Progress.

YAY!!

The raw materials for the Way-Point markers arrived Wednesday this week.  Today I took them out to the Federal Prison and met the man in charge of making the markers.  (It wasn't as scary out there as I thought it would be, by the way.  Of course I didn't go in to "the yard".  I was in the very minimum security woodshop and lazer engraving shop.  Next door were the barbed wire fences and stuff.)

Progress.

They expect to be done next Tuesday.

THEN......I'm just waiting for one other adult to make the 2 aluminum markers that will be installed on the side of a concrete bench.

THEN......We're ready for concrete!!

I'll post photos soon.  I didn't take any at the prison, but maybe when I go out to get the finished product I can snap a couple at the gate.

About that Orienteering Course......

I've had a lot of people ask about the Orienteering course.  Well, it's been slow.  What I've learned is that most adults are really really really slow in responding to things.

But there is good news on the horizon!  The folks who volunteered last January to donate the plaques for the way-points finally (yes, finally!!)  have the lawyer approval to donate the labor.  That's a positive thing.  But the lawyers wouldn't let them donate the materials.  That's a negative thing.  But they told me where to order the materials (late last night).  This morning we wrote a letter and told them about my project and asked for a discount -- the materials alone are about $200.  Tonight I got a letter back from them and they said they'd donate all of the materials!!  I was pretty surprised since they aren't even from here.  So, a BIG THANK YOU to Laser Marking Products, LLC in Maple Valley, WA!  You can find them on the web at http://www.lasermp.com/   Now we just have to get the raw materials here, get the materials out to the Prison, and get them engraved.

I finally can see a light at the end of the tunnel!

SCUBA!

SCUBA DIVING!

I've had a really great -- busy -- fun summer.  I was able to complete my SCUBA certification & am the first Scout in my Unit to earn the SCUBA merit badge.  I was also able to complete my Advanced Certification this summer.  

There is a Scout Troop in a town about 45 miles away that focuses on diving & they go diving once a month.  They've invited me to go along with them and that's been a lot of fun.  My favorite dive location has been at Clear Lake, which is VERY VERY COLD!  But it has visibility of over 200 feet, which is unheard of around here.   I about froze my legs off, the water was only 43°.....and my wet suit is a little large.  I hope to get my Dad to go with me there next summer when it warms up again.  

The SCUBA merit badge has been my most favorite MB by FAR!!   I highly recommend it.

New Patrol

Well,  I've recently turned 12 and as such have left behind my beloved Fox Patrol.  I've really enjoyed being the Patrol leader and learning so much about Scouting.   There were so many wonderful memories and experiences during our year as the Fox Patrol.   One time we had to build a ladder to get to the top of a roof where some well-packed ice cream was waiting for us.  That was the first time that we had to lash poles together.   We also built a monkey bridge :)   We went on a few hikes, some great overnighters, and camp.

And now it is on to new adventures.   I've joined the Cobra Patrol in our Troop.  It's made up of 12 & 13 year olds & the Scoutmaster seems to be a nice enough fellow.  Unfortunately I missed our first big activity this last weekend due to illness.  They went to a campout on the coast - where it was the coldest night in recorded history.  I'm sorry I missed the snowball fight at the coast, but I guess it was pretty darn cold.

This coming week is the annual "GoodWill-GoodTurn".   This is where Scouts collect donations for Goodwill Industries.  If a Scout  knocks on your door looking for a donation, please help them out.

We are just 3 weeks away from our big trip through the Redwoods.  Now that it's getting closer I admit that I'm a little nervous about things.  If any of you have suggestions, let me have them!  On your first big hike, were you a little nervous?

signed,
The Scout Boy

Flags Unfurled

Today is Monday, February 21, 2011.  President's Day.  One of the things we do for Scouts is we put up Flags on major Flag Holidays.  This is me this morning putting up my last flag at the Downtown Association Office.  They have been great supporters of our Flag Fundraising Project.  Don't let that green grass fool you -- it was darn cold this morning at 6:30am!

We usually don't see a lot of people up and about when we are out putting up flags, but we did see a  few more than usual this morning.  Of course it's February so we were out rather "late" -- once summer gets here, getting the flags up close to sunrise is a little trickier.  (There's not a lot of traffic on July 4 at 5am, let me tell you!)

If you live in town and you'd like to have a Scout put up a flag in front of your home or business, let me know.

Keep on Scouting,

The ScoutBoy

The First Training Hike

Last Saturday our Troop went to Camp Cooper, which is over the river and through the woods, so to speak. Okay, so it's really mostly West of town.  Last week it rained nearly every day so we were expecting a rainy day on Saturday, especially considering that the Scout Camp is in a special rain forest zone.  But the Scouting Gods must have been thinking kind thoughts for us, because while it was a bit on the chilly side, there was no rain.  In fact, there was even some sunshine which is a miracle around here in the middle of winter.

The reason for the outing was to take a 10 mile hike.  See, we're planning a BIG hike in March to the Redwoods.  During the 10 mile hike we were practicing catching our breath and fainting from exhaustion :)

At Camp Cooper there is a lake called Hurl Lake (no I am not joking it is actually called Hurl Lake!!!!)
we had a lot of fun with the name of the lake (hey we're boys!) There is also a waterfall the name of which I don't remember but I do remember what we called it - Hurl falls!  Looking down from the top  of the falls it did make you want to "Hurl". But after we hiked down a few hundred feet having the spray from the falls in your face was like a cool spring shower.  Aaahhhh that felt good!  Any way..........  it was a good hike besides that my ankles got soaked during the first half and that the first half was straight up and down.  Besides that it was on a game trail so there was a lot over hang.   My top half on the other hand was nice and dry because I had on my "Gordini" wicking tee shirt (which does its job great! I loved it) I also had on my "Columbia Omni-Dry" hiking shirt - both of which did an incredible job of wicking away the sweat and keeping me dry and comfortable.  I'd post a photo but apparently my computer has eaten them.  Maybe next time.

Meanwhile, keep on Scouting!

Scout Boy

There's a LOT Going On!! HELP!

Okay, so it's been more than a week since I wrote anything.  You won't believe all that's been going on!

For those of you that have asked (and really for all of you who haven't as well, since this is a public not private blog) -- the Orienteering Project is coming along nicely.  I had meeting this last week with the City Parks and Public Works folks.  8 of the 9 original WayPoints are great.  We need to wiggle #9 around a little bit.  We decided on some basics for each Point - whether it would be a big rock or a bench, etc.  And we've decided on the 9 names for the Way Points.  I haven't decided to make those public yet, but if you'd like to take a guess that would be fun.  I'm waiting to meet with the Cement Man, and one of these days soon we should have some cost projections.  THEN I'll have to figure out how to raise money for the Project.  (and National Jamboree in 2014, but that's another post.)

I finished the Lifesaving Merit Badge this week.  It's not one that I thought I'd be earning already, but I took a really awesome class at the Aquatics Center and I discovered that it completed about 90% of the requirements.  One of the things we had to learn was the Side Stroke.  It seemed harder than it should be since I've been swimming the competitive strokes for so long I didn't know what it was like to learn a new stroke.  But learn it I did.  I really enjoyed the class. 

Anyway, Lifesaving was Merit Badge #20 for me.  It is also one of the Eagle Required Merit Badges.  

Speaking of Eagle Required Merit Badges, on Saturday this week I attended a Merit Badge Clinic, (why do they call it a clinic and not classes?) and I started 3 or maybe 4 new Merit Badges.  Are you wondering why I don't know if there are 3 or 4?  The Instructor for my 4th class didn't show up, so I'll need to guess at homework to get started on and show up with it next month.  Speaking of homework, my other MB homework just jumped into the room and landed on my face.  AAAARRRRGH! Someone make it go away!

The classes I'm working on for the next 4 months are:  Personal Management, Family Life, Citizenship in the World, and the pesky unknown, Communications.   I haven't decided which is my favorite yet.  

Coming up this week is the State Tournament for my Robotics Team and I'm pretty freaked out about that.  (not in a good way.)  I get freaked out when I have a lot of things to do all at the same time.

Today Papa and I officially signed up for a super-cool hike during Spring Break in the REDWOODS!!  Fortunately that's a couple of months away, since we have to do training hikes for it.  Time to dig out the Backpack, load it up and start walking.   I hope to get some opinions on things to review during the training hikes.

!^3**#.  That homework is staring me down and I need to get it done.  See you next post!

Lifesaving Merit Badge

signed,

The ScoutBoy

Historical Merit Badges

Finished Carpentry Project

Well, I've had a CRAZY BUSY week.

For 2010, the BSA re-introduced 4 special merit badges.  I set a goal earlier in the year to earn all 4.  I mean, if they're available just for this year, wouldn't everyone want to earn them?

Last summer I earned the Pathfinding and Tracking Merit Badges at Summer Camp.  (Summer Camp was AWESOME, by the way.)  I also started Carpentry at Camp but didn't get it finished there since there were too many Scouts and not enough tools.  I've been putting off getting it finished since July; I've had the supplies but for some reason just didn't get it done.  I didn't really mean to but the time just slipped away and that's what happened.  On Monday this last week my mother pointed out that there weren't so many days remaining in 2010 & if I wanted to meet my goal of earning all 4 of the Historical Merit Badges I best get to work on it.  

Overall, finishing the project wasn't nearly as painful as I thought it would be.  It rained horribly bad earlier in the week and my parents let me do the project in the living room instead of outside in the rain.  (Thanks, Mama!)  Everything had to be done with hand tools (no electricity allowed) so there wasn't as much mess as there could have been.

I made a Garden Bench, officially, but we've been using it this week as a coffee-table in the living room.   I also think it will make a great helicopter landing area but I haven't tested for that yet.  Doesn't it look nice?

Also this week I took an all-day Signaling Class.  I am never going to do that again -- take an all day course, I mean.  My brain was fuzzy at the end of the day.  But, I did it!  I met my goal of earning all 4 Historical Merit Badges.  I only wish some other Scouts in my Troop had earned them with me; I'm the only Scout in my Troop to have earned them all.