BSA Troop 451, Lewisville, TX

Tuesday, June 30th, 2015 Tuesday came very early for some members of Troop 451. For example, those seeking to earn the BSA Mile Swim badge were at the pool by 6:00 AM for practice. This morning’s breakfast was the traditional Camp Geiger cheesy eggs with hash browns. Afterwards, our boys and adults left well-fueled to enjoy another day of summer camp.   Our first year Scouts have been keeping busy at Camp Geiger’s ‘Trail to First Class’ program. Some of the information is review for our boys, most of whom are well on their way to becoming First Class Scouts, having all earned the rank of Tenderfoot .   As the week progresses, however, more and more of the items will be new to them. TTFC occupies the morning here at camp but the afternoons are available for earning various merit badges, such as swimming and cooking. Other popular topics include leatherworking, pottery, and Chess. There is free time for them too, and heading to the Trading Post for a slushie is a ...

Monday, June 29 th , 2015 Our Monday at Camp Geiger began with an early wake up, courtesy of our friend Mr. Sun and his gorgeous rise. At these more northerly latitudes, sunrise comes a bit earlier than it does down Texas way. The difference is not huge but it is noticeable (5:53 this morning here, versus 6:21 AM back home). After morning ablutions had been performed, we headed to the dining hall for breakfast. Actually, nine of our boys reported early to serve as our table waiters. In the dining hall at Camp Geiger, our meals are served family style. The table waiters’ responsibilities before the meal include making sure cups, plates and flatware are at each place and setting out the serving dishes. Today, we broke our fast with sausages and French toast. A day at summer camp requires a lot of energy and a hearty breakfast helps ensure that everyone is adequately fueled for their morning activities. After what feels like 5 minutes of eating, we move on to the “two...

Sunday, June 28 th , 2015 Our first day of Camp Geiger, 2015 draws to a close. The day started with continued bus travel through the vast expanses of eastern Kansas, mostly heading straight towards the rising sun, which popped over the horizon about 5:30. Needless to say, for many, the bright rays ended what sleep they may have been able to grab. With the prospect of soon being at Camp Geiger, however, it seemed a small inconvenience. We stopped on the outskirts of Saint Joseph for a delicious, and oohh, so nutritious, McDonald’s breakfast. Well, it was a pragmatic choice and, for better or for worse most hunger was duly assuaged. Once the last of us had dined, it was back on the bus for the brief trip to Geiger itself. The camp has a new director and some things are being done a little differently. One consequence of these changes was that we spent the time between our arrival and noon, or so, waiting. Again, our boys deported themselves commendably. One useful divers...

Sunday, June 28 th , circa 2:20 AM A highlight of any Troop 451 trip to Geiger is stopping at a Love’s Truck Stop to load up on junk food and belly wash after tending to more pressing concerns. In truth, the break in the nearly-unvarying experience of a night time bus ride up I-35, is a welcome diversion. Despite a hefty advertising effort on behalf of the various establishments that line the interstate from the Red River to Oklahoma City, it hardly seems to be an “Adventure Road.’ It seems to be rather the opposite, in fact, though the large casino complex with its cheesy imitations of well-known international landmarks is striking, in its kitschy way. By the time we pulled in to Love’s, almost everyone was asleep (thank Goodness!) but there is something about the change in speed and the sharper curves of an off-ramp that wakens many a sleeping soul. The transformation from semi-inert sleepyheads to the active boys we all know and love was nearly instantaneous. Our bo...

Saturday night, June 27 th Following in the footsteps of last year’s unprecedented punctuality, almost everyone arrived at First United Methodist Church, Lewisville prior to 9:30 PM. Like last year too, the weather was fairly mild, making standing around outside quite tolerable. There were many final goodbyes said amidst the large crowd of well-wishers as parents prepared to send their sons and spouses off for a week of Scout Camp. For several of our Scouts, this is their first experience of this kind. For many others, of course, the drill is old hat and their veteran status shows. Loading proceeded smoothly, with the boys loading their lunches into the coolers as they got on board the bus by rank, Eagle Scouts first. Many parents took advantage of the opportunity to get photos of the well-filled transport, replete with Troop 451 red. Although we expected a fully-packed bus, various unforeseen exigencies meant that a few riders will be going up to Missouri separately. T...