Scouting Builds Leaders And Doers

[packsaddle]

North to South, or South to North?

[Hedgehog]

I'll be on the trail on Tuesday. Just a segment. There was a time that I would blast through everything. Today, I like to experience everything, just sit once in a while and listen and watch everything around me and enjoy the experience. It takes forever to get there but it isn't a race anymore.

That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

 

Enjoy the trail.  I always love it when I catch up with the 16 year olds and ask them, "Did you see that view a couple of miles back?" and they respond, "What view?"  

 

The best rest stop I had was while backpacking the AT with my son in New Jersey -- stopped to have coffee and Cliff bars at the Sunrise Mountain overlook on a clear, crisp November morning.  He turned to me and said, "I can't imagine a better place to have breakfast in the world."

 

Did the AT over three seasons a while back. I highly recommend it.

 

I would love that.  Right now, I'm working on section hiking the whole AT... in New Jersey.  Have a couple of sections left between High Point and the New York State line.

 

We're doing a 50 miler on the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway in New Hampshire at the end of the summer.  Have 6 weeks to prepare for that.  Treks planned for the future include Devil's Path in the Adirondaks and the West Rim Trail of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.  Hoping to convince my son to do the 100 Mile Wilderness and then the Tahoe Rim Trail as he gets older..

[DuctTape]

Fyi, Devils Path is in the Catskills.

[Hedgehog]

Fyi, Devils Path is in the Catskills.

 

I knew that... at one point.  

[resqman]

Well the same two scouts mentioned in the original post are at it again.  This time they are driving to the Florida Keys and kayak for a week around and between the various keys.  They are renting kayaks locally and paddling for a week.  They will spend evenings in a hostel, various camp grounds/state parks, and one night with a family friend who lives in the area.  

 

Both have attended Northern Tier so are familiar with paddling and living out of a small craft for a week or more.  Granted Canadian lakes are vastly different from open water in the Keys but they felt a need to ramp up the challenge level.  Both spent a week scuba diving in the Bahamas a few years ago so are familiar with tropical water conditions. 

 

Son graduated from EMT school on Monday and Friday they headed out.  Son has been a lifeguard at the county pool for the last 3 summers.  As long as he is not the one who tries to drown or get hurt, the two should be OK.  They plan on dragging fishing lines while paddling so hope to have fresh fish for a few meals.  Spiny lobster is in season so also hope to gather a few while snorkeling. 

 

I am so jealous.  Can hardly wait to hear the tale of this adventure.  

[Stosh]

This is what Scouting is supposed to be!  Maybe Hedge, you can suggest it to Irving.

[fred johnson]

This is what Scouting is supposed to be!  Maybe Hedge, you can suggest it to Irving.

 

Fully agree.  Worry less about implementing the perfect chain of command.  Instead, focus more on inspiring our scouts to get out and do things.  It's during the "doing" that the scouts naturally learn leadership and responsibility.  

[Hedgehog]

This is what Scouting is supposed to be!  Maybe Hedge, you can suggest it to Irving.

 

 

If I had any influence at Irving... let's just say there would be a lot of suggestions.

[Ankylus]

I agree. When I see people complaining about the "Millenials", it is clear to me that they know a different segment of the generation than I do. My favorite story is when I went to pick up one of my sons from swim camp along with a friend of his. They were 14 then, but had already been in scouting for years. I walked into their dorm room, looked at them, and asked, "Are you guys packed and ready to go?" Both of them said, "Yes, sir." So I said, "Grab your gear and lets go." Both of them walked right over to their bags, picked them up, and we left right then. And I was the only parent walking out of that place without carrying a single thing. You gotta love that.