Area 4 Conference for Central Region BSA - What's in Store for Venturing?

Update: May 23, 2013 The Venturing program Announcement is official at the BSA Annual Meetings (see scouting.org/venturing).

On October 6, 2012 we attended the Area 4 Training Conference (Central Region, BSA) and spent time in the morning learning about recommended changes to the Venturing Program from a member of the task force recommending the changes.  Those of us in attendance got to also talk about and share the issues and challenges we each face.

Venturing will look different (probably starting in 2015) and we liked much of what we heard.  Much of the program we love will stay intact, but the recognition system seems like it will be much more ordered and easier to comprehend.  (read more after the following jump)

Backpacking in the Fall

 Summer officially ended and we haven't been on a single backpacking trip and my pack and boots are anxious to change that this fall. The leaves will change soon and standing on a ridge overlooking a red, gold, and brown valley would be splendid. Even better is combining that ridge line view with the up close view of an amazing waterfall or standing on the banks of a running stream will put the hurried world where it belongs for a few hours.  Where do you like to go this time of year?

Pictures are from our Backpacking trip in the Cuyahoga Valley National park last October.  We stayed over night at the Stanford Backcountry campsites after a day on the Buckeye Trail.  

Backpack with your spouse. What a concept!

Damien at OutSideways.com shares this with us http://www.outsideways.com/article/your-best-backpacking-partner-might-be-closer-you-think.  My best backpacking partner is my wife, so this comes as no surprise.  However, if you haven't thought of it, you should.  We don't get to go out enough between the demands of work and the demands of our Boy Scout and Venturing Units, but there is nothing quite as much fun as hitting the trail with the one you love.

Post Summit Shakedown thoughts (and Photos)

Last month, July 13-17, 2012, we were lucky enough to take 8 Venturers to the Summit Bechtel Reserve.  This fabulous new high-adventure base and permanent home to the BSA National jamborees (and host of the 2019 World Scout Jamboree) is over 10,000 acres of wild wonderful West Virginia in Steve's hometown of Mount Hope.  We got an awesome peek at parts of the plans for the 2013 Jamboree and got to pay for the privilege of being test subjects for their processes and plans.  Some when as planned, some didn't, but the 2013 National Jamboree will be so much better since we were there.  With about 2,000 attendees we saw and participated in camping at subcamp C, hiking to Action Point, Adventure Valley and Garden Ground mountain.  At Action point there was canopy tours, zip lines, challenge rope courses, climbing towers, skate boarding, BMX biking and more.  At Adventure Valley at low gear and high gear there was mountain biking.  On the last day the Venturers and Scouts went whitewater rafting. We were paired with new friends from Kansas and Virginia and nightly heard from the folks at the top of the great enterprise that SBR represents.  You can see much of this in our pictures below. 

Enjoy these photos taken on our trip to SBR


Clicking on the above photos should take you to the Picasa Album.