Yep… that’s a lengthy title and I really do not want this to become a rant, BUT… it seems that I get in an inordinate amount of emails reminding me that we are working with boys and that these boys are not responsible enough to do this or that. They are not responsible or skilled enough to participate in this or another thing. Recently I was reminded that in my video that I talked about how I am carrying my fuel now that the G2SS suggests that fuel be carried in the original container or a container suitable for the use of carrying fuel. And I agree that is what the G2SS says. And here is the rub.
When you really look at most of the “Prohibitions” in Scouting they are place, not really for safety or to reinforce Scouting’s values. They are in place for the lowest common denominator. They are in place to protect, not the BSA, but ourselves. And why do we need them? Well, because people are not smart enough to know that coffee is hot and when it spills on you, you get burned. Every McDonalds coffee cup tells you so… why? Because people are not smart enough to figure it out.. the lowest common denominator.
The Boy Scouts of America has a certain level of protection that it must put in place so it does not get sued.. I get that. But there are common practices in the Backpacking world and elsewhere that look at the BSA and shake their heads in disbelief at the “old School” ways it is stuck in. That is but one example but to the point I am trying to make…
When are we going to treat our Scouts the way we want them to act in life. After all, we are here to teach them to make ethical choices throughout their life times right? We are here to impart some life skills and wisdom on them, right? We are not here to shelter them from the world.. no… we are here to give them a set of values that will help them navigate the world we live in.
So why do we treat them with kiddy gloves? Why not give them responsibility and let them learn. Let them explore and develop good habits.. safe habits.
I can not tell you how many Scoutmasters I know that believe that liquid fuel is prohibited by the BSA.. or they just won’t let their Scouts use it because it is dangerous. Hog wash!
It is that kind of thinking that prohibits other things in Scouting. It is that old way of thinking that holds back Scouts from learning and exploring. It is that kind of thinking that does not allow for change and new ideas, skills, and yep… gear.
I make it a point in our Troop to push the boundaries, to test the waters. We stay legal rest assured, but I want our Scouts to explore and discover. To learn and test new things. First, it keeps them interested. And second, they have fun. They love to push themselves and have something cool that is common in the “real world” of backpacking. They test themselves and how they are skilled. They are better for it.
So when are you going to treat your Scouts like you want them to be? Stop dumbing down the program and push the limits… get out on the edge and take a peak over.. the more we do it and the do it right and safe.. maybe Scouting will see what is beyond their limits and grow.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Category Archives: Just fun
Sunday Coffee 1/13
Well, here is this weeks video. I tad bit different this week. Had to record later in the day, so coffee wasn’t going to work.. so I had some calming Celestial Wild Berry Zinger Herbal Tea… boy did it relax.
This week I talk a bit more about shedding the pack weight and give a sneak peek at my newest gear addition.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
The Dance of the Blue Card
The application for Merit Badge AKA the “Blue Card, is a little piece of paper that will get even the most level-headed Scouts doing the dance of the blue card.
Just sit back and watch as a Scout realizes that he’ll be 18 in a few months. The line dance for a visit with the Troop secretary is reminiscent of scene from Urban Cowboy.
I was recently asked about the process of the Blue Card and how we do it in our Troop. The reader has asked to remain nameless, but I am glad that this question came up. I can not tell you how times I have had conversations about such a simple thing, but something that is sometimes more confusing than a rubics cube.
Our reader asks; “Anyway would you share how your Troop handles Blue Cards, from the time the Scout asks to start a merit badge and is give the Blue Card through completion and where the Blue Card goes and who handles what.”
So here it goes… I’ll let you behind the curtain of how Troop 664 does the Blue card dance. There are actually two ways that we do this. I will explain the regular way that we do it and then how we do it for summer camp.
First. The Scout expresses interest in a merit badge… He picks the merit badge and goes to the Troop Secretary and asks for a blue card.
Then, the Scout fills out the Blue card. He fills out the whole front of the card leaving only my signature space blank. He fills out the back of the card with his name and the name of the merit badge he is going to work. He can leave the name of the counselor blank.
The Scout then brings me the blue card and I sign the front of the blue card. This allows the Scout to start working on the merit badge. It also gives me an opportunity to talk with the Scout about the badge and answer any questions that he may have. If I know who the counselor for that merit badge is, I give the Scout the information, if I don’t I have the Scout return to the Troop secretary and she will look up the counselor and give the Scout the information, phone number etc.
The Scout then works the merit badge. The counselor fills out the card and confirms that the Scout met all of the requirements. Once the merit badge is complete, the counselor signs and dates it and gives it back to the Scout.
The Scout will then bring the completed blue card back to me. I then sign the card and have the Scout give the blue card to the Troop secretary. She records the completion date and merit badge into the Troop master software and takes the first part of the card and files it with the Troop records. The Scout gets the remainder of the card. Most counselors do not retain their copy.
The Applicants record is stapled to the merit badge certificate as is the actual merit badge. The Scout is presented the merit badge at the next court of honor.
That completes the Dance of the Blue card.
The only difference in this process for summer camp is this. I will pre sign a bunch of blue cards. I then hand them out on day 1 of summer camp. The Scout takes the blue card and fills it out and takes it to the first session of the merit badge class.
At the completion of summer camp, the blue cards are returned from the summer camp staff to the Scoutmasters. I sign all the completed merit badges and make a note of the partials.
During summer camp, I track the merit badges being worked daily. I keep a chart in my notebook of who is working what badge at what time. Then I follow-up daily at the “Scoutmaster cabin”. The camps in our council all make daily progress reports available. If by Wednesday, it does not look like progress is being made, I have a little chat with the Scout. It is the Scouts decision to work the badges and I will not force or push the Scout to complete the badges at camp. I do “Highly encourage” them to get them finished, but at the end of the week.. it will be up to him.
When we get home, I turn over all of the blue cards to the Troop Secretary and she records and goes through the same process as stated above.
So there it is.. The Dance of the Blue Card… I sure hope that helps.
Leave your questions, comments, and suggestions here on the blog or feel free to drop me an email.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Pot Cozy
For those of you looking at a quick and easy way to make your pot cozy.. well here’s a nice video by a guy that I subscribe to on Youtube and follow in the Hammock Forums. His name is Sean Emery, but he is known as Shug. He is super entertaining and knows a bit about the wonderful world of Backpacking. I dropped him a note to ask permission to use his video.. he said yes, so…. Enjoy. I am sure you will.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Anchoring your Tent
Here is a video I shot a while back. The first attempt at anchoring in the video may seem not to have worked… but in the interest of time we did not allow it ‘set up’. A regular or snow stake will stay once snow is packed and allowed to bond to the stake.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Merit Badges…
This has been discussed before, but I received an email the other day from a Scouter in our area. This Scouter does not know me very well, nor does this Scouter know how our Troop runs, but none the less, this Scouter sent a nice email suggesting that we do not encourage the merit badge program in our Troop BECAUSE our Troop is a “Backpacking Troop”.
Well, hmmm… Let’s see… How do I respond to that?
There are what? 130 or so merit badges that I Scout can choose from right? And the Scout must have at least 21 to earn his Eagle Award, right? So there are lots of choices for the Scout to make when it comes to earning merit badges. At some point the Scout must come to the unit leader.. that’s me… and get the blue card signed to start working the merit badge, which ever merit badge that may be. When the Scout comes to me to get that blue card signed I sign it.
Now when it comes to encouraging. I encourage the Scout to earn merit badges. I have told the Scouts that while at Summer Camp, merit badges are not the reason to be there. Merit badges are a product of Summer camp and a means to and an opportunity to earn, learn, and have fun while at camp. So yeah, that may sound I like I don’t “encourage” the working of merit badges, but that’s really not the case at all.
I am a firm believer that advancement and merit badges are the Scouts responsibility to work. They need our help that’s true and at times they need some poking and prodding to get going on badges and rank. In that regard, we encourage and promote the merit badges that will get the Scout advanced.
The merit badge program is designed to do a couple of things.
1. Introduce the Scout to many subject areas that will open his eyes to his world, skills, hobbies and activities, and career fields.
2. Work the adult interaction method.
3. Spark interest in the Scout while working toward a goal (advancement).
When the Scout, and leaders understand why we have merit badges, it is easier to understand that they are not the end all, be all of the Scouting program.
When I am told that I do not encourage merit badges because we are a “Backpacking Troop” I look at the Scouter and ask if they know the methods of Scouting. Backpacking, Front Country car camping, or Troop’s that never leave the confines of a cabin all work the methods of Scouting. Advancement is one method and the Scout finds his pace and path to achieve his goals and work his way to Eagle.
We encourage the merit badge program but we do not spend valuable Troop time to work on them, with the exception of Camping, First Aid, and Cooking. Those merit badges, for a troop that camps 11 times a year are all being worked over the course of the program year and are tracked at the unit level.
If the fact that we are not a merit badge mill is not a way of encouraging… well, than guilty as charged.
Now, I am going to be totally honest with you… many of our Scouts only work the merit badges that they need to advance. That is not because we are a backpacking troop, nor is it because we do not encourage the merit badge program. Simply put, our Scouts are having fun. They spend time having fun at summer camp. You will always find our Scouts extremely active at camp. They love to compete and play games. They spend lots of time at the water front and the shooting ranges. If they don’t get the fingerprinting merit badge.. it’s no big deal.
We encourage every Scout to earn an Eagle required Merit Badge at summer camp.. don’t care which one… but at least one from the Eagle required list. Most Scouts work the Environmental Science Merit Badge at summer camp. That and First Aid seem to be the two most popular.
I don’t make a pitch for some of the merit badges that while for some Scouts are super interesting, knowing the boys of my troop are just ‘filler badges’. Like the afore mentioned Finger printing. Let’s face it.. that’s a 10 minute merit badge and the Scout really doesn’t learn much. A great one for the sash, but not getting him that much closer to Eagle Scout and life skills.
I would much rather see them earn Canoeing, Sailing, Emergency Prep or Wilderness survival while at Summer camp or pretty much any other time of the year. But that’s just me, I don’t get to force a Scout to earn a certain merit badge, nor do I get to forbid him from working one. Finger printing, Dog care, Painting, Skating, and Reading, while all great subjects and have a purpose in teaching responsibility on some level and encouraging an interest, I can do without them in the context of Scouting. I know that I will hear some opposing views on this and I suppose that’s why there are 100 + merit badges so there is something for everyone. I don’t discourage any Scout from earning any merit badge that he wants to earn. But when it comes to encouraging Scouts to earn merit badges, well, I just sign the blue card and let them go to work.
I don’t think we need to high-five every Scout that earns the Chess merit badge or the Backpacking merit badge for that matter. They work it, they earn it, they are presented the badge and they get a handshake and a “job well done”. We don’t have contests to see who can earn the most and we don’t look down on the Scout that earns the obligatory 21.
I am still not sure what being a “Backpacking Troop” has to do with anything. This Scouter said that this was “The Reason” we do not encourage the merit badge program.
In closing. The average number of merit badges that Scouts have earned at the time they were awarded their Eagle award is 35. Enough said.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Sunday Mornin’ Coffee 1-6
This week we talk about my pack and the small stuff in it. We brew up a nice cup of Starbucks Breakfast blend using the Snow Peak 700 pot and the Jet Boil Press.
Thanks for watching these videos, I appreciate all the feedback and comments.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
52 to 16
Just a quick note here to introduce you to the new 52 to 16 page you will find it up on the top of the page next to the “home” tab. It is the page I am going to use to document the 52 weeks of shaving weight.. which by the way as you can see I am calling 52 to 16. 52 weeks to get to 16 lbs. Read more about it there.
Hope you enjoy the journey as much as I am. By the way.. if you want to join this journey.. let’s go along together, set your goal and start in. Let me know how you are doing and share it with us and your readers, if you have a blog too.
I’ll be using the hash tag of #52to16 to post updates and what not.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Shaving the Weight
In my last Sunday Morning Coffee post I talked about a new segment I was going to start for this year. That was to document the shaving of the weight from my pack in order to go lighter and more comfortable on the trail.
The segment is going to be called 52 ways of shaving weight.. or something like that.. I’m still looking for a snazzy name. Much like the effort many online Scouters shared in the #100daystrong campaign.. anyway.. for now.. it’s 52 ways to shave weight…
Last week I ordered new stuff sacks from zpacks. They are Cubin Fiber and super light. The heavy of the 3 sacks I ordered weighs in at 5 grams that’s .2 ounces. The lightest sack is 4 grams or .1 ounces. The bag that my cook kit was in weighed 20 grams or .7 ounces. That bag has been replaced by the 5 gram bag. That is a net savings of 15 grams or .5 ounces. That may not seem like a lot of weight.. but add that up over all of your gear, an ounce here and an ounce there and you have pounds.
This week I looked at my pack.
I weighed my pack.. totally empty.
It weighs in at 4 lbs. I took every plastic stopper off of the pack and replaced them with a figure 8 knot. Serves the same purpose (to keep the line from threading through the buckles). The Pack is now at 3 lbs 15 ounces or 1798 grams. I have been looking at the optional flap storage bag that clips to the pack. While I like it for easy access, I tend to fill it with lots of small stuff. Through this process of looking at how I pack and what I pack.. I may be able to shed that part of the pack all together. That would add to the savings. The lid/pocket weighs in at 257 grams or 9.1 ounces. That would shave an additional 1541 grams off the pack. That would bring that pack total to 3.3 lbs or 54.24 ounces.
What I am finding is that “Ultralight” backpacking is more of a philosophy of thought that it is about backpacking. The philosophy dictates that you look at the process and the science if you will on what you take, how you take it, what you use it for, and yes… how much does it weigh. This does not discount safety and comfort, on the contrary.. it forces one to look at how they can be just as safe and just as comfortable while backpacking with the net result being more comfortable, fresh, and pain-free when the pack comes off.
This process forces you to have a critical eye to make decisions on the gear you choose and pack. It takes on that scientific feel as you weigh gear and make those decisions.
I found a good Excel spreadsheet online. It is designed and built from a backpacker that frequents Backpackinglight.com.
It is a great way to build your kit, look critically at the weight of all your gear and make sound decisions. I am finding it a great tool for meeting my goals in weight reduction and a fun way to track and measure my progress.
Here is a link to the gear list. If this doesn’t work, drop me an email and I will send it to you.
So I am on track to shaving that gear weight. See what you can do and let us know your progress… Also.. help me with a cooler name for the segment. Leave your suggestions in the comments section.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Dotties Chicken and Dumplings
Here is a review of Packit Gourmets meal, Dotties Chicken and Dumplings.
I highly recommend it!
Enjoy the review.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
