The Bloggers
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The last couple weeks here have been spent creating a Pen Pal Connection feature on Boy Scout Trail - see Pen Pals page. It's a simple way to get your den, pack, patrol, colony, unit, ... listed and find other groups that want to connect.
When does your community see Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturers? They don't see them when the pack, troop, or crew goes camping. They don't see them at pack, troop, or crew meetings. They might see them at an occasional parade.
Do you know of any Life Scouts needing building materials and equipment for their Eagle projects this year? There's help available to pay for it and it would be a shame to let the resource go unused. Lowe's has a grant program this year that allows councils to distribute $100 prepaid gift cards to Life…
My son just got back from a week backpacking trip without me. The troop leaves tomorrow for a week backpacking trip without me. I need to get out on another trek! I've been hiking about 8 miles each morning and looking around for a long, but not too long, trail to do.
Last chance to get an entry in for July's random Boy Scout Trail drawing for three prizes. Go to Scout Contest page to enter. Prizes: $25 Scout Shop gift card $50 ClassB.com coupon Cobra Braid survival bracelet If you're just too busy to enter, don't worry - there's a drawing in August and every month you…
Last month, the Scouting magazine blogger, Bryan, asked for slgans to help folks remember to hydrate outside. I think the top 10 entries would be a great, easy, short scoutmaster minute - especially during this hot time of summer. Maybe have the scouts vote on their favorite.
Volunteer Pen Pals Needed! About six weeks ago, I blogged about English Beaver Scouts wanting to communicate with some American Cub Scouts. This wasn't the first time someone has asked about this, so I figure there might be some demand to connect with scouts electronically around the globe.
Hey, see my hiking socks? They're POSSUM!" Before you get all creeped out about wearing possum clothing, you're missing a very important letter O - that's the difference between opossum and possum . The possum of New Zealand are native to Australia but were introduced and are now overrunning NZ.
Have you checked your change lately? I'm finding strange coins all the time now - pennies, nickels, quarters, halfs, and dollars - everything except dimes. Do you have all the 50 state quarters yet? That program raised something like $6 Billion in sales so the government has extended the program to include national parks, forests, and other…
Tonight's your last chance to get an entry in for June's random Boy Scout Trail drawing for three prizes. Go to Scout Contest page to enter. Prizes: $25 Scout Shop gift card $50 ClassB.com coupon Cobra Braid survival bracelet If you're just too busy to enter, don't worry - there's a drawing in July and every…
I've gotten to talk about my AZ Trail hike with a few scout troops and groups over the past month. The most common question I'm getting is how to lighten a pack for a backpacking trip. I tell about all the ways I cut out ounces and pounds from gear, staying safe and comfortable and…
The sun's just peeking over the horizon for the start of a gorgeous new day. All is quiet in camp except for muffled snoring from some adult tent nearby. No scouts have stirred, no coffee or bacon aroma on the breeze, and no reason to emerge from the warmth and comfort of my sleeping bag.
The Red Cross is asking for much needed blood donations this summer. Scouts and Scouters that are at least 16 and weigh 110pounds have a great opportunity to do a simple, but valuable, Good Turn by pumping out just a pint of their blood.
In case you haven't noticed, the Boy Scouts are embracing technology across the board - from merit badges for Robotics, Computers, and Electronics, to Jamboree infrastructure, to the new STEM program. In an effort to promote online safety, the BSA has created a Cyber Chip program.
Since I returned from my AZT hike, I've presented Red Cross CPR/AED and Wilderness First Aid training four times to over 50 people and will be doing it the next two weekends as well. Last week, I presented to the high adventure staff of a local BSA camp.
The BSA announced the new Search and Rescue merit badge today at a casino in Nevada. Why there? The 2012 National Search and Rescue Conference is going on there today, so it makes sense. The requirements aren't public yet, but should be available soon.
Scouting magazine is giving away three backpacks in June. You can enter every day to boost your chances of winning. Enter Now The packs are: Deuter AIRCONTACT, Osprey Atmos, and Columbia SilverRidge Cobra Braid has contributed some survival bracelets for the monthly contests here on Boy Scout Trail.
Today, I received this Facebook request from Dean Maragh in Sheffield, England. Any of you Cubmasters or Den Leaders interested in interacting with a Scouting brother across the big puddle? I am an assistant Beaver Scout Leader in England. Beaver Scouts are aged 6-8 years old and are the equivalent of your Cub Scouts.
Photos from my Arizona Trail hike are online now. I put them into a Google Maps / Google Earth file just for something different. You can see a map of the trail with thumbnail images near the location where the photo was taken.
For the rest of May, Scouting magazine is running a contest to give away free water filration items. Camelbak, SteriPen, and Platypus have all provided drinking water items for the give-away and you won't win if you don't enter. Enter today, and every day in May, to boost your odds - go to this Scouting Magazine…
Webelos have recently crossed over. Maybe you've got a few guys that just joined and are brand new to Scouting. Growth spurts causing clothes to no longer fit. It's a great time for a Buy One Get One sale on uniforms!
Quinn and Frank are the current LNT.org traveling e-Tour trainers and I was privileged to have them 'camp out' in our guest room last night while they are rockin' their way through Minnesota. They spend months traveling the country in their way-cool Subaru, presenting at Scout events, National Parks, schools, and any place else where…
I've been quietly resting my legs and putting together my Arizona Trail Journal for the past week. You can read all about my trek Right Here . I've included pictures from the trail, information about my homemade gear, and a daily record of the hike.
Now that my little 800-mile hike through Arizona is over, I get to move on to other things. I plan to take a couple weeks to mostly rest up and ensure my leg is ok - probably need to see a doctor about that when I get home.
I walked 54461 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 28 miles today. I'm Done! I reached Utah at 2pm today and PapaBear was waiting to take me to Phoenix - we're on our way now. I overdid it the past few days and my legs really hurt, but nothing serious.
I walked 56314 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 28 miles today. PapaBear drove me to where I hitched a ride. I walked back up to the trail and hiked it Jacob Lake. Now I just need to do 28 more miles tomorrow.
With the expected bad weather and my legs being so worn out, I decided to take one last rest day here in Jacob Lake. I got dressed and filled water to do the 24 miles I need to backfill but walking around the parking lot didn't feel good so I wimped out.
I walked 44426 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 27 miles today. After a very warm night down in the canyon, I hiked out the north rim. Simply spectacular scenery the entire way. The trail was terrific and the hike went quickly even though my left leg is nearly shot.
I walked 36103 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 14 miles today. So many things keep coming together and working out on this trip, it's amazing. I got to the Back Country office for a permit so I could camp in the canyon.
I got my permit for today at Cottonwood so I have a 14 mile hike with a late start. It will probably be the hottest day of hiking down in the canyon. Since I'm hiking more than 10 miles, I had to fill out a waiver with emergency info.
General Springs snow...
I walked 70000 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 35 miles today. Made it to the South Kaibab trailhead by 6:00 this evening. That is the starting down point for the Grand Canyon. Then I took a free shuttle back to Grand Canyon Village to figure out camping or hotel.
View from the top of the GrandView lookout tower! I climbed to the top but the trapdoor is locked, so it's not QUITE the top. There's been a swarm of helicoptors heading east, maybe tours or maybe something more serious. I'm heading to Grand Canyon Village now and should get there this evening. "
I walked 80000 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 40 miles today. I found out my pedometer stops counting at 65000 steps in a day so I have to estimate for today. I started my day feeling great, but bummed that my phone wasn't working.
I walked 63784 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 30 miles today. Taking the higher trail, I passed through some stands of aspen. Once I got to Alfa Fia tank for water, the trail was a gradual downhill for the rest of the day - so I just kept walking.
I was getting water from Alfa Fia tank at mile 603 north of Flagstaff. It's a beautiful pond with great water and possibly the only good water for about 50 miles. As I reached out with my 1quart zip-loc to scoop up some h2o, PLUNK went my cellphone from my shirt pocket into the pond.
I walked 64735 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 33 miles today. Mormon Lake to Flagstaff is too far for 1 day. I set a new record for myself - about 35 miles in 10 hours. The flat terrain and cool temps made it possible but I don't plan on doing days this long…
Just as I found my way into Flagstaff I was walking up off the local trail system onto a city street. A jeep pulled up and I thought maybe it was the folks I'm to stay with tonight. I was wrong.
Kurt S. just passed me on the trail riding north. Scared the beejeebers out of me! He is the lead rider in a race that started Friday at the southern end of the AZ Trail. He expects to finish in 2, maybe 3, days.
I'm following an old railroad grade toward Flagstaff for the next few miles. Logging of huge pine trees has been a key industry in these parts. Just a glorious day this morning with birds, breeze, and a good trail.
I walked 57317 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 27 miles today. This was the view for most of the day. The high pine forests continued and gradually thinned at times. I wore shorts the past two days for the first time on this trek since there were no prickly, poky, scratchy plants…
I walked 53863 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 25 miles today. I got a ride to General Springs from Pine and started hiking about 8:45 The high plateau is amazing! I walked for 9 hours on a carpet of pine needles under a vaulted cathedral of towering Ponderosa while the breeze freshened…
This pic is PapaBear having a fun outdoor meal at LF Ranch awhile back. Right now, he's back in Tempe and no longer on the trail due to a medical problem. So, if you would, your prayers for healing would be appreciated by me since I really miss having him along.
Here's a pic of warmer days and fresher legs. That's me on the very first day at the Mexico border. I've hiked about 478 miles of the AZ Trail since then and have about 339 left to go. It's been 30 days since I started this little adventure and I've learned a tremendous amount on…
I walked 48438 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 21 miles today. Hiked east below the Mogollon Rim for about 19 miles going in and out of draws, through burned sections, brushy sections, and cool forested sections. There were many beautiful views like this one.
On our way to higher elevations this am. Stopped for lunch right by BSA Camp Geronimo. This is the Mogollon Rim which rises a couple thousand feet to a high mesa. We'll be climbing this afternoon to the top where we'll have colder temps and probably snow tonight.
Wonderful, relaxing, belly-filling day in Pine with no miles on the trail. Picked up bounce box at the post office. Ate breakfast at HB's (a small restaurant). Used the public internet at the library. Then Kyle arrived and drove us to Payson to shop where we had lunch at Subway.
I walked 50684 steps on the trail today. I traveled about 23 miles today. After a delicious ranch breakfast, we got a slightly late start on our long hike to Pine. It started with a long, steep climb and continued with many miles of very rocky trail.
When hiking, you may encounter a gate across your path. Whether open or not, the common action is to close it after passing through. Maryann, the rancher I met yesterday, taught me that is not the correct thing to do.
PapaBear enjoying his 4 eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, and cocoa at 6:30am just as the sun comes over the hill. Try to convince me of a better way to start the day! LF Ranch is a perfect stop on the AZ Trail for anyone wanting to sample real rural Arizona.
