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!

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

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.

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.

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!

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

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&current=Spider.flv

Scout Camp

JULY, 2008

A few of our Scouts were able to go to Scout Camp in July and had a great time. They earned four merit badges each, participated in shooting events, horseback riding, kitchen duty, and even ate some pizza delivery. Is that part of Scout Camp?

There are a ton of pictures of the 11-year-old Scouts as well as pictures of their older compatriates available at the Red Rider blog linked in the top right corner of the main page. Or, click here: http://redriders.blogspot.com/

A big thank you all the leaders who were able to go, and congrats to those Scouts who earned badges and enjoyed a good week!

Leadership

JULY 9th, 2008

Our Troop received new leadership roles and organization.

Our new Troop Patrol Leader is Alex, Assistant Patrol Leader is Tanner, and our new Quartermaster is Wesley. Congratulations to those Scouts on their new positions - remember to serve with integrity and honor!



To designate his position within the Troop, the Patrol Leader will wear the pin of the U.S. Army Infantry School, showing that he has the ability to lead and to inspire others to do great things.



The Assistant Patrol Leader will wear the pin of the U.S. Army Pathfinders, showing that he will help to keep the Troop going in the right direction, and that he will be ready to lead if the Patrol Leader is unavailable.



The Quartermaster will wear a pin depicting the C-47 Skytrain, perhaps one of the most widely used and recognized aircraft of the U.S. Army Air Corp and the early U.S. Air Force. It's cargo and support roles will help to remind our Quartermaster that his responsibilities include making sure that the Troop and all Scouts are prepared and properly equipped.