Boy Scouts

[Anonymous]

I was reading another thread about Dutch oven cooking and Boy Scouts came up. That got me thinking. There's a bunch of resourceful people on this board and I'd wager a bunch of former scouts. Who all was in scouts, how far did you go, and what was the biggest thing you took from it? Me, I went all the way to eagle, and OA. One year we camped every weekend the whole year. We went to the big camp in New Mexico (Philmont)where we hiked I think 57 miles in 5 days carrying everything. Biggest thing I took away from scouts is hard to say, but I think it would b the overall survivalist skills in general

 

[TexasBred]

Same here Hook....loved scouting. Never made Eagle but had about 50 merit badges...just never got the last required one. Loved the little camping trips the troop went on often. Being on our own, having to cook, sleep under the stars, follow compass courses...just a lot of fun a growing experience. Does Philmont still exist?? Never hear anything about it anymore.

 

[Anonymous]

I just googled philmont and its still around. That was one heckuva hike!

 

[cow pollinater]

I made it to Life Scout and OA and I quit under protest after our scoutmaster told me that there was no point pushing for Eagle since he felt I was to young. He told me point blank that he didn't care what the rules were, he thought we shouldn't be able to get it until we were much older and wouldn't for as long as he was in charge. I couldn't see the point(at that point in time) of following rules when the rules were going to change as I went so I left with only a few requirements left for Eagle.
I think that decision defines more of who I am and what I was suposed to learn than Eagle Scout would have.
My son and my part time kid are both in scouts and I'm thrilled. They just got finished spending three hours a day for five days a week at summer camp...
I'm especially proud that both of them thought it was all boring since they'd already learned it from me.

 

[Anonymous]

That's ridiculous cp that the leader did that. When I got my eagle I was the 2nd youngest ever in the country to get it and my scout masters were very proud of that fact. That was many years ago tho

 

[Jogeephus]

I agree. This type rule bending teaches just the opposite of what Scouting is supposed to teach. I made eagle with palms and OA and was nominated for the Heroism Award. I went to the Boundary Water Canoe base and loved it. I later ended up being an assistant scout master then they talked me into being the scoutmaster for a few years. I thought it was the most thankless job in the world and it cost me a good bit of time and money. After a few years I couldn't see the point of it and stepped aside. A few years later I bumped into a young man who was in my troop and he told me how he saved his brother's life by using what I had taught him. This made all those thankless sacrifices seem worthwhile. I still volunteer on occassion cause I think its a great organization.

 

[TexasBred]

Did find this concerning age:

A boy must be at least 10 years old to join a Boy Scout troop, there's a 30 day requirement in Tenderfoot requirement 10b, at least 4 months between First Class and Star, 6 months between Star and Life, and 6 months between Life and Eagle. So the minimum age, while NOT A REQUIREMENT, would typically be 11 years and 5 months.

 

[cow pollinater]

I believe I was somewhere in the vicinity of fourteen when I left... Maybe a little older.
I did learn a valuable lesson that has carried me a long way even if it branded me as a quiter... Take what you need and get out before the rules change. :nod: I did high school the same way and later college. I learned what I thought I'd need and didn't waste a second doing anything extra for simple recognition of my achievement. To date I've never graduated from anything but I've been quite sucessful and it looks like that will continue long enough for me to teach a few kids how to do it for themselves as well.
I don't qualify as an Eagle Scout but I can honestly say that I learned an extremely valuable lesson that has served me well... And that is what scouting is, lessons that serve you well.
I did just buy a large ranch and I'm waiting for a good time to ask the neighbor whose property we have to cross to get onto it if I can turn it into a winter camp where the boys have to hike in from the road... I may be a little jaded but not so much that I can't see the light.

 

[TexasBred]

CP do you ever wonder "what might have been" had you finished the things you quit??? Now please don't tell me you bought a land locked piece of property??? :lol2: :lol2:

 

[Anonymous]

As much as I enjoyed scouts, and I learned, we chose not to put my son into scouts. At least here it has turned into a "give us money" deal. I figure I can teach my son all I know along those same lines and then some

 

[TexasBred]

As much as I enjoyed scouts, and I learned, we chose not to put my son into scouts. At least here it has turned into a "give us money" deal. I figure I can teach my son all I know along those same lines and then some

A world of knowledge can be absorbed hanging out with dad. ;-)

 

[cow pollinater]

CP do you ever wonder "what might have been" had you finished the things you quit???

Every once in a great while... Then I look around at all of the others my age that are just now starting to get things moving their way and paying student loans while they do it and I feel sorry for them for not figuring it out when I did. It could have turned out bad but I saw to it that it didn't.

Now please don't tell me you bought a land locked piece of property??? :lol2: :lol2:

Yes and no. There is a state owned fire control road that runs right to it in addition to two seperate easements onto the property. I don't HAVE to ask permission to have a gay pride parade walk up the hill if I don't want to but I try to be curteous to my neighbors. The way we're set up out here, ninety percent of our ranches are landlocked in some form or another. It's to steep to build enough road for everyone to have frontage and paying for frontage doesn't pencil out.

 

[Kingfisher]

I believe I was somewhere in the vicinity of fourteen when I left... Maybe a little older.
I did learn a valuable lesson that has carried me a long way even if it branded me as a quiter... Take what you need and get out before the rules change. :nod: I did high school the same way and later college. I learned what I thought I'd need and didn't waste a second doing anything extra for simple recognition of my achievement. To date I've never graduated from anything but I've been quite sucessful and it looks like that will continue long enough for me to teach a few kids how to do it for themselves as well.
I don't qualify as an Eagle Scout but I can honestly say that I learned an extremely valuable lesson that has served me well... And that is what scouting is, lessons that serve you well.
I did just buy a large ranch and I'm waiting for a good time to ask the neighbor whose property we have to cross to get onto it if I can turn it into a winter camp where the boys have to hike in from the road... I may be a little jaded but not so much that I can't see the light.

Ha Ha. Thanks for your post. Where are you located?

 

[Kingfisher]

I was reading another thread about Dutch oven cooking and Boy Scouts came up. That got me thinking. There's a bunch of resourceful people on this board and I'd wager a bunch of former scouts. Who all was in scouts, how far did you go, and what was the biggest thing you took from it? Me, I went all the way to eagle, and OA. One year we camped every weekend the whole year. We went to the big camp in New Mexico (Philmont)where we hiked I think 57 miles in 5 days carrying everything. Biggest thing I took away from scouts is hard to say, but I think it would b the overall survivalist skills in general

I did all my scouting in Germany. Man can I tell you some stories! It was awesome. I did it for about 3 years I guess. They have some really nice International Scouting camps in Europe. They also have some really primitave places that are neat. I scouted in Belgium, Switzerland, and Germany. I did not stay with it when I moved back to the states. Getting a car was way more important than Eagle Scout. One of my partners dad works for Boy Scouts of America. Has for years and years.

 

[Anonymous]

Kingfisher, that's sounds great! I'd like to hear some of your stories

 

[Jogeephus]

I did not stay with it when I moved back to the states. Getting a car was way more important than Eagle Scout.

Perfume and gasoline fumes almost did me in as well. :lol2: :lol2:

 

[Anonymous]

I did not stay with it when I moved back to the states. Getting a car was way more important than Eagle Scout.

Perfume and gasoline fumes almost did me in as well. :lol2: :lol2:

You sure you didn't mean bacon and hardwood?

 

[Jogeephus]

Nah, it was scouting that got me hooked on cooking. I just refined the craft after living with my first wife cause she was only good at one thing and it wasn't cooking. Don't know what they used to put in perfume but whatever it was sure messed up my thinking.

 

[TexasBred]

Nah, it was scouting that got me hooked on cooking. I just refined the craft after living with my first wife cause she was only good at one thing and it wasn't cooking. Don't know what they used to put in perfume but whatever it was sure messed up my thinking.

Must have been the same stuff that now makes Viagra what it is. :lol2: :lol2: