Sunday, May 31, 2015

Into the Woods

Cub Scouts Camping - 2015

I am not a camper. While in my lifetime I have deigned to sleep in tents, truck beds, an outfield, and the occasional tipi, it was never for more than one night and it was not without complaint. It's not so much that I hate the outdoors, so much as I celebrate in all that its alternative has to offer: running water; refrigerators; wifi; and the absence of bugs. But we'd missed last year's Cub Scouts camping trip (the boys did a den overnight instead) and Owen really wanted the whole family to go to the Scouts' Weekend extravaganza at Shenandoah Springs, so I caved.

And then Nora broke her arm.

This seemed like a perfectly reasonable excuse for Nora and I to forfeit the camping experience -- as I mentioned to Nora's doctor multiple times -- particularly given the forecast was for rain and unseasonably warm temperatures. But Nora's doctor said that as long as she kept her arm dry she'd be fine and both Nora and Owen really wanted this to be a family affair.

So we went. The rain held off, the temps were mostly mild and the fish were biting more than the bugs. Owen had a blast on the zip-line, canoeing, making and launching a rocket, fishing, and hanging out with his friends. Nora loved lying in the hammock, fishing, having Daddy paddle her around, and oddly enough, the mess-hall dining experience. Both particularly loved the Webelo II's "If I Were Not a Cub Scout, I Wonder What I'd Be?" medley with the clear favorites being: a Girl scout ("Buy my cookies! Buy my cookies! Give me all your cash!"); a Den leader ("Do this! Do that! I think I'll take a nap!"); and a Statue (" " -- you kind of had to be there).

Allen and I were a little less enthusiastic, mostly owing to my going through caffeine withdrawal and the sheer verbosity of Pack 230 leaders ("a terrible death to be talked to death, a terrible way to die!"), but we have to admit that we had some really nice family time and some cool memories. And honestly, if Nora could do it with a broken arm, the rest of us can surely suck it up.

But next year we're bringing a cooler of Diet Coke and some other adult beverages.

(click here for all the pictures)

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