BLOGS FROM PAST OUTINGS:

EAGLE FUND RAISER

On April 26 Adam hosted a car wash as a fund raiser for his eagle scout project.  His project is to build new shelves and cabinets for a soup kitchen.  Adam had a large amount of scouts come at one point or another to help out at the car wash.  The hours he had the car wash going was from 10:00-3:00.  A car wash was $5.00 with many people also giving donations with one customer donating $100.00 to help support the project.  He had a great success with making over $600.00 and many scouts had fun doing it.  Once we knew what we were doing, we washed the cars quickly with almost always having a line of cars waiting to be washed.  It had some scouts working at a rinsing station, some at a washing station, some more at another rinsing station, at a drying station, and some scouts holding signs near the street to help advertise the car wash.  It was a great success with everyone who worked having a great time.

APRIL 2008 - Logan Trail

The Logan Trail campout had good weather Saturday and Sunday but the people who went Friday were unlucky enough to get rained on Friday night with them tenting in a terrible storm.  Most of the scouts who went up Friday came up early to do the Backpacking merit badge with Mr. S as their counselor.  The people who went up Friday did both loops of the figure eight loop.  Each one is approximately ten miles with both trails adding up to 21 miles.  Everybody who came tented in the same area, where the two loops connected.  The people who went up Saturday left the church at 7:30 and were on the trail by 9:30 A.M..  They did five miles of the southern loop each day.  This was a new experience for some of the new scouts and their dad’s since most of them haven’t backpacked before.  They all did a great job backpacking for their first time, with them backpacking many more times in the future.  When the groups reached the campsite a little while after lunch, some went up the fire tower during their free time while others did requirements for Tenderfoot-First class.  At night there was a campfire and everyone, including parents, did skits.  Overall, it was an enjoyable camp out with the only improvement that there could have been was better weather.

March 2008 - Coast Guard Cutter

The Troop had a great camp out over the weekend.  Since all the scouts didn't have school Friday everyone left U.A. between 3 and 5:30 for the fun three and a half hour drive to our boy scout camp, Camp Munhacke, which is the same camp we stayed at last year when we went to Greenfield Village.  The next day we took an hour drive to the Henry Ford Museum where after about 10 minutes we got on our bus to take us on an educational ten minute bus ride to the factory where they were making F 150s, a pick up truck. The factory is called the Rouge and when it was built it was the largest factory in the world. Some people say it has influenced this country more than any other factory. It was the first factory to mass produce cars at a low price for anyone to buy.  Once you got there you were pretty much on your own with scouts just going with whoever they wanted to walk around the assembly line.  At the assembly line you could see all parts of the trucks being assembled with videos talking about major parts of the truck while you walk around the .3 mile self guided tour.  After about forty five minutes everyone went to see the two movies they offered.  The first one was a history of Henry Ford.  The Second one had you sitting in chairs that moved 360 degrees and while you watch the movie about the Rouge they had some of the smells come into the room and have water also drip down at certain parts.  Once the movie was over everyone left at different times to get to the ship we were staying at which took about three and a half hours  to get to.  There was also a submarine docked next to our ship.Once everyone was there we went aboard the submarine where the tour guide talked to us about all the different parts of the submarine and what it did during World War II.  After this interesting tour aboard the submarine, we had our tour guide give us a brief history of the Coast Guard Cutter McLane which patrolled the waters to catch rum runners during Prohibition and it was also in World War II where it patrolled the Alaskan coast.  After the tour we put our stuff on board the Cutter (which is where we slept) and relaxed until dinner which was a gourmet meal delivered from Dominoes.  The rest of the evening was relax and have fun where we also celebrated Bo's sixteenth birthday with Dr. B bringing cupcakes for the troop.  Lights out was about 10:00 with  the adults each taking a one hour watch during the night.  When we woke up, we had breakfast, cleaned up, packed our gear and then left for the six and a half hour ride home.  Overall, the long car ride (over 800 miles) was definitely worth this awesome camp out.

-Cormac, Troop Historian

February 2008 - Electronics Campout

This campout was an amazing amount of fun. We started by first choosing our
cabins, getting set up, and eating lunch. After we were done with that we headed
outside for some great patrol games such as sharks and minnows and freeze tag.
After the games were over we headed on a hike around the lake. It was more of a
mobile snow ball fight then a hike. We were pelting snow balls everywhere. Once
we got back we got a chance to play some games and start making dinner. Once
dinner was finished wen continued playing games till bed. (Some people in my
room stayed up until 2:00A.M) Over all a great campout and a great weekend.

Troop Historian, Shane

January 2008 - Big Cats and Caving Weekend

This camp out was very cold but also lot's of fun. After our long drive to the Feline Rescue Center we got a amazing tour of the facility with all of their many tigers and lions and so on. After our amazing tour of the rescue center and its felines we traveled by car to the Golden Corral were we had an incredibly delectable buffet dinner. We then went to the cave were it was quite warm compared to the outdoors. we had a great time on the wild caving and the boat tour. We also watched a slide show of the rest of the cave and got to see a demonstration of how to cave in a vertical cave. We had a good nights sleep and in the morning headed back home.

Troop Historian, Shane

Labor Day Weekend 2007 - New River Whitewater Trip

We had all met at the church and left at 9:00AM, everyone was at
the campsite in West Virginia by about 1:00PM to 2:00PM. Once we got
to the campsite we set up our tents.We had lots of free time playing
football and other fun games as well, some people left to go and play
at the pool. We left for dinner at the Riverman, where we had a buffet
dinner. The dinner consisted of a salad, vegetables, potatoes, mac and
cheese, shredded pork, pork loin, mustard chicken, cold drinks, and
bread pudding or cherry cobbler for dessert. After we finished dinner
we spent some time playing at a few of the games at the Riverman, such
as corn hole and volleyball. We then headed back to camp to begin our
campfire. We had some funny skits and jokes, not to mention the many
songs we had sung. After the camp fire, some of us stayed up and
played games while other people went straight to bed. Later when some
people who had been playing in the dark were heading back to their
tents, they stumbled upon a cat! The next morning, 13 people left for
the Upper New River

at 8:30AM and 50 people left for the Lower New River at 9:00AM. Many
people agreed that the trip was exhilarating. The Upper New consisted
of class rapids mostly 1, 2, and some 3. The Lower New had class 2, 3,
and 4 rapids. After the thrill ride was over, we headed back to camp,
took down our tents and headed home. The people who had left on the
Upper New were quite late getting back to camp, but all in all it was
a great time.

-Shane
Troop Historian 9/16/07

Well, we had some luck with fishing. We got some decent sized Blue
Gill and some fish that were so small it looked like they belonged in
a aquarium tank! Our problem was that it was way to windy. Even the
people who went canoing had a tough time getting back due to the wind.
The corn maze was very challenging. Our group and others got lost
pretty easily. But after trial and error we soon found our way out.
Some of
us even got to check out the telescope they had there and their corn
cannon. After a good nights sleep and some breakfast we headed home.
We all had a great camp out. P.S. These pictures were taken later in
the camp out, my camera ran out of energy. We had to go get batteries.

-Shane
Troop Historian 10/28/07

This camp out was a tons of fun. Sadly our cub scouts got sick so they couldn't make it. But that didn't stop us from doing our skills and games. Not to mention our feast. We had turkey cooking 3 different ways. 2 deep fried turkeys, 1 buried turkey and 2 turkeys under a barrel. Our fire was huge! It was a massive bon fire. We had plenty of good skits. Especially from our 2 venture scout guests. I'd like to thank the girl scouts for allowing us to use their camp. (P.S. Sorry about not having any pictures but my camera's broken.)

- Shane

Troop Historiam 11/24/07

September 2006 - Gettysburg PA

What a fantastic trip! What a great group of scouts, siblings, and parents. We had a lot of rain from the tropical storm Ernesto on Thursday and Friday in Columbus. The storm center went very close to Gettysburg on Friday and areas in Maryland south of Gettysburg received about 4 inches of rain. We started our Johnny Reb trail hike at 5 PM on Saturday and the rain stopped for the hike and the rest of the day, in fact, we had beautiful weather all day Sunday and Monday - no rain - what a Lucky Triple Nickel!! Gettysburg area had major rain on Tuesday.

We left Columbus about 6:15 AM and arrived at our campsite about 1:30ish. Scouts watched on bus video a part of the Gettysburg, The Movie, saw Davy Crockett with Mike Fink in a river boat race, and also saw Harry and the Hendersons (about a loveable Big Foot). On the way home to Ohio Monday, we watch some Three Stooges, National Treasure, and most of the rest of Gettysburg, The Movie. It drizzled and rained all the way to Gettysburg on Saturday morning. Riding on the bus was very comfortable and carefree. We went directly to our campsite within the National Military Park. It is located were the confederate line was, along Seminary Ridge. Would you believe we had the very same campsite the troop was at in 2001. Nice, grassed campsite, some trees, flat, with no ponded water. Scouts quickly set their tents up in the drizzle.

We hurried over to the visitor center. Mr. S reserved the 3 PM showing of the electric map. The map gives a very good overview of the 3 days of fighting and how it took place. Scouts looked around the museum at civil war artifacts after the map. We then went to either McD's or KFC. Everyone was much happier and content with food and drink in our grumbling stomachs. At 4:30 PM we wanted to start our hike on the Johnny Reb trail, unfortunately, it started raining instead of drizzling. We returned to the museum until 5 PM closing time. Wow, the rain stopped at 5 PM and we started our 3 mile Johnny Reb hike to the National Cemetery, Culp's Hill and Spangler's Spring. We all experienced the battlefield first hand. A boy scout booklet was read at various stations to give the scouts the experience of the battle from the soldier's perspective. At the spring, we talked with Yankee reinactors. We hustled to finish to hike before dark and before 8 PM - time deadline for our bus driver. We could not find Mr. G and son. The heartless, cruel Troop 555 left without them on the bus to go back to the campsite. The story has a good ending - Mr. G and son came to the bus, wow, they had actually beat us back to the campsite by catching a ride from a helpful local citizen.

Most were bush from a long day and fell asleep to a nice cool night about 10 PM. Up at 6:15 AM. Thank you Mrs. W, Dr. C, Mr. S, for bringing the breakfast supplies and everyone who gave us coolers and ice. We had cold cereal with milk, juice, muffins, etc. We started our 9 mile Billy Yank trail at 8 AM as planned with overcast, cool skies - perfect for hiking 9 miles. We visited many war memorials and toured many battlefields, including, Little Round Top, Devil's Den (this is boy scout heaven with the rocks, the scouts did not want to leave this area), wheatfield, and Pickett's Charge to name a few. We eat our lunch at the parking lot to Big Round Top.

At 1 PM, 1 battery of confederate artillery reinactors (total of 4 canons) showed us their stuff. BOOM. What a fantastic opportunity to see, hear and feel the canons, just like they were during the battle. Two of the canons were actual, civil war pieces, not repros. We talked briefly with the volunteer reinactors after the canon demos.

Back to the bus via Pickett's Charge and on to our campsite. We then went to the Artillery Campground so the parents and scouts (if they wanted), a shower for $2.50 Best $2.50 we ever spent, Sir. We all ate at General Pickett's Buffet from 7 PM to about 8 PM, then visited gift stores. Back on the bus at 8:45 PM and campsite by 9:15. Long day, many memories. During our Billy Yank hike, we divided into two groups to aid with the "station" readings and to manage the group hiking. There were Yanks, lead by Mr. S and Reb, lead by Mr. R. Andrew H. was born in the south, yet, decided to go with the Yanks most of the hike. At Devil's Den, he defected to the Reb's to enjoy the rocks more and then went back to the Yanks. Max B. started as a Reb but defected over at the Wheatfield - what gives! Scouts had a great time walking and hiking the battlefield as Yanks and Rebs.

Next morning, Monday, we again were up early at 6:15 AM and had the bus fully loaded by 8 AM - great job scouts. Dr. C took a head wound while trying to help another Yank scout with his head injury. Fortunately, being in the confederate campsite area, our own Reb doctor, Dr. B, assisted and gave comfort to Dr. C. Thank You, SIR. We returned to the visitor center and took another 3 mile hike called the Historic Gettysburg Trail. We saw where President Lincoln stayed, bullet and artillery damage, still visible, in many buildings, and other important land marks. We had lunch at Burger King about 20 miles outside of Gettysburg around 12:30 PM. Everyone was famished from the hike. We arrived back in UA about 8 PM.

On our last day in Gettysburg, one scout asked if we could come back soon. Another scout mentioned to me on the bus at UA that he really like the camp out, good camp out. What memories we all have. Thank you to all the parents who attended. We enjoyed having Ryan K's sister with us and also Grant & Erichs' cub scout brother. 32 Scouts earned the Heritage Trail Gettysburg Medal. We had a full bus with 56 persons aboard. Max B. was the only scout on the bus that was with the troop in May 2001 at Gettysburg. Thank you Max for coming. Troop 555 can do this quality trips in the future, it just takes a little planning and the will to do it. Great Trip!

I am glad my great,great grandfather survived the Battle of Gettysburg. He was from Virginia. A year later, he was wounded in the hip by artillery at the Battle of the Wilderness and returned to his Blue Ridge Mountain's home. Scouts, ask your families if any of your ancestors were in the Civil War, you may be surprised.

Mr. R. Scoutmaster
555th Ohio Regiment from Upper Arlington
50th Virginia Regiment

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