Boy Scouts are Coming to WV with T-Shirts

The @scoutingcouple stopped by Tamarack in Beckley WV to have a great meal by the same people that bring you meals at the world famous Greenbrier in White sulfur Springs.  After we enjoyed our meal we took time to look around.  There was a great display with Summit T-shirts that we had not seen in the catalogs or at scoutstuff.com -- we thought you would like to see them.  And yes the Boy Scouts of America are coming to WV!  Steve's favorite is "Change Your Perspective: Experience the Mountains" and Kimberly's was the flag colored WV shirt (although not a Summit Shirt... just really cool).



See @tamarackWV.

Steve and Kimberly Myers

Preparing for the 2013 National Jamboree (video)

Last night Steve met with the scouts and parents of Great Trail Council's National Jamboree Troop B326 and elected our final leaders (the Patrol Leaders, the Senior Patrol Leader was elected back in September).  Lots of preparation by the adult and youth staff was evidenced as we covered so much of what they can expect.

One highlight if the meeting was the presentation by our youth quartermaster the following video on what to bring and what will be provided at the Jamboree.  Classy editing of footage shot at the Summit Shakedown and information from the Council Jamboree Guide leads to a perfectly well done video.  Watch and enjoy.




Scouts and Scouters are limited to what they can pack in a Jamboree Edition Osprey Transporter BSA duffel and a day pack. Here is a update of the duffel (including links to the scouting magazine announcement) and ideas about what must be in your day pack.(hint -- the 10 essentials).

Stop by and introduce yourself to us at the 2013 National Jamboree in Mount Hope WV
Steve and Kimberly (Troop B326 and Crew F610)

Our 100 Liter Duffel Bag by REI and the Osprey Transporter BSA Jamboree Edition

Update:  May 23, 2013 I actually packed the bag with all I want to take and it is HUGE (see here).

Republished and upgraded (from July 2012):  For those that asked to see our 100L duffel bags.  Here is the link to REI Cargo Adventure Duffel. (That link is no longer at REI, here is a close substitute at REI)  It is huge and also convenient. Best parts: large expandable side pockets and the backpack straps zippered away on the bottom. Somewhat awkward to carry on your back, but so much easier than lugging it at your side. Highly recommended for car camping and regular travel.  We took these to the Summit Shakedown since they require one duffel and one day pack for each participant.  Additional great feature is our Lafuma chairs (see our review)fit inside since they are only 29" long.  The National Jamboree will provide a duffel to all participants.

Update:  While the REI is our personal duffel, the National Jamboree will provide one made by Osprey (see a picture of the 115L duffel here).

From blog.scoutingmagazine.org, Photos by W. Garth Dowling/BSA

Second Update: On February 7, 2013 Byran at Scouting Mag posted a link to the actual Osprey Transporter BSA 115 liter duffel. And here it is ... (size corrected -- see response from Bryan below)

From the blog: "The bag measures 27 by 18 by 12 inches (length, width, and depth). The capacity is 5,797 cubic inches, or 95 liters. There are three compartments: the main pocket, one at the top that also holds the backpack straps, and another on the flap of the main pocket."  [Response from   Bryan February 7, 2013 @ 9:15 am
Good news — I measured wrong! Bigger is better, and these are definitely 115-liter bags. Thanks for pointing that out, Steve.]  Yeah!  [But Chris on the same site posts a link to something that looks the same.  (Osprey Transport 95).  So time will tell.

We will have more comments when ours arrive. The first comment is our 29" chairs will no longer fit inside.  I know leaders can take a chair to the Jamboree now, so that is not a real problem, but a disappointment all the same. Still two more packs to hang in the closet with care. 

S&K Troop B326 and Crew F610

Our top 8 posts of the year based on your views

Our little blog is growing.  Started in June 2012, we had 1400 hits by early December and 300 in the last month alone.  so what were our highest viewed posts?  Here are the top in order with the labels used with each.

#1 with 287 views
Lafuma Micro Popup chair
gear review, Jamboree, Lafuma, Summit Shakedown

#2 with 169 views
Area 4 Conference for Central Region BSA - What's Ahead for Venturing
BSA, Jamboree, Mount Hope, Summit Bechtel Reserve, Venturing
(Thanks to our number 1 referrer: www.sageventure.com/venturing/informed.html 

#3 with 158 views
Big Agnes Copper Spur 3 UL Tent Review
backpacking, Big Agnes, gear, going light, product review, REI, review, Ultralight

#4 with 119 views
Our 100 Liter Duffel Bag by REI
Osprey, product review, REI, review

#5 with 111 views
Search and Rescue with Troop One Akron
backpacking, hiking, SAR, Search and Rescue, Wilderness First Aid

#6 with 99 views
Post summit Shakedown thoughts (and Photos) Part 1
hiking, Jamboree, Mount Hope, New River Gorge, Summit Bechtel Reserve, Summit Shakedown

#7 with 73 views
Customize Your Griptillian - And We Both Did
Appalachian Outfitters, backpacking, Benchmade, CVNP, essentials, gear, gear review, hiking, Knives

#8 with 53 views
First Entry and About Us
Introduction

Why 8? Well primarily there is a massive "tie" for entries from #9 to #12, and if you read this far we are grateful and know you will see more on your own.  Thanks to all who are reading and we hope you continue to find value.