I had this idea for an award (patch, certificate) that the scouts could earn for hiking some part of the Appalachian Trail in each of the 5 New England states (CT, MA, VT, NH, ME). The patch would look identical to the above (the classic trail marker symbol for the organization), with the state initials in it somewhere and maybe “5 stater” or something like that (in gold). I talked to the AT Conservancy and got permission to use the AT logo on a limited (troop) basis. Maybe we can do something council-wide with permission. If you are out of region, maybe you can just run with the idea for 100 mile AT/PCT hike or something.

New note: I was recently sent this – the Green Mountain Council in Vermont has a similar program already established for hiking the Long Trail. Surf to website or see attached:

green-mountain-council.doc

Making a competitive car is very simple and you don’t need to be a physics teacher or engineer. All you need to do is get on the internet and search “pinewood derby”. It’s all there.

This does take time and you do find that most sites are ones where you have to pay for a book to get anything useful, but if you sift through the web, you’ll slowly find what you need.

Better yet, read the attached. I may not have collected all the secrets, but I think I got most. Combined with what we learned on our own from experimentation and success (something like 6-7 first place pack awards between two kids), everything you likely need to know is right here. If you read the attached and apply the basics of weigh location & axle prep, you can probably win something in your pack. I’ve includes lot’s of design ideas as well.

pwd2007v2.pdf  (email me if you want the ppt, this is a large file)

Update note 1 (Feb08): Webelo1 son wins pack championship. I’m telling you, it’s all in here!! Polish those axles and get the weight right!

The Ukulele is a great instrument to pick up and learn. With four strings, it’s not at all complicated like a guitar and ANYONE can play it.  You can pick it up and start playing in 15 minutes (the strumming takes a little getting used to). Give yourself a few days to really get better then you’ll be hooked.  What’s nice is it gives you the chance to finally learn the lyrics to tunes you always wanted to know. It’s great to carry around 10-20 tunes in your head to just start singing or playing anywhere (campfires, beach, back porch, parties). It’s easy to teach as well and you’ll be surprised how many people will want to learn after they hear you play.

A few things you need to know –

1. You don’t really need to buy any books. Everything’s out there on the web to download or watch.  Probably the best free tune book is the well known tune book from the Ukelele Club of Santa Cruz. Found here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?nnkmzwg3z2j

This is a big download, but it’s got most of the really good tunes in it. Chordie.com and scorpex.net/Uke  are also pretty good sites for sheet music. (On Chordie, which is really good, go to the right, and make sure you select “ukelele” to get the proper key to play in. If what comes up is not quite right, select the -1 or -2 “semitones” to find a key that is fun to play in.) If you do buy a book, the only one you need is “The Daily Ukulele” from Jumpin’ Jim (on Amazon). It has all the old ones (like “Shine on Harvest Moon”) and some of the new ones.

2. “Ukelele Mike” on Youtube offers a few hundred tunes as tutorials. Very good stuff he puts up. Here’s one just to find him: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xz06WE0N84&feature=related. You can absolutely learn to play the uke by watching and listening to him.

3. Buying a Ukelele: Don’t start with a total piece of junk – uke’s are cheap, you can get a really good one for $100-$150. You’ll learn there are four sizes of ukulele’s – soprano (the “Tiny Tim” or “Hawaiian Beach” looking one), this is the original size, but the cheap ones are really toy-like. Most uke players have a soprano in their collection, as it is fun to play. For starting, it’s better for you to buy the next size up, the concert model. This is the most popular size and it has just enough “beef” to make it really fun to handle and play. Tenor is the next size up, you can start on this as well, it’s just slightly bigger than the concert and it sounds just a bit deeper. Baritone is the next size up and largest (but it’s still smaller than a standard guitar). Unlike the first three sizes that are all strung “GCEA,” the baritone is strung a bit differently so all the chords would be off in standard noted sheet music (not where you want to start).

A few good Uke’s to consider: the Mitchell MU70 ($99) or the slightly prettier (darker wood) MU100 ($149). I’ve played both. Solid wood, nice sound, high gloss so easy to grip. I have a Lanikai CK-C Concert Curly Koa Ukulele ($170, pictured above) which I like a lot. I also have the Snark SN2 tuner which you’ll also want (or something similar) and I have a hard retro case (not a gig bag).

These are some tunes that are natural uke tunes (easy to play – and while playing the chords you can actually hear the melody) – I highly recommend for your initial tune selections (skip over the ‘Row Row Row Your Boat’ and ‘Twinkle twinkle’ stuff), you can do these:

Jambalaya (Hank Williams)
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain (Willie Nelson)
Let it Be (Beatles)
Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton)
Put Another Log on the Fire (Tompall Glaser)
Me and Bobby McGee (KK/Janis Joplin)
Sloop John B (Beach Boys)
Blowin’ in the Wind (Bob Dylan)
City of New Orleans (Arlo Guthrie)
All of Me (Louis Armstrong)
Imagine (John Lennon)
Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole)
Unchained Melody (Righteous Brothers)
Country Roads (John Denver)
Save the Last Dance for Me (Drifters)
The Gambler (Kenny Rogers)
I Walk the Line (John Cash)
Vincent (Don McLean)
San Francisco Bay Blues (Peter, Paul & Mary)
I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (Hank Williams)
Happy Together (Turtles)
Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen)
Can’t Help Falling in Love (Elvis Presley)
All My Loving (Beatles)
Tennessee Waltz (Patti Page)
Bad Moon Rising (Credence Clearwater Revival)
Stand by Me (Ben E. King)
Brown Eye Girl (Van Morrison)
Jamaica Farewell (Harry Belafonte)
Annie’s Song (John Denver)
Margaritaville (Jimmy Buffet)
Tonight You belong to me (seen in The Jerk, by Bill Rose & Lee David)
O Come Angel Band (Stanley Brothers)
I’m Your’s (Jason Mraz)
Peaceful Easy Feeling (Eagles)

Below: Another nice Uke – the Oscar Schmidt OU7T Tenor Ukulele with a Spalted Mango top ($187 on Amazon)

As Ukelele Mike says - Happy Strumming!

A friend at work introduced this to me and I introduced it to my daughter. I’m bringing it up because they have a great Junior Program for kids starting at the age of 14. I think this is a great opportunity to do something challenging and really build confidence.  If your son has any thoughts of going to the Air Force Academy, it wouldn’t hurt being part of something like this.

 http://www.soargbsc.com/juniors.php

I also learned about a program in Texas affiliated with a venture crew.  Crews don’t have to be high adventure camping focused. There are crews involved in civil war reenactment, emergency response, railroading, you name it. If somebody was interested in starting a crew either up here in the Boston area or really anywhere in the US, you may want to consider an affiliation with a flight club. Keeping a crew together is hard work, something interesting like this might really get kids in and then keep them interested.

This a link to a brief mention of the Texas program:

http://www.texassoaring.org/Documents/VentureProgram.asp

Leave No Trace is not simply a program for visiting the backcountry, it is an attitude and a way of life.

I plan to expand this area considerably, I have lots of material to share on this topic.

Here’s one that is pretty good - an extensive powerpoint done on the entire program:

Leave No Trace Powerpoint (large size (35MB) but a very comprehensive, useful download. Credit: Blaine Boxwell, Connecticut Yankee Council)

Here’s BSA’s comprehensive training doc: LNT BSA Training Doc (pdf)

Here’s LNT’s Trifold handout: LNT Trifold Doc

Her’s another good powerpoint (b&w unfortunately, but good intro material):Intro LNT powerpoint)

Here’s a link to listings of LNT Master Educator’s Courses:

http://www.tcfroar.org/boyscoutofamerica2009mastereducatorcourses.html

Here is a cub handout along with a card I created (for reqt 5):

cubscout-lnt.doc

(from LNT.org)

It has everything you need, it looks cool and it has good components for the money. New ones are $300 (I just bought a second one for my other son). Above $300 is too much bike for a kid, below it is dept store level. Best bike store that I know of is Milford Bike off Rt. 16 in Milford (MA). Very nice people, everyone I know is happy with them.  I don’t take spending $300 lightly, but I figured they can keep the bike through college and when out on semi-tough rides, they don’t have to worry about breakage. It’s like driving a Honda.

My view on bikes – don’t spend any money at all on a good bike until they move into a 26″ tire size one. They grow too fast and at a young age, they are reckless. Stay on the 24″ tire size bike until your child can handle a 26″ tire size bike with a 15 or 16″ frame. Don’t get a 26″ tire size bike with a 13″ frame, they’ll grow out of that. Age 10-11 is approximately the time they can move up.

Always carry an emergency kit that includes spare tube, pump, allen wrenches, an adjustable wrench, screwdriver, some wire, tape, patches, bandaids, and a chain repair tool. Put in a small seat bag. Makes for a worthwhile birthday or Christmas present.

See a tricked out version after the jump:

Here is a map of the local rail trail in Milford. It is meant to form a large loop through the surrounding towns. That will be a nice ride someday. rail-trail.ppt

If you are interested in mountain biking, a good place to start is: http://www.nemba.org/ridingzone/places.html

This is the trail section of the New England Mountain Biking Assoc. These guys do quite a lot to promote MB activity. They purchased 47 acres of property near our town and created one of the premier single track rides in the northeast – Vietnam.

Here is a link for the info available on that area: http://www.nemba.org/Articles/Vietnam/NEMBAsVietnamProperty.html

Located off 495 at the Rt. 85 exit, it is great ride for a number of reasons – it’s challenging, well maintain & planned, it’s diverse, it’s meant to be ridden, and it is easy to get to.

What I also like that many people don’t know about is the ride across the street from this area. I’ll call it the Wildcat Pond area. I’ve attached a few topo maps for reference, but what you do is take the obvious trailhead into this area, maybe with compass or map in hand. Back here you’ll discover a number of old rock quarries. Some show signs of teenage abuse, but they are really quite interesting to search out and find. You can also pedal to Echo Lake, the source of the Charles River.

These trails eventually come out on Lumber St. and Granite St. in Hopkinton. Another connected ride is to take the trails from Vietnam into the College Rock area. (Where we often start to enter the Vietnam area). College Rock is a beginner rock climbing opportunity if you want to do that with your troop. Right in front of the rock is a Kiosk built as an eagle scout project.

I’ve attached maps of College Rock, Echo Lake, Wilcat Pond, and Vietnam. The Vietnam map is a bit useless except just to get a generally sense of the trail flow. NEMBA does not have a better map. The trails aren’t really marked so it won’t do too much good anyway. Furthermore, the sound of 495 always gives you a sense of SW. The topo maps attached show some trails, but there are a lot more trails out there. I used these to create maps of all the trails but I never transposed back to electronic format after surveying the area.

bikemap1.ppt

Another idea for a local quality mountain bike ride is to go over to Blue Hills Reservation, just south of Boston. Blue Hills has some nice single track routes and it is also loaded with geocaches. Views from the top of the hill are very cool. Stay over at BSA’s Camp Sayre right on the reservation. A nice low logistics, action filled campout.  Another benefit is the Minuteman Council Egan Rec center is right at Camp Sayre and it has a pool. If this gets you excited, call ahead to make sure the pool heaters are working. When we went, the water was freezing. Here is a map of camp of Camp Sayre as well as a mountain biking discussion from ragemtb.com:

campsayre.pdf

blue-hills.doc

photo credit:New England Mountain Biking Association

One of the best scouting activities in our area is Orienteering. One of the best local spots for anything scout related is Nobscot Scout Reservation (in Sudbury, MA). Below is a note to our kids on what to expect. I thought it might be useful if you need anything like this. We have also taken the scouts here and introduced them to Geocaching – a highly recommended activity that the kids really liked. I’ll spend more time on this later. Link to geocaches in Nobscot area:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?lat=42.384659&lng=-71.4180622&dist=25

 nobscot-geocaches.doc  Printout I made of the geocaches in Nobscot (check link above to see if revised)

nobscot-top-map.ppt   Topo Map I put together (may not be too useful at this scale)

nobscotmap.pdf  Park map for Nobscot

The local Orienteering club, NEOC, has a scout-o event here every October (you must register by August, watch the Council website to see when the invitations go out). NEOC also has a similar event in the spring at Hale Reservation in Westwood, MA, but it is signficiantly less challenging.

This is an article on the Nobscot Scout-O that was recently in Scouting magazine:

scout-o-article-sept07.docx and link if this Word07 does not open:

http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/issues/0709/a-orie.html

Link to Scouting Orienteering- if this link stays active, check out this site to see if you can find any local action: http://www.scoutorienteering.com/

Orienteering at Nobscot

MORE INFO:

To give you a little more information – this would be a 2 night campout (Fri/Sat) to Nobscot Scout Reservation (between Framingham and Sudbury). A very nice place to go, lots of interesting things to hike to (such as an overlook to see Boston, a sizable mountain that Thoreau, Longfellow and Emerson once hiked up, and an 18th century small-pox cemetery). We could do as either a large scale “troop campout,” cabins (if not too late to get one), or a backcountry experience (plenty of places to really get that sense of remoteness). You have to hike in all your camping gear, so we either put on wagons or on our backs.

The orienteering instruction is very good. Trained leaders lead the boys through the use of a map and spend a day working with them. It is mainly land navigation as opposed to compass work, but it depends on the leader running it (last year as one of the leaders I spent a good part of the day on compass skills). Sunday is a competitive (but no pressure) orienteering course which is a lot of fun (scouts go off in small groups without adults). It snowed lightly last year, but it really was great being outside that weekend.

I have found that scouts really like orienteering but have limited opportunities to practice their skills. You can’t find better training for those that have never used a map/compass before, or for those that have, a better place to build confidence. 

More on Nobscot – this area of course was settled by indians. Scattered about are a number of artifacts worth pointing out to the scouts. Below is a picture of Lee Swanson of the Sudbury Historical Society pointing out an indian corn grinding stone. Note there are 4 right in this area (just below Legion Cabin). The large flat rock (right on the trail up) across from this one pictured was used to process hides. Here is a link to an article on Lee and Nobscot history: http://www.wickedlocal.com/sudbury/news/x325172021

Nobscot Reservation is also related to the Wayside Inn (“just over the mountain”). The inn has it’s own unique history and Nobscot was a hiking destination for many of its visitors.  More on the Wayside Inn at my other website: www.howetavern.com

(map from Garfield and Ridley, “As Ancient is this Hostelry”)

Howe Tavern (also known as the Red Horse Tavern and now [Longfellow's] Wayside Inn), Sudbury, MA

Thoreau’s Journal, May 22, 1853

“This is the third windy day followed by two days of rain…a washing day…such as we always have at this season methinks. The grass has sprung up as by magic since the rains. The birds are heard through pleasant dashing wind than enlivens everything…Left our horse at the Howe Tavern. The oldest date on the sign is ‘D.H. 1716.’ An old women, who had been a servant in the family, said she was ninety one and that this was the first house built on this spot. Went on to Nobscot.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Journal, November 14, 1848

“T is the coldest November I have ever known. This morning the mercury is at 26. Yesterday afternoon cold, fine ride with Ellery to Sudbury Inn, and mounted the side of Nobscot…

Last year we did this whitewater rafting trip out in western MA. They actually organize a full Whitewater MB class, but we wanted the kids to have an introductory run first before getting into the whole MB requirement process. It was on class III rapids which I thought were pretty mild (albeit, it was a dam release river and I don’t think we got the benefit of a huge rush of water). These kind of trip can be a little on the expensive side ($65-$100 each), but they are worth it. Every kid wants to do this activity. We did ours in early June and wore wetsuits, which was perfectly fine. Here’s a link to the MB program offered by the company we used:

 http://www.crabapplewhitewater.com/group_outings/scouts.shtml

Here’s a few up in Maine:

http://www.neoc.com/content/4033/_Girl_Scouts/

http://www.proriverrunners.com/index.php?page=scout_badges

http://www.adv-bound.com/

scout-whitewater-badges.pdf

These kind of trips are run all over the country. Here’s a couple in PA:

http://www.laurelhighlands.com/activities/meritbadge.html

http://www.wilderness-voyageurs.com/whitewater_merit_badge.htm

You’ll need to google whitewater MB [your state] to find local ones.

If you are looking for a nice powerpoint to introduce caving to the scouts, maybe the attached will help. I do not know the author, but this one is very good:

introduction_to_basic_caving.ppt 

Here is a guide to caving LNT:  lntcaving.pdf

There are quite a number of caving opportunities in the northeast. One on the list to get to is Eagle Cave, the largest wild cave in the Adirondacks. The local high adventure base sponsors excursions there:

 http://www.wpcbsa.org/SummitBase/Activities/AreaActivities.asp

The most noted cave in the region is Clarksville Cave, just outside of Albany, NY (pic above): http://www.necaveconservancy.org/preserves/clarksville_preserve.php 

A couple years ago the troop we were with hooked up with The Boston Grotto (www.bostongrotto.org/) and organized a trip for the boys here.

Be sure to check the Guide to Safe Scouting before this type of trip.

http://www.scouting.org/pubs/gss/gss09.html