 |
|
|
|
Calumet International
In a light rain, we transferred our gear into a ten-wheel U.S. Army truck called a deuce-and-a-half. Then, I hopped into the back and our 13 Scouts ran behind as the truck clawed its way up a steep dirt road to the Huron campsite, where we were to spend the weekend. As the day faded, and the light rain continued, we and 8 other troops set up our tents and dining tarps, and settled in for the night. All over Elk Lick, other troops were doing the same, until this piece of Pennsylvania forest became a series of compact tent villages, each with 50 tents or so, connected by muddy paths and slippery roads. Sounds like misery doesn't it? Well, it wasn't. You can have a mighty good time in the wet if you are prepared for it, and we got along just fine. Saturday morning brought only occasional showers, and the games were so good that nobody paid much attention to the weather. At the Clothes Line station, you had to keep on enough clothing to cover your chest and underwear, but everything else came off to make as long a line as possible on the grass. Jackets, sweatshirts, belts, bootlaces, sticks of gum, watches and dollar bills --- all became part of the long line of possessions laid on the wet ground in hopes of getting a high score. At the Barrel Roll, a large blue plastic barrel was rolled madly down a steep hillside and then back up again to the finish. At the Nuclear Disposal station, long ropes attached to a thick band of rubber were used to transfer cans of nuclear waste to a containment chamber. At the Jailbreak station, you had to get your entire patrol across a four-foot high wall without once touching it. There were over 40 of these interesting and exciting game stations at the Calumet, as well as a 50-foot monkey bridge to wobble across. If you tired of the games, you could hear a talk on electricity given by GPU Energy and watch the effects of high voltage on a fake squirrel and a hot dog. Or, how about getting your shirt silk-screened with the Calumet logo, or talking with local cops or soldiers from the National Guard about their weaponry? In the pavilion, you could trade for Scout patches from Canada, Australia, Mexico or nearly any of the United States. Off in a corner, you could even play the Star Wars or Magic adventure games and swap cards with other enthusiasts. The daylight hours swept by so quickly that it was a genuine surprise when the light started to go and it was time for dinner. Afterwards, it was time for church and visits to the trading post, snack tent, dining hall and trading pavilion. At nine o'clock, they lit an immense campfire that sent flames 40 feet into the air and clouds of sparks much higher. Down below, under the starry sky, one of the original founders of the Calumet took charge of the show. Baden-Powell, who started Scouting, has "gone home", but he must have been a lot like this 81-year old gentleman who returns each year from his retirement in South Carolina to preside over the Camporee. In his campaign hat and patch covered jacket, he had a military style of dealing with the Scouts and Scouters that was a marvel to see as, for over an hour, he introduced the ceremonies, skits, songs and silliness that ended the weekend's events. Later, as I walked back to camp, very satisfied with the day, I thought once again how very good Scouting is to everyone, young or old, who is part of the movement. Saturday night was dry but cold, and rolling out of your tent at 6 a.m. the next morning required a little self-discipline. We had a cold breakfast of donuts and cereal, made another short journey through the 6-inch deep mud to the latrine, and started packing up our now brown tents and gear into bundles that would appall many moms later in the day. One more navigation down that long, slick road to the parking lot, and then we said good-bye to Elk Lick until next year's CaluMUD InterGNATional DAMPoree. |
   |
||
|
|
|
 |
|
We
have had quite a spell of daily showers for the last few weeks, and,
if you have walked across your lawn in recent days, perhaps you have
noticed that the ground gives a little squish with each step you
take. If you, and 800 friends, walked back and forth across that
piece of grass 30 times, what do you think would happen? We found
out this last weekend, when we traveled to Elk Lick Scout
Reservation near Smethport to attend the 32nd Calumet International
Camporee.