Proud_Papa Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 My son and I are going to Jamboree this year. I am flying out from Oakland on Saturday the 23rd, and am then having a close friend drive me to Jamboree the next day. My son arrives with his troop on the 25th. A week later on Sunday the 31st my wife and daughter will be flying to Washington D.C. and will be visiting the Jamboree the next day. Our plan is then to have my wife and daughter pick my son and I up after Jamboree ends on the 3rd. I am wondering if it will be possible to have her pick my son and I up at my campsite location? If not how easy will it be to get a ride out of A.P. Hill, and any suggestions on where we can meet up with her in a nearby town? Once she picks us up we are then planning on being tourists for 2 1/2 weeks (North Carolina to Boston hopefully). My wife and I visited Washington D.C. 16 years ago, but we and the kids have not traveled anywhere else on the East Coast, so at this point we are doing lots of reading about places to see and things to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SR540Beaver Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 Hmmmmm, are you going as part of your council's contingent troop leadership or as a staff member? I don't know how other councils handle this, but in our council the troop and it's leadership travels as one unit to and from the Jambo. No exceptions. You fly out with is and you fly home with us. Leaving the Jambo (even with family) is not permitted. The boys are under the care of the troop leadership and can not seperate from us and go elsewhere with family at any point during the touring or Jambo. We did have one dad with two sons who signed up and wanted to tag along since they were going to be so far from home. They told him he could, but he had to arrange his own transportation and lodging and would have to stay in the background and not interfere in troop operations. They decided to drop from going to Jambo early on. I'm not saying you can't do this and I don't know if there are regulations concerning it or not or if it is a council by council thing. I just know that in our situation, we had to commit to being able to travel with the troop from beginning to end and everyone stays together thruout. But this is my first Jambo. Maybe some other Jambo folks can give their 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proud_Papa Posted February 17, 2005 Author Share Posted February 17, 2005 I am going as regular staff. I have worked out with my council and my son's Jamboree Troop scoutmaster that I will be able pick up my son on the final day of Jamboree, since I will already to be there. Being on regular staff I don't anticipate having many interactions with my son or his troop, unless they come through my area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoutldr Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 The closest "nearby town" is Fredericksburg, and there are several hotels there with easy access to I-95. Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown are about 2hrs south of there and Washington DC is about one hour north. Word of advice, stay away from the DC I95 beltway area around rush hour, which starts around 3 pm weekdays. If you want to tour DC, I like to stay in Arlington or Alexandria and ride the Metro (subway) into the District...it's clean, safe and easy and you can buy multi-day passes for unlimited rides. Much easier than trying to drive and park in and around DC. Like I said, rush hour traffic there is legendary. Another word of advice, in the summer, some of the tourist attractions give tickets for specific times, such as the Washington Monument and the Holocaust Museum...you need to go there first and get your tickets (free) and then go see other stuff, otherwise you'll never get in. You might want to contact your Congressman's office ahead of time to see what they have available in the way of tickets (White House, etc). You can't possibly see everything in one trip, so choose carefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eamonn Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=ba&c=ja This is the form that is needed to release your Son. With all the security at the Jamboree and on Army bases, I think (I don't know)that picking someone up would be a real pain. Last Jamboree we had a Lad, his Dad worked in the Boy's Life exhibit (Carving neckerchief slides)He wanted to pick his son up. The paper work was easy. Getting Son and kit to where he was at was hard. Maybe if you can see if his kit can go with the troop back to California and all you need is him and what he can hand carry, life would be easier. Our Council does not have any rules about who goes where. But you might want to check. Getting cars on to the site is a real hassle. We had the mother of one Scout at the last Jamboree, who was in a wheel chair. She wanted to visit her son. We asked about Jamboree Handicapped Transportation, I think the guide said it was available - No one seemed to know. In the end they did allow her to drive onto the site but she had to come in the back way. I very much doubt if that will be allowed this time. I feel sure that you can make it work, it might just take some work. Eamonn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SR540Beaver Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 I do stand corrected. We had our monthly Jambo contingent leaders meeting last night and one of the SM's raised the question of a boy leaving with family. The contingent coordinator said that there is a release form that has to be filled out. He said he thinks family coming to visit during Jambo is a great thing and he welcomes it. If they want to take the boy with them instead of traveling back with us, that is fine as well......but we are not going to publicize it. We will deal with it on a case by case basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anarchist Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 what airport is your wife flying into (Washington National oopps I mean Reagan National or Dulles???( hopefully not BWI).... She should be able to get on to the base with very little problem (US ID (passport) or Valid drivers license...I would think she will only get as far as the troop drop off area, where you would have to meet her...(Check with Jambo office) If you find need to meet her in Fredericksburg Va. the easiest place would be where Interstate 95 crosses US route 1, She would exit towards 'south bound' Route 1 heading to MASSAPONAX. State Route 17 which passes Fort A.P.Hill 'hits' Route 1 at virtually the same place....there is a McD's and a KFC and a WALMART,a movie theatre and an outlet shopping center and a couple of Gas stations right there also.... PM me if you need more info on this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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