Conservation Campout April 22-23, 2022
Bovay Scout ranch, Camp Tellespen Site 3
So this one time at scout camp…..
What a wild adventure we had on this campout. The adventure started at the church. The scouts loaded the trailer quickly and we were on our way. We were sure we were going to get to the camp, which was 90 min away, while it was still light. We stopped at Buc-ee’s in Waller, Texas to grab some firewood and dinner and then we were on our way again. Shortly before the exit to Highway 6, less than 20 min from camp, challenge befell us. A tire on the trailer burst into flame and hot molten rubber fragments spun around as sparks from the rim which had started scraping the trailer wall flew wildly into the air. We pulled over to the shoulder of the road. As I stepped out of the truck the putrid burn smell of roasted metal and rubber penetrated my nostrils.
The second scout leader, who had all the youth in his car, pulled over and together we began to survey the damage. Hardly before we could give instruction our senior patrol leader, surrounded by his trusty comrades, began swirling around the trailer tire. It was a mad dash of elbows, jacks, and tire irons as the scouts raised the trailer, unbolted the tire and had the tire off in pit crew time. Then we saw the real challenge to our situation. The tire had burst into flame and sparks because it had impacted the side of the trailer. The tire had impacted the trailer because the axle had broken. There was no fixing it.
The SPL had a counsel with his leaders and decided that if we could replace the axle we should - so off to the axle supply store we went. We were in God’s grace; the supply store had an axle, new tires, and “all the fixings" we needed. We bought it all. The scouts were like Tasmanian devils going through that store at near breakneck speed pulling lug nuts, hubs, tires and all sorts of accoutrements and tools to get the job done. As we waited to check out the guy in front of us, at 9 pm at night was buying a fire ring and several bags of river rocks. This took a few minutes because it was a tax-exempt purchase. After what seemed like an eternity waiting all we could think is, "Who in the world buys this stuff this late at night?" Finally, another register opened, and we got our trailer parts and we back on the way.
When the scouts arrived back at the trailer they jumped out and went to work with teamwork that would have a NASCAR crew green with envy. The other wheel came off, another jack under the trailer, on and on. The other scout leader and I were just props as the boys took on that trailer. In what seemed like moments the scouts had it under control the whole ordeal only took a few hours from tire trouble to getting parts to getting it all together. Our boys worked as a team, stayed on task and improvised, adapted, and overcame all the obstacles in their way.
We arrived at scout camp about midnight and begun to set up camp and finally hit the hay about 1AM.
Thrustworthy - Loyal - Brave - Friendly - Courteous - Kind - Obident - Cheerfull - Thrifty - Brave - Clean - Reverant
We started a bit late the next day, at least I did, but I woke up to the wonderful smell of eggs and sausage caressing my nostrils seducing me to get up and check out the breakfast abundance. The scouts were on mission cooking an amazing breakfast and getting started with opening ceremonies. We couldn’t see the camp coming in because of the darkness but we were camped near an embankment of beautiful blue bonnets and pink field flowers. The wind swept fields wafted back an fourth with an eye catching beauty of these Texas state flowers.
We called the ranger about our conservation project, and he said he be right out. When he showed up out hopped the man who was in front of me at the supply store the night before. In the back of his truck was a fire ring and several bags of river rocks! I commentd that he was in front of us last night at the supply store. He said, "Yes I remember you. I was wondering who in the world would need to buy all that trailer stuff so late."
The conservation project was to place the erosion control around the water tap at the camp site. The scouts hopped to it and within a few hours a beautiful new ring with diffusion rock had been installed.
We had lunch and dinner at the camp site with chicken and burgers being the menus of choice. All in all, we had an amazing time, met requirements, got conservation hours and proved there is no challenge that a 692 Scout can’t overcome!
No scouts were harmed in the making of this adventure.