Last night a group of my Scouter friends had a good-bye party for me at Waldo Pizza, one of the better local pizza joints in town. What was nice about it for me is that I was not there as a Scout Leader. Several of the kids in the Scout group for the last several years or so have been employees there and we have a tendency to have meetings there ( Read more... )

I meant to give an update yesterday, but time got away from me. It started with having to go to Quik-Trip and fill my tank before I could go anywhere. Just my luck, gas had jumped overnight. But it was odd when I got there. The pump I pulled up to would not take my debit card because it had been pre-paid. I was flummoxed for a good five ( Read more... )

After I filled in my journal last night, clouds started to roll in and spoil my plans for a night under the stars. By 10:00 PM I could see lightning in the distance that was embedded in rain, so I decided to sleep in the cab of the truck. Not the most comfortable place to sleep, but when the heavy rain started at around 2:30 AM, I just rolled up ( Read more... )

I keep an adventure log when I travel so I figured I might as well post it up. I would have done it sooner, but I just found where I tucked it "where I would not lose it".I decided that if I were going to drive to New Mexico that I should stay off the interstates as much as possible. As a result I spent a good portion of today driving U.S. 56 ( Read more... )

I am gearing up for a trip I am going to make to the Philmont Training Center in Cimmaron New Mexico in the near future. I have been trying to get into a class at PTC for a while now and this year it worked out. I am even taking a class that will help my long term goals for my Scouting Career. But that is not what I want to talk about ( Read more... )

I am back down at Camp Oceola for my Campmaster duty. This weekend the weather is a bit nicer, the temps are in the 70°'s but a bit windy. I went over to She She Be and the Point today. I stood on the stone in my bare feet and felt the warmth of the stone seep into my soul. I also go my first really good look at the new Lone Bear Council Ring ( Read more... )

I got drafted into doing a Cub Scout Bridge Over Ceremony tonight. I am the only member of the Tribal Council that is active with the Troop. I could have said no, but I don't mind the OCCASIONAL contact with Cub Scouts ( Read more... )

I don't make a big secret of the fact that I have a poor relationship with my biological father. The fact that I legally changed my name to take my Mother's maiden name should be a hint. I am not alone in this by the way, in fact I am the only one of his children that will actually speak to him. Well occasionally he calls me to try and convince ( Read more... )

I went to a reunion tonight for Woodbadge, which is Advanced Scoutleader Training. The traditions of Woodbadge go back to the very foundations of Scouting. Lord Baden-Powell conducted the original Woodbadge course to train adult leaders for his new organization at Gilwel in England. One of the cornerstones of Scouting is the Patrol Method. ( Read more... )

One of the truly cool things about being a Scout in the Kansas City area is the bonds of brotherhood that is engendered here by Mic-O-Say. So we have people involved from 11 year olds to old men. It is also one of the worst things as well. For example, a fair number of men that I have known through Scouting are passing on. The most recent was ( Read more... )