A review of camping in 2016

Today is the 2nd day of January 2017.  I haven't been camping since mid November!  I missed the December Campout with Troop 215, and I also missed the "homeless campout" with Troop 1.  I guess that's okay since I did 24 nights camping in 2016.

2016 Campouts:
Klondike Derby - Frankfort KY - 2
*Spring Fellowship - Kawida Lodge, OA - McKee - 2
*Orbital Ordeal - Nancy KY - 1
New Scout Campout - KY Horse Park - Lexington KY -2
Summer Camp - Camp Roy C Manchester - Benton KY - 6
*Summer Ordeal - Kawida Lodge - McKee -2
*Fall Ordeal - Kawida Lodge - McKee - 2
*Fall Fellowship - Kawida Lodge - McKee - 2
Natural Bridge Campout - Slade KY - 2
*Kawida Adventure Weekend - Camp McKee (sleeping)/Red River Gorge (hiking) - 2
Lost Sea Caves - Sweetwater TN - 1

6 campouts (11 nights) with Kawida Lodge, and 5 campouts (13 nights) with Troop 215.  With this kind of reflection, it seems like I shortchanged my Scout Troop on campouts.  However, one month we had a lock-in at our charter organization, and being inside, it didn't count for nights camping, and one month we took at one day trip to a ski resort with no camping at all.  I know for sure I missed two campouts with Troop 215.

It was a good year of camping!  Out of 24 nights camping, it only rained on 2 days, and on one of those two days, it only rained for 30 minutes.  The hardest rain storm I have been in took place at Camp Roy Manchester this past summer.  It was scary for a while.  Our campsite was right on the shore of Kentucky Lake.  I wonder if some of the campsite further inland took as much punishment from the weather as we did in Campsite 1.

I'm hoping to do some camping outside of Kentucky in the coming year.  Kentucky has some amazing camping and hiking spots, maybe some of the best in the country.  But I would like to explore some new camping spots outside of the state.

I like to think that I've learned a lot this year.  I've picked up some new gear that I can't wait to continue to use in the coming year.  I know for sure I learned some new things about myself this year, and I took some new strides in leadership.

I was honored at the Kawida Lodge Winter Banquet this past December by being selected to be in the 2017 Vigil Honor Class of Kawida Lodge.  I've already made room on my office wall for the plaque that I will receive when I go through the ritual.  I'll move the cross to a different location in my office, and put my Vigil Plaque in it's place.  Just like athletes keep their trophies on display, I display my scouting "tropies" and memories in my office at work.  It helps me remember that I have an outlet when work gets stressful.

I need camping!  As the director of a Soup Kitchen and Homeless Shelter, I really really need camping!  In the span of 3 minutes just now, I had to fuss at two people about different things.  There is a man at the Shelter right now who was released from State Penitentiary last month after being locked up for 9 years.  He hums all the time, and even while sitting in my closed office I can hear his humming as clearly as I hear the people who stand outside of my office and talk about me like I'm a dog.  I'm not going to fuss at the guy who hums all the time since it's just a habit and not something he is doing intentionally.  He may not even realize that anyone else can hear his humming.  I still play music in my office to drown out the things I can hear outside of my office walls.  I realize I'm the "bad guy" since I'm the director (boss), but I want to shield my employees from having to be the bad guy as much as I can since they are here more than I am.  I'm sure that without camping, I would have lost my sanity a long time ago!

More than 24 nights camping may be a bit extreme, and I hope to not exceed 24 nights in 2017.  This coming year will also change everything for me in Scouting since my oldest son (who is now an Eagle Scout) will be turning 18 in June, after which he is no longer able to be a Boy Scout unless he is willing to take a leadership role.  He will not be able to go to summer camp with us as a Scout.  If I can talk him into going as a leader, that would be awesome, but since he will just barely be 18 when we go to camp this year, I doubt he will want to go to camp as an ASM just to sit around and make sure the Scouts are going to their Merit Badge Classes.

A new journey in Scouting will definitely be a subject for my camping blogs in 2017!