What does one say about Cub Friendly 2015? Well, that it was pretty amazing!
We started by meeting at Redeemer, collecting the trailer and lots of bamboo for the planned pioneering project. We also met several of our visiting Cubs and their parents. After introductions and the typical logistical wrangling, we were off to Pohick Bay Overflow.
Traffic was light and we arrived in time to divide up the cubs among patrols, set up camp, have our typical sandwiches for lunch, and get ready for the main event – building a 14 foot bamboo tower capable of holding at least one scout. At this point you may be asking “How could they possibly get this done in a few hours, and more importantly, do it safely?”
I am happy to report that both goals were accomplished! Max led the way, breaking the boys into teams to construct the pieces of the tower on the ground. Charlie, Nino, Felix, Aaron, Matthew, and Will W. headed up the teams.
The boys demonstrated their advanced lashing skills (ok, some were more advanced than others), taught the cubs about lashing and working as a team, and were able to construct the main portions of the tower. Then they lashed the pre-fabricated pieces together, and to many applause raised the tower into an upright position. The tower was stabilized with guy “wires” (we used rope), and the tower designer donned the safety harness and began his ascent of the tower. After a few nerve wracking minutes of slow, but sure progress, Max made it safely to the top, again to the applause of the ground crew.
Once he descended a number of the boys (and Mr. Forrer) took their turns conquering their fears and headed to the top. It was a big project, with a lot of prep work to make it successful.
After the fun with tower building, Mr. Salt showed the cub scouts how to make fire with various materials other than matches. He used a battery and steel wool (which oddly failed!), lint, cotton balls and petroleum jelly.
Some of the bigger chaps headed back to McLean for homecoming which meant for those remaining it was time to get dinner rolling.
Andre, Chris, Owen and Brandon did a great job for their respective patrols and showed the parents of the cub scouts exactly what their sons will be doing in one years time!
After KP, the boys hung around the camp fire playing cards and by 9:30 Mr. Forrer and Mr. Salt, who were both tired, decided it was time to call it a day.
As normal with our tarp only outings, some structures had a greater potential to work and keep the boys dry than others. With a few tweaks, re-staking and para-cord tightening all were set for the incoming rain.
I’m not sure when it started but we had a fair drizzling over night that continued off and on during breakfast. All the boys seemed to survive unscathed and were ready for food … omelets, pancakes, mountain man surprise and b’fast tortillas were all a welcome site.
Mr. Coopersmith has officially been knocked of the leader board as our champion snorer. One of the cub scouts Dads (he will remain anonymous but spoke with a distinct West Country accent) was without doubt the loudest snorer who has ever lived. The noise actually made me jump at one point and sounded like a cross between a blocked sink as it gets close to emptying, the releasing of water at the Hover Dam and someone choking on an over-sized walnut! Luckily no one suffered any lasting damage and all were alive and well for breakfast.
After tidy up we left and headed back to the church. The last remaining question is “what can we build next out of bamboo?”
One of scouting strengths is the ever changing leadership. As one group of boys age out the next guys step up and take over. With so many of the older active scouts at homecoming this weekend we were concerned we would have void “at the top”. Not so, without pushing or asking the next group self-selected and took the lead. One of the cub scout dads noticed and couldn’t wait for his son to do the same. It was really encouraging and bodes well for the future.