Ohio_Scouter

Have you considered using DuPont Tyvek Housewrap or equivalent? This is the material builders use to wrap and weatherproof new home construction on top of wood sheathing and beneath brick or vinyl exterior siding. It's very lightweight, waterproof, and you might be able to get it free or at reduced cost from a neighborhood builder if they know you are a Boy Scout unit. Good luck!

Buffalo Skipper, Based on your last post, the boys may also need a refresher course in recognizing venemous snakes and administering first-aid for snake bites. Have fun!

10 Outdoor Essentials this is list from the Wilderness Survival Merit Badge Book this is what they should have anything else is up to you and is optional. 1. Pocketknife scout knife dont recommend a single blade lock blade. 2. First Aid Kit 3. Extra Clothing 4. Rain Gear 5. Water Bottle 6. Flashlight 7. Trail Food 8. Matches or Fire Starters 9. Sunscreen 10. Map and Compass In addition there are 2 things that should be on you at all times in your pocket Garbage Bag Instant Shelter Water Collection Signal Device Whistle far easier to blow a whistle for a time than to yell whistle carries 1-2 miles farther than voice. Other Items for a Survival Kit The following things you may want to keep in your kit include: These things make a survival situation more bearable. Duct Tape the universal material Signal Device Mirror, bright cloth Two or 3 bullion cubes Two or 3 flavored drink mix packets Two or 3 adhesive bandages Nylon Fishing line and hooks 50 feet 24 feet of thin 18 gauge wire Medications that you require on a daily basis Small Bottle of Insect Repellent Be Prepared be sure to dress for the weather bring gear for the correct weather if its going to be cold at night on an outing bring the 40 degree bag instead of the fleece blanket If its going to be hot bring the fleece blanket or sheet. Other Items in survival Kits: Note: These are not in any particular order just listed. These are all optional and not required for the merit badge they will make life easier still be careful what you bring one, there is the cost if you have to purchase it two, you have to carry it. And it must fit inside your survival kit. Equipment, tools and other items: Small Candle light heat fire starter Fish Hooks 50 yards of fishing line Few split shot weights Safety Pins hold things together Cotton balls first aid - fire starter Short Saw Blade (Jig saw or Saws all) create shelter fire wood cut up food. Gill Net catch fish in stream Rolled up Toilet Paper a morale booster. Dont get carried away can get bulky. Folded up sheet of Heavy Aluminum Foil Cooking, signaling, water holding Small Sponge collect dew off of leaves or rocks for water collects water you cant get to otherwise. Razor Blade million and 1 uses Snap blade Razor Knife Thin Rope small amount parachute cord is excellent. million and 1 uses Leather Thong create shelter, fire starter, first aid many things Chunk of Fire Log or other Fire Tab - FIRE Wool Socks or heavy sock. (can be used on feet or as gloves) Pencil leave notes, pass time Paper notes, fire starter keep food clean Thin Wire 5 10 feet create shelter, snares Small Rain Poncho shelter signal device Waterproof Bag keep important gear safe Chemical Light Stick light signal device(This message has been edited by Ohio_Scouter)

"Stand right here, hold the apple like this, and hand me your tomahawk; I want to show you something really sweet."

Buffalo Skipper, I agree with you wholeheartedly. I think Backpacking represents the very essence of being a Boy Scout because it fosters the qualities of independence, self-reliance, resourcefulness, adventure, survival skills, physical/mental strength, and the outdoors experience to name just a few! We normally teach the Backpacking merit badge as part of our Philmont prep hikes, and the scouts love it. It always amazes me to see how these young scouts develop into confident young men and leaders after they have a few backpacking trips under their belts. They also appreciate being prepared for their Philmont treks which are always beyond their wildest expectations.

Last night, a scout called and asked if I would counsel him on the Backpacking merit badge. I can't wait to get started...

kbandit, I've never done this myself, so I can't guarantee results, but I've heard of some folks using Thompson's Waterseal products for waterproofing their tents. It can be applied using a garden hose and sprayer. Anybody else ever done this?

Eagle92, All the above is very good advice. May I also suggest that some of his scout buddies, ASMs, and/or SM offer to help him with his schoolwork so that his grades improve and help him get back to normal both in school and in the troop.

raisenemright, Our troop just purchased several Eureka Alpenlite 2XT 4-season tents. We decided to invest in better 4-season tents that would also double as backpacking tents since we backpack a lot and winter camp quite a bit. Unfortunately, they are a bit pricey (about $300.00 each new from Eureka), but you may be able to find a better price elsewhere. Check them out here: http://www.eurekatent.com/p-71-alpenlite-xt.aspx

Thanks, Gern. Stacking works for me. That's how the Egyptians buried their dead when I visited Cairo several years back. As long as we're in/near the mountains.(This message has been edited by Ohio_Scouter)

Still have a job, but not sure for how long. House and cars are finally paid off, but over half of my retirement savings and the kids' college funds have been wiped out, so I just plan to work until laid off or expire, whichever comes first. Prior to that, was planning to retire to northern New Mexico/southern Colorado and working gratis as a Philstaffer. Haven't bought burial plots yet. Was kinda hoping that maybe Gern had some extra space in the back yard?

That's right. Pretty soon we'll have to call you Eagle squared!

Congratulations to Matt and eaglewolfmom, Elizabeth. Welcome to the Eagle parent club. It was all well worth it, wasn't it? Nothing makes me prouder than a boy sticking with it for 12 years.

When our crews went to Philmont in 2007, the Philmont bus from Raton to the ranch was $30.00 per person (round-trip, I think.).

No.

Guy, It's not a spreadsheet, but here's what we used to plan our trip to Northern Tier High Adventure base in Atikokan, Ontario, Canada. Hope it helps. http://www.ntier.org/Resources/Brochures/BSAExpedition%20Planning%20Guide2009.pdf

Ron, Cooper, and family, May our Lord bless you and keep you; may His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; may He grant you his everlasting peace. Get well soon, Cooper!

Thank you, Lord...

You might want to try searching the Camping and High Adventure Forum on the word "Philmont" over the last few years. Several experiences have been written by members of this Forum. I just searched over the last 3 years on this thread and found over 100 entries. You also might want to try Selden Ball's Philmont links: http://www.lepp.cornell.edu/~seb/philmont.html Have fun at Philmont this summer. IMHO, It's the best.

Our Council Office put out the following notification last week: Attention all Scouters (Required Training): In the September 2008 Scouting Magazine sent to all registered Scouters, you will find an article on the top (right) of page 6. The article discusses the issue Are you prepared for the Weather? The article goes on to discuss an on-line training that can be found at www.scouting.org. The article also states that beginning on Jan 1, 2009, tours must include at least one adult that has completed Planning and Preparing for Hazardous Weather training. To take the training, just follow the web site links to the BSAs E-Learning Management System. This is the same link to taking on-line training such as: Fast Start (all programs); Youth Protection; Troop Committee Challenge; and others. If you have not registered on this site before, you will need to: 1. Create a log-in name 2. Create a password; and 3. Have your BSA registration number with you. You can find your registration number on your BSA registration card. The national training web page will notify the Council when training has been taken. Please be sure to write down your log-in and password so that you can access the site in the future. For more information, please see page 6 of the Scouting Magazine. Beginning January 1,2009 you must use a new, updated tour permit form. The new form is available in the Scout Shop, from our website at www.mvcbsa.com, or from our Customer Service Representative.

You got it, Eagle Scout. Just beat cancer myself in large part because of prayers from family and friends like you (not to mention a very good team of physicians).

Our favorite winter campout is more of a weekend lock-in at the Army National Guard armory in Angola, Indiana, not far from Fort Wayne. Each February, the Guard let's us use their facilities for the weekend including their indoor basketball court, showers, and full-service kitchen. For outside fun, on Saturday morning, we head over to Pokagon State Park where they have a dual-track, quarter mile toboggan run. Four scouts each get on two toboggans and race each other down the track. We take pictures of each team as they race down the hill. At the end of the run, the scouts pick up their toboggans and haul them back to the starting point for the next race. The races continue for several hours until the guys get too tired to carry the toboggans at which point we break for lunch. After everyone has had some chow, warmed up, and rested up, we head over to the adjoining sled-riding hills and spend the rest of the afternoon sledding down the hills in store-bought sleds and in sleds that several of the scout teams have built throughout the year. A couple years ago, an enterprising group of our Venture Patrol scouts built what they called their "death sled". They collected a couple of old abandoned grocery carts from the local grocery store, bolted them onto a 2" x 4" lumber frame, and mounted this contraption onto several old snow skis acquired from the Salvation Army store. Reminded me of an episode of the Little Rascals. They successfully raced the "death sled" down the hill several times and thought they had become quite proficient until they tried to load about 12 scouts on board all at once. When they ran it down the hill, it hit a tree, and the runners broke beyond repair. That was the last run of the "death sled". We got some great pictures from that trip, and they still talk about the "death sled" to this day. The new scouts think it's an urban troop legend, and everybody always looks forward to February every year , , .

gwd- Congratulations! All your hard work is finally paying off . Keep up the good work, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!(This message has been edited by Ohio_Scouter)

So, she writes a book. Revenues won't be much after taxes.

No bailout for the auto industry. No bailout for the banking industry. No bailout for any industry. No bailout for me, either. Other than my 401(k) retirement plans, I don't need one; I'll just work indefinitely in whatever industries survive.