Patriotic Boy Scouts – Click here to see more pics
The write-up below was written by the Troop Scribe. I edited the grammar but left everything else as he wrote it.
————————————————————————————————————–
On the 27 through the 29 of August in the year of our LORD 2010, Troop 220 went to Dismals Canyon to campout. As we got there we had to sign in at the front desk and saw some hummingbirds at the feeder. Most of the boys have never seen that many and they were ohing and ahing over them. By that time most of the Scouts had come and small groups were scouting out our camp site. When the older boys got half way up the mountain we were having nightmares of having to bring the 10 ton chuck box up it. Most of us were glad that we weren’t in the Firebirds. Thankfully our SPL (Senior Patrol Leader) couldn’t be there so our merciful ASPL (Assistant Senior Patrol Leader) let us only take personals and tents up until Mr. Watts got here with the tank wagon. After that it still was hard but not as hard as it would have been if we didn’t have the tank wagon. Once we got up there the Firebirds had their own camp site and the Ninjas and the American Eagles came together to form the American Ninjas or the Ninja Eagles, we still couldn’t figure it out. That night we had cake and ice cream; it was Alex’s 14 birthday party.
Once we got everything settled in we changed into our swimming trunks and bathing suits and went down to a water hole made by a dam (HEY!! I thought I said no cussing in Boy Scouts!!!) Surprisingly it was at least 10 degrees below 50 degrees below 20 degrees below freezing. They had built a dock on the other side of the hole and we usually jump off and get right back on but this time you couldn’t spend too much time or you would lose all feeling and sink. So we went out there quick like and then fought to get on. By that time we were reluctant to get in and once we did we came up dizzy. After we got over our dizziness we hightailed it to the other side faster than we got there.
After a few minutes of that a few Scouts wanted to go hiking so we changed and went hiking. We had gotten split up and some of us saw things others didn’t. At the end of the trail we took the other trail and headed back. I don’t know what the other guys saw but we saw the Secret Falls, Weeping Bluff and Fat Man’s Misery, which means our Scoutmaster (sadly) is not fat. It was tough for some of us because if there was someone on top that didn’t like you then he could throw down stuff and you would be killed or wounded. Also if you didn’t go in the right way you were hosed because there is a ledge that you have to step up on.
After we got back we had lunch of slightly smashed sandwiches and hot dogs. After that we did a Scout project of moving rocks while simultaneously being attacked by wasps. By that time we were all hot and sweaty and we went into the freezing hole again. Of course it wasn’t freezing to us but it still was pretty cold. We did that for a while then went back to our campsite, goofed off a bit, got ready for dinner and the next day storm. We then had a hearty dinner of corn on the cob and steak.
Then we did the best part of the campout, the dismalights!! We went down there and the guy told us there were ghosts down there. I was like yeah sure. We went down there and we saw some lights but not many. I was kind of disappointed. Someone said there had been a flood and that is why there weren’t many out. Suddenly our guide told us to be quiet. We listened and all I heard was the water, the crickets, occasional frog and someone stomping the ground. Then he said if anyone had heard the flutes. I didn’t but I felt this chill come over me like something was trying to possess me. I turned the light on real quick and whirled around but there was nothing there. Someone told me to turn my light off but I said “ha-ha! No.” And then my Scoutmaster asked why and I said there was something there and I didn’t like it at all. I didn’t turn my light out until we were up the hill and in our tents.
In the morning it was just starting to drizzle so we ate under the tarp a cold breakfast. After we had cleaned our stuff up we started packing. It was slow, wet, agonizing, agonizingly wet slowness, and did I mention wet? Oh yeah, wet Wet WEt WET work. We finally got packed, bought some souvenirs and went home.
WWBC Camping Youth 