Fish Fry and saying goodbye to Carlos

I just finished back-to-back merit badge sessions for Tracking and American Cultures. Everyone got the former, most got the latter if they could stay awake. Dierauer and Dirk gave the Scouts a tough time tracking them. Those are fun exercises they can do at home.

Camp is pretty much broken down. A few tents are still up, including the leader tents.

Troop activities included Troop Reflection where we review the week, Nuke'em Volleyball where you catch the ball and try to throw the ball near the opponent - if they miss or drop it they are out; and finally, troop sail aboard the two-person boats.

I'll find out who finished the badges later this morning when I pick up the merit badge cards.

Dean Wormer (Peter) had another issue with us at the closing ceremony.. It seems he took on the role of CPS (Child Protective Services) and placed Carlos the plastic baby doll into protective custody. His new evil eye and cracked skull were getting a bit creepy. Maybe CPS can fix him, and perhaps Carlos will reappear next year.

Finally, we had an awesome final dinner featuring a big pot of fish fry caught and cooked by Sabias and Mr. Oas (with others contributing fish including Mark, Jack and Trevor). That, combined with pork chops, red potatos/onions (Sabias secret recipe) and corn and carrots was just an awesome way to end the week. Even the mysterious chocolate wafer dessert substance was pretty darn good.

Thanks to Elliot, Jonathan, Nick a,d the others who did all those dishes and pans, then put it all away for the ride home.

I will post photos when I get back tomorrow.

YIS,

Kevin McGrath

"Double secret probation"

Morning update.

"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?". Pictured here is SPL Jon meeting with Peter aka Dean Wormer, reminiscent of Animal House. Jon is getting permission to proceed with the troop skit at the closing camp fire. We've been put on double secret probation after our entrance at the opening campfire due to our troop song and boisterous entry not being well received.

Mr. Dierauer woke us up this morning with an amazing jazz melody using his saxophone. I'd like to wake up to that every morning.

We are starting to break down camp with the goal of having most of the gear packed by early evening. Then we just need Mr. Carson to arrive tomorrow morning to tow the trailer away.

We had our first fire in the new fire pit last night. It is a great location.

The Huckfin Scouts arrived this morning and said they had a great time fishing, canoing and swimming.

Well, the rest of the Scouts are at their respective merit badges now.

I will try to send an update later.

YIS,

Kevin McGrath

18 Fly Swatters, Please

Biting flies have taken over camp, followed closely by Poison Ivy and mosquitos in third.

Weather has been cool but less humid, with some drizzle this evening, but it is now dry. We hope it holds because Nick, Jack, Sabias and Hunter are on the Huck Finn rafts tonight.

I forgot about our ongoing push up contest lead by Mr. Ahlquist with Trevor, Mr. Furlich and Mr. McGrath trailing. I also left out our troop aqua tramp event. Erik Oas knows that sweet spot to launch Scouts. He was even able to launch me about a foot. See photos posted a few days ago for the push-ups and aqua tramp.

Today's troop activities:

Super Troop, fixing the stairs leading up to Voyager (sandy area). Rifle shooting and Water Polo were other events. Finally, we have added a new massive fire pit in that camp site area south of leadership/hammock city. We made benches out of logs and bent tent stakes.

I have also staked out a muddy area in the woods to try to get some good animal tracks for the Tracking merit badge. I am taking the class with Trevor to see how to conduct the class.

No photos of the food today. Jon F and AJ G did a great job making dinner because both of our chefs for today are at Huck Finn. Sabias made lunch and breakfast with Nick.

Elliot and Ryan are helping Trevor do the dishes because Josh, who has dish duty, has a fever and has been sleeping all afternoon after their raging Tree House event last night.

What else ... Since we are not having the massive Thursday night fire, I can see Isaac, AJ, Erik O and others moving all the brush and logs from our huge pile back into the woods. I think we will debut the new fire pit tonight.

Last full day of camp is tomorrow.

That is it for now.

YIS,

Mr. McGrath

Gunnar's Oasis

This is Mr. McGrath filling in for Josh M who is at the Flintlock Tree House tonight.

After 12 years at Many Point, Gunnar Oas will go down in Many Point history due to him scoring a hole-in-one on a par 4 hole.  Disc Golf, that is.  This is an extremely difficult course through dense woods.  He was so excited he bought everyone a round of beers (root) at the Trading Post.  See photos for more about the event.  We’ve renamed that hole in his honor to: Gunnar’s Oasis (because Oas Hole does not sound right).

The weather has been awesome. 

Merit badges:  everyone is participating.  The adults are on patrol to make sure they keep it up.  Sabias and others have the clothing exercises in Swimming and Life Saving tomorrow.  Josh has a dig for archaeology while Trevor starts Tracking tomorrow.  Trevor and Josh finished Geology yesterday.  I am getting swamped with merit badges that the Scouts are electing to do on their own that are not offered at Many Point, or brought partially completed to Many Point and are now trying to get them done.  Mr. Devine has taken everyone attending this week through Citizenship in the Nation (Eagle) that did not already have it, so that they only have ONE requirement left, which is to write a politician.  A couple completed Communications (Eagle).  Well, just about every adult is engaged with Scouts in one way or another with merit badges.  Lots of energy.

Troop Activities:

See photos.  We have done a lot as a troop.  I’ll try to highlight key events.  Yesterday of course featured Disc Golf and that shot by Mr. Oas.  Most of us played a second round, while a few toured the Scout museum with Mr. Devine.  We also did Iron Man as discussed by Josh in the blog.  See the pictures just before Erik and Jack were in second place and about to take first, but the canoe capsized.  The Ahlquists came soon-after and Josh powered through the swimming leg to get us back in second.  Then Jonathan and Sabias raced away and secured second place in the running segment and second overall.  It was very fun, and all the adults participated.  We also did a Leave No Trace/Go Green campsite theme and had our site inspected.  Finally, AJ, Jon and Trevor did the older Scout insane mountain bike ride – I can’t remember the name of the hill – something sinister like Decapitation Canyon.  They broke two pedals and had a few spills.

Today was “GMEL” aka Greasy Watermelon and had the addition of Mr. Ahlquist, Mr. McGrath, Mr. Furlich and Erik Oas.  It was very fun until the watermelon broke and sank – but Mr. Ahlquist managed to use that to his advantage and sneak away with the melon and avoid his team being skunked (final score 3-1).  Think of it as water Rugby – lots of scrum action and even the watermelon is shaped like a rugby ball.  Then we took the remains and ate it.  Then Jack took a watermelon shower with the juice.  We did a troop climb, also fun.  They got to end the day in the sauna.  The Scouts had the usual Wednesday beach bash while the adults ate at Buckskin (Erik Oas, Mark Dierauer, Messrs Devine, Ahlquist, Furlich and McGrath).  It was cool to have Mark (our 5-Palm Eagle Scout) and Erik (our 4-Palm Eagle Scout) eat with the adults.  Mark is now 18 and entering his senior year in high school, while Erik starts his sophomore year in college this year.

I did ride my bike out to the tree houses tonight.  It was a punishing ride through root covered narrow trails.  My chain broke and since it was getting dark, I did not have time to fix it.  I wound up walking an hour back.  I did say hello to our Scouts at the Tree House.  Yes, Jon, I made it to the merit badge counselor meeting at Voyager with a few minutes to spare to wash all the bike chain grease off my hands.  I’ll try to fix my bike tomorrow.

Tomorrow is Water Polo.  Five are headed to Huck Finn for the overnight tomorrow night, which has the raft shelters in Flintlock.

Mr. Stamm and Mark Dierauer arrived today.  Mr. Ahlquist leaves tomorrow.  Mark is an Interpreter at the Northern Tier High Adventure Base in Minnesota.  He basically takes crews of Scouts out in canoes.  Sounds incredible.  He wants the troop to go to Atikokan (no way I can spell it) because he will be based there next summer.

YIS,
Kevin McGrath

Iron Stamm!

Today we had a one hundred percent participation from our troop in the Iron Man triathalon. We finished in an overall second with the Ahlquist family in third place for canoeing (with Erik Oas/Jack S, Elliot C/Jonathan K and Mr. Furlich also participating). Josh M came in second for swimming (with Isaac C, Mr. Furlich and Mr. Oas also swimming). Sabias J, Mr. McGrath, Elliot C, Mr. Furlich and Jonathan K came in second for running, giving us second overall.

Also Jack S is now a father of a baby doll named Carlos and he spoke his first words today, he said "help". We will have more updates about Jack and Carlos soon.

Y.I.S., Josh McGrath