Klondike Prep Campout
This month we had our campout at
Camp Indian Trails in Wisconsin, the same place we camped when we went skiing
at Cascade Mountain on a previous campout last year. We stayed in two different
cabins, one with the Norverines (we combined the Wolverines and Norsemen since
so few Wolverines were going) and the other with the Frogs and the Flying
Squirrels. The theme of this campout was preparation for Klondike and an Iron
Chef cook-off at dinner.
The cabins
were really nice. Ours got up to something around 70 degrees. At one point, it was a veritable jungle with three different layers with the bunk beds, with
people on the lower and higher bunks and even below the beds. When we weren’t
outside doing Klondike prep, we were inside the cabins goofing off.
The
Klondike prep itself waspretty fun. With the bigfoot, first-aid, nuclear
cleanup, blind tent set-up, and firemaking events going on, we were plenty busy
until lunch. One group of three in particular spent the longest amount of time
trying to start their fire, while the fastest got theirs going in a few minutes
using bacon grease from breakfast as a firestarter.
At the
end of the day, every one went inside their cabins for the night, except for 3
hardcore manscouts. They pitched a regular boyscout tent from the trailer and
slept outside in 8° below 0. They had snow on their balaclavas and frost inside
their tent but they made it through the night like men. Oh, and 3 of the
leaders camped out, too.
All in
all, it was a really fun campout, although I heard that the Flying Squirrels
aren’t too fond of mice (or chocolate, for that matter,) anymore. It was run
smoothly and we all had a great time. Next up, Eagle Cave!
Webelo Invite
Our campout this month was the Webelos Invite Campout of the year. This time it was
held in Camp Lakota, a bit closer to home than normal for the rest of our campouts. Since it was our Webelos invite campout, Webelos came during the day to see what a Boy Scout troop is like and do some activities as well.
The SPL for this campout was Corey W., although he had to leave on Saturday evening so Henry
P. was put in charge. Before the Webelos came, we had quite a bit to set up, so we got started on it as
soon as we got breakfast. We split up into four groups, one for each of the activities for the Webelos; archery, pellet guns, fire lighting, and cooking.
Once the Weblos left for the day after lunch, it was our turn to goof off and shoot some aluminum cans
with pellet guns. Or just hang around and goof off until dinner. Some pretty weird things were cooked for dinner, including a chicken baked in a trash can and a Ding-Dong cobbler, a cobbler made with marshmallows, chocolate, cake mix, powdered sugar and Ding Dongs. We then finished off the evening with a campfire and hot cocoa.
~Richard
Capture the Flag Campout
Our last campout was a massive Capture-The-Flag game over in Des Plains Valley andThree Fires Council Adventure Camp near Rochelle, Illinois.
Our SPL was Corey W., but for this campout, our JASMs (Junior Assistant Scout Master) were temporarily put in charge, namely Mitch R. and Alex K.. Armed with walkie-talkies and a purpose, we bravely went out in search of each other’s flags.
In the end, it went into a night game after dinner, and one team emerged victorious, but I don’t know who it was. I went to bed since I knew that we had to get up in the morning like a sensible person. All in all, it was a pretty awesome campout.
~Richard
04/2010 - Grant Pilgrimage - Galena
by: Ben
Since it was a Galena Grant Pilgrimage campout, the whole troop participated in a parade Saturday afternoon. It was nice that it didn’t rain during the parade. In addition, we were one of the only troops that was all in full uniform.
The SPL of the campout was Matt Ledder. He, and the rest of his senior staff did a great job. The campout was full of fun, and everything that needed to get done did. The only bad part that was directly related to Matt (or so he would say) was that he rained. It appears he will be like Mr. Boivin and be rain gods together.
While we were in Galena, there was a meeting spot where everyone was to go to when at the given times. It was great that no one was late for the meeting time, and many of us were early.
There were many flying squirrels on the campout again. They made up a big part of the troop that did come. They marched in the parade well, and some of them carried the troop sign right behind the flag carriers.
03/10 Iron Man Cook Off
by: Ben
We were divided into two cabins, one was bigger and had a wood floor and the other one was smaller, and had a concrete floor. In the littler one were the Noresmen and the Frogs along with any parents of scouts in those patrols. The first night our fire went out, so we woke up to a cold cabin.
Secondly, this was the first camp out for all the Flying Squirrels. They performed really well, and might even have won the cook off, had they been judged. They were very good at working together, especially on clean up.
Finally, the senior patrol leader, Jake, decided to try to make the ax yard out of duct tape, and not the normal flags. He got about half way done before he was stopped by the leaders.
Ben
FEBRUARY ACTIVITES TROOP 657
by: Andy
In February we did many things at the troop meetings as it was career month. We heard some interesting information about careers from formers scouts, leaders , and guests. We also had a Troop Trailer Clean-out day and slept overnight on the U.S.S. Cobia in Manitowac, Wisconsin. All activities were fun and rewarding. We also will hold Troop elections this month.
Cleaning and Checking
Starting from scratch
The Maritime Museum
Ready for Action
'Sittin' on a Bomb in the Bay
Man the Torpedoes!!
"Good Skateboard Wheels ?...