Scouting Outings - Camp Yawgoog and Cubbies at PawSox

This blog is for nature hikes. Not nature outings. That, at least, was my intention. Here are some outdoor activities I have been occupied with, even though no actual hikes were involved. I'll try to keep it brief.

July 6 to July 13, 2008
Camp Yawgoog, Rockville, RI

Peter is twelve and in Boy Scouts. This was his second year at Camp Yawgoog. I took the opportunity to (made the mistake of) spending the week at Yawgoog with the troop.

I never went to camp. Always wanted to, but it never happened. I think somewhere in the recesses of my memory I recall going to day camp, maybe with church. Doesn't count. By the time I saw the movie Meatballs, I felt I missed something. I wasn't in scouts, not really. I started as a Bear scout and I don't know if I ever saw a pack meeting. I remember seeing the PC Friars play at the Providence Civic Center. My closest friend made it to Eagle, but he never told me what went on with the troop or at Yawgoog. Last summer I found out.

Scouts and Scouters sleep on raised platforms, under canvas tents with the sides rolled up. Something akin to what Hawkeye Pierce used, but without the bug netting. We sleep on cots.

The energy and chaos at camp is impossible to describe. I was glad when I could have a meal without screaming. From Wednesday morning to Thursday afternoon I took some leader training. Outdoor Leader Skills (OLS) teaches some basic outdoor skills and demonstrates how to do some standard scout activities, like knots, cooking outdoors, and perform a flag ceremony. Nine of us were sequestered in the back woods, far from the regular camp. We formed the Owl patrol. I was the assistant senior patrol leader.

About half of the sessions were taught by camp staff: 18 to 20 year old former scouts. They did a great job. One thing to note: leaders drank water from polycarbonate bottles, taught us to cook scrambled eggs by boiling them in a ziploc bag, and to remove ticks with a burnt match head. Scouting, for better and worse, is very out of date. All in all, it was good instruction and I learned a lot.

Back at camp I did a Trek-on Safely seminar, which teaches how to plan and execute a scout outing. I didn't learn anything new, but it was a good review.

I did a very small part of the challenge course (rock wall and obstacle course) and tried my hand at archery at 30 yards. I didn't do too well, but I did hit the target once. I did the scoutmaster splash, where a scout leader from each troop does a belly-flop into Yawgoog Pond. Rather than a standard face-plant, I jumped, tucked, and landed on my pack. One judge didn't think it was safe. They boys liked it.

No photos because I hadn't recharged the camera battery in time, but I had a good time. Peter earned four badges. One morning, I woke at 5:30 to see a deer not more than six feet from my cot. It stood for a moment, then ran through the camp. It's good to be home.

July 19 an 20th, 2008
Pawtucket Red Sox Cub Scout Sleepover

This is the forth time I've done this event. Once we couldn't sleep the night because a hurricane was coming through, so we had to vamoose. That was my first time, I think. My younger two boys are cub scouts and I brought them both.

For $25 a ticket the boys can participate in a clinic run by the players, get autographs (both are open to the public), participate in the opening ceremonies, watch the game, see a baseball themed movie on the big screen, then sleep the night on the field. We've seen The Sandlot, The Rookie, and Field of Dreams. This year they showed The Sandlot again. It's by far the best movie for cub-aged boys. Because of a birthday party, we arrived less than an hour before game time, missing the clinic and autographs.

The PawSox got slaughtered. They are tops in the International League this year, but it's hard to win games when your starting pitcher gives up nine runs in the first two innings. Final score was 13 to 5. They lost last year as well. The boys didn't seem to mind. Or notice. What they did notice was the special guest. Returning from injury was none other than David Ortiz! We lucked out by catching his third of a three game rehab assignment. He hit a homer in each of his PawSox games. When he came to the plate, the energy was almost fenway-esque.

I didn't get much sleep. Never do on these things. They kept the full stadium lighting on until 2:00 AM. I was up before seven to pack up. The PawSox offer a danish, cereal, and coffee breakfast.

Back home my wife decided we had to go swimming. I'm not a swimmer, but it was a hot day. We go to Burlingame Picnic Area. It was nice. They boys love being in the water. I splashed around for a bit then got some reading done. A camping book, of course.