End of Year Campout

The end of year camp out was held at Raccoon Creek State Park this year.  The temps were pretty good, only going down to about 30 overnight.  The evening meal was attended by a few adults who did not spend the night.  The steaks were tender and juicy.  The potatoes we marvelous, baked in the coals of the fire.  With butter and sour cream awaiting the steaming potato, it made a nice complement to the steak.  Of course we had to have onions and mushrooms sauteed in butter to add to the steak.  For dessert we made fruit mountain pies.

We awoke in the morning and began eating breakfast which consisted of home fries, sausage and pancakes.  The food this year was outstanding.

After breakfast we began the contest of lighting a fire with one match.  The prize was a "share" of my leftover Halloween candy.  All scouts who could light the fire got a share.  This year, only one scout was able to do it - Nick McBride.  Here are some of the photos:

Sitting around the morning fire L-R: Nate Biernesser, David Biernesser, Alex Neeley, Nick McBride, Jake LaFond, Eli LaFond.  Grand Barber is in the background cooking breakfast.

 

Just a glimpse of the partially eaten pancake and homefries and sausage.

Here I am assisting with breakfast serving up a pancake to Nate McBride.

Alex Neeley is completing the lay of his fire.  His fire was a little flat and had nowhere to go.  We did a slight adjustment after he was done and it burned well.  He got partial points.

Nate McBride got a little bit of flame, but it never caught the wood on fire.

Grant Barber laid a pretty good fire but had trouble lighting a match.  Next year we will have lessons in lighting matches.

Here is Nick McBride lighting his fire.  Good job!

Eli LaFond created a log cabin type fire but could not get his lit match to his tinder very well.

Nate Biernesser tried his best to coax the flame, but it never got going.

Nate is deciding what to get ... He had first choice.

We awarded partial credit for good efforts and also for the cleanup process around camp.

Eli ended up with a bag of Twix.  I wonder if he shared?

Fall Court of Honor.

We had a first.  At the Court of Honor at the end of August, I was able to get rid of ALL the awards.  Usually one or two people do not show up and I have to save the awards until the next Court of Honor.  For the August ceremony everyone showed up and all was given out.

We had another Court of honor at the end of November and we went back to the usual practice of not everyone showing up.  We now have three life scouts: Brett, Tyler and Justin.  My money is on Justin to make it to Eagle first even though he just earned his Life rank at the end of September.  Brett and Tyler have had theirs for a couple of years now.