Air Show Fundraiser

For the first time, the troop got a chance to do a fundraiser at the Wings over Wine Country air show.  We had been looking for some time to do something of the sort when the opportunity just landed in our lap.

We set up and took down the garbage and recycling cans and collected the full bags at the air show.

Mr. Morris and Mr. Polkinghorn and their two boys distributed the cans to the proper locations on Friday.  The rest of the troop was split up into 4 groups.  Saturday and Sunday morning and evening.  In that fashion, no one had to work more than 1/2 of any day and got to spend the rest of the time at the air show enjoying the planes.  In fact, a lot of the families used the outing as a family event after their shift was done.

Most of the troop spent their time roaming the tarmac pulling the full bags from the cans.  Then another  crew had the use of two vehicles to transport the full bags to the dumpsters.  In this fashion the refuse was toted off site and out of the way of the attendees.

For those that stayed around the first evening, there was a catered dinner with musical entertainment!

Special thanks to the closing crew that had to empty and line up all of the empty trash and recycling cans.

for all of their trouble, the troop earned a generous stipend, which will be used all year to fund the outings and purchase new troop tents!



Participants:  John-Robert, Zack, Brian, Owen, Eric, James, Angelo, Bryce, Devon, Matt, Donte, Payton, Joey, Clayton, Jeff, Eric, Marcus, Brian, Carl, Daniel, Johnny, Ben, Joseph, Sean, David, Andrew P., Jordan, Gerrit

Leaders:  All the parents!

Lessons Learned:  We need more hands on deck at the end and we need covers for the recycling cans so they won't be used as garbage cans.  Definitely show up Saturday night for the catered dinner!

2013 Summer Camp

For the summer of 2013 the troop returned to our council summer camp at Camp Noyo.

Camp Noyo is unique among summer camps in that the primary way to travel to the camp is via the Skunk Train out of Ft. Bragg, CA.  Unfortunately just a few short months before camp was to start, there was a cave in on one of the tunnels on the tracks!  There was a 15 ton boulder sitting on the tracks that couldn't be easily removed.  To compound the problem, all of the Skunk Trains were in Ft. Bragg at the time, so they were all stuck there!  The train was functionally shut down.

The camp reassured the troops that they were open for business despite the problem with the the train and so the troop held on to it's plans to attend the camp.  As take off date approached though, the method of arrive continued to be opaque.  The plan changed from taking the train from Ft. Bragg as originally planned, to taking the train from Willits (the other end of the line), to having to drive in.

In the end, the tunnel was not cleared and the train was not running and so the troop had to drive in.  While most of the boys were disappointed that they would not get the train ride everyone was looking forward to, the drive in was a fun adventure itself!

After arriving, the troop set up and settled down to the routine of summer camp.  This camp's routine was slightly different from many others.  One difference is that the boys bring their own tents instead of having them provided by the camp.   This was good and bad.  Good in that they boys had tents that they were familiar with, but bad that they didn't have the room that most summer camp cabin tents have.

The biggest difference though, is that everyone cooks in their own campsites for the entire week.  This is difficult, but the boys seem to love it!  This year the recipes really seemed to work and the boys did a great job of feeding themselves and the leaders.

The camp also did a great job of providing program for the boys and everyone had a great week.  Especially fun was the evening competitions.  The SPL's chose water activities and the troops competed in canoe tug of war, canoe sinking contests, and kayak balancing contests.

There was one hick-up in the week though.  The camp forgot to send out the shooting sports permission forms and with no phone or internet at the camp, it took several days for the forms to get signed!  This was soon enough for most of the archery merit badge participants, but too late for many of the rifle participants.

On the last night of camp, the troops were treated to a presentation of The Princess Bride by the camp staff!  They did a great job.

The troop returned at the end of the week, tired but pleased with our week in the woods.

Participants:  John-Robert, Zack, Andrew W., Brian, Adam, Owen, Eric, James, Angelo, Andres, Bryce, Devon, Matt, Donte, Payton, Joey, Clayton, Jeff

Leaders:  Mr. Baier, Mr. St. John, Mr. Valdelomar, Mr. Polkinghorn, Mr. Christensen

Lessons Learned:  The drive into Noyo is really neat!  It is weird having not train noise!  Noyo is still the best small camp around.

David Eagle Project

On June 29th, the troop converged on their meeting location, Northwest Preparatory School to help David with his Eagle Project.  The troop painted fences, created several planter boxes, cleaned out the existing planter boxes and collected trash from the school grounds.

The challenge for this event wasn't the work so much as the elements.  The day turned out to be the hottest of the year!  As the mercury spiked, the troop tried to stay cool while completing the work.  Thanks for Mrs. Lara for opening her classroom as an air conditioned haven!

The troop was especially happy to be helping the school where we have met for many years.

Now on to Eagle for David!

Participants:  Lots and lots

Leaders: Lots and Lots

Lessons learned: Air conditioning is great!  Bring old clothes for painting projects!

50 Mile Bike Ride

The last requirement for the Cycling Merit Badge is to complete a 50 mile bike ride.  This is the ride that everyone has been working up to!

Speaking of everyone, the entire troop started the merit badge, but as the rides got longer and tougher, fewer and fewer of the boys continued with the program.  Their excuses were varied.  Boys that had Hiking or Swimming under their belt didn't feel a need to add cycling to their list when it wouldn't count as an Eagle required merit badge.  Others didn't feel their bikes were up to the task.  Still others thought that they weren't up to the task.  Whatever the reason, only the hardiest cyclers came out to finish the merit badge.  

Hardy they needed to be as the ride took place on the hottest day of the year!  Temperatures were in the high 90's by the end of the ride!  Because of this, they ride started an hour early, getting under way just after 6:00AM.  The route also had to be changed.  Instead of starting in hot, hot, Cloverdale and riding south to Howarth Park, the route started and ended at Howarth Park, went down and back up the Joe Rodota Trail and then north to Healdsburg and back.  

While the group was riding the trail, they were shadowed by Mr. Keelty with a cooler full of cold drinks and water.  What a godsend he was too!  He was able to supply the boys with cool water at each rest stop and when they needed it most in the last blazing hot leg of the journey.  

In the end, all but one of the boys who started, finished.  All the boys enjoyed a BBQ at Howarth Park afterwards to replenish the calories lost on the trail.  

At the next meeting, the Scoutmasters Minute was about doing something Epic.  Each of us has a chance to do something epic in their scout careers and this was certainly one of those epic events.  

What will your epic event be?

Participants: Payton, Gerrit, Owen, Brian, Bryce, Devon, Andres

Leaders:  Mr. Polkinghorn, Mr. Brisgel

Lessons Learned:  Old Redwood Highway is a great route for biking, but not very scenic.  After a long ride, chocolate milk is fantastic!  Do the paperwork right after the rides.

2013 Cache Creek Backpacking

Enough of this car camping already!  It's time to strap everything on our backs and head off into the wilderness!

And that's exactly what we did!

The troop tackled the Cache Creek Wilderness in Lake County and explored the Redbud Trail.

First though, the group had to stop overnight at Clearlake State Park.  The troop took off from Santa Rosa and crossed the Mayacamas Mountains skirting the slope of Mt. St. Helena (which we will visit next winter).  After a quick stop in Lower Lake, the troop made it to the State Park and set up camp.  Clear Lake Sate Park is a lovely spot that we will have to come back some time and explore more thoroughly.  It has several group campsites, lots of family campsites, cabins and a swimming beach!

The next morning the boys packed up and headed for the wilderness.  Just a short trip outside Clearlake Oaks on Highway 20, the troop pulled off at the Redbud Trailhead and strapped their packs on and took off up the trail.  Several hours and miles later, they arrived at Baton Flat beside one of the forks of Cache Creek.  The trail continues for another 4 miles to Wilson Valley, but the creek was running high and was impassable.  So, everyone stopped for the night and made camp.

This was true back country camping.  There were no pit toilets or bear boxes, so the troop set up their latrine and bear bag station.

They also set about pumping enough water to get by and this proved to be a problem.  One of the three pumps the troop brought was broken.  Then there was so much sediment in the water, that the other two pumps started packing up and barely worked by the time the troop left!  The group walked out with only a half of a water bottle apiece, but it was enough.

Meanwhile, the troop explored the valley, played with the lizards, and prepared their freeze dried foods.

It was truly remote!  The whole day we only saw a handful of other living beings and certainly no one from the afternoon on.  Only a whisper of traffic noise from over the ridge let you know that there was anyone within a hundred miles of you.

In the morning, the troop reversed it's course, headed back up the trail and back to civilization.  We will have to come back in the fall when the creek is low and take the trail all the way to Wilson Valley.

Participants: Brian, Andreas, Bryce, Gerrit, Owen, James, Angelo

Leaders: Mr. Bell, Mr. Polkinghorn, Mr. Valdelomar

Lessons Learned:  Clear Lake SP is a beautiful park!  We have to come back.  The creek is high in Spring.  We will have to come back in Fall and do the whole trail.  Make sure to check the maintenance on the water filters and bring a bucket and cheese cloth to siphon from.

2013 USS Hornet Overnight

As our big trip of the year, the scouts went down to Alameda and boarded the USS Hornet for an educational overnight.  The boys got to sleep in the racks in the Torpedo Room, eat in the Enlisted Mess, and see much of the ship.

Of special note was the guided tour of the ship.  in the past we have had a guided tour and when the ship is packed a self guided tour.  With the smaller groups in the middle of spring, the troop got a guided tour or the ship.

The tour included the usual parts of the ship- the bridge, the nav, the flight deck, the hangar, the brig, the catapult rooms, the engine room, and the work spaces.

However, the guide for the troop was a former Chief Petty Officer of the Watch who took the boys into a rarely visited part of the ship - the radio room where secret communications were decoded!  This section was so secret that our guide didn't even know about it's existence when he was a sailor for numerous years aboard the ship!

After the dinner and tour, the scouts were given the choice of attending an informational movie or a presentation of ghost stories!  Then it was off to bed except for two of the leaders who (luckily) drew the first fire watch of the night and only had to stay up a little late.

The next day the scouts were given the privilege of performing the morning flag ceremony!

After morning flags the boys loaded their gear, hit the gift shop, took a ride on the flight simulator, took one last tour around the flight deck and then headed back to Santa Rosa.

Participants: Clayton, Matt, Johnny, Eric, James, Jordan, Joey, Owen, Bryce, John-Robert, Adam

Leaders: Mr. Franceschi, Mr. Polkinghorn, Mr. Baier, Mrs. Baier, Mr. Christensen

Lessons Learned:  Follow the directions to the tunnel to Alameda!  Only 2 leaders need to pull one night shift.

2013 Canoeing Trip

The troop wrapped up its all Lake Sonoma month with a float trip to the Broken Bridge group campsite.  It has been some time since the troop did a water based outing and it's about time!  Aquatic outings are a core part of any scouting experience.  Every summer camp has a waterfront and it's always well attended. Who doesn't like rowing, canoeing, kayaking, sailing and swimming?  Boy Scouts don't have to wait till summer to enjoy this fun though.  They can plan an outing any time during the year, and so we did.  This year we tried to make our trip late enough in the spring to insure good weather but early enough to avoid the crush of boaters that lay siege to Lake Sonoma all summer.  We were successful (by one day)!

First off, we have to thank a bunch of people for making this outing happen.  There were a lot of moving parts!  We had to borrow four of the canoes from the Coast Guard Training Center.  The Keelty family brought their family canoe and transported three of the canoes we used.  Mr. Bell brought his motorboat and camped with the group even though his son was staffing the OA Ordeal at Camp Navarro. The Latrells and the Lococos drove up and back.  Finally Mr. Frazee and Ms. Lara went as additional adult leaders which allowed the troop to split the group for the trips to and from the campsite.  As I said, a lot of moving parts.

The outing started well with the group forming up and loading in good order and the trip to the lake held no surprises.  Then the real work began.  The canoes, life jackets, paddles and troop camping gear all had to be unloaded and then reloaded into Mr. Bell's boat when it was floated.  Then several of the leaders ran the motorboat to the site, unloaded the gear and ran back.  When the motorboat was back, everyone embarked and took off.  Predictably, the motorboat beat the canoes by a large margin even after taking several detours.

When everyone was together, the troop set up its camp and then had the afternoon to enjoy the water.  Mr. Bell gave several rides to groups of leaders and scouts while the canoes were busy on the water the whole afternoon.  The lake was fairly peaceful too.  This early in the season, there were only a handful of fishermen, a sailboat and a pair of wake boarders.

When the groups returned to camp there was an edible surprise for everyone.  At the New Scout Outing three weeks earlier, the Army unit at the other group campsite donated a case of MRE's for the scouts to try out.  Each tenting pair got to share one of the meals.  The reactions were everything from "Yummy" to "Nasty" depending on which meal they picked.  Then the real dinner commenced.  Afterwards, we had one of the best campfires of the year.

The next morning we were awoken at dawn by about a dozen bass boats streaking across the lake on the way to their favorite fishing holes.  The troop woke, packed and had breakfast.  With such an early start, we had time for a little training.  the senior scouts all picked a tree in camp and trained the junior scouts on the native plants in their area.

Then the canoe contingent took off while the boat contingent loaded the troop gear.  Despite the head start, the motorboat beat the canoes back by a large margin.  When they did arrive, the canoe crew unloaded the boat and sent it back for the rest of the troop.  We loaded everything and left.

On the way out, we began to realize how lucky we had been on our scheduling.  The warm weekend temperatures had brought the ski boats out!  While we only had a few boats to share the lake with on Saturday, as we drove out on Sunday, we were passed by a nonstop stream of boaters heading to the lake!

Participants:  Brian B. Andrew, Angelo, Andreas, Sean, Ben, Donte, Devon, Jeff, John-Robert, Owen, Joseph, Bryce, Carl

Leaders: Mr. Bell, Ms. Lara, Mr. Frazee, Mr. Polkinghorn

Lessons Learned:  Everyone loves water outings.  The outhouses at the camp are dark.  Falcons Nest campsite has a well marked trail to it while Broken Bridge does not.  MRE's can be great, or not.  Everyone wants to canoe and swim.  Early spring is fishing season.