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| This month's campout was to Camp Big Timber in Elgin, Illinois. We camped in the "tepees". Our theme for the month is pioneering, so we worked to fulfill some of the requirements for the Pioneering merit badge. The weather was misty all day, but it never turned to rain and it really wasn't very cold for the end of November! | |
| These are the "tepees" at Camp Big Timber. There are fire pits inside the tepees, but they don't draw smoke well. We theorize it is because the sides are open. It was actually quite smokey inside. |
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| I'm too old to sleep on concrete...I set up my tent instead. |
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| Snug as a bug. |
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| I arrived at camp late Friday...too late to get the usual picture of Dale working his dutch oven magic. Let the record show he made a delicious apple crisp. Here he is helping Kirk and Cheyne with breakfast. |
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| Carlos enjoys his french toast. |
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| Never run with a spoon in your mouth. |
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| Got milk? |
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| First ever recording of Jeff washing a dish. |
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| The tepees are open at the top, providing a rather difficult game of basketball using a hockey sack. |
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| Awesome climbing tree. Kirk and Matt went the highest. |
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| Jeff and Rob Stevens. |
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| Making rope from binders twine. Kirk, Bill, Cheyne and Jeff. |
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| Making rope. |
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| Making rope. |
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| We got rope! |
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| We got JUMP rope! |
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| John and Carlos decide to make some bright pink nylon rope. |
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| The rope making machine and a sampling of the finished product. |
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| John and Carlos' rope. |
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| From binders twine to rope. I finished off my rope with a back splice and an eye splice. |
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| While I show one patrol how to make rope, Dale instructs the other patrol on various types of rope and on how to tie different knots. |
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| We went for a hike around the camp and ended at the tree house. Matt, Cheyne, Kirk, Rob, Jeff, Robert, Dale, Carlos, and John. |
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| Robert and Carlos lashing an A-frame. |
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| Kirk "crossing the gator pond". |
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| John "crossing the gator pond". All support ropes must stay behind the A-frame. Much harder than it looks. The camp ranger observes. |
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| Crossing the gator pond. That was our last activity before heading home. Good weather (for November) and good conduct by all. A very pleasant campout! Another outstanding effort by scoutmaster Dale Blotter. |
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Copyright © 2003 by Bill Qualls. Last updated November 22, 2003.
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