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Camp Rainy Mountain - Troop 485 - Summer Camp 2005

Sunday July 3

There were 22 scouts and 4 adults this year for summer camp -- an all time high. We left the school about 45 minutes late, but we still made it to Camp Rainey Mountain by 3:40 pm. We stopped in the Georgia rest area for breakfast and just east of Atlanta for lunch. While Eddie checked the Troop into the camp, the boys took a tour and then went to the lake for swim tests.

For dinner we had meat loaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and cake. The food is good, but the portions are set for the average 120 boy scout. The leaders and the older boys will trim down  by the end of the week.

After dinner there was a non-denominational church service and a mass. Several leaders and boys attended the mass. Stephan B. and Logan L. were readers for the mass.

Right after "lights-out" the sky opened up and it rained about 2 inches. Everyone stayed dry and enjoyed the sound of rain on the tent. 

Monday July 4

By morning the sky was clear and blue. The whole troop dressed in flag t-shirts for the Fourth, and enjoyed a breakfast of waffles, sausage, cereal, milk, and juice. The classes started at 9 am and everyone made it to their first class on time.

For lunch we had hamburgers, fries, apple sauce, and cookies.

Dinner was burritos, nachos, salad, apple sauce, and popsicles. 

We are camping with Troop 62 from Georgia. Our Troop and theirs have organized a morning and an evening running group for the wrestlers, and cross county runners. The leaders have an afternoon nap group.

Vikings at basketry	Matt at archery	Troop at check-in	Troop at check-in	Shane at Rifle
	Dinner time	climbing tower	Cope course	Patrick at archery
Ethan at archery	Eddie telling stories	Catholic Chapel		e

Tuesday July 5

Another night of rain, but blue skies by breakfast. It sure is easy to sleep with the sound of rain on the tents.  We had eggs and bacon for breakfast, and hot dogs for lunch. Dinner tonight is steak for the leaders and beef stew for the scouts (last week's leftover steak).

The scouts are keeping up with classes and homework for the second day. Ethan, Shane, Matt, and Justin are all on the way to qualifying at the rifle range. Matt is also an ace at the archery range. Andy is working hard at swim lessons at the same time that Troy, Michael, and Raymond are in rowing. Joe built his shelter for wilderness survival and it hoping the nightly rain lets up.

Luke, Joseph, Luke, and Stephen are learning how to make baskets, and Stephen has earned this years "finger-carving" award. 

Bradley rappelled down the high tower for the first time. When he went over the top he couldn't remember his name, but he overcame and made a clean drop down the wall. He is well on the way to earn Climbing Merit Badge for the week. 

Our Troop is getting along well with Troop 62. Troy has a scout from Henry County that he runs with in the afternoon, Hal found the "Star Wars" nuts, and Shane and "Little Guy" are taking Orienteering together.  The leaders have hit it off well and shared a fine steak dinner last night on "Leaders Appreciation Night". The leaders have moved on to the "Advanced" napping that requires the ability to sleep and continue rocking in the rocking chair.

Ray and Joe drove up to the rafting company and pre-paid for Saturday. We will be on the Nantahala River by 9am, eat lunch on the river, and finish at the Nantahala Outdoor Center (where the Olympic Kayak Team trains). After rafting we will drive in to Franklin, NC for a pizza buffet.

Troy, Michael, Raymond, Melnard, Andy, and Jordon entered the Scout Skills competition last night. We did OK, but the first event was a compass course, and Melnard borrowed a defective compass from another troop. By the time the team recovered form that they had to scramble to make up ground. They had a great time as the final event was a canoe race -- without paddles. At least everyone was able to a dip in the lake.

Most of the Troop was asleep by 9 last night, but a group lead by Logan, Joseph, and Matt stayed up past 11 watching a mother box turtle laying eggs in the campsite. It was quite a site as egg after egg came out of this little turtle. Photos later.

climbing lodge	headquarters	Guy, Troop 62 Scoutmaster		waiting for lunch
archery range	handicraft lodge
Joseph				Vikings in basketry merit badge
Asher, Joseph, Mark		Turtle hunters

Wednesday July 6

Last night was the first night without rain, but the temperature dropped down into the 60's. Today is traditionally the hardest day for the scouts. There is a lot of homework to finish, and the high adventure scouts start the hard work. Several pieces of mail and several boxes from home came today.

Still no sign of homesick scouts. Logan has optioned to stay for the second week. Luke would like a third. The parents can just mail the Scoutmaster a check.

We can't promise daily reports from camp -- but we will keep trying. The camp has one phone and a dial-up internet that the staff and leaders can share. We have been lucky so far.

	Homework tent
	waiting for lunch
	Staff going to dinner	Stephan and Logan	Hal and Troy	Shane and Sherwin
Matt	Logan

Thursday July 7.

Patrick - "Can we go to Uncle Terry's -- it's just a ten mile hike?"
Shane - "I forgot what food tastes like."
Gaby - "I miss my bed."
Sherwin - "Don't worry Mom - -I'm still alive."
Matt - "Have a bed and a lot of food ready when I get home."
Luke - "I'm having a ton of fun!"
Joe - "I'm cold, I'm wet, I'm tired, I'm having a good time."

Just a few quotes from the boys. 

We caught the tail end of the tropical storm last night. The rain held off  until after the evening campfire. The rain didn't stop until mid-morning this time. Shane and Sherwin got pretty wet last night, and Joe slept in a homemade shelter for Wilderness Survival. The leaders took the three sleeping bags into town and ran them through a drier.

Tonight is staff night off. We will be cooking our own food in the campsite. There are no other activities this evening, so most of the boys will be asleep before dark.  

Today's photos are from the scouts in "Photography Merit Badge"

Melnard and Hal	Ethan and Sherwin working in Trading Post	| leaders at dinner		parade ground
Troop "noodle" sign

Friday July 8

The last day of classes. The Cope class finished up with a 450' zip line and the high course.

Saturday July 9

Here are the photos that the rafting company took for us from the shore line. We had several water proof cameras in the boats and will get those developed as well.

Hal, Jordan, Brad, Matt, Michael Melnard, Raymond, and guide
Ethan, Sherwin, Bob, Eddie, Shane, Patrick, Jonathan
Mark, Gabriel, Roy, Asher, Troop 62
Troy, Roy, Andy, Troop 62
Joe, Joseph, Luke, Stephan, Logan, Troop 66

Sunday July 10

We made it back after a nine hour drive. We will get the photos on a DVD for everyone later in July