Pioneering Merit Badge
Camp Kickapoo, OK, February '99

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wholecrew.jpg (14959 bytes)  "Troop, fall-in!" Well, it takes a little while to get in line and form up, but every campout begins the same way. 

Scribe's Journal
By Jared D.

    "The Pioneering Campout at Camp Kickapoo was a great success! No only was it a whole lot of fun, it was filled with great learning experiences for Scouts of all ages!  I had no idea how to go about lashing together a 'monkey bridge' - come to find out not too many other people did either.  But, we all learned the value of working together. We learned how to lash poles into something useful; we learned how to get the job done, and had a lot of laughs at the same time!
     "Mr. Coleman gave me some practical 'hands on' experience with Dutch Oven cooking and I had a ball. Saturday breakfast and lunch turned out great! Our white cake Saturday night was superb thanks to Mr. Whitacre's watch on the oven.  Mr. Coleman produced what's sure to be a long-time campout favorite - $1.16 Lasagna! You Italian food loving Scouts should get his recipie and try this easy, wonderful dish!
   "As in the past, rank advancement played an important part of our campout and will continue to be a part of future campouts.
     "Campouts are perfect classrooms for things you can't do while you're sitting in a meeting room! Our newer Scouts completed four of the requirements toward earning their First Class rank.
     "Brent B., David M. and Gavin P. earned their Totin' Chip cards. The safe care and use of a pocketknife are very important in Scouting.  They also participated in our flag raising ceremonies learning how the ceremony is conducted and the proper use of our nation's flag. These are two more of the requirements toward their First Class rank.
      "It got a bit chilly and windy by the flagpole, but these guys toughed it out without complaint! Even on a cold and windy hill on a cloudy day, Old Glory still looks great. Thanks guys."

[Note: All Scouts on the campout earned their Polar Bear patch]

 
bridgesupport.pg.jpg (14877 bytes) Starting on the bridge by lashing cross-pieces together.  Camp Kickapoo doesn't have much deadwood laying around to use as timbers, so the Troop used the wooden dining fly poles.  It does pay to "Be Prepared."
bridge.jpg (14865 bytes) The 'monkey bridge' made it up and stayed up on it's own.  While the Scout would have preferred the adventure of building it across the Royal Gorge, they settled on a slight depression.
gavinonbridge.jpg (12952 bytes) An able-bodied Gavin P. makes it across with Scoutmaster Randy ready to lend a hand if needed (it wasn't). While it doesn't look too stout, the bridge supported the adults.
dinner.jpg (9238 bytes) Chow time for Brent W., David M., Steven E. and Blake B. around a fire bucket. No, watching doesn't make a meal cook any faster.
lasagna.jpg (7317 bytes) Mr. Whitacre and Mr. Coleman dish it up while Mr. Dorland samples that delicious lasagna. Dutch oven cooking is great.
polardonuts.jpg (11263 bytes) You betcha it was cold Sunday morning ... like about 29 or so.  If the frozen water wasn't proof enough, those rock-hard chocolate donuts sure were.
policing.jpg (16642 bytes) As with every campout Troop 168 takes, the last task before climbing in the cars is to police the area. Low-impact camping is Troop policy and we strive for no-impact.