Scouting Adventures

Our twin grandsons, Isaac and Jeremiah,  went on a three week summer adventure trip with their Scout troop from El Paso.   The fourteen year olds are working toward their Eagle Scout degree; the group took the train to the East Coast and flew back, but camped out at night and saw a broad view of America.    They each kept excellent journals and we were able to read their notes and reactions.     Living out of back-packs and scrounging together their complete uniforms for visiting Arlington National Cemetery and attending the July 4 ceremony on the Washington Mall  kept them busy.  Eating burned food cooked over a campfire and surviving with little sleep, they moved their campsite day to day.  Plenty of adventure, however, canoeing 61 miles of the James River and going over Balcony Falls.    One night they were unable to pitch their tents when they were met by security guards in SUVs who shined  search lights on the boys because they were too close to Camp David!    Any spare time was spent playing "Capture the Flag" or "Extreme Frisbee"  or endless card games inside tents when it rained.   Camped near Gettysburg, Jeremiah described a moaning wind at night which could chill the bones.     Canoe wars and "tumping" (overturning) on the river, touring museums and famous monuments - all added up to a life-time learning experience in 21 days! This fall, they are off to spend a week-end riding bicycles for 100 miles. . .