Webelos Camp

Spent Sunday through Tuesday at Camp Naish for my 8th and final Webelos Camp. There are some lovely pictures of the camp at http://campnaish.org (which I can't access at the moment - just do a Google Image search for Naish Scout and there are a ton...)

Temperatures were 104 degrees on Sunday, 101 on Monday and 98 on Tuesday. Brutal, but I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard teachers or coaches say that in all the years they've been doing this, this year's kids were the best. I never believe them. I'm tempted to say it about this year's boys though, but I don't want you to doubt me so I'll put it this way: the boys were great! Well behaved, fun in camp, respectful. The first and second year boys played well together. I couldn't have asked for a better group of boys for my 8th and final Webelos Camp.

Special thanks to Parker O. who took one for the team and volunteered to be our entry in the belly flop competition.

Special thanks for Jared R's sharp eyes; missed stepping on a copperhead by thiiiis much. That caused quite a bit of excitement in my campsite at 9:15 p.m. as the snake slithered under my tent. I explained to the boys that it was long gone by 9:30 and most of them gutted it out and handled it well.

We got 2nd place in the desert cook off - but I think our chocolate covered strawberries should have won 1st. We had a couple other packs come up and ask a bunch of questions about how we did the in-camp cooking ("walking tacos"); one pack even took pictures so they could do the same thing next year.

I had an absolute blast and got a little misty as I was leaving. Webelos Camp has been a big part of my life as a dad - I've been 8 times out of the last 12 years and I will miss it. Some of my boy's best memories have been the times it was just them and me out at camp.