This Wednesday, July 25, we will be meeting at Camp Currie (618 NE 232nd Avenue Camas, WA 98607) at 6:00 PM to assist Quentin Larsen with his Eagle Service Project. We will be digging a few post holes, clearing out some weeds and shrubs, and having a good old time. Bring gloves and protective clothing. We should only be there for a few hours and be back before it gets dark. Bring as many people as you want. The more hands make the job go quicker. Bring some yard and gardening tools too, if you have them. We will have some.
So, please make a note of the location and time change for this Wednesday nights mutual activity.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Monday, July 9, 2012
Canoe trip
Sunday July 15, 6:30 PM meet at the Going street building to pack gear and watch a short instructional video.
Monday July 16, 7:30 AM meet at the Rose City building
Return Saturday July 21 at around Noon
Okay, here's the dealio, I'm not going to make a complete list of what to bring because everybody has a different idea of what is necessary and nobody is right or wrong. The troop will be providing food for three meals each day except for breakfast Monday, the troop will not be providing eating utensils, plates, bowls, etc., some of the meals have been planned so that these items aren't necessary, however several of the meals will require some kind of mess kit. If boys want additional snacks they are encouraged to bring their own.
Temps on the river are forecast to be in the high 80s during the day and low 50s at night, clothing and sleep gear should be adequate for these temperatures plus or minus 10 degrees. Clothing that drys quickly will be the most comfortable, sandals or some kind of foot wear that can be worn in the water are recommended, an old pair of tennis shoes will work just as well but might not completely dry during the entire trip.
Boys should bring some kind of container for water (gatorade bottles are really heavy duty and a convenient size if you don't already have something else already.) The troop will have a water filter but based on past experience water filters fail at the worst possible time, if any of the boys have a water filter it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a backup so we don't have to boil dozens of gallons of water every day.
When packing gear keep in mind that whatever you pack you have to fit into the canoe and paddle it 50 miles, the more weight the canoe is carrying the harder it is to paddle, and it will be more likely to take on water. In addition to the gear the boys bring each canoe will carry a portion of the food and troop cooking gear. The canoes we are using will hold over 700 lbs, but really the target weight including passengers should be less than 500 lbs. Hopefully we've all mastered basic arithmetic and can figure out how much room there is for gear after two boys have put their bodies in the canoe.
Gear should be packed in trash bags to keep it dry, important gear like sleeping bags and cheetos should be double bagged. Dry bags are available at sporting goods stores, they're more durable than garbage bags but expensive and not guaranteed to be any more waterproof, if you don't already have a dry bag and don't expect to do a lot of canoeing in the future pack extra garbage bags. Expect everything to leak, pack carefully to keep the most important items dry. Boys will need to bring ~25 yards of rope to secure their bags in the canoe, the best way to keep gear from washing down the river when the canoes capsize is to tie everything down inside the boat. The rope can also be used to improvise a clothes line for drying sleeping bags and clothing.
I don't know if you need a tent, if you think you do, I suggest sharing with someone else.
Cell phones and other electronics don't work well in the middle of nowhere, and don't work at all when they've been soaked in a river, unless the device is completely waterproof (like a diving watch) expect it to be damaged, tupperware containers will leak, ziplock bags will leak, the only container I have any confidence in is a Pelican case, these cases can be difficult to find and start at about $30 for a small container. Electronics that are left in a vehicle attract attention and encourage thugs to break windows. I'm not saying don't bring electronics, I'm just saying that I won't allow them to be stored in my van and electronics that are taken on the river have a 99.8% chance of being damaged unless you've made an investment in a waterproof case. Did I mention there won't be anywhere to plug in devices that need to be charged? Did I mention that it's unlikely there will be any cell phone service except for the first and last 200 yards of the trip, 3g is even less likely? Choose wisely what electronic devices you bring.
EDIT:
Bass fishing on the John day river is supposed to be really good, if you're into that kind of thing, bring a fishing pole and tackle. Youth older than 14 need a fishing license.
EDIT II:
Water level on the John Day river has dropped below the critical level and will likely continue to fall to the point that we'd be dragging canoes across sand bars for the majority of the trip. Reluctantly we'll be changing the location to the Willamette river, starting somewhere near Corvallis and ending somewhere near Wilsonville. None of the above changes except temperatures, the highs will be about 80, lows will still be in the mid 50's. The willamette isn't known for great bass fishing, but is open for fishing, fishing for trout is only allowed above hwy 20 in Albany (first 10 miles or so of the trip), below that only salmon and sturgeon fishing are allowed and require a special tag.
Monday July 16, 7:30 AM meet at the Rose City building
Return Saturday July 21 at around Noon
Okay, here's the dealio, I'm not going to make a complete list of what to bring because everybody has a different idea of what is necessary and nobody is right or wrong. The troop will be providing food for three meals each day except for breakfast Monday, the troop will not be providing eating utensils, plates, bowls, etc., some of the meals have been planned so that these items aren't necessary, however several of the meals will require some kind of mess kit. If boys want additional snacks they are encouraged to bring their own.
Temps on the river are forecast to be in the high 80s during the day and low 50s at night, clothing and sleep gear should be adequate for these temperatures plus or minus 10 degrees. Clothing that drys quickly will be the most comfortable, sandals or some kind of foot wear that can be worn in the water are recommended, an old pair of tennis shoes will work just as well but might not completely dry during the entire trip.
Boys should bring some kind of container for water (gatorade bottles are really heavy duty and a convenient size if you don't already have something else already.) The troop will have a water filter but based on past experience water filters fail at the worst possible time, if any of the boys have a water filter it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a backup so we don't have to boil dozens of gallons of water every day.
When packing gear keep in mind that whatever you pack you have to fit into the canoe and paddle it 50 miles, the more weight the canoe is carrying the harder it is to paddle, and it will be more likely to take on water. In addition to the gear the boys bring each canoe will carry a portion of the food and troop cooking gear. The canoes we are using will hold over 700 lbs, but really the target weight including passengers should be less than 500 lbs. Hopefully we've all mastered basic arithmetic and can figure out how much room there is for gear after two boys have put their bodies in the canoe.
Gear should be packed in trash bags to keep it dry, important gear like sleeping bags and cheetos should be double bagged. Dry bags are available at sporting goods stores, they're more durable than garbage bags but expensive and not guaranteed to be any more waterproof, if you don't already have a dry bag and don't expect to do a lot of canoeing in the future pack extra garbage bags. Expect everything to leak, pack carefully to keep the most important items dry. Boys will need to bring ~25 yards of rope to secure their bags in the canoe, the best way to keep gear from washing down the river when the canoes capsize is to tie everything down inside the boat. The rope can also be used to improvise a clothes line for drying sleeping bags and clothing.
I don't know if you need a tent, if you think you do, I suggest sharing with someone else.
Cell phones and other electronics don't work well in the middle of nowhere, and don't work at all when they've been soaked in a river, unless the device is completely waterproof (like a diving watch) expect it to be damaged, tupperware containers will leak, ziplock bags will leak, the only container I have any confidence in is a Pelican case, these cases can be difficult to find and start at about $30 for a small container. Electronics that are left in a vehicle attract attention and encourage thugs to break windows. I'm not saying don't bring electronics, I'm just saying that I won't allow them to be stored in my van and electronics that are taken on the river have a 99.8% chance of being damaged unless you've made an investment in a waterproof case. Did I mention there won't be anywhere to plug in devices that need to be charged? Did I mention that it's unlikely there will be any cell phone service except for the first and last 200 yards of the trip, 3g is even less likely? Choose wisely what electronic devices you bring.
EDIT:
Bass fishing on the John day river is supposed to be really good, if you're into that kind of thing, bring a fishing pole and tackle. Youth older than 14 need a fishing license.
EDIT II:
Water level on the John Day river has dropped below the critical level and will likely continue to fall to the point that we'd be dragging canoes across sand bars for the majority of the trip. Reluctantly we'll be changing the location to the Willamette river, starting somewhere near Corvallis and ending somewhere near Wilsonville. None of the above changes except temperatures, the highs will be about 80, lows will still be in the mid 50's. The willamette isn't known for great bass fishing, but is open for fishing, fishing for trout is only allowed above hwy 20 in Albany (first 10 miles or so of the trip), below that only salmon and sturgeon fishing are allowed and require a special tag.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Scout Camps for the summer
Hello scouts and parents,
On the 27th of May, a few committee members from the four wards met and discussed, among other things, the upcoming scout camping trips for the summer. Following are a few points of clarification.
Canoe Trip (older boys 14+)
July 16-21
-The cost for this will be $175. Any excess that is not spent on the trip will be refunded to the families, as the exact cost per boy will not be known until foodstuffs and supplies are purchased. This money is due on the 10th of June.
-June 27 will be a swim test for the canoe trip. The exact location will be announced when the date is closer. All boys should show up for this who are attending the canoe trip, but boys will still be able to come without passing, they will just need to be accompanied in a canoe by someone who did pass.
Meriwether (all boys who are interested, specifically 12-13)
August 12-18
-The cost for this trip is $274. Any families who have not paid for their boy(s) will please do so by the 10th of June to confirm a spot.
If anyone is unable to pay by the due date for either trip, whether in part or in full, please speak with your scoutmaster about arrangements.
All boys attending either camp will need to fill out the medical release form available here:
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/part_c.pdf (questions? http://www.cpcbsa.org/camping/medical-form).
On the 27th of May, a few committee members from the four wards met and discussed, among other things, the upcoming scout camping trips for the summer. Following are a few points of clarification.
Canoe Trip (older boys 14+)
July 16-21
-The cost for this will be $175. Any excess that is not spent on the trip will be refunded to the families, as the exact cost per boy will not be known until foodstuffs and supplies are purchased. This money is due on the 10th of June.
-June 27 will be a swim test for the canoe trip. The exact location will be announced when the date is closer. All boys should show up for this who are attending the canoe trip, but boys will still be able to come without passing, they will just need to be accompanied in a canoe by someone who did pass.
Meriwether (all boys who are interested, specifically 12-13)
August 12-18
-The cost for this trip is $274. Any families who have not paid for their boy(s) will please do so by the 10th of June to confirm a spot.
If anyone is unable to pay by the due date for either trip, whether in part or in full, please speak with your scoutmaster about arrangements.
All boys attending either camp will need to fill out the medical release form available here:
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/part_c.pdf (questions? http://www.cpcbsa.org/camping/medical-form).
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
Automotive Maintenance Merit Badge
We'll be working on the Automotive Maintenance Merit Badge during April and part of May. This is a hands on merit badge, boys are encouraged to prepare for the merit badge by wearing clothes that may get dirty.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Summer Camp Plans
Here is a brief summary of the plans for Scout camps this summer:
July 16-21, ages 14+: We are planning a 50 mile canoe trip along the John Day River. Estimated cost per boy will be $150, due at the start of the trip. This website shows some good pictures of the area we will be traveling through: http://www.arrowheadadventures.com/jdfamily.html
August 12-18, ages 12-13 (and any older boys who wish to come): We will be going to Camp Meriwether on the coast (http://www.cpcbsa.org/camping/summer-program/boy-scout-camps/meriwether ). Cost for this camp is $274. Payment is due June 15th.
For either camp the boys (and leaders) will need a physical prior to attending. The form can be downloaded here (Parts A, B, & C): http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/ahmr.aspx
Please let your Scoutmaster know which camp boys will be attending and also which dads can come on either of the trips. For Camp Meriwether it is not a problem if dads can only come for a part of the week; for the canoe trip it will be logistically difficult to only attend for a few days, so we'll likely need a full week commitment.
July 16-21, ages 14+: We are planning a 50 mile canoe trip along the John Day River. Estimated cost per boy will be $150, due at the start of the trip. This website shows some good pictures of the area we will be traveling through: http://www.
August 12-18, ages 12-13 (and any older boys who wish to come): We will be going to Camp Meriwether on the coast (http://www.cpcbsa.org/
For either camp the boys (and leaders) will need a physical prior to attending. The form can be downloaded here (Parts A, B, & C): http://www.scouting.org/
Please let your Scoutmaster know which camp boys will be attending and also which dads can come on either of the trips. For Camp Meriwether it is not a problem if dads can only come for a part of the week; for the canoe trip it will be logistically difficult to only attend for a few days, so we'll likely need a full week commitment.
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