NASA at Raven Hill Discovery Center

This is not a troop event, but it looked fun, so I'm just passing the word along. It is August 20.Thank you to Mr. Clements for notifying me about it. 

http://miravenhill.org/nasa-community-tec-day/nasatecday.html

Hiking merit badge: Hiking opportunities!

If your scout is taking the Hiking Merit badge (optional eagle required)  they need to meet the following requirements for hikes ( in additional to the rest of the merit badges requirements.

1. Take the five following hikes, each on a different day, and each of continuous miles. These hikes MUST be taken in the following order:
   • One 5-mile hike
   • Three 10-mile hikes
   • One 15-mile hike
   You may stop for as many short rest periods as needed, as well as one meal, during each hike, but not for an extended period (example: overnight). Prepare a written hike plan before each hike and share it with your Scoutmaster or a designee. Include map routes, a clothing and equipment list, and a list of items for a trail lunch. *
   
2. Take a hike of 20 continuous miles in one day following a hike plan you have prepared. You may stop for as many short rest periods as needed, as well as one meal, but not for an extended period (example: overnight). * 

Some of our scouts did their 5 mile at summer camp, and some scouts did their first 10 mile at Andreae cabin this past weekend.  

Here are some additional opportunities to hike to meet the requirements.  The hiking merit badge counselor Mr. Branigan will be participating in these hikes.  If your scout is interested we need at least one more adult to attend to help supervise, so you may need to attend with your scout depending on how much interest we get. 


August: 

Saturday, Aug 20
 
Where: Corner of King and Russett Rd, Petoskey, MI 49770
When: High Noon
What: Bring yourself and your Gear! and Sandwiches
Why: Go for a walk in the woods and to eat Sandwiches
Who: YOU!
We will be hiking from Springvale to King Rd
Bring: LOTS OF SANDWICHES / Hiking Staffs / Water / Snacks and a sense of adventure! / and a Towel never hurts!
Distance: ~9 miles
Cancellation: NEVER
There is no bad weather only bad gear ~thewalkingdude

August is National Sandwich Month and in celebration we have planned several stops in which we will eat SANDWICHES! It is also the month of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, so if you haven't finished your NCT HIKE 100 miles yet here's another great opportunity to get in some more miles. Boyscouts working on their hiking merit badges will also be joining us. They need a 10 mile hike so we will make a quick Jaunt over to the cherry valley overlook to add some mileage and for additional sandwich time!

 
September:

Sat September 17 Noon 

Edit

The ARRRW's:
Where: NCMC Parking Lot
When: High Noon
What: Bring yourself and your Gear! and an appetite Piracy!
Why: Go for a walk in the woods and then ye be walkin' the plank
Who: YOU!

We will be swashbuckling from King Rd to Bayfront park where we be spying the booty!
Bring: Ye Treasure Map/ Hiking Staffs / Water / Snacks / yer best Jolly Roger! / and a Towel never hurts!
Distance: ~9.5 miles 
Cancellation: NEVER / we show now quarter
There is no bad weather only bad gear ~thewalkingdude 

September be one the best months of the year. Landlubbers from all around try to talk like pirates and we'll be doin' a bit of this or shiver me timbers you'll be walkin' the plank (or whilst walking the board walk ye'll be pushed into the briny deep of the swamp) Peg-legs, Eye Patches, cutlasses, and parrots are all welcome. If we not be speaking in pirate talk ye may be getting the black spot and we'll be escortin' ye blimy bilge rate self down to Davey Jone's locker!

So smartly step to and get ready to fly your Jolly Roger, fly it not, and risk missing yer grog and a possible keel haulin!

Sat October 15

The W's: Where: Bayfront Park

When: High Noon

What: Bring yourself and your Gear! and some creepy getup

Why: Go for a walk in the woods (in the park on the wheelway) while watching out for Ghosts and Goblins!

Who: YOU!

We will be creepy walking from Bayfront park to Creepy Rd...I mean Kipp Rd!

Bring: Hiking Staffs /(Holy?) Water / (treats) Snacks / Tricks / and a Towel never hurts! Distance: ~9 miles

Cancellation: NEVER...even unto the grave!

There is no bad weather only bad gear ~thewalkingdude

October is the month with the best holiday, Halloween! Dress up or not (and be made fun of) and hike with us through the end of our trail section, the end of the line, just the spooky end!

Join us for a spooky walk (well it probably won't be that spooky but we can hope that it might be) We will be finishing our trail section for the year in preparation for our last chance JRV hike. Join us!

November 12 sunrise

The W's: Where: Jordan River National Fish Hatchery

When: 7:03AM 30 minutes before sunrise
What: Bring yourself and your Gear! and be ready to hike!
Why: Go for a walk in the woods and finish the whole JRV pathway
Who: YOU!

Sunrise: 7:33 AM
Sunset: 5:14PM
Distance: 20 miles

Bring: Hiking Staffs / Water / Snacks / 7 League Boots / and a Towl never hurts!
Cancellation: NEVER
There is no bad weather only bad gear ~thewalkingdude 

 

Scouts will be joining us and will be competing their hiking merit badge!
It will be a great time and you will leave with a real sense of accomplishment!
Why so early you ask...because we only have 9 and a Half hours of daylight, thats why!

Eugene Branigan II

10:00 am picket today in Bagley for scouts at Andreae Cabin

Scouts should be back from Andreae Cabin by 10 am to Bagley hall. Because a couple scouts needed an early pickup and we needed drivers to get scouts we decided to go with the early departure. I will send updates if there are any.

International Scout Rally at Wilwin Lodge Sept 16-18

For those of you who like to plan ahead, here is the information for the upcoming International Scout Rally at Wilwin Lodge (formally called Hessel.) The dates are September 16-18 and the theme is Around the World in 3 days. Looking for adults willing to chaperone for the weekend.

Andreaes cabin campout this weekend? Are you coming?

Are you planning on attending the Andreaes Cabin campout this weekend? We will be working on the hiking merit badge. It should be a fun weekend! We need to know who's coming for the food purchases and so that we have enough drivers. Let scoutmaster know ASAP. 
So far we have 7 scouts planning on it.

Sunday committee meeting

Our Committee Chair would like to have our regularly scheduled Committee meeting this Sunday August 7 at Bagley. Time is 6pm scouts and 7pm leaders. Scoutmaster will be out of town but will make it as soon as she gets back in town. SPL will be there for scouts at 6pm. We have a Andreae Cabin campout to plan coming up. Please consider participating in the committee meetings, this is your troop and you should have a say in how it is run!

Andreae Cabin August 12-14

Look what's coming up!  A trip to Andreaes Cabin was Ben's wish and the hiking merit badge was suggested by Mr. Branigan.  Hopefully, you will plan to come!  http://landtrust.org/wordpress/andreae-cabin/

There will be opportunity to earn rank and Hiking merit badge requirements, as well as the opportunity to get some camping days for the camping merit badge (if you sleep outside in the tent instead of inside the cabin!)

The leaders hope to do a 10-mile hike if enough boys have completed the 5-mile hike (likely all of them have due to the 5-mile 2nd class requirement.) Scouts only really need a small pack or even just a canteen or water bottle that they can take with them.  Bring your compass if you have one. Bring good walking shoes!! Mr. Branigan will bring maps and logs for the boys as well as worksheets for the merit badge.

Mr Branigan plans to leave right from work (Petoskey) directly to the cabin, and Mr. Savoie has a previous engagement and will also be traveling separately.  If the troop trailer is needed then we will need someone to pull it. Additionally, depending on the number of boys we will need a couple drivers. 

Scoutmaster needs to know by Tuesday if possible if you are attending so that I can arrange food and drivers.  I also need someone to pull the troop trailer there and possibly pick it up on Sunday.

Hiking Merit badge information: 

Depending on time constraints we could complete the following Hiking merit badge requirements:

1a, 1b

2

3

and portions of:

4

6

As well as Second Class Rank Requirement:

3b for any scouts that may need it (hiking merit badge specifically states that the requirements can be doubled up on for rank requirements but not for other merit badges)

In support of the requirements, Mr. Branigan can bring or can volunteer to donate:

1. Example equipment:

Notebooks and writing instruments to completed requirement 3 and work on requirement 6

2. Topographic Maps of the area:

For requirement 4 for the 5-mile hike, we will participate in during the hike.  And I can make sure to have maps for an upcoming 10-mile hike that the scouts can use to plan for a future date also part of requirement 4.

The scouts will need to bring a compass to fulfill the second class requirement but a compass is not required for the hiking merit badge (however always a good idea)

Please let me know ASAP of your scouts intent to come, and if you are willing to chaperone or drive. 

Julia Bushong, Scoutmaster