that accompany the heated food in the food box.  There are carts which have evolved over the year to the current gorilla carts we are using.  We then pray and the food is served by a patrol to everyone hopefully before it gets too cold.  Another patrol generally then has clean up which involves dumping any leftovers in the trash and washing any utensils and the plates and stuff the scouts used.  The food box then has to be returned to the commissary.  The food is of varying degrees of edibility but most times it is cafeteria quality food. 

I’m sorry to have to report this, but I did wander from one end of the camp looking for someone who was doing some activity, but the first classes of each merit badge generally involve sitting, listening, and answering questions about safety and first aid for the various merit badges.  As such, there was not as much as a spit wad fired, let alone a 22 bullet, arrow, or shotgun shell at the range.  And down at the water front there were no kayaks, canoes, or sail boats on the water.  There was not even much swimming in swim class this morning.  So, I have no action shots to share.  But I assure you, they will all be doing those things the rest of the week – unfortunately, I will not be there to report and show you them in action.

In a stroke of luck, just before lunch, the swimmers were swimming, the lifesavers were throwing life savers, and the sailors were sailing (well, it might be overstating it to call it sailing but at least the boats were in the water!).  Yes!!

Lunch at Marriott is two hours.  Since lunch never has to be cooked the theory is that scouts can take a siesta.  Wonderful theory which is ignored in practice.  Generally it involves some sort of horseplay or tomfoolery, asking the scoutmaster if you can go to the store (it’s closed till 1:30), asking what time it is (time for you to get a watch), or the ever present “building quorum unity.”  I myself would prefer if we all just took a hour nap. Then again, they might stay up later, so I guess you pick your poison.     Photo below shows some scouts doing "camp improvements" which invlove sweeping leaves using a pine bough to create a path.  I bet you don't see that sort of activity at home - note to Moms: consider sacrafice of tree branch to increase productivity.

After lunch I took four boys to COPE and climbing.  They got to climb.  I also heard that kayaks went out on the lake and shots were fired at the range.  Ahh, camp! 

And then, it was time for me to once again bid a fond farewell to beautiful Camp Marriott.  Tomorrow I’m back under flouscent lights looking at a computer monitor rather than under sunshine looking across the lake.   Of course, I haven’t been bitten by a mosquito or had to kill any spider at work recently, so there are some advantages.

Speaking of spiders.  There are spiders at Goshen.  In fact, there are quite a few spiders.  If fact, there are even some pretty darn big spiders and some poisonous spiders.  However, there are not near as many as your scouts may attempt to have you believe.  However, spiders do love a nice dry tent.  Which lead to some semi-acute cases of arachnophobia.  But, for the record, we had only seen (and killed) one black widow and I didn’t hear of any verified reports of any brown recluses.

Tonight the dinner is foil dinners.  I’m a little concerned.  You see, last night some intrepid scouts attempted to start a fire using a box of matches.  And when I say a box of matches, I do mean they used a whole box of matches.  Given that the wood was damp we will give them some latitude, but I’m not even sure they had any matches left over after last night.  However, I feel confident that they managed.  I only hope some remembered the secret ingredient!

Lest you fret due to you being a fretter in general or maybe the tone of my posts, let me assure you that your kids a having a good time at camp.  There have been numerous trips to the scout store for “required materials” (which seem to include chips and soda), fire play, sticks sharpened, lake swimming, food snarfing, creature capturing, and the various and sundry other things that boys love to do at camp.  They are in very capable hands of leaders who are concerned about them and like you when they are home, do their best to shepard them along.  Your prayers for good weather, brotherly kindness, and the patience of Job are all appreciated.   I'm thankful for those willing to take the time to be there so they youth can have this experience.  This is most likely my son’s last year at camp.  It has been fun to spend time there with him.  The good news for me is that my next son will start his scout camp experience next summer!

See some of you then!