Merry Christmas!!

Final Camp-Out of 2011

I am not sure if Pack  94 was after their "Polar Bear" badge or not, but when I got up early on Sunday morning there was no doubt about it that Jack Frost had made a visit sometime during the wee hours of the morning.  The whole camp looked as if glitter had fallen from the sky during the night.  For the weeks leading up to the camp-out I had been talking and e-mailing with Derylnn who lined up everything.  I met the scout master, Rick Dynes, around lunchtime on Saturday. 

Last year when the group came up it was on a weekend where the main campground was full (see post here), so they asked if it would be ok to create a fire-ring on top of the hill.  I thought it was a great idea and now we have given the area the official name of Cedar Top Campground.  I moved several picnic tables up there a few weeks ago.  Though Pack 94had the whole camp to themselves this time, they actually chose to stay where they did last time. 

I asked Rick if the storyteller was in the group this time and he said no.  I remember from last year quite a big group, with a still, clear night and the storyteller recounting tales at the campfire as everyone gathered around to listen. 

Late Saturday afternoon several of the boys earned their knife badge.  I don't know of anyone who doesn't like a campfire and we sure never tire of its smell.  Sometime during their stay they went on a trail hike that covered almost 3 miles.  It was great to have the Pack up here and to be the group that closes out our season. 

Dual Duty Weekend

A weekend of Scouts.  You never know what the weather is going to do in the month of December but for this past weekend it was not too bad for our guests. 

When a lady from Pack 391 filled out the camp reservation form I noticed under event she listed it as "Winter Freeze Campout".  After asking a few questions I discovered that one of the badges the scouts needed to earn was camping when the temperature dips below freezing. 

Now while the official temperature never quite got that low, one of the dads assured me it was definitely that cold on top of the hill where they were camping.

Usually the scout groups have a good time when they come and once darkness fell there were some night games in the new camp ground area Cedar Top Campground, which is located at the top of the paved hill.  Chris Wilson, who is one of the leaders from pack 357, asked if the boys kept us up at night. I said no and that we actually enjoy hearing them running around and having a good time outdoors.  If things go too late we just turn on our giant fan which pretty much drowns out all the noise. 

Scout groups always come prepared with pack 391 bringing their own firewood and even setting up a screen to watch the SEC Championship game. 

The two groups overlapped their time up here a bit as one stayed Friday night and the other staying Saturday night so for awhile on Saturday everyone was here.  I spent some time with both groups, though not as much as I would have liked, and met some great folks. 

I remember standing around the campfire and asking one of the men about this giant rock about the size of a bowling ball hanging from a rope suspended by three sticks that looked like a miniture teepee set up.  Oh that's our weather rock he told me.  I said oh really so how does it work?  He told me that if it's swinging--it is windy, if it's wet--it is rainy, if it can't be seen-- it is foggy, and if it's covered with ice-- pretty cold.  Hmmm ... I thought to myself ... if the wind is able to move that rock too much, our campers in the tents are in trouble! 

We are always so glad to have the scouts at the camp and when they have packed up and gone they do such a fine job it is hard to tell they were even here.