If your son is attending the 2nd week of camp at Hidden Valley, and you are picking him up, you need to be at camp this Saturday NO LATER THAN 9:30 AM. Please do not be late as you will hold up all the other scouts that are taking the bus home.
If your son is taking the bus home, the bus should arrive at St. Brigid’s between 12:00 and 1:00. Please ARRIVE AT 12:00 and bring a book just in case.
Read Mr. Belford’s email to the troop for a list of scouts scheduled for the bus ride home.
From Scoutmaster Hank Manz:
Hello parents and envious Scouts-
I’m back for a couple of days after being at Camp Bell since Sunday. I will be here until Thursday afternoon so if you have any questions, get to me before then. Phone service, always just about zero, is really zero at this point. The Leader Line has not been working all summer and the FAX line is out most of the time. Calling, even to pick up messages, is just about impossible because it ties up the one remaining line. Cell service is nil until you hit the road to Alton Bay and I’m not up for that kind of walk every morning. There is just too much to do.
This group is absolutely the best in my memory. This is always a very tough time for New Scouts, in this case the combined patrol called the Vermin Penguins, but by the time I left they had cooked four very good meals and had done a good job during their first day program which was Orienteering.
From Scoutmaster Hank Manz:
If you aren’t going to camp, first turn green with envy, then hit DELete.
Just a few things for those who are.
I know that the camp asked for soft bags if at all possible, but let’s face it–if you usually take a trunk, then take it and we will deal with it when we get there. I like my small trunk because I can sit on it.
Be on time for the bus if you are taking it. NLT than 9:30 AM in the St Brigid parking lot. If you are driving, leave enough time to get there. The road from Hidden Valley to Bell is not a good one and you will want a LOT of time to negotiate it. The road in from Places Mill Road isn’t that good, either. 2.5 hours is my minimum driving time.
There’s more information about summer camp on the Resources page, part way down. This includes stuff like how to get there, what to take, and general information about the camps. Much more information is available in the Summer Camp blog archive. See especially the Summer Camp FAQ. Troop 119 has also put together a very nice sheet of directions to camp. (Why reinvent when you can link?)
More from Scoutmaster Hank Manz:
My earlier intelligence was correct. Cash cards do not work at Camp Bell because there is no phone line to verify transactions. Only cash and, I guess, checks work there. At Hidden Valley, just about anything but barter is fine. Cash cards may be purchased by phone or they may be purchased at the Hidden Valley trading post.