Ely, MN

Up early and off to Ely, MN. We arrive at the Charles L. Sommers Canoe Base at 1:00 pm. Sommers is one of three bases that make up the Northern Tier High Adventure program.

We are greeted by our Interpreter, Mike Swenson who is from Minneapolis and is a junior in college studying chemistry. We get our gear, food, and 3 canoes. We have dinner in the dining hall. We bump into Don Lee and Luke McNeese from our OA Section. They are both working at Northern Tier this summer. We also meet 5 crews from Knoxville, who have just finished their trek.

We visit the Trading Post, plan our trip, get a basic orientation on where we are going and what rules we must follow, and attend a very nice religious service conducted by the Base Chaplain.

Lunch at the Ely Dairy Queen, before we begin.

Flipping a canoe is a little tricky.

Don Lee is the Chief Outfitter at Ely this May through September. Nice gig!

Dreaming of a what it will be like in the Great North Woods!

Mall of America

We spend part of the day at the Mall of America in Minneapolis. The largest shopping venue in the US. A huge 4 story monster with every store imaginable, complete with an indoor amusement park, putt putt golf, and more. We visit the REI Co-Op Outdoors store for some last minute camping gear needs.

Leaving Minneapolis, we had to detour around the bridge that collapsed almost exactly 1 year ago. They are still working on that project.

We arrive in Duluth, which is located on Lake Superior. Very nice place!

A few of the guys buy some cheap dress coats.

The amusement park was amazing.

The camp chair section at REI was popular.

You sleep when and where you can on the road.

More Road

We travel through IL (corn and soybeans) and WI (rolling hills and trees) and finally make it to Minnesota (Land of 10,000 lakes). We stay in Bloomington, MN, a suburb of Minneapolis. Dinner, swimming, and TV time. They guys are really starting to get excited about this trip.

Ride, eat, and ride.

There is an occasional break though.

What to eat tonight?

Northern Tier Bound

Taking off early today for another great high adventure trip up in Minnesota at Northern Tier. Will Hogg, Aaron Shepherd, Devin Porter, Viet Pham, Will Goff, Caleb Ramey, Doug and myself are meeting Ranger Ken and 3 other Scouts.

We stay the first night in Bloomington, Illinois. The guys enjoy swimming, eating at a Chinese food buffet, and talking.

We begin our journey with a quick snack from the Clay City Dairy Queen.

We helped a lady and 2 small children fix their vehicle as our Good Turn for the day.

The water feels good!

All you can eat buffets are a good idea with a bunch of hungry Scouts.

Powder Horn

I mentioned Powder Horn yesterday and it made me think to remind all adult leaders, that next summer over at Camp Mack Morris, where Conclave was this year, a Powder Horn course is being offered.

My buddy, Joe Craven is the director, so I know the course will be awesome. I drove all the way to Evansville, IN and Murray, KY to attend Powder Horn and it was worth it!


http://www.powderhorn-bsa.org/PDF/WestTN.pdf

Sea Scout Cup

The 2008 William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup was recently held at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Sea Scouts from all over the world attended to compete.

I noticed a name from my Powder Horn course. One of my fellow crew members, Jim Zoiopoulos' son Alex participated and did pretty well. http://www.seascoutcup.org/

The longer you play this game called Scouting, the more people you know.

Conspiracy Theory

I got to thinking about our Northern Tier patch. After a bit of time, I believe that we have a design carry over from this year's McKee patch.

Knowing our Contingent Leader, Ken Green, and his "passion for linking patch themes", I am publicly going out on a limb and challenging this design.

Ken did it from the grassy knoll!

NLS

We need to start thinking about some of our Lodge Officers attending the Order of the Arrow's NLS this fall. There is one pretty close by in Virginia during November.

http://www.southern.oa-bsa.org/programs/registration/nlsapp.pdf

I attended the NLS program when I was an Arrowman as a youth in the 70's, down at UT in Knoxville. I remember it being good then and from folks that I've talked too now, they say the current course is great.

Manufacturer Error

I've been seeing several patches on Ebay lately from someone in Florida. It seems that "certain Chapter" and some other issues have gone from the manufacturer to an individual. Not an uncommon practice.

The thing is, that these badges were ordered through the BSA. They are standard stock, just add your own 2 lines, and they are yours! You can still order them today.

This one looks like an error issue, due to the off center of the embroidery.

I guess you have to make some money off of the trash now a days?

College Bound

Troop and Crew 12 will have 3 members leaving to attend College this fall.

William Hogg
Tusculum College
Greeneville, TN

Andy Smith
Eastern Kentucky University
Richmond, KY

Michael Shepherd
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY

Good Luck Guys!!!!!

Young American Award

Here is a BSA award that you don't hear about or see much.

I'm sure that several of our Scouts, here in the "Hills" are deserving.

First presented in 1968, the council-level award is given to college students student age 19 through 25 to highlight publicly the importance of their excellent achievements and service to their community, state and nation.

http://www.scouting.org/Awards/YoungAmericanAward.aspx

Don Murphy

Don Murphy, founder of the Pinewood Derby, recently passed away. He came up with the idea for Cub Scouts, to make little cars out of wood and race them down a sloped track in 1953.

Some of my most vivid memories as a Cub Scout were the Pinewood Derby races.

Dear Chuck

OA Song

After the Ordeal Ceremony on Saturday afternoon, I can't get the OA Song out of my head!

I love the song. Always have, but after witnessing Will Hogg's new version with hand gestures, to help new members learn the song, it burned deep into my memory card.

I'm not a big video person, but someone needs to film this new twist to a great song of brotherhood. If using hand gestures helps to learn the song, maybe we can make up some "hand gestures" to express our gratitude towards our Lodge Chief!

Ordeal With A Twist

The Kawida Lodge's July Ordeal went great! At the closing camp fire show we were treated to some international Scouting flavor from the visiting Czech Republic Scouts.

Bill Montgomery unveiled his "Frankenstein-like" freaky stitches. He is healing well.

We had a big group go through the Ordeal. 47 new members and 2 new Brotherhood conversions. We got several camp sites taken down and a few more straightened up for the Cub Scouts.

Camp McKee is never boring. Maybe that is a good thing!

Czech Scouts getting ready to perform.

Ranger Ken instructs on the finer skill of tent folding.

July Ordeal

VOA Patch

I guess by now, everyone should know that if I have anything to do with an event, there has to be a patch! This is a draft from Sunshine Emblem Co. I'll get the VOA approval and order some.

VOA Trip

Our Council's Venturing Officers Association has planned a great Super Activity this fall. White water rafting on the New River in West Virginia!

A big Scout Salute to our DE / Venturing Staff Adviser, Jeremy Tackett, for working out all of the details. The BIG + for this trip is that it coincides with "Bridge Day" where crazy people jump off of the "Rusty Rainbow" with parachutes and

such. Also included is a pig roast and concerts.

Should be an awesome inaugural trip for our Venture Scouts!


http://www.doubleknot.com/openrosters/DocDownload.asp?id=43507

Northern Tier Threads

Ranger Ken showed me the rough sketch of our Blue Grass Council's Northern Tier expedition patch while I was at McKee. Looks very nice. I'm not a big fan of "loopy" patches, but this is a good one.

We have had some folks back out at the last minute on this trip.

If you, or someone you know, might want to paddle along with us, please let me know.

Only $700 and I'll drive the van!

New Lodge Merchandise

It is going to take me a while to get caught up on all of the news that has been going on, so I'll start with the good stuff first. Kawida Lodge has made a bunch of web type belts that are popular at the High Adventure bases. $14.00 each is a fair price, especially if you have an "Ooga Booga" size waist!

The Fall Fellowship and Winter Banquet flaps are in too. Display only until the events. Nice flaps! I'm anxious to see how the Blue Card Bonanza patch turns out.

Home For A While

Arrived back in Pikeville around 11:00 am.

My pedometer this year read 50,398 steps = 23.99 miles.

After Philmont and McKee, I just wonder what it will be like in the real world?

You are only as good as your next camp out!

Northern Tier is just around the corner,...

Fantastic Friday

Friday is always the big day at McKee. Finishing up Merit Badges and getting ready for visitors.

We won the T-shirt Relay and the McKee Marathon at the Water Carnival. Overall we came in 2nd place this year. Great job guys!

Several of our Scouts leave with parents.

The closing campfire show is held inside, due to rain. The "Great Ooga Booga" shows up and has everyone laughing hard! Several new O.A. candidates were tapped out.

Water DOGS!

Practice makes perfect on the 4th of July.

Cutting up after dinner.

O.A. Tap Out Team.

Service and Fun

I spent the morning folding and stapling the Lodge's "Thunderbird". YES, we are going to start mailing them out. Hopefully that will increase communication and attendance at events.

In the afternoon, I taught part 3 of the New Leader Essentials class for Scoutmasters and Assistants.

Kevin Auton wins the Scoutmaster Golf Tournament. We won it last year too. Kevin shot a 10 on the par 15 course.

Mike Shepherd arrives.

Kawida will post it dates in strange places to get the word out.

Thursday is Trash Day.

Norm, Gary, and Kevin getting ready to tee off!

A New Bridge

Up early for the Polar Bear Swim. The temperature is a very cool 52 degrees. The water feels like 70 degrees.

Bill got 10 stitches in his thumb and the jokes about it, are probably more painful than the cut itself.

We finished the bridge between the old Health Lodge and Baden Powell, and with some help, had the job done by 2:30.

Ran into to Clay City Dairy Queen for supper tonight. Scouts fishing almost every night and having good luck.

Scoutmaster Kevin Auton arrives to join us.

Thumbs up, for at least 7 more days!

Devin was one of six that received their Brotherhood this week at McKee.

Old Bridge.

New Bridge!