How many of you are Eagle Scouts?

[84porsche]

I saw the thread that 911pcars had started about an Eagle project and it got me curious, how many of you guys are Eagle Scouts and what is your best memory of being in scouting? I went to visit my old Scoutmaster today and we had a good talk and shared some memories.

I'll start. My brother and I are Eagle Scouts and one of my many memories was me trying to make Kraft Macaroni & Cheese on a fire grill and messing up at least 3 boxes before I got it right.

[slodave]

I was a Cub Scout . But I did spend many years in the Rockies and was able to get a lot f practical experience.

[Don Plumley]

I'm an Eagle Scout. Earned it in mid 1976, less than a month after my 14th birthday. Such an over-achiever. Stayed in Scouts until I was 18. Went backpacking almost once a month - went into the backcountry of Yosemite for almost two weeks with just another friend when we were both 15. Went to two national Jamborees. Was a canoe instructor in Mission Bay. Scouting helped teach me to lead - to stand in front a room of younger and older kids and get them to organize and execute.

Scouting is really dependent upon the quality of the troop and the parental involvement. With the preponderance of other activities so readily available to kids today, it's hard to compete. My own son was in Scouting but sadly did not persevere beyond 2nd Class.

[mattdavis11]

My dads largest regret is that none of his 5 boys ever gained interest in the scouts. Actually, I find it rather tough to keep a chair under my arse when he mentions that he was one way back when.

You see, the leader of the troops when I was younger was not a very good example of a scoutmaster, so my image of the scouts is tainted.

I hope the feller (the bell housing builder) builds the thing himself, but I don't see that happening.

[legion]

I got to Star, one merrit badge short of Life.

Internal troop politics drove me out. I was SPL at 15, and being pulled in 8 different directions at once by adults with their own agendas for the troop. I wasn't mature enough to understand what was going on at the time, but I did know that I had stopped having fun.

[kslizzy]

I am and so are my dad and his two brothers. It has been great teaching me leadership and willingness to strive. Camping and summer camp were probably my fondest memories of Scouting. I talk to people these days who didn't go or have the opportunity to attend summer camp. I went at least 6 or 7 years in a row. Looked forward to it every year!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

+1 to what Don said. I did scouting for several years, but our troop was extremely disorganized and didn't do much to equip us with the resources to go after merit badges and rank advancements. Most of what I earned, I did on my own or at summer camp. I think in the entire time I was a member we had one guy make life scout level and that was about it.

No regrets - it was fun, but it would have been nice if I'd been with a troop that had some better resources, probably would have made it.

[charleskieffner]

i was a life scout, about 7 merit badges from eagle. still have all my stuff including uniforms.

had a blast! our troop 268 was a backpacking troop. not a wammbie-pammpie lets make crafts troop. we did rim-river,rim-rim,rim-rim-rim,bright angel,havasupai,hermit trails in the grand canyon.

camp geronimo and r bar c camps was where i got volunteered to be a junior hot shot and we roamed around the forest putting out camp fires left burning and our favorite.............we used to pour diesel fuel down the "apache" toilets and burn them out! that was always fun!generally cut a lot of trail and line and got to hang out w/real hotshots from the forest service.

end of the year, those who had put the most time and effort were awarded an honor hike of 7 days up in the white mtns. hike umpteen million miles each day and then pitch tents rain or shine and do it again the next day. we walked alot. now that i write about it, i think they were training us to go to vietnam!!!!!

we also got to shoot lots of guns throw knives and other activities im sure the boy scouts frown upon now. our scoutmaster always packed a .45 a drove a short box monster dodge powerwagon that would go anywhere. we had ablast. cant think of anything bad with the entire experience except we sure walked a hell of alot!

if i had to do it again..........id do it again and finish my eagle. my kids went as far as webloes and then moved on to baseball. i think its a good thing for kids. hell im a knot tying fool, still enjoy archery, and still shoot alot.

and i still enjoy being outdoors be it hunting/fishing or just getting up to the mtns to get out of the heat. taught me alot of things that i still use now. always big giggles to go hunting w/a city slicker and watch how they set up camp!

every damn one of those merit badges taught you one thing..........how to survive on your own and do things yourself w/out relying on anybody!

[legion]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

+1 to what Don said. I did scouting for several years, but our troop was extremely disorganized and didn't do much to equip us with the resources to go after merit badges and rank advancements. Most of what I earned, I did on my own or at summer camp. I think in the entire time I was a member we had one guy make life scout level and that was about it.

No regrets - it was fun, but it would have been nice if I'd been with a troop that had some better resources, probably would have made it.

When I joined my troop, it had over 100 members and had been in continual existence since the 1920's. There were 8 patrols of 10-12 guys and a "Leadership Corps"--6-8 guys who were Life or Eagle.

There was a minor scandal when I was 14. One of the kids (who was a real trouble-maker) had started a forest-fire at summer camp. (It was never clear to me whether it was intentional or an accident.) The fire was extinguised, but it took around 50 people about 30 minutes to put it out. In the ensuing investigation, it was uncovered that a lot of the other kids had either done similar things or had not done enough to discourage this kid. Out of shame, most of the senior members of the troop never came back after that summer.

Suddenly, I went from being 1-2 years away from being invited to join the leadership corps to being the most senior member of the troop.

[jmaxwell]

I made eagle as a Sea Scout. Went to two jamborees (Colorado Spgs and Valley Forge) , Was on Staff at Philmont for a summer and a camper for another, but, like Don said, couldn't keep my own sons interested enough to stay in past First Class.
Like Charles said, we did things in Sea Scouts that were generally frowned upon by scouting at the time, such as founding a County Search and recovery Dive team specializing in High Altitude diving (Decomp tables are all recalced based on the altitude) Great times... Maybe the grandkids will like it better.

[Tim Hancock]

I was a boy scout for quite a few years, but never made it to eagle scout. Riding and wrenching on dirt bikes took over my life as a young teen over fishing and camping.

[M.D. Holloway]

Originally Posted by 84porsche

...I'll start. My brother and I are Eagle Scouts and one of my many memories was me trying to make Kraft Macaroni & Cheese on a fire grill and messing up at least 3 boxes before I got it right.

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought all you had to do was boil water

(Just given you some shyt! )

[legion]

Philmont.

Went there in '92 and '94. One of the best times in my life.

[rouxroux]

Had fun with Scouting. Made Eagle, kept going with the 3 palms ( there were TONS of great merit badge counselors in our area), Our Order of the Arrow lodge was very active as well. Most memorable event was getting "ambushed" by US Army Rangers on the Appalachian trail.

[many944s]

Eagle Scout...
Vigil honor in OA...
District award of Merit...

I used to remain active as a Scoutmaster with the troop, but there are so many political problems with BSA, not to mention the ever-present "parental" issues of kids these days: (I don't want my little Billy to get too cold out there this weekend) Too many parents are over-protective anymore.

Best memories, lets see...
Hiking the length of Isle Royal, National staff for NOAC '94, hiking the AT, this list could go on and on.

-Nick

[motion]

I was a Boy Scout when my dad was the troop leader in Montana growing up. Great memories, although I lost interest as I turned into a teenager and bailed. I tried to get my son into it, but being a Cub Scout in Laguna Niguel is an absolute joke. I think during one meeting his female pack leader actually had them sewing. Never took off, sadly.

[legion]

Originally Posted by many944s

Hiking the length of Isle Royal

That's on my to-do list. I have a few pamphlets on my fridge.

How did you get up there? Did you take the ferry from Houghton or the plane?

[charleskieffner]

i cant think of a more formulative few years in my life. having the choice of reading sports illustrated or a biography about some expedition to outer mongolia..........id choose the later.

learned how to snow ski,x-country ski,snowshoe,mtn climb,first aid, knots,cooking,guns,knives,swimming, chain saws,on and on, just open the merit badge book.

i have not one regret of those years. i still do alot of camping to this day. my doolie at home is like an f-15 on luke AFB's tarmac............ready to go. stuffed with food water hunt fish supplies tents cots sleeping pads pots pans MRE's, freeze dried food anything and everything i need to survive when the BIG JUAN goes off!

it taught me how to survive anywhere. how to eat bugs/lizards/birds/fish and purify water out of a cattle stock tank. how to track game .......man or beast. everything you need to survive.

ive dropped big bucks on tents over the years. we have (1) of 42 made by the north face antarctic hotels built for the will steiger expedition tents. based on himilayan hotel design. sleeps 6(crammed) weighs 19# and will withstand 125 knot winds. goretex floor, it is impervious to rain. sat in that damn thing (3) days while torrential rains nailed us one summer. sat in it one hunt on mt graham for (2) days while arctic cold front snowed us in.

also have north face mtn.-25 tent. sleeps 2 and its also a 4-season tent. weighs about 5.5 #'s. this is the classic backpacker hotel. weighs nothing and simple to put up after long day humping the bush.

i use north face ibex -20 degree down bag and a north face dark star polarguard -40 degree bag which unlike down will dry out when its a wet snow. love hunting or camping in the snow.

i cant get enough outdoors and i do owe it all to my boy scout experience. nothing better than going to rei for latest gadget or surfing backcountry.com for new gear.

going (2) weeks with out a shower or toilet, you learn real quick what lifes priorities are all about .

all i know it beat the hell out of shoveling horse sh!! or mowing lawns on the weekends!

[many944s]

We took the ferry up "from da ooo, p".
Over the years the ferry has been nicknamed the barf-barge
It is truly amazing, it can be 75-80 degreed at the dock, but when you get in the open waters of Lake Superior, it drops to about 45-50. Of course the cold air drives most people inside the boat, where the get even more sea-sick.

It is beautiful up there though! The little foxes will actually run up and take food from your hand. The Moose will walk into your campsite and lick your plates clean if you step away for any amount of time!

I need to get back up there some day, maybe when my daughter is older.

I'll try to dig out some pics for ya later this evening.

-Nick

[GDSOB]

Life Scout
Vigil OA

One more worthwhile thing that wine & women distracted me from.