We had a great trip in the Douglas State Forest this past weekend The day started cloudy and damp and soon became sunny, warm and dry! During the trip, there were many archaeological sites to be seen and abundance of wildlife around. There were also several horse riders and Troops from Oxford MA and Mystic CT sharing the trails. It was also a trip of many accomplishments for our scouts. Here is a quick run down.

• 26 Scouts were in attendance. A great mix of young and older scouts.
• 6 Adults were in attendance…including 2 new dads. Way to go!
• Older scouts showed thier leadership skills helping the new scouts along and led the troop on the hikes.
• First year scouts (Vikings and Honey Badgers) showed great endurance, teamwork and leadership qualities…helping each other out when they got tired or fallen down. They also learned how to set up and breakdown thier own tents, make thier own meal plan, pack a backpack, carry thier gear along the trail, cooked on an open fire or on a gas stove, pumped water from a bubbling spring and had the most creative campfire skit..
• Viking and Honey Badgers Patrols created their first outdoor patrol meal together
• Duct Tape Patrol tried their hand at gourmet cooking….Ramon Noodles with Beef Jerky.
• Hawks and Honey Badgers loved their hot dogs!
• Ventures tried their hand at a variety of Mountain House meals (chicken and potatoes, spare ribs, beef stroganoff, lasagna)…”take out” food anyone!
• 2 new dads joined in on their first trip and sampled some gourmet cooking – Pedro Patrol style…..complete with appetizers, entree, dessert and butt kick’n coffee!
• A first year scout created his first natural shelter and slept in it….and he did ….in his first camp out ….in his first year….snug as a bug in 31 degree temps….and earned a requirement for Wilderness Survival MB.
• Everyone learned the importance of a compass and map.
• Wintergreen mint really is tasty…..and its everywhere!
• Troop 4 scouts met other Troops from Mystic, CT and Oxford, MA. in passing. The other troops passing by were impressed with the size of our troop and the participation.
• All scouts (and dads) got a great work out hiking. In fact…this weekends trip qualifies under Endurance and Aerobic activities for those working on the Physical Fitness MB.
• The overall trip was 13.35 miles!
• Day one qualifies as a 10 mile trip for the Hiking MB.

Here is the breakdown.
Day 1
Route 1 = 8.8 km x 0.62137 = 5.46 mi (2 1/2 hours)
Route 2 = 6.29 km = 3.91 mi (2 hrs and some exploring)

(add in the many trips for water and you can round out Day one to a 10 miler)
Day 2
Route 3 = 3.35 mi (1.5 hrs and lots of site seeing)
Total = 13.35 mi.

Most of all – Troop Support….several parents volunteered to help the boys get to their destination. Even though we used a few of the many parents who volunteered….your support is why Troop 4 continues to excel in advancement and adventures. Thank You.

Troop 4 Milford
Ron Gorham
Scoutmaster