Scouts is paying off

[Smithgall]

I wanted to give an example of why scouts works and the value there is to be gained.

 

We joined scouts as weblos and have now been in boyscouts since march of last year. Our troop is not a hiking/backpacking troop but after having spoken to other troop leaders that are into that, i have been working on my son to slim down his gear and focus on the weight and utility of what we bring to a campout. He got to the point where he brought a back pack that held all he needed and could pack and go in 15 minutes or so while other boys were litterally bringing 2-3 bags and one even brings a queen size inflatable matress.

 

At the end of July i was laid off but we do alright and my wife suggested i take my son on a trip (i think she meant disney). Since he didnt have to be back to school until 8/24 i thought he and i should take a road trip. We packed our packs threw everything in the car and hit the road. We traveld from our home in florda across the country to LA. up to san Fran back through mount rushmore and down to florda again. Over 8000 miles and just a few days short of 3 weeks and we spent nearly all of it in a tent. We had no destination and only a few must sees (grand canyon, alcatraz, mount rushmore etc) since we had no schedule we carried a book of national parks and when we got to where we thought we needed to stop driving we looked up the nearest park and pitched the tent.

 

Boy Scouts gave us both the ability to throw a tent up and cook outside. If it were not for scouts that trip would not have happened. Other than a few small touristy things we didnt hit any major traps. No disney, no 6 flags, not water parks. our enjoyment came from camping on a beach in texas or freezing our butts off outside the grand canyon (hot during the day 40's at night). We hiked more moutains that i can remember. For a florida boy it was a delight for him to hike up a trail and come across a water fall in utah or skip rocks in yellowstone lake (florida doesnt have rocks to skip really. You forget the simple pleasure of that)

 

To be honest we did hit a few motel 6's. some night we just drove too long or once while in NM it was thundering and lighning pretty bad and i didnt want to be the tallest thing in the desert.

 

There are so many skills you learn in scouts but the appreciation for nature is something that I dont think i realized was so important. Not once did he ask about his xbox or his laptop or wonder what shows were on. We did take an ipod that he listened to in a car (after all 8000 miles is a long time listening to your dad ramble on) and other than that we took playing cards and dominoes.

 

its probably a once in a lifetime trip but man it was fun and scouts played a big part in it. If you ever get the opportunity take it. Even with gas and food the trip was far less that we have spent on cruises, or flying to NYC or other find trips. If you ever get the opportunity take it.

[scoutldr]

Great story. Thanks for sharing!

[prof]

Smithgall,

Sounds like the trip of a lifetime!!!!!

Prof

[CA_Scouter]

Can I go next time?

 

 

[SctDad]

That sounds like a great idea. I may have to plan something like that with my boys or maybe the whole family.

[BrentAllen]

Smithgall,

That sounds like a great trip! We go on a lot of family trips, mostly driving. We've been out to Glacier, Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, some other places. People are shocked when I tell them we drive, but we get to see so many different things along the way. That being said, we are flying to Yosemite next summer. With only two weeks for the trip, we'd burn one just getting there and back.

 

When the kids started getting old enough to travel beyond going to Disney, we started looking at all the places we wanted to go. Then, look at how many years you have before your kids graduate high school and head off to college. You really don't have that many years to squeeze in all those trips before the kids dis-own you. Make those trips while you can, I don't think you will ever regret them.

 

My Scoutmaster's wife passed away recently (she was in her 70's, fighting cancer), and their daughter spoke at the service. She smiled as she talked about the month-long trip they took when they were kids, going out west in a motorhome. You can't buy those memories with any amount of money. Your son will remember that trip for the rest of his life.

[packsaddle]

Congratulations, I know what you mean both as a boy and as a father. Back in the '50s my father was laid off because of a job-related hernia operation. The recovery was supposed to be for 6 weeks. He sold some property, constructed a sheetmetal trailer (I backed him up while setting the rivets) and my mother sewed a tent that fit the top of it. We spent 6 weeks camping all the way around the USA. It was a defining time of my life.

Fast forward about 50 years. My daughter had just graduated high school. I quit my federal job and took her on a six-week camping trip around the country, this time in a backpack tent on the ground. Almost exactly the same places at the same time of year as 50 years before. Up the east coast, across the north, across the plains, over into the Rockies, down the Columtia to the coast, down through OR, CA and then back across through AZ, NM, TX, etc. It was a defining experience of her life and as long as I live, our eyes will meet and we'll share a knowing smile. Some of the best memories of a lifetime, hers and mine both.

I'm glad you were able to do it too.

[eisely]

I am really jealous. We had some great times with our parents when I was a kid, and my wife and I have had some great times with our kids, but nothing to compare to this.