The weather on Saturday was outstanding.  We hiked 10 miles through some georgeous woods.  The newest Scouts took a shortcut back to basecamp and ended up hiking 5 miles before some intense training with ax and saw

Hats off to the Dads with us this weekend.   Lee Bowie led the expedition despite the last minute health-related scratch of his son!!!  Great job Lee!!!  Bruce Putt was a last minute additioon and proved to be tireless as he worked with our Senoir Leadership Corps of 8th grade Scouts.  James England worked alot with the new Scouts on Ax and Saw safety and proper use.  He also worked on some knots and lashings.  A few “Camp Gadgets” even turned up Saturday afternoon.  The Dads certainly did not come close to being hungry with head Chefs Braxton Crumpler and Bob Stevenson at the stove, and hats off to Mrs. Creath for sending out some tasty brisket with the kind instructions to heat it up over “low heat”.  Tony Edwards, Stuart Clark, Harper Keller, Jeff Callendar, and Ken Seawright rounded out or adult leadership Corps for the weekend.  You guys all rolled up the sleeves and really got things done this weekend.  Again, many thanks for helping this be such an awesome weekend.

Be Prepared……

The Scoutmaster

31 Scouts, with Asst. Scoutmaster James England and The Scoutmaster

Between a rock ...

Swinging Bridge over Bear Creek

It has been five years since Troop 18 hiked the beautiful 10-11 mile system of trails at Tishomingo State Park.  It will again be a great experience for the scouts and adults that accompany them.

We will plan to leave as soon as practicable on Friday, February 13, 2009. I would like for the scouts to be at the FPC Belhaven Street parking lot by 3:30.  We will have supper in Tupelo and camp two nights at the Tishomingo State Park.  On Saturday, meals will be organized by patrols.  A light breakfast of cold breakfast bars or hot oatmeal/grits will be the order.  Lunches of sandwiches and snacks should be prepared after breakfast clean-up. We will have lunch during our hike in a pavilion constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps.  Supper in the evening should be a warm, hearty meal prepared by the patrol cook and his assistants.  Sunday breakfast can be like Saturday’s, or the patrol cook can plan a little something extra before we break camp to head home. We will have lunch in route to Jackson and arrive back at the FPC Belhaven Street parking lot early to mid afternoon on Sunday, February 15, 2009.

Money on the trip is needed for the Friday night supper stop and the Sunday lunch stop, as well as to pay for the scout’s portion of the patrol meal. (The patrol cook will let the scouts know what they owe him.)

This camp out will be similar to the Cheaha camp out as far as weather and hiking: appropriate footwear and clothing should be taken as well as water bottle and other camping essentials. (Please refer to comment #1 to the Cheaha camp out post.)

Due to the fact that we must plan transportation and the patrol cooks must plan meals, it is necessary that you let me know no later than 9:00 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009, if your scout is going with us. If an adult wishes to join us, please let me know as well. It helps to have transportation and supervision, and since the men usually cook and eat in an adult patrol, we need to plan accordingly.

Thank you for your cooperation with meeting this deadline.

If you have any questions, please let us know. If your question is general in nature, feel free to post it as a comment for the benefit of all. Thanks, Lee.

We have a very exciting weekend ahead.  At the time of this post, 19 scouts and 8 adults are planning to gather at 8 AM on Saturday to head to Cheaha SP near Oxford, Alabama.  We will meet in the FPC parking lot on Belhaven Street.  The 13 5th graders will travel in the FPC mini-bus.  The other scouts will ride in private vehicles.

We will have lunch in Birmingham.  The scouts are cooking by patrols Saturday and Sunday evenings.  I understand that they have menus ranging from hamburgers, to hotdogs and tacos.  A culinary extravaganza.  Sunday and Monday breakfasts will consist of poptarts, oatmeal and breakfast bars.  Lunch on Sunday will be sandwichs or snacks they will carry with them on our 10 mile hike.  We will have lunch somewhere along the way home on Monday.  The scouts should bring money for the two lunches while traveling.

The weather will be clear and cold.  Highs will be around 50 and lows around 32.  However, due to our elevation, the temps could be lower at night.  The scouts should come prepared for cold and remember to dress in layers.

Cheaha 2005: On the Pinhoti Trail

These scouts enjoyed the hike in 2005.  Though we do not expect any hunters in the area, it is worthwhile to have on some orange.

The scouts should plan to bring a pen and note card to record interesting information about the hike for purposes of the hiking merit badge.  Furthermore, the new scouts should plan on looking for and recording evidence of ten different types of wildlife and ten different types of plant life.

Prior to the hike, we will review the rules of safe hiking, the Outdoor Code, and the principles of Leave No Trace.  Please remind your scouts to bring their scout book and/or to read about these matters prior to Saturday.

Water is scarce along the trail, so remind your scout to bring a nalgene or camelback to carry water.  A small daypack, fannypack or school backpack is advisable to carry the water bottle,lunch and snacks.

As a reminder, on our campouts, cellphones and electronics are not allowed.  Game devices, ipods, DVD players (headphones mandatory!) are fine for the trip over and back but are not allowed in tents or once we arrive to camp.  These items should be turned in to one of the adults for safe-keeping upon arrival.  They will be returned for the trip home.

If anyone has questions about what to bring (or what not to bring), please refer to comment #1 to the earlier Cheaha Campout post or contact me, Dallis Ketchum or James England.

Troop 18′s first outing of 2009 is in two weeks.  We will be leaving on Saturday morning, Jan 17 around 8:00.  We are going to Cheaha State Park near Anniston/Oxford, Alabama.  Cheaha is the highets point in Alabama – 2509 feet.   On Sunday, we will take a 10 mile hike on the Odum Scout Trail which is part of the over 100 mile Pinhoti Trail. We will return to Jackson on Monday, Jan 19, time TBD.

Scouts will need cash for lunches in route Saturday and Monday.  Meals on Saturday night and Sunday night will be prepared by and in patrols.  Patrols can also handle the two breakfasts, but it will be recommended that they keep it simple for time constraints (cold cereal or hot water for grits, oatmeal.)

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that I have an accurate head count by next Sunday night.  Patrols will be making food decisions Monday evening and I  have to arrange transportation and insure we have sufficient adult representation. Please be considerate and let me know by Sunday,  Jan 11 if your scout is participating and if dad wants to join us.

If you have any questions, please let me know.  Dr. Moore will not be available to make this campout due to special Andrew Jackson Council leadership training.  Please do not email him about this trip.  Send your replies and inquiries my way.

Weekend Lost and Found……1 fleece lined Child’s Large Blue jacket with a
circular “Ole Miss” sticker over the right Chest and a pair of children’s
“Stihl” work gloves.  Come and get it!!!

Here’s the photo gallery from the weekend: http://gallery.troop18.org/v/troop18/2008-12-07/

OK……Here’s the BOR Line-Up.  Guys for BOR please remember to come on
time and in the full Class A Uni with Neckerchef and slide.  Also please
remember your knots.  Check out www.realknots.com  Here are the guys who are
up for rank advancement:

1. Gene Wood(1st Class)
2. Creyton Bowie(2nd Class and 1st Class)
3. Alex Russell(2nd Class and 1st Class)
4. Jack McBride(1st Class)
5. Dees Baker(Tenderfoot, 2nd Class)
6. Sam Berry(Tenderfoot, 2nd Class)
7. Griffin Callender(Tenderfoot, 2nd Class)
8. Harrison Creath(Tenderfoot, 2nd Class)
9. Reece Crumpler(Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, ?1st Class)
10. Thomas Phillips(Tenderfoot, 2nd Class)
11. Ryan Seawright(Tenderfoot, 2nd Class)
12. Robert Stephenson(Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, ?1st Class)
13. Carl Upton(Tenderfoot, 2nd Class)
14. Holt Crews(1st Class)
15. Wilkes Skelton(Life)

Also……Monday December 8th is the deadline for turning in any MB work
that will be awarded at the January 2009 COH.

Be Prepared…..

The Green Patrol needs to plan on wearing their scout uniform shirt during the Saturday Service Project.

There will not be a regular Troop 18 Meeting on Monday night.  There is a scheduled Board of review.  If you are involved in that, you must be there on time and in full Calss A Uni(including neckerchief and slide!!!)  Also please remember your knots!!!!  The instructions on tying them is in your BSA Handbook, or check out the links below.  Put your cursor over the blue knot name, and follow that URL for instruction!!!!

I will run the Troopmaster report for older scouts about who is ready for a BOR on Sunday, and I will send an email out that night if there are any older scouts up for BOR.  Please check your email Monday am.

Very little Dad support, but that is certainly understandable given the generalized business of the season.  We have 33 scout and 6 Dads tomorrow.  At that rate, we will need extra help with transportation.  I checked and the Church’s Surburban and mini-bus are not available.  We will also likely need transportation help getting back to Jackson on Sunday morning.

Meals are, as we talked about in great detail on Monday night, being done by Patrol.  Older scouts who were not involved in the MB Amnesty program Monday night are free to cook on their own or get together with their friends and plan group meals.  Sam and Griffin are in charge of cooking 2 suppers and 1 breakfast for the Green Patrol(11 total guys).  Alex and Holt are in charge of thte kitchen for the Beaver Patrol(10 Guys total).  All scouts should plan on bringing a cold breakfast for Sunday morning.

The Flag Retirement Ceremony(part of Communi MB) will be at 7pm Friday.  All scouts who are in the Communi MB class and assisting with this ceremony must be in full class A Uni’s(including neckerchief and NSlide).  Also, on Saturday while the GPatrol goes to do a Service Project at Stewpot, the older scouts who are working on Camping MB will do a conservation project at Twin Lakes.  Saturday Afternoon the GP guys will work on Lashing Projects and “Camp Gadgets” for their advancement.

Plan for cold, dry weather.  Low Friday night is 29!!  High on Sat is a pleasant 55.

However, we will have our first “MB Amnesty Night” tomorrow night.  It is a move designed to put a real emphasis on attending the MB classes and minimizing “make-up” work for both the instructors and the students.  Older Scouts who missed a class for the 3 MB’s that were taught on Monday nights this Fall (Cit Wo, Communi, and PSpeak) may present their make-up work for the MB counselors to review and sign off on.  Scouts must plan ahead and be prepared.  For Cit Wo, the scouts are not coming tomorrow night to have the 60 minute presentation that they missed, but will be there to work through the test that they missed and maybe engage their counselors in a conversation about a point or two where they are confused despite their preparation at home.  For Communi and PSpeak, there may be some speeches to do.

This weekend we will be Camping at Twin Lakes near Florence.  The GP will be busy with a lot of advancement work, and the older scouts will work on Communi MB completion with a Flag Retirement Ceremony on Friday Night.  Right now the campout is scheduled for Friday afternoon through Sunday morning, but this is a busy time of year and we may return on Saturday evening.  Details will follow.  We will be camping and cooking by Patrol, and the GP will plan their Menu on Monday night.  Older scouts need to contact their Patrol Leader for information on menu plans and grocery acquisition.

Please RSVP by an email to me by Wednesday 8pm for this weekend’s campout.  I need a good list of Dads and Scouts so I can let the folks at Twin Lakes know in advance.

Newly Decorated Troop Trailer

Thanks to Dallis Ketchum for his work in getting the Troop 18 equipment trailer in “better than new” condition… ready for this weekend’s campout!

Probably all of you have had, or will have campers at Hood.  I would urge you to help our Troop support this worthwhile endeavor.  If you feel so led, please send a check payable to “BSA Troop 300” to Donald Petit, 111 Poplar Ridge Drive, Brandon, MS 39047.

Please be sure and write “Troop 18” in the memo section of your check, and again….any amount would be greatly appreciated by the entire Scouting community of the Andrew Jackson Council.

Oh, and by the way……if they raise more than the $11k already spent, 100% of the donated funds will be turned into other visible improvements at Camp Hood.

Thanks for helping us all out!!!!

The Scoutmaster