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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!
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