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Rostan Cabin, December 11-13, 2009
Rostan Cabin is always a favorite destination with the scouts. Rostan cabin will easily sleep 30 scouts in its upper loft and with its rustic atmosphere and huge fireplace (kept us nice and warm), it is always a great outing. This year Carl was the mastermind behind the weekend activities with various competitions between the four patrols. At stake for the winning patrol was a pizza dinner so the competitive juices were flowing. Competitions ranged from a half mile team race, a canoe race (on land), blind horse race, firebuilding, map and compass, axe & saw, knot tying and wilderness survival shelter building. The weekend activities were designed to build patrol teamwork as well as enhance scout skills.
Rostan Cabin Photo Album
Scouting for Food/10 Mile Hike, November 14 & 21, 2009
On Saturday, November 14 the scouts went out into our designated neighborhoods and hung Scouting for Food door knockers on 1900 homes in our community. This effort was to call attention the needs of many in our area. Following the service project the troop went on it's annual 10 mile hike. We did a 5 mile road side loop hike from the scout hut to Zion Baptist Church and back to the scout hut. We completed the hike in a little over 5 hours. On Saturday, November 21, the scouts went back out into their designated neighborhoods to collect the food that the community left on their front porch steps. This years effort paid BIG dividens.By the time we finished collecting all the food we were pleased to find out that we collected a record 4244 lbs. of food for the Masters House!
Scouting for Food/10 Mile Hike Photo Album
Fall Camporee, October 23-25, 2009
Fall Camporee 2009 for the Battleground District was held at the Shuford property in Newhouse, NC on October 23-25. Twelve local Boy Scout troops from Cleveland County competed for the annual Flay L. Cook Trophy in events that included knot tying, map and compass skills, fire building and pioneering projects. The recipient for this year’s camporee trophy was Troop 101 First Baptist Church, Shelby, placing first in knot tying, second in map and compass and second in height measurement. During the field competitions, senior patrol leaders from each troop graded campsite organization and pioneering projects for every participating unit. After tabulating the scores from the events and inspections, the camporee trophy was presented the following day at the closing flag ceremony.
Fall Camporee Photo Album
Backpacking The Chattooga Trail, October 3-4, 2009
Troop 101 completed a 14-mile backpacking trip October 3-4 at Sumter National Forest and Ellicott Rock Wilderness Area in South Carolina. Starting from the entrance at the Cherry Hill Recreation Area, the two-day excursion began south at the Big Bend trailhead. The boy scouts followed red blazes through a predominantly hardwood forest that descended into a river basin and ended at a junction with the foothills Trail and Chattooga Trail. After venturing south for a view of 30-foot Big Bend Falls from a ridge overlooking the Chattooga River, the troop stopped for lunch at a rock outcropping beside the scenic river. The hike resumed north where the white blazes of the Foothills Trail and the black blazes of the Chattooga Trail run concurrent. The footpath fluctuated between the sandy banks of the river and the steep ridges of mountain laurel and rhododendron. The boys traveled nine miles and overnighted at Burrells Ford Campground. Breaking camp after breakfast, the troop continued north on the Chattooga Trail where it split from the Foothills Trail on Burrells Ford Road. A short uphill spur took the scouts to 50-foot Spoonauger Falls for a picturesque stop. The troop backpacked the remainder of the trail section before entering Ellicott Rock Wilderness Area and stopping for a trailside lunch. Following the east fork of the Chattooga River, Troop 101 ascended the watershed area to the terminus of the East Fork Trail where a short visit to Walhalla Fish Hatchery was included before their departure home.
Chattooga Trail Backpacking Photo Album
Backpacking, Gorges State Park, August 15-16, 2009
Gorges State Park was probaly the most difficult backpacking trip the troop has done in the last three years. We entered the Augerhole Trail Head and hiked 1/2 mile to the Canebreak trail. We then turned on the Canebreak trail and hiked 5 miles (down hill) to the Foothills Trail. We crossed Toxaway Creek on a suspension bridge and set up camp beside the creek. Once camp was set up the boys and adults jumped into Toxaway Creek to cool off. After dinner Carl led us on a 3 mile hike (round trip) up the Foothills trail to a lookout over Lake Jocassee. Getting up Sunday morning we ate breakfast, broke camp and set out on the 5 1/2 mile hike (up hill ascent of 2000 ft.) to the Frozen Creek entrance. In all, we hiked approximately 14 miles in two days. All were tried, but extreemly satisified with the personal accomplishment of completing the difficult hike.
Gorges Backpacking Photo Album
Whitewater Rafting, Ocoee River, TN, July 17-19, 2009
Troop 101 tooks its first whitewater rafting trip in over 3 years to the Ocoee River near Cleveland TN. The Middle Ocoee section that we went on is the nation's most popular whitewater rafting run, while the Upper Ocoee boasts intense whitewater of 1996 Olympic fame. From beginning to end, this east Tennessee river's fast-moving waters will get you soaked, smiling and laughing with delight. The exciting Middle Ocoee rafting trip begins against the roaring backdrop of whitewater falling down Ocoee Dam #2, with the explosive entrance rapid called "Grumpy's." The action hardly slows down during this five-mile stretch of whitewater. Highlights include negotiating major Class III and IV rapids with names like Table Saw, Broken Nose, Double Trouble, Double Suck and Powerhouse.
Ocoee Rafting Photo Album
Summer Camp, Camp Bud Schiele, June 21-27, 2009
Summer Camp is probably the highlight of our scouting year. We took 30 scouts and three adult leaders to camp where we spent the week in camp site 2. Many activities for the week included, merit badge classes, pizza and movie night on Tuesday, Vespers and OA night on Wednesday, Family night on Thursday and The Grand Ole Adventure (scout skills competitions) on Friday. Tuesday night we went rapelling down the 40 foot climbing tower for troop rec. and Wednesday we went canoeing for troop rec. We won the spirit stick at the Tuesday morning assembly and the Friday morning assembly. At the Friday night closing camp fire Troop 101 performed probably it greatest Celebrity Jeopardy skit of all times as we got a standing ovation from an assembly of 500 scouts at the conclusion of the skit.
We also received a few awards at the closing ceremony...
The boys and adults were exhausted, but full of troop pride as we looked forward to going home Saturday morning. As we left Camp Bud Schiele we had to stop at the CBS sign to get a troop picture with our awards.
Summer Camp 2009 Photo Album
Family Camping, Roan Mountain State Park, TN, May 29-31, 2009
Family camping is always a popular activity for our troop. This is an opportunity for moms, dads, brothers and sisters to come on a troop outing and experience what it is like to go camping with the troop. This year we went to Roan Mountain State Park in Roan Mountain TN. This camp grounds is one of the most beautiful places we have ever been too. Saturday's activities included, working on scout skills in the morning and following lunch was free time. During free time many went to Roan Mountain and took a 1.2 mile hike to a lookout where we had the most beautiful view on a beautiful day! Following the hike we went to Carvers Gap where a few ventured on to the Appalacian Trail for a short hike. Back at camp many scouts and family members when to the heated outdoor swimming pool for an afternoon of swimming. The evening dinner was a troop meal of chicken and roast beef pot pies cooked in cardboard box ovens. Following dinner the scouts had a cobbler competition between patrols which The Flying Eagles won. A great time was had by all and many families commented they can not wait to do it again!
Family Camping Photo Album
Super Trip, Philadelphia PA, April 16-19, 2009
Troop 101 began their 1300 mile 2009 Super Trip traveling all day April 16th to Catoctin Mountain State Park in Maryland. The Boy Scouts overnighted in 75 year old rustic cherry wood cabins at Camp Misty Mount near Camp David, the famous presidential retreat. The boys toured Gettysburg with Henry Gibbel, a scouter from the Pennsylvania Dutch Council, and learned interactive history at Devil’s Den, Little Round Top and The Angle. At Lititz, Pennsylvania they toured the first commercial pretzel bakery in America, Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, and visited Wilbur Chocolate Company. A memorable Amish meal prepared by the King family at their home was enjoyed before overnighting in the Blair Lodge at J. Edward Mack Scout Reservation. The boys toured the Mutter Museum, a collection of human medical anomalies. Objects included a plaster cast torso of world famous Siamese Twins, Chang & Eng, and their conjoined livers, the preserved body of the “soap lady”, the tallest skeleton on display in North America, and an eight foot long colon. After visiting Independence National Park, the Liberty bell, Independence Hall and the National Constitution Center, the boys scouts finished up the trip with an authentic Philly cheese steak sandwich. Troop 101 enjoyed perfect weather and picturesque landscapes in the Shenandoah Valley.
Super Trip Photo Album
Spring Camporee, March 13-15, 2009
Look up the word Spring Camporee in the dictionary and it will be defined as RAIN, RAIN and more RAIN. This year was no exception. It was raining all day Friday and raining when we left the scout complex. It was raining when we arrived at Belwood Park the location of this years camporee. It rained while we set up camp and rained while we cooked dinner. It really rained while we slept and when we woke we were standing in 2 inches of water as we stepped outside our tents. It rained while we cooked breakfast and nearly rained all day long. We did have a few brief interruptions without rain but, it was short lived. The boys were able to get inside the old Belwood School gym to participate in various activities like, making cardboard box ovens that they would use to bake biscuits for dinner, making rope and learning to tie a monkey fist knot. After the activities each patrol was to cook some sort of meat and vegetable that they would put into two large pots to make a stew named the "Grande Feast" that the entire camporee participants, scouts and adult leaders would eat. Just the sound of the idea turned off many scouts including the leaders. We encouraged everyone to give it a taste test before they passed judgement. To everyones surprise the Grande Feast was a grand success. The stew was AWESOME and numerous scouts and adults were seen going back for seconds and thirds. It began to rain again shortly after dinner and was still raining when we woke up on Sunday. We took down camp in record time (in the rain of course) and headed for home. When back at the scout complex it took us nearly 3 hours to unload the trailer and then proceed to wash off all the mud from the gear. Spring Camporee 2009 willÊundoubtedly go down as the wettest camping trip we have been on so far. We had over 3 inches or rain Friday through Sunday! Strangely enough the boys made the best of it and many said this was a great camping trip.
Spring Camporee Photo Album
Ski Trip Winterplace WV, January 24 & 25, 2009
Our trip began by driving to Greensboro NC where we stopped at Sedgfield Baptist Church for an overnight stay. When we arrived the Youth Pastor and a few men of the church cooked a nice hot dog and hamburger dinner for us. Garry Cabaniss's parents live in Greensboro and attend this church and Garry's father made all the arrangements for us to stay. To our pleasant surprise the fellowship hall was equipped with a foosball table and a pool table. The lights were out by 9:30pm although it is rumored that a number of boys were up past 1:00am! We were back up at 3:00am and headed on our way to Winterplace WV. Upon arriving at Winterplace we got our gear and headed to the slopes. We had an AWESOME time skiing! The conditions were perfect and a big time was had by all. We turned in our gear and headed for home by 4:00pm. A number of boys were sound asleep before we left the parking lot. Do you think it may have been the boys who were up till 1:00am??
Winterplace Photo Album
Freeze Out @ Camp Bud Schiele, January 9 -11, 2009
Freeze Out is an annual troop favorite with the scouts. We usually have the highest attendance on the Freeze Out trip. We had 24 scouts and 11 adults participate in this outing. A few former leaders, Mills Curry and Brian Trivett as well as former Scoutmaster Don Costner joined us for the weekend. On our freeze out outing the boys have the opportunity to shoot rifles (thanks Garry for bringing your rifles) and shotguns (thanks Marvin, Brian, Mark and Scott) at the Camp Bud Schiele shooting range. A lot of preparation and training for this outing took place in our troop meetings with the emphasis on gun safety. In the afternoon training session, the newest scouts worked with Carl on their Wilderness Survival Merit Badge. The scouts had to build a survival shelter and sleep in it over night. Seven scouts built and slept in their shelter. The weather cooperated during the weekend and it turned out to truly be a freeze out with the temperature dropping to 24 degrees.
Freeze Out Photo Album
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