JAN, 2009
With the graduation of the Scouts to First Class and all of them reaching age 12 this last year, they have all moved on to the 12-year-old Scout program. With no more 11-year-old Scouts coming into the program for a while, and in order to stay active with this exemplary group of boys, I have been moved into the 12-year-old Scout program as well. I will be serving as Scoutmaster alongside Ike Ellis, who already has a great program in place. Together, we will continue to serve the Boy Scouts of America by forming fine boys into fine young men.
Thanks for coming along with our adventures, and please join us as we continue as Red Riders at http://redriders.blogspot.com/ .
"It is easier to build a boy, than to repair a man."
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Snow Camp on Mingus
JAN 10, 2009
In preparation for the Klondike in February, the Scouts hiked into the snow on Mingus Mountain to make camp. The snow was 2 feet deep in some places, and at night the temperature was a nice balmy 17 degrees! Every boy learned some first-hand lessons about what they need to bring in the future, and how to maintain comfort in a cold environment. Despite a few missing items, all the Scouts had a great time and stayed warm (enough!).
In preparation for the Klondike in February, the Scouts hiked into the snow on Mingus Mountain to make camp. The snow was 2 feet deep in some places, and at night the temperature was a nice balmy 17 degrees! Every boy learned some first-hand lessons about what they need to bring in the future, and how to maintain comfort in a cold environment. Despite a few missing items, all the Scouts had a great time and stayed warm (enough!).
Court of Honor
DEC 9, 2008
We had our Court of Honor and I was so pleased to see all the boys advance! We had 7 new First Class Scouts, one new Star Scout, and one new Life Scout. We handed out close to 2 dozen merit badges, enjoyed a great potluck dinner, and finished it up with a fun "Mule Race" game. It was cold and windy but everyone showed up and had a good time watching the boys receive their awards.
A big congratulations to all the Scouts who were recognized for their hard work and dedication!
We had our Court of Honor and I was so pleased to see all the boys advance! We had 7 new First Class Scouts, one new Star Scout, and one new Life Scout. We handed out close to 2 dozen merit badges, enjoyed a great potluck dinner, and finished it up with a fun "Mule Race" game. It was cold and windy but everyone showed up and had a good time watching the boys receive their awards.
A big congratulations to all the Scouts who were recognized for their hard work and dedication!
Grand Canyon Caverns
DEC 13, 2008
The Scouts visited the Grand Canyon Caverns, located near Peach Springs, and had a blast! We traveled 20 stories below the surface to see crystals, rock formations, a mummified bobcat, the remains of a giant ground sloth, and even a wedding platform! There are also supplies in the caverns for 2000 people that were placed there during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the caverns were declared a Fallout Shelter. The supplies are still good today, as the temperature there is a constant 56 degrees and due to it being a dry cavern there are no bacteria in the cavern.
After the tour we all headed to the local A&W Root Beer, located on Historic Route 66, for lunch. The Scouts all had a great time, and so did the leaders!
The Scouts visited the Grand Canyon Caverns, located near Peach Springs, and had a blast! We traveled 20 stories below the surface to see crystals, rock formations, a mummified bobcat, the remains of a giant ground sloth, and even a wedding platform! There are also supplies in the caverns for 2000 people that were placed there during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the caverns were declared a Fallout Shelter. The supplies are still good today, as the temperature there is a constant 56 degrees and due to it being a dry cavern there are no bacteria in the cavern.
After the tour we all headed to the local A&W Root Beer, located on Historic Route 66, for lunch. The Scouts all had a great time, and so did the leaders!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Board of Review - First Class
DEC 3, 2008
Boards of Review were conducted tonight for the Scouts, and I am happy to report that all of them passed and will be receiving their First Class ranks next week at our Court of Honor. Thank you to our Scouts for being so dedicated, and a big thanks to Ike Ellis and Chad Steverson for helping out as Board Members.
First Class Rank
Boards of Review were conducted tonight for the Scouts, and I am happy to report that all of them passed and will be receiving their First Class ranks next week at our Court of Honor. Thank you to our Scouts for being so dedicated, and a big thanks to Ike Ellis and Chad Steverson for helping out as Board Members.
First Class Rank
Monday, November 17, 2008
Safety First - Intro to Shooting
NOV 15, 2008
The Scouts have been memorizing and reciting the four primary rules of Firearm Safety every meeting for a month now. These rules are:
1. All guns are always loaded!
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy!
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target!
4. Always be sure of your target!
We have covered proper handling, loading and unloading, and basic operation and maintenance of firearms. Finally it was time to get the boys out and do some shooting!
We first shot with a .22 rifle, covering shooting stances and accuracy techniques. I am happy to report that all the boys are excellent shots, and two of them had never even shot a firearm before! Throughout the event, I would randomly test them on their knowledge and comprehension of the safety rules, and they always knew the right answer.
Following some target shooting, we went on a short walk where the Scouts had to identify targets and whether or not they were safe to shoot. If safe, the boys shot. If not, we moved on. This walk was very pleasing to me as the Scouts all knew the proper targets to shoot, and the reasons behind each one.
We returned to the range and the boys were able to shoot a few other rifles of various calibers and styles, all the while learning additional techniques. They learned about malfunctions and the proper method for clearing them, as well as general range safety.
All in all they had a good time, and I look forward to the next opportunity that I can take them out shooting.
The Scouts have been memorizing and reciting the four primary rules of Firearm Safety every meeting for a month now. These rules are:
1. All guns are always loaded!
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy!
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target!
4. Always be sure of your target!
We have covered proper handling, loading and unloading, and basic operation and maintenance of firearms. Finally it was time to get the boys out and do some shooting!
We first shot with a .22 rifle, covering shooting stances and accuracy techniques. I am happy to report that all the boys are excellent shots, and two of them had never even shot a firearm before! Throughout the event, I would randomly test them on their knowledge and comprehension of the safety rules, and they always knew the right answer.
Following some target shooting, we went on a short walk where the Scouts had to identify targets and whether or not they were safe to shoot. If safe, the boys shot. If not, we moved on. This walk was very pleasing to me as the Scouts all knew the proper targets to shoot, and the reasons behind each one.
We returned to the range and the boys were able to shoot a few other rifles of various calibers and styles, all the while learning additional techniques. They learned about malfunctions and the proper method for clearing them, as well as general range safety.
All in all they had a good time, and I look forward to the next opportunity that I can take them out shooting.
Flag Ceremony
Nov 6, 2008
Our Troop was invited to the Liberty Traditional School's Annual Veteran's Day Celebration to present the American Flag during opening ceremonies. We practiced our routine, and the boys showed great respect for the flag, as they alwasy do. The Scouts worked hard to get instep and present the Flag in an honorable manner.
The following night was showtime, and the Scouts did an outstanding job. They received many compliments from citizens and Veterans alike on their behavior and respect towards the flag.
Thank You to all those who have served and who are currently serving in all of our Armed Forces.
Our Troop was invited to the Liberty Traditional School's Annual Veteran's Day Celebration to present the American Flag during opening ceremonies. We practiced our routine, and the boys showed great respect for the flag, as they alwasy do. The Scouts worked hard to get instep and present the Flag in an honorable manner.
The following night was showtime, and the Scouts did an outstanding job. They received many compliments from citizens and Veterans alike on their behavior and respect towards the flag.
Thank You to all those who have served and who are currently serving in all of our Armed Forces.
Promotions
OCT 2008
Two more of our Scouts moved upward and onward this month, and we wish them the best in their new Patrol.
All of our Scouts have now reached First Class and have passed their Scoutmaster's Conference. Next up is the Board of Review, where they will be tested on all the knowledge that they have learned.
With the departure of some leadership, it was time to re-organize. Satchel now serves as our Patrol Leader, Tanner remains the Assistant Patrol Leader and Travis has moved into the Quartermaster position. Good Luck guys, and remember your duties!
Two more of our Scouts moved upward and onward this month, and we wish them the best in their new Patrol.
All of our Scouts have now reached First Class and have passed their Scoutmaster's Conference. Next up is the Board of Review, where they will be tested on all the knowledge that they have learned.
With the departure of some leadership, it was time to re-organize. Satchel now serves as our Patrol Leader, Tanner remains the Assistant Patrol Leader and Travis has moved into the Quartermaster position. Good Luck guys, and remember your duties!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Bloody Basin
SEPT 12-13, 2008
We traveled to Bloody Basin to see the great Perry Mesa indian ruins. This time around, we didn't have to hike too far to find a good camping spot close to the edge of a beautiful green canyon. The Scouts all tried Kippered Fish and SPAM for the first time, with some Vienna Sausages thrown in for good measure. They all seemed to like them, which is good, because SPAM is a Scout staple food!
After dinner we ventured out in the light of the full moon to get a closer look at the ruins, and did some scorpion hunting along the way - those black lights really light up the scorpions at night! We found a tarantula along the trail, in addition to the many we saw on the way in that afternoon. The ruins are what is left of a 150 room Perry Mesa Tradition city. The ruins were beautiful in the moonlight, and later we settled into bed under a cloudless, starlit sky.
The next morning we climbed around the cliffs and saw more petroglyphs that we could count! The detail was amazing, and the artifacts we found were incredible. It's nice to go somewhere the whole world hasn't been, as almost everything was still intact. The pictures don't do it justice, as only a few of the many ancient drawings are shown here.
The Scouts got a lesson on eating cactus fruit, and they all ate until their chins were dripping purple cactus juice. We even fed some spiders that morning, all in the name of the real Discovery Channel!
Heading out
Livin on the edge
Beautiful sunset
One of the many tarantulas we encountered
View from camp
Breakfast is served
Learning that cactus fruit is tasty
The Ruins
The Petroglyphs
The Real Discovery Channel - one of the few spider that got a free tasty meal, courtesy of The Yetis! Click the link below the picture to be taken to cool video of this spider in action.
http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j137/rizzo1318/?action=view¤t=Spider.flv
We traveled to Bloody Basin to see the great Perry Mesa indian ruins. This time around, we didn't have to hike too far to find a good camping spot close to the edge of a beautiful green canyon. The Scouts all tried Kippered Fish and SPAM for the first time, with some Vienna Sausages thrown in for good measure. They all seemed to like them, which is good, because SPAM is a Scout staple food!
After dinner we ventured out in the light of the full moon to get a closer look at the ruins, and did some scorpion hunting along the way - those black lights really light up the scorpions at night! We found a tarantula along the trail, in addition to the many we saw on the way in that afternoon. The ruins are what is left of a 150 room Perry Mesa Tradition city. The ruins were beautiful in the moonlight, and later we settled into bed under a cloudless, starlit sky.
The next morning we climbed around the cliffs and saw more petroglyphs that we could count! The detail was amazing, and the artifacts we found were incredible. It's nice to go somewhere the whole world hasn't been, as almost everything was still intact. The pictures don't do it justice, as only a few of the many ancient drawings are shown here.
The Scouts got a lesson on eating cactus fruit, and they all ate until their chins were dripping purple cactus juice. We even fed some spiders that morning, all in the name of the real Discovery Channel!
Heading out
Livin on the edge
Beautiful sunset
One of the many tarantulas we encountered
View from camp
Bro. Stine scouts the area in the morning
Breakfast is served
Learning that cactus fruit is tasty
The Ruins
The Petroglyphs
The Real Discovery Channel - one of the few spider that got a free tasty meal, courtesy of The Yetis! Click the link below the picture to be taken to cool video of this spider in action.
http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j137/rizzo1318/?action=view¤t=Spider.flv
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