Most of the new scouts and second-year scouts camped out at Trull Ranch north of Austin the weekend of February 21-23.  We had a great time, despite the mud.  The new scouts, using compasses, took a five-mile hike and identified lots of animals and plants.  They helped build cooking fires, prepared a rice and vegetable dish, tied some knots, set up tents, slept in those tents, and tested themselves with push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, standing long jump, and a quarter-mile run.  The older scouts worked on orienteering and other rank advancements, and they helped the younger scouts with every aspect of camping.  All the scouts got a lot of requirements done for their Tenderfoot or Second Class or First Class rank advancements.  And they had a great time!

 

Pictures:

 

 

NEW SCOUT CAMPOUT
By: James C.

Late Friday we drove up to the camp north of Austin. We brought our gear into the camp trailers and went to bed.  The next day the new scouts went on a 5-mile hike, saw some animals, tied knots, and set up tents.  We were put into groups to learn how to start cooking fires. We practiced sharpening axes and knives, we light a stove, and cut a piece of wood with a bow saw.  We also started on the tenderfoot requirement for physical fitness by doing as many pull-ups, sit-ups, and push-ups as we could.  We also did the standing long jump and the ¼ -mile run.  At the end of the day we helped prepare the rice dish for dinner and then enjoyed eating grilled chicken.  It was a great day and we went to bed in the tents that we pitched ourselves.  On Sunday we got up early, took down our tents, had breakfast, and left.  I made some new friends and really had fun on my first Boy Scout campout.