Perpetual Thursday: Camp Maumee

Perpetual Thursday Ramblings, Rantings, Nonsense, and Bunk

Camp Maumee
Monday, July 10, 2006

Saturday I got back from a week of scout camp, but not just any old week of scout camp - the best week of scout camp I've ever had. Last year I took SCUBA and COPE (Challenging Outdoor Physical Experience), and though both were unforgettable experiences I would do again in a heartbeat, and probably two of the best things I've ever done, this year was overall the best camp ever.

This year Troop 646 went to Maumee (last year was Friedlander, we alternative Maumee/other campe/Maumee/other camp/ect.). We go there often enough, but this time was diffrent. This year we did things. Some of the troop still lounged in hamocks at times, and we had a few rough spots, but looking past them, it was the greatest camping trip I've been on.

I took five badges, and got all of them: Small Boat Sailing, Wilderness Survival, Camping, Basketry, and Space Exploration. For ever badge I had my brother Chris, Kyle (from our troop), and at least two other members of our troop with me. As a troop we took over sevral classes. Small Boat Sailing was an absolute blast. You wouldn't belive how fast those little one/two person boats can get with just a little mind. Hunter, our counselor, Kirk (from the troop), and myself went sailing for a few hours one afternoon. Fantasic way to spend a day!

For Space Ex. and Basketry we had Brandon as our counselor. Now, Basketry itself isn't a very fun badge, but when you've got an instructor who takes us bugging him well and a few people to bug him with, you've got a recipie for disaster. A lot of jokes, a little basket making, and a badge our of it. Space Ex. was ever better. Part of the badge requires you to set off a rocket. My rocket was painted lime green with a purple stripe, which, in retrospect, was a bad choice on my part. On it's second flight (it got REALLY high), my rocket, the 'H.P. Lovecraft', landed in a weed-feild (which was once a cornfeild). It was never found. Gus had worse luck - his exploded. He managed to repair it enough for launch, but it was a lot shorter then it started out. Quezon's rocket, a mimic of the 'Deathmobile' from Animal House in name and colour, had a first sucessful launch, but on the second lauch the parachute deployed wrong and part of the rocket fell off and was not found.

For both Wilderness Survival and Camping our instructor was Zack. We annoyed Zack a little. Quezon decided to make Zack fodder for his jokes of the week - ever time he saw Zack he (and eventually most of his class from our troop) would jump up and yell "Hi, Zack," Quezon would even throw in, "I love you Zack!" Wilderness Survival was one of the best badges I've ever taken. Part of the badges requirements has you build a shelter out of leaves, logs, twigs, and so forth - and sleep in it for one night. Kyle, Kirk, and myself built a three person shelter - together we worked on it for two hours, and I came our with Dalton's help to work on it for an extra hour. It was beautiful. Spacious, not uncofortable, and dry (it didn't rain, but I would have trusted our shelter if it had). It was good enough that the staff left it up to use as their staff shelter. Quezon's shelter was also very good, and was said to be the best one built. The only thing was, only he or someone equally thin and under six feet tall could sleep in it.

Camping wasn't bad, but other than some odd experiences with Zack and a lot of refrences to the 'Crystal Meth' in my water bottle (long story) it didn't have much exictment.

The final campfire was the best I've ever been to. Our troop did two skits and Michael (little brother) and myself each had a song. Plus, I got to be a master of ceromonies (along with two other scouts)! I brought a huge bag of props, which turned out to be pretty helpful. I wore a set of cat ears and two tiger tails for almost the entire campfire, and beacuse we coudln't help it, we sang the meow mix song. Sevral other people also said it was the best campfire they've ever seen.

Overall, I've never had a better campout, and I hope we go back to Maumee next year. Sadly, next year will be my final camp, and I wouldn't want to spend it anywhere else.

To all the staff at Maumee, especially Hunter, Brandon, Zack, to the crew of the Enterprise (ever you, Little Ben, who was so reluctent to join), to Jim, for putting up with us for two troop shoots, to Nancy, for not stopping the Lumberjack Song, to my fellow M.C.s, to all the scouts who were at Maumee the week of the fourth, to Adam, sorry we never got to go sailing, and even to the kitchen staff - cheers!

The Poultry Song
By Patrick J. Simmons
(To the tune of "Oh, Christmas Tree")

REFRAIN:
Oh, poultry, oh, poultry,
Why do you taste so nasty?
Oh, poultry, oh, poultry,
Why do you taste so nasty?

Your inside is, uncooked and pink,
While outside is, burnt black as ink.

Refrain.

Your tater friends, are really raw,
I don't think I, shall eat at all.

Refrain.

Your meat it is, not hard to chew,
But flavor makes, me want to spew.

Refrain.

END.

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Comments:
that song = genius
Posted by

Anonymous at 5:01 PM

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