The Bloggers
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On my first campout with the scouts since returning from my hike across WI. We picked a cold, wet weekend but still had a good time making a trebuchet and launching tennis balls. With just 8 poles, you can build a very nice little launcher.
Are you the best chef in your troop? Do the scouts rave about your meals months later? Well, here's your chance to prove it! Scouting magazine is holding a Camp Cuisine Contest this month. Submit your entry at their contest page and you might win an MSR Dragonfly stove.
At the Scout Shop today, I saw the new Programming merit badge patch. It was a pretty boring looking patch, to tell the truth. Kind of bland shades of green in the green border, and no picture of a computer, or any electronic device.
I walked 30500 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 23 miles today. We slogged our way to the western terminus!!! A few pictures and congratulations, and then into the Ice Age center to get out of the cold rain.
I walked 66000 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 30 miles today. We put in a long day, but it went quickly hiking and visting with the new people we met on the trail. Nearly to Haugen, a man with a dog came down the trail towards us.
I walked 58800 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 28 miles today. What a wonderful day! Last year on my Superior Hiking Trail trek, a scout from home and his family surprised me on the trail and hiked with me.
Just crossee the county border to Chippewa county. According to the Ice Age Trail guidebook, that is 900 miles behind us and less than 200 to go! The day is gorgeous - clear and cool. We're chasing the setting moon towards Cornell and then on into the forest.
Troop 536 in Medford, WI rocks! Here is their scout hut right in the city park. It is a very cool meeting place and their scoutmaster is letting me rest here overnight. He is a great example of being helpful, friendly, and kind all at once.
I walked 24548 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 12 miles today. Just after we finished dinner last night, the rain started. It diminished to drizzle around 7am so we broke camp. The drizzle, fog, and general gloom hung in all morning as we soggily trod to our destination.
I walked 43162 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 21 miles today. We called it a short day at Rusch Preserve where there are some free campsites and a pump well. The well water is brown. :-( This is also the start of the 10mile side trail to Timm's Hill - Wisconsin's high point.
I'm on top of the lookout tower on the high point of the Ice Age Trail! It's all downhill to Minnesota from here. Sweeping views all around, including Rib Mountain way down by Wausau. It's all gresn now, but in a few weeks it will be a kaleidoscope of color. Hike On
I walked 53389 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 26 miles today. A funny thing happened on the way to Polar today... Papa Bear read in the Ice Age Trail guidebook that a bar-n-grill in Polar, WI is hiker-friendly and may let you camp behind their place.
I walked 37688 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 17.5 miles today. A few separate trail segments were completed today with a wide range of terrain and plantlife. We ended the day with a roadwalk. Check out my current location on the map.
We met this little guy on the trail this morning. Anyone have a guess as to what kind of snake he is? The temperature is steadily risng today and our forested trail walks are done - only road walking for the next hour or so until our friends find us and we call it a day.
I walked 54800 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 26 miles today. HALF WAY!!! Our campsite is almost exactly at the halfway point of the trail. Check out my current location on the map. I know the actual trail miles change as new sections are created and reroutes occur, but with the best…
John Muir had a huge impact on the wild places of our country. He founded the Sierra Club. This memorial park to him has a spring-fed kettle lake and a trail around which is part of the Ice Age Trail.
We're up before daylight and on the trail through fog and sunrise. It's cold this morning - about 44 degrees - so we walk to warm up. All roadwalks today heading to Portage and we've reached the Aldo Leopold center. Very nice building (with bathroom) so we're taking a break to check out the displays.
I walked 24378 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 11 miles today. Picking up right where we left off at the Lodi Marsh, we started hiking at 5pm today. The hike into Lodi was great! The trail was well maintained, the temperature was comfortable and the humidity was much lower.
Leaving for the trailhead in an hour. Anxious to get moving again and looking forward to the 20 degree drop in temperature and new terrain to cover. We picked up more supplies for the next month and that's one of the best parts of long hikes - I get to eat pretty much anything I want…
I get back on the trail tomorrow, picking up where we left off around Lodi, WI. The high humidity and heat stayed around longer than hoped and rides to the trailhead worked out that made Sunday the best day to start.
We made it to Whitewater Recreational Area yesterday and finally met up with Peter and his wonderful family in Janesville (they are in Scouting). The whole story is much longer, but I misplaced my cellphone in Paul's Porsche and I'm hoping he finds it and calls my hiking buddy's phone.
We're on top of the tower at Lapham Peak - don't know who decides when a hill becomes a peak, but it's an amazing view for 50 miles in all directions! You'll need to tilt your screen to see the tower :-) We can see Holy Hill far in the distance to the north which was our…
Along the trail, there have been quite a few Eagle Projects done to improve this great resource for people exploring the natural world of Wisconsin. Here is an example of a bench. We notice 3 benchs in this project but there were probably more.
I traveled about 28 miles today. We made it to the hwy H trailhead to end the day. Bug suits were used the entire day and we got a few jealous looks from folks passing us on the trail. At a water stop at a campground, we met Gary and his family and friends.
Xxb2 Xxm19 As we approached the Elkhart Lake area, some very loud mosquitos could be heard in the distance. Over the next hour of hiking, it became clear they were racecars at the Elkhart Speedway - amazing how far across the country the sound carries!
We got an early start with a ride from a very helpful scout back to the trail at 6am. We've hiked 7.5 miles - all on roads - and are now resting on the front porch of the old hotel at the Rhine Center intersection.
I traveled about 28 miles today. Camp Rokilio Rox! We hiked here from Manitowoc today on almost all roadwalking. The hike wasn't too exciting but the destination is great! We arrived just at dinner and the staff was very welcoming.
This morning, we've walked about 17 miles from Mishicot to Two Rivers via the Point Beach state forest. We found where all the mosquitos have been hiding!!! Our bug suits worked wonderfully and were a real fashion statement. We have about 11 more miles today - it's a long one!
We've had 3 great days of hiking and met some winderful people along the trail. We camped in one guy's backyard forest, in an old camper a restaurant, and in a family's basement. Today, we're heading to Manitowoc where we hope to camp at a scouting family's property.
Tomorrow starts the big adventure for my summer. I leave to start hiking the 1,100 mile Ice Age Trail across Wisconsin with my friend Papa Bear from Seattle. He arrived safely by train and we've walked a few miles here while doing last minute shopping and preparation.
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The founding scouts of Troop 911 learned about camp stove safety and operation at their troop meeting this week. There were demonstrations of gas stoves like the one in the picture, smaller backpacking stoves with the same mechanics, canister stoves, and alcohol 'popcan' stoves.
I I expect if you are viewing this blog of mine you're involved in the Scouting world online and are already aware of Scoutmaster Clarke Green's blog. (That's him in the pic) He posts much more than I do - both quantitatively and qualitatively.
One of the Leave No Trace principles to minimize impact is Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces . One of the ways to interpret this is to stay on trails when hiking. As you can see, that is a good idea not only to minimize impact but also to keep safe.
There's a troop here that advertises itself as "The Oldest Troop In Eden Prairie". Well, as of June, Troop 911 can call itself "The NEWEST Troop In Eden Prairie" since our charter was just (finally) signed, accepted, authorized, officially endorsed, and all that.
The BSA membership resolution has passed today. See the BSA statement for details. Over the next 6 months, I expect we'll see changes to logistics policies and training, especially Youth Protection. As those changes are being planned, designed, and implemented, all of us Scouting volunteers can continue the program we've promised boys in our communities.
Since the Scouting Pen Pals feature was added to Boy Scout Trail last summer, there have been 218 units sign up! Messages are flying back and forth from USA to UK, and Canada to Africa. There's lots of room for more scouts to find pen pals.
Hey, a funny thing happened to my on the way to celebrating the 1,000 Likes of Boy Scout Trail on Facebook. I used random.org to select a number between 1 and 29 which is how many people commented on the 1,000 Likes blog post.
A revision to the BSA Guide to Safe Scouting is out this month, with one very important clarification for Cub Scout dens. Cubmasters and den leaders make note of this! Tigers and Wolfs may not use knives during Scouting activities.
How does a Boy Scout make a fire with two sticks? Make sure one's a match. We're supposed to be good at many outdoor skills, one of which is fire starting. It's just a Scouting thing. In reality, I've not met many scouts that can start a fire readily - in good weather, let alone rain…
Hey, there's a lot going on today, but this is much more important and I just had to share. I love Physics. I love Oreos. I love Portland, Oregon. I love inventors. I love dry humor. And, this video has it all !
It's not so bad when you're right by the cars on a weekend campout, but if your food is lost while deep in the backcountry on a high adventure, you can be in big trouble. With a couple days hiking between your crew and the nearest trailhead, running out of food probably won't kill you…
Win $25 because Boy Scout Trail hit 1,000 likes on Facebook this week! That means for every person that likes Boy Scout Trail, about 41,000 people like Sponge Bob Square Pants. :-) But, hey, it's a start. To celebrate, I'm giving a $25 Scout Shop gift card to a random one of those Likers .
One of the things I like about Scouting is how the entire program from Tigers (or Lions now) to Eagles gradually provides age-appropriate opportunities for growth in the areas of character, citizenship, and fitness. One of the many tightropes a scout volunteer leader, such as den leader, cubmaster, and scoutmaster, needs to walk is balancing…
What do fresh snow, mud, and dirt have in common? They're perfect for finding animal tracks on your next hike! But, once you've found the tracks, you need to figure out what animal made them. That can be a challenge, especially for people just starting their outdoors adventures.
After their Blue Gold banquets and cross-over ceremonies, many Webelos will be joining troops over the next month. A new adventure for young boys full of excitement and apprehension about camping without parents, cooking their own food, and hanging out with older guys.
The Boy Scouts of America have postponed decision on membership policy changes until the May, 2013 national meeting. Here's the news release: For 103 years, the Boy Scouts of America has been a part of the fabric of this nation, providing it's youth program of character development and values-based leadership training.
Going to Philmont this summer? Congratulations! Your final payment to Philmont is due in less than a month. In just a few weeks, your crew will need to submit trek choices. Of the 35 various treks available, you'll need to decide on your top 5 and hope you get the one you want.
Last day to get an entry in for January's random Boy Scout Trail drawing for three prizes. Hey, it's a lot easier than a Hot Dog Eating contest! All you have to do is type in your email. Go to Scout Contest page to enter.
Influence the decision by sharing your opinion with the national Boy Scouts of America leadership. There are three ways you can get your opinion to the BSA folks working towards a decision on the national membership policy. As a member of the organization, in this democratic society, it's your responsibility to participate in the decision-making…
