Much of this is recycled from 2005, courtesy of Peggy McHugh, who found my e-mail from last year. BUT NOT ALL – so if you are going read on.
If you are NOT going on the Deep Freeze, you may stop reading now, unless you are interested in the information.
The section below has some information on how to build a quinzee. You might also enjoy the rest of the info.
For those of you who are going, please, remember the following:
1.) It will likely be around 0 degrees at night, with winds up to 12 miles an hour. The prediction is for partly cloudy and windy. In a quinzee, the temperature should be a balmy 20 degrees or so with no wind. The weather may or may not permit the building of quinzees. There is very little snow. We are taking troop tents to cover that possibility.
2.) Make sure you have a ground cloth and a good pad. You don’t want to get your sleeping bag wet and the pad is essential to keep you warm from underneath.
3.) Dress in layers. For the veterans of past deep freeze campouts, this should be second nature. For those who are going for the first time, we suggest long underwear (silk is great and suprisingly not too expensive, but other materials are also fine). Also snow pants. Don’t forget to cover your face and make sure you have at least two pairs of gloves – wet gloves
are not very warm. Tennis shoes are not acceptable attire, you need waterproof winter boots.
4.) Some years the snow is soft and deep, requiring snow shoes to stay on top of it. Our hosts might have extras, but if you have access to snow shoes, bring them.
5.) Current activity plans may include: a.) building quinzees – this requires crawling into a mound of snow on your belly. b.) ice fishing – sitting on ice can be cold. c.) sledding – if you have plastic sleds, bring them. d.) capture the flag. e.) snow ball fights – not planned, but they always happen. f.) cooking and eating outside.
6.) We have a log cabin available, if there are problems sleeping outdoors.
7.) Does anyone take medications? If so, I need them from the parents with doctor’s instructions on the containers.
8.) Just to rub it in for those adults NOT going, the adults should bring bathing suits, robes, flip-flops, towels, hats and sunglasses. That is the outfit for the outdoor hot tub. Sorry – not open to scouts. The tub is nice…..
9.) On Thursday, those scouts going should see the SPL to pack troop gear and to set up a menu. THERE WILL BE A PACK CHECK. Bring your full pack.
10.) Bring bag lunch for Saturday. The patrol should have snacks and dinner for Saturday, breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner for Sunday and breakfast for Monday. Also bring money for lunch on the way home at some fast food joint.
11.) We will meet at St. Brigid’s at 8:00 am sharp on Saturday. We need to pack and take off before 9:00 am.
If I have forgotten anything, please, feel free to remind me and I will send out addendums.
Charles Hatvany
“WHY I LOVE NEW ENGLAND”
sent in by David Cooper — inspired by the 2004 Deep Freeze:
It’s winter in New England, and the gentle breezes blow,
Seventy miles an hour, at fifty two below.
Oh, how I love New England, when the snow’s up to your butt.
You take a breath of winter air, and your nose, it freezes shut.
Yes, the weather here is wonderful, so I guess I’ll hang around.
But I could never leave New England, ’cause I’m frozen to the ground !!!!!
LIVING IN NEW ENGLAND
60 above zero. Floridians turn the heat on. People in New England plant gardens.
50 above zero. Californians shiver uncontrollably. People in New England sunbathe.
40 above zero. Italian and English cars won’t start. People in New England drive with the windows down.
32 above zero. Distilled water freezes. Moosehead Lake’s water gets thicker.
20 above zero. Floridians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves and hats. People in New England throw on a flannel shirt.
10 above zero. New York landlords finally turn on the heat. People in New England have the last cookout before it turns cold.
Zero. People in Miami die – or return to Cuba. New Englanders close the windows.
10 below zero. Californians go to Mexico. People in New England get out their winter coats.
25 below zero. Hollywood disintegrates. Girl Scouts in New England are selling cookies door to door.
40 below zero. Washington DC runs out of hot air. People in New England let the dogs sleep inside.
100 below zero. Santa Claus abandons the North Pole. People in New England get frustrated because “the caah won’t staaht”.
275 below zero. All atomic motion stops. (Absolute zero on the Kelvinscale). People in New England start saying, “cold ’nuff for ya?”
500 below zero. Pigs fly. Red Sox win the World Series.
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