Sunday June 20
We arrived at Sid Richardson Scout Ranch at 11:30am in time to wait until 1:00pm when they allowed us to check in.
After we checked in those who needed to their swim tests. All those that had time passed their swim test as strong swimmers (blue beads). Only two adults and one scout still need to find time to test.
It is very hot here so we have all scouts drinking plenty of water. Tres Todd found out the hard way and had to go to first aid, where they cooled him off and checked him out and sent him on his way.
Next we went to the campsite and set up everything. Cole Tagte and I, Jacob Earwood (according to Mr. Kubricht) are doing a fine job as SPL and ASPL for base camp and Travis Phillips is managing Quartermaster. After that the high adventure scouts left for their boat. The Chisholm trail group met at their dock and boarded a pontoon party boat and left for their high adventure trek. I guess we will see them Friday.
The rest of the scouts at base camp went and got all the safety and cleaning equipment like fire cans, brooms, and a bulletin board. Next we went to dinner where we ate chicken fried mystery meat, mashed potatoes, corn and desert.
After dinner we went back to camp and set up the monster tent. We then proceeded to the opening campfire shortly after. We were introduced to the staff and watched some skits and were sent back to camp. Mr. Walker is passing out our merit badge schedules and we will be going to bed shortly.
Everyone seems to be having fun.
Jacob Earwood,
Troop Historian
Monday June 21
2nd Day
Everyone woke up by 6:15am. We all got dressed quickly and headed towards the flagpole for the morning ceremony which starts every morning at 7:00am, where all troops gathered to say grace and post the flags. We then went into the mess hall where we ate french toast and bacon.
The Cobra patrol was very impressing because Creed Dotson and Travis Mize had maps of the whole base camp and and were telling all the other scouts where they needed to go.
After settling down to a good Breakfast, it was time to start merit badges at 8:00am. So we all departed and everyone found their merit badge classes ok.
Soon enough it was time for lunch where we all ate in the mess hall. We had corn dogs for lunch with some of us eating a salad. We departed again and went back to working on merit badges until 5:00pm, where we then went back to camp to get ready for Dinner, a Pathfinding merit badge, and the Blob.
Everyone was very hungry from all the hard work we did today. We feasted on roast beef sandwiches and drank lots of water and some bug juice (as the staff called it).
The troop then just hung around until it was time for the Pathfinding merit badge which was also located in the mess hall. It is a merit badge that was available to take many many years and was taken out of the BSA merit badge program for a long time but they brought it back for this year only 2010. You can’t take it any other year so we all decided to take it this year, it only requires 1 hour to complete.
We finished the merit badge and then headed down to the Blob which is a giant balloon you jump on to launch other people into the water. Everyone had lots of fun.
We don’t have any contact with the Chisholm trail crew but this is what we do know.
They should have started out with orientation and then went into the water this afternoon for tubing and wake boarding. This evening they should be doing covert ops.
Everyone so far seems to be holding up pretty well.
Jacob Earwood,
Troop Historian
June 22, 2010
3rd Day
We awoke early again and proceeded towards the flagpole, said grace
and then went into the dinning hall to a biscuit and gravy breakfast. We are getting into a daily routine for getting up and going to breakfast. Next everyone went to their merit badge classes and are getting hands on in their sessions now. That is making the classes easier and more fun.
For lunch we ate hamburgers with chips and cookies.
After merit badge classes were over for the day we headed down for Dinner to some Turkey with dressing and pudding.
After Dinner the boys taking the rifle merit badge including myself headed down to the rifle range to work on some of the shooting requirements.
Afterward all of us headed down to camp and we had to take care of some spider issues. We swept out the tents, made sure the scouts had tarps down and made sure the scouts knew how to stow their gear so spiders would not get in to their stuff. It was not a real big deal and no one was bitten. This seems to be helping the scouts with their feeling towards the spiders. We will see how well it works tonight. That did not take very long.
We had two leaders, Tom Rike and Jerry Kubricht and one scout visit the medic due to the heat. The Doctor said they should drink more water, try to stay cool and they were OKed to go on.
We had already signed up to clean the scout showers so we went and did this next. Cleaning the showers only took about 20 minutes because most of the boys were working quickly and being very helpful.
Just after we got back from cleaning the showers the Chisholm trail boys dropped in on us at about 9:00pm. This was a total surprise and they were wearing clothes from the civil war. They said they were having a good time and that they liked doing Cavalry because they got to shoot off a cannon and some black powder guns and that they did not like Covert Ops very well.
We will keep you updated
Jacob Earwood,
Troop Historian
June 23, 2010
4th Day
We woke up today to our usual routine except we had eggs and potatoes this time.
Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves at camp and we are are starting to work together as a group more and more each day. In fact, we have started the Wrangler award which is only awarded here at Sid Richardson and consist of things like; cleaning the latrines, building an entrance to our campsite, doing a service project that consist of at least one hour of work, etc. The boys know that they are highly capable of getting this award if everyone works hard and works together.
Lunch: For lunch we had meat and cheese nachos which all the boys seemed to like very well. They always have the salad bar open if you don’t get full enough. They need to have more variety on drinks because we have been drinking nothing but bug juice for the last 4 days. I’m getting sick from that stuff.
Most boys are getting close to if not already finished with some of their merit badges. This hopefully will allow for more time to work on our Wrangler award.
Dinner: For Dinner we had Salisbury steak with mashed potatoes which were not that bad actually. Oh no more bug Juice.
After Dinner was over all of us except Matthew Waskim headed down to the blob for our last time. But this time we got a lot more time at the blob. Most all the boys really enjoyed blobbing. Matthew Waskim stayed at the Dinning Hall where he played Dungeons and Dragons with three friends he made.
We drove back after the blob and most everyone went back to camp except for Creed Dodson and I. We stayed and played a few games of dodge ball with another troop. We won all the games except for one. The other Troop barely won because I got out early.
We then walked back to camp and had a troop campfire which was a requirement for the Wrangler award and the campfire consist of skits, story, and songs.
Chisholm Trail Group should be doing area 51 tonight and tomorrow which is a paintball course that is suppose to be a whole lot of fun.
Good Night And God Bless
Jacob Earwood,
Troop Historian
June 24
5th Day
By now most scouts are finished with their merit badges and things are starting to slowly wind down. We are finishing up the Wrangler award and plan on receiving it tomorrow. The initial plan was to do a service project that consist of moving rocks to help fill in some holes, but unfortunately the weather kicked in mid-afternoon today and it was raining with thunder and lightning. It didn’t rain very much as it was still dusty afterwards. So we ended up not doing a service project but we can still get the award.
In short here is what we had for our meals today.
Breakfast: Pancakes and breakfast sausage.
Lunch: Hotdogs with cookies and chips.
Dinner: Mystery meat on a bun, Bug Juice, beans, and cake
After Dinner the Cobras cleaned the Dinning hall restroom,while the Panthers and the Lightnings walked to the Gazebo which are both requirements for the Wrangler award. Then tomorrow we will switch jobs because all Patrols have to do both.
Some scouts decided since they finished some of their other merit badges that they would join another one to fill its spot. However the counselors did not guarantee they would finish them. I joined Metalworking and I think I can finish it here.
Next after the gazebo most scouts went to the fingerprinting merit badge which was offered at the last minute and only took an hour to get and some of them went to branding. They enjoyed watching the branding and some of them got their mugs branded.
Jacob Earwood,
Troop Historian
June 25, 2010
Day 6th
Coming home tomorrow and everyone is ready. We awoke fairly early this morning since we needed to get prepared for our last day in camp. Instead of going to the flag ceremony this morning we decided to have our own in camp because it was a requirement to get the Wrangler award. We cleaned the latrines today to finish up our Wrangler award. All scouts are going to be awarded this patch tomorrow morning for their hard work.
Dinning Hall Food Schedule
Breakfast: Breakfast tacos
Lunch: Sub Sandwiches
Dinner: Brisket with potato salad and beans
Note: For Lunch and Dinner we had bug juice again.
We went to the closing campfire and performed a skit. Mrs. Kjolin also performed a skit with the Wilderness First Aid class. While we were at the closing campfire Zack Rike and Nick Cargo qualified for their rifle merit badge, which was really hard to get, and most scouts did not qualify.
We will be leaving tomorrow as soon as possible but it will be at least 1:00pm before we can leave because we will be waiting on the Chisholm Trail Group to return.
Thanks for reading the scout camp news this week and the boys and I all look forward to seeing y’all tomorrow.
Jacob Earwood,
Troop Historian
As a closing remark I’d like to say it has been my pleasure to fill in for Scoutmaster for the boys in Base Camp this week. Jacob and Cole have both made my job as easy as it could possibly have been by keeping all the boys working and having fun. The scouts themselves have been very well behaved and have drawn complements from other Troop leaders for their good behavior. I’d also like to say the other leaders have given me all the support I could hope for. It would have been very hard this week with out them. Thank You All for trusting me with your boys. I have enjoyed working with everyone this week.
Yours in Scouting,
Jerry Kubricht