Keystone28

OK, I need y'alls help; I had a ruptured disc in my L5 back in July that required surgery. The pain was so bad, my entire right leg went numb. But, here I am, on my last week of disability, and I find myself planning a camping trip for a group of Scouts, to Pisgah National Forest. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what kind of sleeping pad I should be looking at? I have an air mattress that my two boys use, but even on my good days, that thing is a beast to sleep on. I need something firm, but I don't want to feel the gravel from the campsite digging into my back. I was thinking of one of Thermarest Base camp, but I know diddly about these things. Please give me suggestions so this trip (scheduled for the end of October) will be enjoyable, as well as Oxycod free!! Thanks in advance, Steve

Howdy & good Sunday morn to all you scouts! Can I pick at your brains for a few minutes?? I was wondering how many of you belong to Troops or Packs that participate in Veterans Day parades, and what do you do to make them special? Our council has great participation for our local parade, but I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas to make it all the more exciting for the boys.

I have a bunch of new scouts this year, and I made a "cheat sheet" up for the parents. I had them work on the material at bedtime. So along with their prayers, they'd do, say the Cub scout motto, etc. 6 of my 7 new guys had earned their Bobcat badge in less than 3 weeks. Works like a charm!

Yeah, that clinched it for me when we went to join my oldest up for scouts! If done correctly, it is a very powerful tool!

You know, I've only been in Cub scout leadership for a year, but it seems to me that your family should come before Scouts. If you feel that your family life is suffering because of your involvement, drop it like a bad habit. Cub scouts wont take care of you when old and infirm, but family will. With that being said , I have to ask; What are your other leaders doing to help you? Tell them you need relief, rely on them for a while, they've obviously been relying on you for a long time!! Moreover, tell the parents, it's time to pony up. If they can sit there with their child for an hour every week, if they can show up for events, camping trips and the like every time you have one, then one of them -if not all of them- can contribute something to the greater good of the den and the Pack. DONT BE A MARTYR!

Thanks for the welcome guys!! Apache Bob, By any chance , are you Pack 232? wahooker, You're up in Cabbarus county? scoutldr, Maybe we are related! My Mom grew up in Bala Cynwyd, and my dad in Upper Darby. I grew up here, but have less of an accent than most folk because of my yankee parents! LOL

Hi y'all! My name is Steve,and I am a wolf Den Leader for Pack 49 in Newell, North Carolina. http://www.cubpack49.org/ The Pack still claims Newell as our hometown, despite the fact that Charlotte swallowed up the town a long time ago. Anyway, I became a scout leader last year, when my oldest son wanted to join cub scouts, and I'm not to sure who gets more out of it, me or him! We have a fairly active pack, we do a lot of camping trips and hikes, weed warriors,scouting for food, etc.I also am helping my Council to get packs and troops in our area to participate in our local Veterans day parade. Aside from that, I am an avid hunter (mostly deer and wild hog),fisherman (Im really interested in Fly fishing),amateur astronomer and shortwave DX'er. I am also an amateur WWII historian,a confirmed coffee addict and cajun food junkie. I go by Keystone28, on account of my Uncle, who fought with the 28th Infantry (Pennsylvania National Guard). He enlisted the day he turned 17, and after bootcamp, went straight into the Huertgen forest in the Autumn of 1944.His unit had a casualty rate of about 110% so it's kind of my tribute to him.