Sunday, July 31, 2011

...Wilderness...Day 7...Final...

...Saturday...

...at about 4:40 AM the weather radio alarm went off...I listened to it and then dozed back off...then at about 4:45 AM - a runner came into camp and found the Scout Leader's tent (it's marked with a red flag for just such a purpose)...roused him and then we started getting the boys up and dressed for a tornado warning was in effect...

...the only concrete building on site is the Adult Shower facility...so we were all crammed into this small space...all 200 or so of us who remained in camp Saturday morning...thankfully quite a few had already left...

...it really was that hot and steamy...and with no ventilation...our boys did fine in this sauna as they were lucky enough to be in a far away campsite and some of the last to arrive in the shower area...but about 4 boys in the back of the shower area collapsed and had to be carried out...we were there for about an hour...CRAZY!...but our scouts were all troopers...

...back to camp a little after 6 AM...the Scouts dismantled the campsite and policed the area...

...the only 'trace' that we left were the wilted areas under our tents...

...this was my home for a week...

...the rain stopped as we headed for home...

Saturday, July 30, 2011

...Wilderness...Day 6...

...Friday...our last full day in camp...

...an award for weathering the 100° days...

...we had scheduled the Troop for a pontoon ride during the free time...

...I had to drive as the only adult swimmer...YIKES!...

...we had so much fun...

...it really is a lot cooler out on the lake...

...during the afternoon sessions I tried to get around to some more of the Merit Badge classes...the parents depend on me to send them pictures of their boys at camp...and I'm sorry to say that most of this year's 600 or so photos are not of very good quality...

...but I went to the climbing tower and took some pictures anyway...

...that scout is 32 feet off the ground and he climbed up there and will rappel back down...

...the sign in the Archery shed is funny up here where so many people say Uff-Da...sort of like one might say 'shoot'...or 'drat'...it's a mild untranslatable expletive...this stands for the United Federation For Disabled Archers...who donated the shed...

...Our Scout qualifies for his Archery Merit Badge...

...the Bog in the 100° heat...this photo has a surreal 3-D quality about it...

...we saw this little guy on the trail...and evidence that he was in camp as well...there was little poops on one of the chairs under the shed...

...final flag ceremony...flags were at half-mast in honor and remembrance of Master Sgt. Michael Charles Fastner and Lance Cpl. Robert S. Greniger....

...the final supper in camp was picnic style...I don't think I've mentioned it before, but the Canteen is very accommodating to specific diet requirements - you just have to notify them a week in advance...I was offered a Boca Burger at practically every meal...and this worked out fine...because I like Boca Burgers and was just able to round out my meal with the ever present salad bar and cooked veggies...

...the Wilderness Alma Mater...sung to the Alma Mater tune...

...heading down to Closing Campfire...

...once again...the fire won't burn without the BURN...FIRE...BURN chant...

...all of the staff assembles for the Alma Mater and Scout Vespers...

Friday, July 29, 2011

...Wilderness...Day 5...

...Thursday...

...the cooler tent with it's canopy...it's leaning like that and the towels are strategically placed for 'privacy'...hilarious...but I'm sure it's much much cooler...

...another STEAMY morning in First Aid class...

...the Chapel in the Pines...in the blazing sun...

...the fire tower...also in the blazing sun...

...and my shadow in the blazing sun...you can see the straps to my camel back...we were drinking about 6 quarts of water a day to stay hydrated...and I'm wearing my Boonie...'gotta wear your Boonie'...was almost the mantra around here...

...a new sign commemorating the 100 year anniversary of Scouting last year...

...Camp wilderness map...

...we have twins in our Troop and each year at camp they celebrate a Birthday...and it's so nice of the folks in the Canteen to bake them a Birthday cake to celebrate!...

...I saw so many instances of Scouts being KIND this week...helping one another cope with the heat...checking on Scouts that had to go to the infirmary for heat related issues...helping a not-so-athletic scout onto the bouncing raft...Scouts really are KIND...

...I tested Scouts in the Motorboating Merit Badge class...I did this last year for our own Scout...it's fun...and both boys in my boat did a great job...

...in the evening...we all headed to the Waterfront for some fun activities...there was a 'Swamp the Canoe' race...

...and a Belly-Flop Contest...OUCH!...

...but the main event...right at sunset (when this camera doesn't like to take good photos)...was the Iron Man Competition...that's Scout lining up second from the right...he was our swimmer...

...and they're off...

...heading for the buoy...I can't actually tell which one is Scout...

...running up the beach to tag the canoers...

...our canoers gained some ground...and the M.C. stated that this race is won or lost in the canoe round...

...the canoers tag the runner...and he's a blur...

...and finally the Assistant Scout Master has to eat an orange...our team came in FOURTH...the best Iron Man ever!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Wilderness...Day 4...

...Wednesday is always the busiest day in camp...and it's also the point after which the time at camp seems to fly by...for some reason at the beginning of Wednesday it seems like we've been at camp forever and then on Thursday morning it seems like it's almost over and we're wishing we had longer to stay here...

...I followed the boys to some of their Merit Badge classes...this is Scout's Fly Fishing class...it's a Catch and Release facility...Scout was so proud of the fly he tied...but alas...he lost it in the lake...

...Scouts cooking lunch over the campfire...

...Scout cleaning up at the wash stand after lunch...

...a skull drawn by feet in the shady sand down at the waterfront...

...Scouts cooking supper over the campfire...

...Our Scout offering a prayer at Chapel...

...then on to Camp Iowa...for the Commissioner's Campfire...signs up for quiet...

...Our Scouts did a skit called 56...all of the boys (except 2) laid down and covered themselves with a towel...One Scout is jumping on a towel...saying 56...56...56...another Scout comes up and asks 'What'cha doin'?...to which the reply is 'Just jumping'...the second Scout asks 'Can I do it?'...the reply as he steps off the towel is 'Sure'...second Scout starts jumping on the towel - when he is midair...the first Scout pulls the towel out from under him...he falls down...the first Scout covers him with the towel...and starts jumping beside him saying...57...57...57...of course the boys are supposed to be in a pit...it's hilarious really...not sure if I've described it well here...

...then we had the flag burning ceremony...very solemn...

...and the OA call out...

...back in camp it's still steamy hot...and since we have a shelter we're not using our canopy...some of the boys decided to take the rain fly off their tent to get a little more ventilation by setting it up over their naked tent...funny...