November 2017 Thread

[Phillip Gross]

Wow! November again already. It's a fast slide to the end of the year now... I do look forward to and enjoy this time of year. Seems like the only time that I do slow down a bit and enjoy relaxing for a minute.

[ccm2361]

Seems like it was just September

[Phillip Gross]

What do you guys allow for the boys to use when they do the primitive shelters merit? As in, do you allow a hatchet, or just a pocket knife? Any rope or twine at all, or is it just what they would normally have on their person? Is the shelter supposed to be built as if they were in a real survival situation?

[Mark Jones]

Will be hosting a SAC Survival Action Camp this year at our District Campground in Late April. It will be talyored after the past two camps in 2016 and 2015. 2014 has the what to bring stuff on it. Good camps. All depends on who what where when and how. Some places you won't have debris to use. Other places it's all around. A pocket knife will only break in a survival situation if you try to batton with it. We will be using sheath knives and tool craft safety will be taught first off...with only one way to use this tool. Battoning is safe. It's when they go to slashing around whittling with them is when they get hurt. If they are found using a sheath knife improperly it will be taken away. Harbor Freight 7.00 survival knifes can be found on sale at that price. Generally around 9.99 They can be beat on quite a bit with out breaking.

These sites are packed with hands on stuff. If you want my

http://readyrangers.tzo.com/2016survival/2016survival.htm

http://readyrangers.tzo.com/2015survival/2015survival.htm

http://readyrangers.tzo.com/2014SurvivalCampout/2014survivalcampout.htm

http://readyrangers.tzo.com/survival%20campout/index.html

[Phillip Gross]

I appreciate it!

[RRCmdrBennett]

Yes, it was Reformation day and that's something to celebrate. I know Christmas and Easter are a mixed bag of opinions on where the traditions come from, BUT most everyone understands that those holidays are about Jesus at the core. You don't have satanists looking forward all year towards those holidays like they do Halloween. You don't have everyone dressing up like death or hoochie-momma witches with their lady parts exposed as much as possible.

It's just a nasty "holiday"...

Yes, I agree. I think Reformation day and Halloween are separate holidays just on same day. As far as xmas and easter the traditions added to those holidays making pagan transition into the church easier. A "come as you are, leave as you were, and return the same" philosophy. Tbh Halloween is primarily flaunting immodesty and evil things the bible calls abominations. If you want to do some church event allows for "cosplay" with super heroes or bible characters that could be used to draw people to God.

Thats my .02 cents until next year...

[RRCmdrBennett]

For my GMA survival merit or "Advanced Awards" I earned was just a pocket knife and hands off Cmdr supervision. No need for hatchet for a fallen bough shelter or twine.

[Phillip Gross]

That's what I've been saying during this merit. Basically, you can use what you would normally have on your person in an unplanned survival scenario. We all carry pocket knives, so that's good enough.

[joecool]

A foot of snow in the last few days, heavy and wet, followed by powder. The tree boughs are creaking under the weight. Reminds me of a winter survival camp I organized for 4 outposts a bunch of years ago. Wasn't too cold, but the experience gave the boys (and men) confidence in their ability to live through it.

[Claymore]

A foot of snow in the last few days, heavy and wet, followed by powder. The tree boughs are creaking under the weight. Reminds me of a winter survival camp I organized .

I remember Winter Survival Camp.

Carried M-16's, pulled an Ahkio sled, no tents, made poncho-hooches, woke up to 32 degrees below zero (BEFORE the wind chill), and froze up & ruined $17,000.00 worth of military short-wave radios.

Good to Go Through; Better to have Been Through.

[Phillip Gross]

We haven't had cooperative weather for our "Cold Weather Camp" in several years. Hopefully we'll get some good cold weather this year for it. The nest year was our first year of it when we had an overnight low of 14°F. The boys STILL talk about that CWC.

[RRCmdrBennett]

We haven't had cooperative weather for our "Cold Weather Camp" in several years. Hopefully we'll get some good cold weather this year for it. The nest year was our first year of it when we had an overnight low of 14°F. The boys STILL talk about that CWC.

We only ever did one Winter Camp at district and that was most talked about for years. Must be something about freezing your buns off that builds memories.

For the south since everything shuts down for a snowflake just make winter camp a planned impromptu outing.

[Phillip Gross]

Mark has been screaming it since I joined RC, and it's true! Take them out into the woods! GO, rain or shine, hot or cold. Adversity builds strength and great memories.

[Claymore]

I've got to disappear for a bit, so I'll be off the Net.

TTFN

(Ta-Ta for Now)

[Phillip Gross]

At least he told us this time instead of us just noticing he was gone after awhile.

[Phillip Gross]

Starting to feel like fall. Might have to close the windows at the house soon, but it feels great in the morning with the cold air in the house, but warm under the covers! Of course you can tell when the little one gets cold around 3 or 4 in the morning because he comes to snuggle into bed with mom and dad. Was a little harder on the older ones about them getting into our bed, but now that I see how fast they grow up and won't want to anymore, I'm a little less hard about those things.

[RRCmdrBennett]

I wonder how many shots HRC downed this week the one year anniversary of political demise...

[Phillip Gross]

Probably a lot, mixed with other mind altering substances...

[RRCmdrBennett]

Probably a lot, mixed with other mind altering substances...

I don't think anything can alter her mind...

[ccm2361]

Big changes afoot in my life.
Last week I moved to a new position in the company. I still drive truck, but am now a shuttle driver, transporting inventory between our warehouse & the main warehouse in Traverse City. This work had been done by a contracted trucking company, but the company was unhappy with their service & wanted to bring it back in house. They asked me if I would do it, as they knew I had the license to drive semi. This was supposed to change over an the 1st of the year, but the contractor quit on us out of the blue & we had to pull something together fast. So here I am.
I now work Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday. start about 7 PM & get done around 7 AM. I have not worked 3rd shift since the late 1980's so it has been a big change. But, so far I like it. No picky customers, no sales fussy people, no cartloads of product down the stairs into restaurant basements. All the things I disliked about my old position are gone & I got a raise to boot

[Phillip Gross]

Good to hear Chris! Keep us posted on how everything goes.

So what's the news about RR? Any sign it'll restart at your church anytime? Any thoughts of moving, or at least attending RR at another church?

[joecool]

Before school started yesterday morning, a 4th grader approached me and bragged that his family got 2 bull elk during the weekend, but he wasn't supposed to talk about it... because one was illegal. I advised him to listen to his dad.

[joecool]

I now work Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday. start about 7 PM & get done around 7 AM.

Dinner and homework with the kids, and breakfast, too. But Monday, Wednesday and Friday are probably a little rough.

[RRCmdrBennett]

I now work Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday. start about 7 PM & get done around 7 AM.

Dinner and homework with the kids, and breakfast, too. But Monday, Wednesday and Friday are probably a little rough.

Kids are homeschooled so its all homework.

[Mark Jones]

Been there done that. Sitting out in the woods with nothing but a pocket knife....most likely not going to happen. Some how some way you got there.

These 4 survival camps now a District Survival Camp took quite a few years of tweaking them to something the boys will come back an continue to do them again and again. Each time taking something home with them. One and done is a patch thing. Going out and really learning something and hanging on to it must be learned and relearned to be of any real benefit.

Teaching with hands on how to . Navigate the woods, build a shelter that will indeed keep you from dying from hypothermia. Tell, show, do. Teach first aid, firecaft, tool craft, primitive snares, primitive shelters... each of these and earn a survival merit, primitive snares and primitive shelters merit. Good value to bring just a bit more than a pocket knife.

I find it very encouraging to have leaders doing the same thing as the boys are doing. Same supplies, Same tools, Same everything. Together it becomes a really cool experience.

Again. Did the pocket knife thing. It's one of those things that sounds great...just the results are a lot less in the real world.

That's what I've been saying during this merit. Basically, you can use what you would normally have on your person in an unplanned survival scenario. We all carry pocket knives, so that's good enough.

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