From <@tcuavm.is.tcu.edu:owner-scouts-l@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU> Mon Feb 9 09:23:07 1998 Return-Path: <@tcuavm.is.tcu.edu:owner-scouts-l@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU> Received: from server1.capaccess.org (server1.CapAccess.org [207.91.115.5]) by cap1.CapAccess.org (8.6.12/8.6.10) with ESMTP id JAA20728; Mon, 9 Feb 1998 09:23:07 -0500 Received: from tcuavm.is.tcu.edu (TCUAVM.IS.TCU.EDU [138.237.128.148]) by server1.capaccess.org (AIX4.2/UCB 8.7/8.7) with SMTP id JAA03972; Mon, 9 Feb 1998 09:15:42 -0500 (EST) Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU by tcuavm.is.tcu.edu (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id 3810; Mon, 09 Feb 98 08:15:33 CDT Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (NJE origin LISTSERV@TCUBVM) by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 0684; Mon, 9 Feb 1998 08:16:25 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LISTSERV release 1.8b) with NJE id 0677 for SCOUTS-L@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU; Mon, 9 Feb 1998 08:15:26 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM (NJE origin SMTP@TCUBVM) by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 0676; Mon, 9 Feb 1998 08:15:25 -0500 Received: from ipgate.actx.edu by tcubvm.is.tcu.edu (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with TCP; Mon, 09 Feb 98 08:15:21 CDT Received: from AMARILLO_COLLEGE-Message_Server by ipgate.actx.edu with Novell_GroupWise; Mon, 09 Feb 1998 08:10:30 -0600 X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise 4.1 Message-ID: Date: Mon, 9 Feb 1998 08:15:16 -0600 Reply-To: Terry Slade Sender: Scouts-L Youth Group List From: Terry Slade Subject: Colorado Hiking Trip X-To: Bruce-Dollens@WORLDNET.ATT.NET To: Multiple recipients of list SCOUTS-L Status: RO X-Status: D To Bruce and all thinking of camping near Durango. Do it!!!!! What a cool place. Our Troop does a trip there every 5 years. Once there, we divide the Troop in half. One group rides the bus over to the Valecito Lake for a hike through the Chicago Basin towards the train. The other group rides the train to Needles Landing where they are dropped off and proceed to head Easttowards Valecito Lake. Somewhere in the middle, they meet up and the train riders give the others the tickets for the train and the keys to the bus are given to them. They continue on their way. They continue on there way and meet back up in Durango. We hire a rancher to horseback in supplies at the 1/2 way meeting point where some of our ASM's have set up a kind of base camp. You might head on up to Purgatory Ski Area (4 miles) to ride their "Alpine Slide" after your hiking is done. It is a concrete and fiberglass bobsled run down the mountain that is alot of fun. If you need a place to throw your bed roll on your way to or from Colorado or Philmont, we offer our building as a cheap hotel. Send me your snail-mail address for our building reservation packet. Amarillo makes a nice midway point for some travelers. Terry Slade tmslade@actx.edu Amarillo,Tx From <@tcuavm.is.tcu.edu:owner-scouts-l@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU> Tue Feb 3 09:56:34 1998 Return-Path: <@tcuavm.is.tcu.edu:owner-scouts-l@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU> Received: from server1.capaccess.org (server1.CapAccess.org [207.91.115.5]) by cap1.CapAccess.org (8.6.12/8.6.10) with ESMTP id JAA16873; Tue, 3 Feb 1998 09:56:34 -0500 Received: from tcuavm.is.tcu.edu (TCUAVM.IS.TCU.EDU [138.237.128.148]) by server1.capaccess.org (AIX4.2/UCB 8.7/8.7) with SMTP id JAA28044; Tue, 3 Feb 1998 09:49:07 -0500 (EST) Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU by tcuavm.is.tcu.edu (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id 8644; Tue, 03 Feb 98 08:49:00 CDT Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (NJE origin LISTSERV@TCUBVM) by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 2520; Tue, 3 Feb 1998 08:49:45 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LISTSERV release 1.8b) with NJE id 0103 for SCOUTS-L@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU; Tue, 3 Feb 1998 08:48:15 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM (NJE origin SMTP@TCUBVM) by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 0102; Mon, 2 Feb 1998 15:22:12 -0500 Received: from iquest3.iquest.net by tcubvm.is.tcu.edu (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with TCP; Mon, 02 Feb 98 15:22:00 CDT Received: (qmail 579 invoked from network); 2 Feb 1998 20:20:49 -0000 Received: from kok-0000-18.iquest.net (HELO perrce.iquest.net) (204.95.228.114) by iquest3.iquest.net with SMTP; 2 Feb 1998 20:20:49 -0000 X-Sender: perrce@pop.iquest.net X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.5 (32) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Message-ID: <3.0.5.32.19980202152120.00844220@pop.iquest.net> Date: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 15:21:20 -0500 Reply-To: Charlie Perry Sender: Scouts-L Youth Group List From: Charlie Perry Subject: Scout Spirit, USA (long) X-To: William Randall To: Multiple recipients of list SCOUTS-L In-Reply-To: <01BD2F07.60567FC0.randallw@cfu-cybernet.net> Status: RO X-Status: I guess to start off, I should tell you a little about myself. My name is Charlie Perry aka Moose. I've been involved in Scouting since I was a youth. After four years of college where my only involvement in Scouting was working at Summer Camp (Camp Buffalo, Sagamore Council, IN) every year (I've been everything from Commissioner to Aquatics Dir, but I'm always the "song and dance man."), I've come back to my home troop and was qickly drafted to become Scoutmaster. The previous SM was looking to get out after 5 years (He doesn't even have a boy involved! Way to go Jamie!) I'm still think I'm too young (23) to be a Scoutmaster, but so far it seems to be working out. Anyway, back to the story. I wanted to share with you all the wonderful experience that I had over the summer (after Summer Camp, and before the new job). A camp buddy (Jon) and I, after working together for years decided that we were finally going to take that trip we had always been talking about. Since we had only the money that we had earned over the summer (not much :-), we loaded up the car with camping gear and started our cross country adventure. The plan was to spend the night at Boy Scout camps when there was one on the way, trading a service project for a night of camping. When we couldn't find one, we planned to stay at State Forests, or Parks, or where ever else we could find that was cheap. Frankly, I wasn't sure this would work. I knew that it would work sometimes, but there's always that stereotypical, gruff Camp Ranger to deal with. "No permit, no camping." Boy was I surprised. First stop: Fort Steuben Scout Reservation of the Ohio River Valley Council (OH, WV, & Penn.). This was the first time on the trip that we had tried the Scout thing so Fort Steuben was the guinnea pig. We pulled into camp and were immediately dismayed. There were a bunch of cars in the lot, so we figured there was a Camporee or something going on. Not a good sign. When we put on our uniforms and asked around for the Ranger, we were directed to the Dining Hall and advised to ask for "Fuzzy." We found Fuzzy (the Asst. Ranger) and we were immediately made welcome. We were given a spot close to running water, and all we had to do was clean up some of the Staff site that was left a mess. As it turns out, Fuzzy had just gotten married that day! His ceremony was in the camp Chapel, and the big shindig at the Dining Hall was his reception. Fuzzy told us how to get into the Dining Hall after hours and invited us to raid the fridge that night for leftovers so we could have a snack and take some food for the road. Wow! The next morning, we met Duane and Dan (one of them was a Camp Director, I think). They hooked us up with four pages of information about Scout Camps in Penn., two patches each, and a book about hikes in Ohio! Those two were great. They went *way* out of their way to help us. A couple of days later, we stumbled on Resica Falls Scout Reservation in the Pocono Mtns. on Penn. (It's owned by the Philadelphia Council). In exchange for moving three rowboats, Scott, the Asst. Ranger pointed us to a campsite called "Bear Hollow" in Camp Firestone (part of the reservation). It was wonderful! It had adirondaks, a picnic shelter with a fireplace/stove and latrines! After being on the road for a week, it was heaven. We didn't even have to set up tents or a fly. :-) Later the next week, after staying with a friend who was attending the University of Connecticut, we got a late start (1:00 pm) because we were doing laundry and actually taking a shower(!). Because of the delay we headed straight for Providence, RI where we figured there had to be a Council Service Center. We were hoping for an OA "Where to go guide", but they didn't have one. After we explained who we were and what we were doing (Yes, we were wearing our uniforms. :-), they were really helpful with getting us info on their council camps. As it turned out, the Ranger for one of their camps was in the office right then. He was happy to let us stay at his camp. And so we were off to Camp Champlin of Narragansett Council (RI). The Ranger (Clem Gormky) was a wonderful guy. He put us up in style. He gave us some patches and a cabin with bunks and gas stove and oven! Needless to say, since we had a stove we ate in style that night. That cabin it turns out was used as the handicrafts area for the Cub Day camp that is run there. Rent: helping to put the cover on the swimming pool. (Now we know what a "Grind-ah" [hoagie/sub sandwich] and "Coffee-milk" [like chocolate milk, only w/ coffee flavoring instead of chocolate] is! ) Then there was Syracuse, NY. We found the Council Sevice center (Hiawatha Council) just after it had closed (5:00ish). In desperate need for a place to sleep that night we walked in the employee entrance since the trading post door was locked. We found two people talking together. Later we decided that they were the Council Exec and a District Exec. Again in uniform, we explained what was going on and they pointed us in the direction of Woodland Scout Reservation to the north. As we thanked them and left we heard the Council Exec mumble somthing about having to make sure that door stayed locked from now on. :-) Dennis Robinson, the Ranger of Camp Woodland, met us at the parking lot as we pulled into camp. After we told our story, he told us a story. It turns out he had done the exact same thing we were doing - touring the country staying at Scout camps - when he got out of the Army in the 60's! We stayed in what was the Camp Office during the summer. It had bunks, showers, stoves and a TV! Throughout a month of traveling from Indiana, to Cape Cod, out to Wyoming, and back to Indiana, we met only the most wonderful people. At Scout camp after Scout Camp we were welcomed in as brothers and shown nothing but hospitality. Never once were we turned away or given the cold shoulder. None of them had any reason to trust us other than our uniform and our word. It makes me proud to be a member of an organization that welcomes strangers, and trusts them based only on the sight of a uniform that signifies a common set of beliefs and a promise to do our best. If you've made it this far, thanks for sticking with me. If you are one of the people that helped us along the way, thank you. You'll never know what a help you were in making memories that will last a life time. If any of you know any of the people that I mentioned above, please thank them for me. Or better yet, print this out and give it to them the next time you see them. Yours in Scouting, Charlie ************************************************************** Charlie "MOOSE" Perry Scoutmaster Troop 508 perrce@iquest.new Sagamore Council (Kokomo, IN) **************************************************************