Philmont Memories 1: The Coming American

The ranger with us the first two days at Philmont was Gordon Broadbent, a cadet from the U.S Air Force Academy.  "Captain America" was a pretty amazing guy.  The second night, Gordon shared with us a poem from the Academy.  "Bring Me Men", the first part of the first line, used to hang in two foot tall letters over a ramp that first year cadets walked over.

The poem is "The Coming American", by Sam Walter Cross, and the whole thing is pretty appropriate for Boy Scouts too:

Bring me men to match my mountains;
Bring me men to match my plains, –
Men with empires in their purpose,
And new eras in their brains.
 
Bring me men to match my prairies,
Men to match my inland seas,
Men whose thought shall pave a highway
Up to ampler destinies;
Pioneers to clear Thought’s marshlands,
And to cleanse old Error’s fen;
Bring me men to match my mountains –
Bring me men!
 
Bring me men to match my forests,
Strong to fight the storm and blast,
Branching toward the skyey future,
Rooted in the fertile past.
 
Bring me men to match my valleys,
Tolerant of sun and snow,
Men within whose fruitful purpose
Time’s consummate blooms shall grow.
Men to tame the tigerish instincts
Of the lair and cave and den,
Cleans the dragon slime of Nature –
Bring me men!

Bring me men to match my rivers,
Continent cleavers, flowing free,
Drawn by the eternal madness
To be mingled with the sea;
Men of oceanic impulse,
Men whose moral currents sweep
Toward the wide-enfolding ocean
Of an undiscovered deep;
Men who feel the strong pulsation
Of the Central Sea, and then
Time their currents to its earth throb –
Bring me men!

Later that second Philmont night in Old Camp, Gordon filled out the crew's journal for the day.  His first line called us a "Troop of Men".  Quite a compliment and a good goal for our Ventures to aspire to.

In 2004 the "Core Values Wall" replaced the "Bring Me Men" Ramp at the Academy.  The USAFA core values are "Integrity First.  Service Before Self.  Excellence in All We Do."  Not too different from the Boy Scout goals of building Character, Citizenship, and Fitness.

Little Adventures

I was plodding along in the George Washington National Forest this afternoon when I thought of this blog.  Then I thought of a little something to say and took a few pictures.
-Ben Bailey former Troop 76 Scout 

For most people, big adventures are few and far between .  Sadly, many of come come of age ready to set out for bigger and better things and quickly find ourselves bogged down and bound-up by the obligations of adulthood.  After completing most of an undergraduate degree, I reflect back and notice that a majority of my big adventures took place while I was in high school.  Studies, friends, and work leave little time for wilderness or adventure.  Weeks can be chock-full and leave you exhausted by the time the weekend rolls around.  I think its fair to say that the struggle to maintain a presence in the outdoors is a reality for most Troop 76 alumni.

I have found a few remedies, which help maintain at least a minimal degree of adventure in my life.  First, I bought a mountain bike.  This isn't necessary, of course, but it allows me to get far back into the wilderness in a short period of time.  I can feel well off the grid in about an hour of riding.  Also, the thought of flowy downhills get me out the door when I'm feeling a little hesitant.  I should add that, depending on where you live, a kayak can do the trick too.  Second, I made adventuresome friends and mentors.  It saves time when you can hang out with your friends and be outdoors at the same time.  Additionally, on those days you really don't feel like committing to the fatigue of adventuring, you feel compelled to go because you know that you'll be in good company.  Just like life, when the going gets tough, there's nothing like having a good friend by your side and nothing makes a long climb go by faster than good conversation.  Finally, I suggest "little adventures".  Block out a whole day.  Work your meals into it.  Use an good breakfast at your favorite eatery to get you out of bed.  Round-up as many friends as you can.  Be ambitious, but not too ambitious.  You want to feel like you accomplished something, but not feel so uncomfortable that you regret your decision to choose being outdoors over homework.  Be flexible.  Work-in obstacles.  Bring plenty of clothes and lots of food.  Be home in time for dinner.  Relax.  Little adventures will restore that spunk in your step.  They'll be the highlight of your week.  They'll provide cool pictures and lasting memories.  They form strong friendships.  And they might just whet your appetite for another big adventure.

Here is some inspiration from my latest Saturday adventure:

I woke up around 9 and made my favorite homemade oatmeal and deliberately packed my bag.  I had prepared my bike the night before.  I met my friend and co-worker Jacob, and we stopped by Mr. J's bagels.  We picked-up a few sandwiches for the trail.  We then drove about half-an-hour to the trail head in the George Washington National Forest. 

Nothing exciting happened for the first 45 minutes of our ride.  We rolled on fire roads toward the trail head.  There was nothing worth photographing, but we had plenty of time to catch-up after a week of work and school.

 Then we found ourselves faced with a snow-melt inflated stream, which we needed to cross to get to the trail-head.  Jacob forged across using his bike for balance.

 After much scouting, there was no way around it.  Off came the shoes and socks.

 That chain-lube I put on my bike last night has all washed off.  That's one wet bicycle.

 Maybe a bridge would be helpful?  Wouldn't be as fun, though.

 We spent the the next hour-and-a-half hiking our bikes up the trail.  Much of this would have been rideable if it wasn't so hard to get traction and our shoes and pedals weren't caked in ice.

 I was pretty pooped by the time we reached the summit of Little Bald Knob.

 It's snowing and gusting, but photos can't capture such weather.

...and I'm all suited up for the cold descent.
 

 Oops, I broke a spoke.

 Fortunately, the sun came back out as we descended Chestnut Ridge.

 Jacob's hands got pretty cold.  Thankfully, we had a pair of bar mits.  They're nice and toasty.

 The last part of the ride was on the road.

At this point, my cable froze and locked me into my largest gear.  Fortunately, we didn't have too much further to go.

We made it back to the car with just enough fun for one day.

I'm gonna have to have to do some repairs before our next ride.

Obstacles like cold, hunger, steep hills, stream crossings, and mechanical malfunctions all serve to make an afternoon in the woods feel like a few days or more.  In the summer, these things can be less of a problem, so be a little more ambitious.  Try a large distance goal or choose an interesting destination.  Enjoy your ability to go on long trips, while you have it.  But remember, there are ways to work adventure into your increasingly busy life.  Nothing helps you reflect on what is important in your life like spending time in the wilderness.

Stewart Edward White on Leadership

"To be friendly, to retain respect, to praise, to preserve authority, to direct and yet to leave detail, to exact what is due, and yet to deserve it--these be the qualities of a leader, and cannot be taught."

From The Forest, by Stewart Edward White in 1903.

In the Forest

There's an excellent book called "The Forest". Stewart Edward White, an honorary Boy Scout, wrote it in 1903. It's worth the free download.

Watching our scouts and adults build great campfires at White Memorial last weekend and on the AT in November reminded me of White's advice on how to build a fire, and the lessons earned from making a great camp. This is long. If you want, skip ahead to the last paragraph. At least read that; it's worth it. He writes:

"A roll of birch bark first. Then some of the small, dry, resinous branches that stick out from the trunks of medium-sized pines, living or dead. Finally, the wood itself. Pile your fuel--a complete supply, all you are going to need--by the side of yoru already improvised fireplace. But, as you value your peace of mind, do not fool with matches.

"The civilized method is to build a fire and then to touch a match to the completed structure. the only sure way is as follows: Hold a piece of birch bark in your hand. Shelter your match all you know how. When the bark has caught, lay it in your fireplace, assist it with more bark, and gradually build up, twig by twig, stick by stick, from the first pin-point of flame, all the fire you are going to need. it will not be much. The little hot blaze rising between the parallel logs directly against the aluminum of your utensils will do the business in very short order. In fifteen minutes at most your meal is ready. And you have been able to attain hot food quickly because you were prepared.

"In the woods, as nowhere else, you will earn your leisure only by forethought. Make no move until you know it follows the line of greatest economy. To putter is to wallow in endless desolation. If you cannot move directly and swiftly and certainly along the line of least resistance in everything you do, take a guide with you; you are not of the woods people. You will never enjoy doing this for yourself, for your days will be crammed with unending labour."

Let's be people of the woods. Not too many things better than earning our leisure.

Epic Canoe Traverse for the Ventures

Congratulations to Troop 76 Ventures for stringing together two epic canoe "traverses" through the most remote parts of New York's Adirondack Park.  The scouts planned the trip, including meals, gear, float plan, and emergency contacts, for 6 nights and 7 days.  Our excellent outfitter, St. Regis Canoe Outfitters, runs 10-12 scout trips a year, and confessed they hadn't seen one as ambitious and well-planned as ours.

Happy Flag Day

Who knew Flag Day was started right here in Hartford 150 years ago, at the beginning of the Civil War?  Thanks to Cam B. and John C-M for getting up VERY early to put out flags in Simsbury today.  Great way to keep up the troop tradition.  Downtown looked great.

According to the official flag code, the flag should be displayed outdoors between sunrise and sunset.  Cam and John took care of sunrise (which was hidden by the rain).  Nate L., Harley, and Ryan C. got the flags down at sunset.

Stay tuned for more information about flag retirement later this summer at the historical society, including a Civil War film, revolutionary war cannon, tomahawk throwing, and an optional campover.

Follow the link in the title for a cool article about the history of Flag Day, June 14.

Heat 4Q Comeback: Experience & Teamwork Win Out

So much for the Bulls' great defense all season.  Heat come back form 12 down with two minutes to go by spreading it around three great players and team defense.  They shut down the MVP at the end of the game.

Connor will do a great job as SPL next year.  Next up: Find the rest of the Big 3 to round out a strong, experienced Senior Patrol.

John Conard-Malley Eagle Court of Honor: Scoutmaster Remarks

Thank you Selectman Heavner, Commander Lanza, Mr. Case, and Coach Carabillo for joining us to celebrate a great accomplishment tonight. You all give a great deal to our community, to our country, and to Scouting. That, as always, is a great example to our scouts.

Kyle and Rich, congratulations to you! No scout ever gets to sit in John’s chair without very active love and support of his parents. One down, one to go!

I often talk about great campouts and “high adventure” trips an Eagle Scout has been on. I am not going to talk much tonight about John summiting Mt. Washington in winter 2009. I expect he will talk about that some. Except, I want to say how proud I am of you for doing that trip. Know that you making it through is one of the highlights of our time in scouting for Josh Gilbert, Mr. Bartholomew, and myself.

There are many ways to lead in this troop. John is not often the guy in front; he doesn’t call attention to himself. He is reliable and kind and sets an example for the other scouts.

In the Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu wrote:
“The best leader is one that people are barely aware of. The best leader puts great value in words… and says little. So that when his work is finished the people all say, “We did it ourselves!”

In John’s case. it would be better to say, “The best leader puts great value in movies… and says little.” John has been troop Historian for the past four years. As we’ve all sat and watched his movies from summer camp, troop campouts, and that 2009 Mt. Washington trip, we all said to ourselves, “We did it ourselves!”

Not everyone knows that John leads in Scouting in another way. The Patrol Leader Handbook says, “Good leaders accept leadership roles because they want to make a difference. Good leaders are servant leaders. They focus on helping others succeed.” Three years ago we asked him to serve on staff of National Youth Leader Training. This summer will be the third time he’s been invited back on staff – a great way to represent the troop and give back to scouting, and help the next generation of scouts develop into leaders.

Coach Carabillo talked about all the hard work that went into, and how much you learned from, your Eagle project. But that is only one part of being an Eagle. The bigger part is the example you set every week at troop meeting, on the campouts and service projects, at summer camp, and in your every day life. That is what people see and how they will form their impression of you and of what it means to be an Eagle Scout from Troop 76.

Finally, I mentioned John being kind – the 6th point of the Scout Law. It is another way of leading by example. Amelia Erhart said, “One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.” John has always looked out for scouts who need it. It is one of the reasons we miss you at summer camp…besides the movies. And why we’ll miss you in the troop.

But I imagine we will get by. John, you have done a great recording the traditions of the troop. Even more important, you’ve done a great job upholding them.

Great Weekend

Nice article in today's Hartford Courant about our December campout, what makes the troop great, and the upcoming Mission Impossible.  Great to see us in print.  Thanks, Sharon!

Two great Eagle Courts of Honor for two great scouts.  Huge attendance and lots of alums in attendance.  Always great to have them around.

Three scouts led the color guard for Mr. Don Skinner's installation as chief officer of the Simsbury Masonic Lodge on Saturday evening.  The Masons sponsored Ryan Holwesko's Eagle project, and Mrs. Skinner has been involved with the troop for many years, spearheading our involvement with special needs scouting.

Two nice shakedown "runs" in fresh snow and sunshine at Stratton Brook with the February Mt. Washington crew.  Maybe the strongest group yet.  It will be a great trip.

Great troop turnout at Special Olympics Snowshoeing, both as mentors and as participants.  Tim Carr, Dan Skinner, and Ben Glatfelter were super fast.  Thanks to Ryan Holowesko, John Boysen, Richard Havighorst. and Tyler Drake for helping out.

Way to Go, Supporting our Veterans!

Troop 76 took some time off school on Veterans Day to show our thanks.  30+ scouts, plus parents and adult leaders attended Simsbury's Veterans Day ceremony at Eno Memorial Hall at the invitation of the VFW and American Legion.

Thanks to all our veterans for protecting our rights.  We are proud to support you.

Mt. Monadnock Summit

The last time we tried Mt. Monadnock in November, we got turned around just above treeline by rime ice and 30+ mph winds.  Four years later, the weather was perfect and the summit was great.  Cam Ballard and Pat Sullivan did a fantastic job leading the younger scouts.  Nate and Ross successfully led the Ventures up the Spellman Trail ("the most challenging on the mountain"), several with full winter packs to get ready for Mt. Washington in February.  Derek, Jack, and Tim reconned the lower elevations to build confidence and endurance.  A great hike all the way around.

Good job cooking by the patrols.  I wasn't so sure where we stood on cleaning up after cooking last night, but Nate had the show under control in the morning.  Great job getting the whole camp broken down, cooked and fed, cleaned up, and litter swept to get everyone on the road on time.

Thanks to Mr. Greenberg for his excellent dutch oven cooking (dinner and dessert) and breakfast.  As always, great adult company to go along with great scouts.

Blame the Boy Scouts

National Geographic Traveler editor Boyd Matson, an Eagle Scout, puts the blame squarely on Boy Scouts for his adventurous lifestyle.

"That organization stole my soul when I was a kid and planted it in the wilderness. I was too young to resist their clever sales pitch built around hiking and camping trips. And their system of rewarding accomplishments with higher ranks and colorful merit badges meant, in effect, there was always one more goal to reach, one more mountain to climb."

Worth being blamed for.  A nice article from National Geographic Traveler.

AT Recon for October 23-24 Campout

Sunday morning October 17, Mr. Starrett, Floyd, and I headed out to Kent to check out the campsites for next weekend.  See the video below for the approach to Mt. Algo shelter, where the Ventures will stay Friday night after a moonlight hike.

After that, we drove to to the High Bank Campsite along the Housatonic River where the troop will camp Saturday night.  It's a beautiful, open site -- perfect after a long day hiking.  Weather will be perfect: sunny, daytime temps in the 50's, and mid-30's overnight.

Let me know by this Tuesday, October 19, if you'll be going.  I promise you'll have a great time.

What's in Your Wallet?

Good ideas for survival kits in this article.

What's in your 10 Essentials kit?  Mine, which like all our scouts I throw in my backpack or daypack for every campout, includes: headlamp (plus maybe an extra somewhere else in my pack), knife, water purification tablets, matches, lint for tinder, a disposable lighter, flint and steel, duck tape, and an extra compass.  The extras are because every now and then a scout will forget one of those things.  I also bring a small first aid kit, and a small notebook and pen.  The rest of the 10 are somewhere else in the pack: extra clothes, extra food and water, sunscreen and lip balm, a map or two (extras, you know), whistle, etc.

The best list is of course in your Scout Handbook, p. 264.  Plus what to have in your first aid kit (p. 127), what to wear on a campout (p. 272), and what to bring camping (p. 292).

Get SCUBA certified

Mr. Lungarini has set-up a class for SCUBA certification. Oct 1 (6pm-10pm) Oct 2-3 (9am-5pm) This will allow us to have the class and do the open-water test before lakes get too cold. (they do not do open-water tests in the winter/early spring) If interested in Seabase this will be the last opportunity to get certified (required for Seabase). Contact Mr. Lungarini ASAP if interested.

Boy Led Troop

Good essay on what it means to be a boy led troop.  What do you think -- are we?  (Click the title)

2010-2011 Troop Calendar Posted

Check out the new troop calendar, now on Google Calendar.  It has everything you need to know for the troop's 90th anniversary year.   Link it to your iPhone or BlackBerry.  Link it to your other on-line calendars.  Or print it off and hang it up.  Moms and dads will love it, with links to event details and maps.  Thanks to the Proctor's for setting up such a cool way to keep up to date.

"I believe that today, as for the past 100 years, there is no finer program for preparing American boys for citizenship and leadership than the Boy Scouts of America."

Yesterday morning, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates -- an Eagle Scout himself -- addressed Scouts at the 100th anniversary National Jamboree.  Click the title to read an excellent speech to our seven boys there, and their 44,993 friends.

Seven Troop 76 Scouts Head to National Jamboree 2010

Seven of Troop 76's finest headed to Ft. A.P. Hill, Virginia for the BSA National Jamboree 2010. Tony Robucci, Joe Jevnik, Josh Rodin, Nate Lungarini, Ross Harmon, Keiko Kaplan, and Ryan Carr met dark and early Saturday July 24 at Rentschler field to join the CT Rivers Council contingent.

After a 6am departure and some sleep, they toured Philadelphia on their way to DC and their final destination in Virginia.  Wishing them a great trip...and more pictures to come.

Super Summer Camp 2010!

Yesterday the troop completed a fantastic week at Camp Mattatuck for summer camp 2010.  All you scouts did a great job: successful on merit badges, great weather (Tuesday aside), good competition, way too many activities -- but all fun -- zero homesickness, and only one scout to the hospital (Michael is fine, more on that later).

In addition to the 42 scouts from the troop, we picked up two provisionals (Timmy and Andrew), who were both outstanding.  Don't tell Travis from Mountain Biking, but they gave him a run for the money as best Provisional Ever.  And not including SPL Nate Lungarini, who took the week off to lead the troop, we had four other scouts or alumni on staff (Will Oliver, Luis Torres, Ryan Carr, and Joe Amarante).

A few highlights:

• Mountain Biking lunch at Lost Lake and Bouldering Lunch
• Saw-off with Troop 90 from Cheshire (longstanding tradition)
• COPE games on Thursday night, coupled with the scouts again letting the adults win at volleyball (11-2)
• An awesome Family Night, thanks to an outstanding dinner organized by Mrs. Sullivan, and followed by the troop contributing 3 skits to the campwide campfire
• Domination of the Iron Chef (Ms. Kim and Mr. Burger) and Paul Bunyan (Richard Havighorst and Mr. Johns -- who else?) competitions
• Derek Cedar catching a 16" bass, and Harrison Braidich a 28" pickerel
• Tim Carr being the first to find Ursa Minor and Ursa Major on the Astronomy Star Hike
• Josh Rodin winning Little Splash at the dive competition
• Mr. Mundt (aka Spiderman) winning the "Bottomless Cup of Coffee" for winning the Scoutmaster Dive competition (3 years running)
• Truly excellent scout leadership, thanks to the Patrol Leaders, Ventures, Summer Senior Patrol, and not least of all new SPL Nate Lungarini really stepping it up.

Sure, a few things could have gone a little better.  We could have won at Water Polo (4-1 loss).  But our teamwork was much improved vs. 2009.  And next year we won't cram so much into the evening activities.

Everyone will be glad to know that Michael Rattray is fine and healthy after a brush with dehydration and heat exhaustion on Friday.  It was a really hot week with a lot of walking and constant activity.  He was his usual happy self when I ran into him Saturday afternoon.

Thanks to all the adults who helped keeping things running smoothly, both in the troop and supporting the camp staff.  I was up there this morning to drop off our staffers for Week 3, and heard the thank you's in person.  I'm sure no troop there has as much fun as we do (scouts or adults).

More pictures are available at the troop's Flickr site. Instructions are on the opening page of the troop's Google Group's site.