Setup and Training |
Someone said it would be cool if our Campfire ring was a pit, someone else said a mound. So we dug a pit and used the dirt to form the ring with the intention for the ash buildup over the next few years to form the mound.
When we stoked the pit, the flames would be over six feet tall, and the heat could be felt from fifteen foot away. Over the summer we burned through the all the available wood stores and everything the Scouts managed to collect. (Approximately ten cords of wood) The fire would burn for weeks on end, and the few times we let it die down long enough to clean out the ashes the ground would be hot enough to burn me through my leather boots. All obviously male animals will be named George, all obviously female animals Grace, all deer will be named after meals. When in doubt call it George.
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This is where I camped as a Scout. Chippewa the oldest and biggest Subcamp at Tomahawk. Ignoring the rules I would take off with a fishing pole and fish all up and down Lake Neilsen. This is where I took Canoeing Merit Badge, and where... well now that is a good story best told by my mom. (hands the computer over)
Once years ago Thomas took his sister fishing on Lake Neilsen. She was understandably excited when she caught an enormous Sunny. She was happy and requested we put the fish on a 'leash' which we thought at the time was little girl talk for a stringer. Thomas told Hope not to worry, he would clean it and bring it back to camp. As she grabbed my hand and began to skip down the dirt road towards the campsite she glanced back and began screaming. Startled, I too looked back to find Thomas with his knife getting ready to 'clean' the fish. Realizing Hope believed this to be pet we would take home she was hysterical that he was going to kill her new pet. She was inconsolable and cried all the way back to camp, even though we told and showed her we were releasing it. so it would be healthier when we set it free. |