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Triple Prizes

Prizes:
- $25 Scout Shop gift card
- $50 ClassB.com coupon
- Cobra Braid survival bracelet
If you're just too busy to enter, don't worry - there's a drawing in July and every month you can enter.
Scout On
(May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor)
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Posted: 17:34 06-30-2012 871
Lighten Up

I tell about all the ways I cut out ounces and pounds from gear, staying safe and comfortable and making smart choices. I save the best tip for the end. It costs nothing, saves your body work, and makes a larger impact than all the other gear tweaking you can do.
I reduced my pack weight from around 40 pounds to around 25 pounds by making a light shelter, quilt, and pack, reducing redundancies, and purchasing a few lightweight items. That includes food and water, so carrying less water and stopping more often to fill up water can make your pack even lighter. I removed about 15 pounds from my pack that I didn't have to lug from Mexico to Utah.
During my 6 weeks on the trail, I lost about 14 pounds. Most of that was in the first 2 weeks and then I stabilized as I got used to eating, hiking, and sleeping. Just by losing weight off my body, I nearly reached the weight savings that I got from all the gear tweaking I did!
GoiPlanning a trek with the idea of "This will be a great way for me to lose a few pounds!" is NOT a good idea. Your body will need calories to function properly on the trail and holding back the food it needs will cause you to be weak and increase the risk of injury. If it's a long trek, you will most likely lose some weight anyway, but that should not be your plan. I lost weight because I did not force myself to eat as many calories as I was burning each day - I should have eaten more.
A better idea is to lose some weight before a trek. For two or three months before your backpacking trip, while you're doing practice hikes and getting physically ready, cut back on the ice cream, hamburgers, soda, chips, and all that other fattening stuff. The increased physical exercise will burn from 100 to 150 calories per mile, depending on your body and pack weight. Since there's about 3500 calories in a pound of fat, you'll need to hike around 350 miles to remove 10 pounds of fat. More than you thought, huh?
That fat won't burn off if you increase your food consumption. "Hey, I hiked 6 miles. I can have a second bratwurst" will stop you from losing any weight. Self-discipline is the key to long-term weight lose - that or a personal trainer.
However you do it, losing weight before starting a backpacking trip or long hike is the best way to reduce the complete package you need to haul over mountains and valleys. Besides, you'll be a better role model and more ready to take on any other challenges that come along.
Scout On
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Posted: 13:42 06-30-2012 870
Early Morning

Throwing on my fleece and slipping into my camp shoes, I unzip the tent as quietly as possible, which still sounds like an irritated rattlesnake and is sure to wake someone. As I emerge from my safe nylon shelter, the world is fresh and wild before me, unspoiled and unaware of the day ahead. This is the time of day reserved just for me, for me and the wildlife.
Exploring with scouts is one of the most enjoyable ways I can imagine to spend a day, but the style of exploration is different. A dozen or twenty feet clomping through the woods, with or without a handful of voices being exercised, makes for less than ideal wildlife viewing expectations. By the time we would notice them, most animals have long ago fled our invasion. We occasionally encounter a deaf deer or lame rabbit, but that is the rare exception.
Any hope of experiencing the local fauna requires an early rise and solitude. That's why I venture out alone before the camp wakes. I head into the breeze, slow and watchful, with high hopes. My reward may be nothing more than a lost feather on the trail or a set of fresh racoon prints. But, on the other hand, I may catch a trio of turkeys unaware or twin fawns cavorting in a meadow. It's the anticipation and possibility that make the early morning hike such an adventure.

Now, on with the day ahead to share with everyone. I've had my selfish refreshing time with nature and am ready for the motorboats, fishermen, swimmers, bikers, and the rest of humanity out here, like me, getting away from it all.
Scout On
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Posted: 6:58 06-28-2012 867
Blood Needed

The Red Cross says its blood supply has reached emergency low levels, with 50,000 fewer donations than expected in June. This shortfall leaves about half the readily available blood products on hand today than at this time last year.

I've given over 6 gallons of blood, starting in college when the fraternities had a contest each semester to see which could give the most.
See Red Cross Blood site to find or host a blood drive.
Scout On
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Posted: 11:10 06-25-2012 866
BSA Tech

In an effort to promote online safety, the BSA has created a Cyber Chip program. Requirements vary by age group but include signing a pledge, watching a video, telling someone else, and talking to your leader. After completing the requirements, a scout can purchase a card and/or patch.
Read BSA page

With the majority of people carrying personal electronics, adult volunteers that simply ban scouts from having them is sooo last century. Educating people and setting expectations is really the better way to solve a perceived problem.
Read the Tech Chip info for details.
Accepting, integrating, and adapting to change is the right way to keep a program engaging and interesting. Find out from your scouts what technology they'd like to include in their Scouting experience and then help them plan activities that interest them.
Has anyone asked about Robotics merit badge? How about the BlastCars? Or the STEM/NOVA awards? A good leader will discover new opportunities for scouts and then let them decide if they want to do them or not.
Scout On
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Posted: 14:12 06-21-2012 865
WRFA

Lots of demand for WRFA training because it's now required for Philmont, SeaBase, Northern Tier, and highly recommended for all unit-run treks. I expect The Summit will require it as well. It's a lot of fun to do and I always enjoy meeting more Scouters from the area. It does make for a long weekend, though, since we do a lot of hands-on scenarios.
The Red Cross could use more people presenting this training, so please consider contacting your local chapter about becoming an instructor. It's a great way to make Scouting safer for everyone.
Scout On
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Posted: 14:54 06-11-2012 864
SAR and Kayaking

It sounds like it could be a very fun (and popular) merit badge, possibly combining skills in first aid, navigation, leave no trace, knots, and lifesaving. It should certainly fit nicely in Many Point Scout Camp's All Things Emergency Response program this summer.

I see it as a good addition to the Canoeing, Motorboating, Rowing, Smallboat Sailing, and Water Sports merit badges.
Scout On
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Posted: 16:05 06-06-2012 863
Contests = Free Stuff

Enter Now
The packs are: Deuter AIRCONTACT, Osprey Atmos, and Columbia SilverRidge
Cobra Braid has contributed some survival bracelets for the monthly contests here on Boy Scout Trail. You can now win a Scout Shop gift card, ClassB.com coupon, or survival bracelet each month. Just click the 'Triple Prizes' link at the top of the page.
Boys' Life has a bunch of contests going on. You can see them all on their Contest page.
Scout On and Good Luck
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Posted: 8:25 06-03-2012 862
Previous PostsComments:
Feb 25, 2023 - Joe Patterson
Just out of curiosity, are the Rockwell paintings on exhibit anywhere
Mar 16, 2023 - Adam John
Great question Joe! Have you checked out the Norman Rockwell Museum in
Stockbridge MA? (nrm.org) There is also the Rockwell Museum in Corning
NY. (rockwellmuseum.org) I believe the latter has more art. Hope this
helps!
Jan 21, 2024 - Johnna Downing
The Scouting museum at Philmont, Cimmaron, NM hopefully has the ones that
used to hang at the museum in Irving, TX. Good luck. Johnna
Scouting 2025 - Ask a Question - Add Content
Just for Fun: Socializing merit badge




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