Adventures are a big part of Scouting, and one of the best adventures is going camping. Let a First Class Scout tell you about his latest trip:
“I’ve been a Scout for almost a year, and I’ve been on plenty of hikes and campouts. We went on a weekend canoe trip, too. It was awesome.
“At our last patrol meeting we decided to go camping at a lake near our town. We made a list of the gear and food we would need and figured out how to reach the lake.
“Saturday we laced up our boots, swung our packs onto our shoulders, and hiked into the woods. I used a map and compass to lead the way. The trail was steep at first, but we kept a steady pace and put some miles behind us. We spotted a beaver dam in the stream below the lake, and during a rest break we watched a couple of hawks circling high above the trees.
“When we reached our campsite we pitched our tents, hauled water from the lake, and lit our camp stoves. We made stew for supper with our patrol’s own secret recipe, then baked biscuits that we ate hot out of the pan with butter and jam. You can’t believe how great everything tasted!
“Some of us went fishing, and at one point I thought I’d caught a whopper. When I reeled it in, though, it was pretty small so I let it go. My friends and I laughed about it, but next time I really am going to hook a big one.
“After dark we sat by the lake telling stories. Millions of stars lit up the clear sky above us. The weather was kind of cold, so when I finally crawled into my sleeping bag, I pulled on a warm hat and some wool socks. The sounds of an owl hooting in the distance, water cascading in the brook near our tent and a gentle wind blowing through the trees lulled us off to sleep.
“Early the next morning I looked out of the tent and saw a deer by the lake. My buddy and I went down there, being real quiet and hiding behind trees and bushes. We got close enough to see the deer’s breath in the cold air, and we watched it eating grass. Its ears were twitching around and it must have heard us, because all of a sudden it ran away.
“We ate a big breakfast, then packed up and headed for home. The tents are stored again at our Scoutmaster’s house, but they won’t be there long. We’re already planning our next adventure, and I can hardly wait!”
Joey K.
Patrol Leader
Scorpion Patrol