About an hour from home

We're about an hour from home and looking forward to a hot shower and a meal that wasn't heated on propane or came from a can.
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Left Wadena at 1; Homeward bound with 16 Scouts.

I just hope they're the right ones...
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On our way home

We left Many Point Scout Camp at about 11:15, I expect we will be at the church by about 4 or 4:30. I will try to send out an update when we hit 94 near Clearwater (about 1 hour out).
Scouts will need to stay and help unload the trailer, and some Scouts will be assigned equipment to take home to clean.
Please, no one leave with their child until all of the work is done; we all want to get home.
From the reflections we did yesterday and the boards of review we completed late last night and early this morning, that everyone had a great time and wants to do it again next year.
That's all for now from (the bus home from) Many Point Scout Camp.
Jon Yearous
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Troop 346 is at the Voyageur Closing campfire!

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The calm before (and after) the storm

I'm finally sitting down for a glass of ice tea; I started brewing this sun tea yesterday in a zip lock bag and it works pretty well. The morning was very busy; pancakes were on the menu which is time consuming to make AND clean-up (fotunately, lunch is ham sandwiches). I was busy writing notes for various Scout classes and answering questions). I have just posted a sign up sheet for Scout Master conferences and Boards of Review; I expect a flood of requests as soon as the Scout come back from classes.
The older Scout have been working with the first years, helping them sign off requirements. I hopw to get the First Class adventure (FCA) sheets this afternoon, so we can sign off books also. You can see pictures of FCA and the Scout working together on the troop website.
I left yesterday afternoon to go to admin to upload picture, have dinner with my son Nick (commisioner at Buckskin) and to give him back the car so he could come to the Thursday night troop campfire.
When I left, the we just a few logs and branches laying around, but when we got back, there was the traditional three story campfire ready to go. There should be pictures of it up by Sunday. We had the usual "quality" entertainment with patrol skits and songs. Staff even came and contributed. After the entertainment we did a very nice flag retirement ceremony. With all the flags we retired, it really lit up the sky. After the flag retirement we had cake, ice cream (very soft), and pop (left over from summer fest). Unfortunately, leadership's clean dishes and the sheet cake sitting on leadership's table in Ft Bill (the fire is in Two Harbors) and the raccoons came and ate a corner of the cake and walked all over the clean dishes. Most of the cake was saved (the mauled part was cut off an thrown away), and everyone had a great time. After refreshments, Mr. Sanderson, who worked here at Many Point in the 80's, did a great job telling the true story of the Flintlock Yeti.
After all that, leadership had to stay up and clean up after the raccoons; after which they sacked on to cots around the fire. Then about 3 in the morning the sky opened up. It didn't rain long, but rained hard, and they got very wet.
...
There was a break there; the scouts came back from morning classes and we got busy doing Boards of Review for three new scouts while we grabbed a bite to eat.
After lunch the troop had Troop Reflection (see picture); time for talking about what went well and changes we need to make.
Now the Scouts are off to Archery, Aquatramp, and kayaking.
Pork Chops and Potatoes for dinner tonight and then one last night of freetime. About 9:30 tonight will be the Voyageur wide closing campfire with OA callout.
Tomorrow, we'll be up bright and early to strike camp in Two Harbors, consolidate the remaining campers (15) in Ft. Bill, and load the rest in the bus to come home.
We'll, I've got to get some this cleaned up before the Scouts get back.
We'll see some of you at the church tomorrow.
That's all for now from Many Point Scout Camp.
Jon Yearous
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Another day in paradise

The battery on my phone died, so I'm a little behind schedule here and I don't remember where we left off.
We had mega wind & rain Tuesday night, but everyone survived; only one dining fly went down. We had plenty of warning, so everything had been reinforced. Mr. Bothun reports that at 2:30 when some Scout woke him up (the raccoons were "fighting" out in the woods) that the sky was clear and the stars were out.
The first years came in last on the first site inspection, so they got latrine cleaning duty (see picture). The good news is they came in first on the next site inspection, and leadership came in last!
Last night was the beach bash for all but the first years, while most of the adults headed north for the adult appreciation dinner. One adult went to the beach bash to help supervise. The remaining three adult went for a fun filled five mile hike with the new scout, out to family camp and back.
This morning's breakfast was sausage patties, & eggs on an english muffin.
I just got back from leatherwork & basketry with the new Scouts (my knife case is coming along fine, thank you) and they are off the First Class Adventure. Everyone else is (or should be) off to merit badge classes.
Everyone is getting excited for the large troop campfire tonight. It is more and more difficult to keep them focused on what they are suppose to be doing, as they all want to be out gathering wood. Nick Yearous, Kurt Wallgren, and other MP staff members are anticipated to join us for the fun.
That's all for now from Many Point Scout Camp.
Jon Yearous
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Photo

Sorry, I forgot the photo.
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Into every life, a little rain must fall

The good weather we have been enjoying since we arrived could last forever. About 6 this evening a gentle rain started falling. Two hours later it is still falling.
It did not stop us from completing dinner (nothing is going to stop boys from eating). Tonight's dinner was Tacos, milkn & dessert.
After dinner we headed to vesper (see picture) and then on to free-time, which is now until 9:00. One popular activity tonight is tie-dye Tuesday. The Scouts can buy an inexpensive white T-shirt to tie-dye or they can tie-dye something of their own for a small material fee. There are more Scout than usual in camp during free time, due to the rain.
This morning started early, as Mr. Fischer, Cal, three new Scouts and I went to the polar bear swim. A great story about Polar Bolarinski that involves several runs into the water. Let's just say that by the time we were done, everyone on the lake was wake. Especially those guys at Buckskin; the staff leader told us that wheb they do their Polar Bear, they wait until 8 since they have a dining hall and don't have to cook. He also mentioned something about water heaters, and Granny serving them hot chocolate as they got out. There may be some exaggeration there.
When we got back at 7 the camp was just waking up and we had to go up and get the food. Breakfast was scrambled eggs, sausage, cereal and milk. The usual Merit badges and classes, followed by lunch. Toasted cheese sandwiches & Chicken noodle soup.
After lunch was water polo and kyaking followed by Ironman; unforunately we did not have very good participation this year.
Mid-afternoon there was a big explosion as they blew up the bridge at the south end of round lake. We could feel the concusion in camp. They spent the rest of the afternoon with heavt machinery, removing the debris.
After Ironman, was fourth hour merit badge and then dinner. That brings us back to now. Free time will be over in about 15 minutes and the rain ha stopped for now
That all for now from Many Point Scout Camp.
Jon Yearous
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What does a Greased Watermelom taste like?

It's 3 on Monday afternoon and everyone is at the beach for Greasy Watermelon. It is kind of like water polo, played with a watermelon that has been coated with Crisco. After they get done playing they get to eat watermelon (no, they don't eat the greased one that has been handled by 40 scouts in lake water).
Breakfast was waffles and sausage.
This moring, the first year scouts went to leatherwork & basketry merit badge class and then off to First Class adventure to work on advancement. After Gmel (greasy watermelon) they will have First Class Aquatics. All the other Scout have four hours of merit badge classes.
Lunch was Ravioli.
After lunch they broke into two groups (the Cowboys and the Aliens). Half went to Ethics in Action (team building skills) and half to Super Troop (troop service projects). After an hour they switched places, and after another hour, they came here.
Dinner tonight will be meatballs and gravy and then after dinner they will have two hours of free time to go try out all the camp has to offer.
That's all for now from Many Point Scout Camp.
Jon Yearous
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Go (North) West Young Man

The last Scout is loaded on the bus, and we're headed north on 494 towards Many Point Scout Camp for a week or more of fun.
We'll be staying at the Ft. William (Ft. Bill) and Two Harbors campsites in the Voyageur sub-camp. Our sites, and the sailing beach, are on the north shore of Round Lake, and the swimming beach is a short walk North to the south shore of Many Point Lake.
Our next stop is Park Rapids, where we will stop for about an hour so the Scouts and stretch their legs and grab their last (for a while) Fast Food lunch.
Then we'll head to our campsites to get set up. There will be some free time to get settled; Scouts who have not had a swim qual yet will head to the beach.
Tonight, the Scouts will be cooking their own meals (and cleaning their own dishes). Tonight is Cheese Burgers, chips, and fruit.
There will be Voyageur sub-camp tours, and later tonight will be a big Voyageur wIde welcome campfire that all the troops will attend.
I will try to keep blogging during the week, that means short blogs on my Blackberry, or a 20 minute drive to admin, where they have internet access.
That's all for now from (the bus on the way to) Many Point Scout Camp.
Jon Yearous
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Are you ready for some camping?

Less than a week now; this Sunday Troop 346 heads off for Many Point Scout Camp. What this blog for more updates and pictures.