5 Minute blogs with tips on camping, the outdoors, and Scout Advancement.
Cycling, Biking, Bike Riding: 1- No matter what you call it you can pass off Cycling Merit Badge and have some fun. There are many similarities to hiking and backpacking. Review the two checklists called Pocket Stuff and a Day Hike List. These are both in Google Docs and are downloadable. Some initial safety … Read more
Ears for listening: 1- Listen. Name all the sounds that you hear. Listen in the dead of night. Listen on a camping trip when no one is talking or moving. Listen to the weather. Listen to the wildlife. Listen for what is missing. Listen with your eyes to see what or who is making the … Read more
Moons: 1- The term “moon” is by definition: A natural satellite about a heavenly body. But Earth’s moon is also called The Moon or Luna. Currently, there are over 200 known moons in our solar system. Most orbit planets but some orbit asteroids. Of the 4 moons that are bigger than our Moon, 3 orbit … Read more
1- Have you ever noticed how many Merit Badges (MB) have a Partial Requirement for First Aid? So once you pass your First Aid Merit Badge you have knowledge that will help you pass many more merit badges. Amateur Radio has knowledge and requirements that cross over into multiple Merit Badges above & beyond Radio … Read more
1- This is the best time of year to knock out 3 Merit Badges. All 3 take about 3 months. Family Life, Personal Management, and Personal Fitness are all required for Eagle. I suggest that you set up a record-keeping for all 3 at the same time and run your record-keeping for 14 weeks. (That … Read more
Murphy’s Law: 1- You have planned & are in the middle of a backpacking trip and ________ happens! It does not matter what you filled in the blank with. Weather, injury, equipment failure, illness, emergency at home, wildfire, natural disaster, blizzard, heatwave, mudslide, food raided by wildlife, flood, wildlife attack, crime / human attack, avalanche, … Read more
Fire Building Tip: 1– I learned a new fire building tip this week. When lighting a fire, start your fire from the windward side of the fire lay. That way the heat of the fire will heat up the rest of the lay. If the wind is too strong for a diminutive flame, lie down … Read more
Map Projections: 1- Think of projecting a picture on a wall. It does not matter what the original shape of the object was when the picture was taken. The picture on the wall is 2 dimensions. The projection is 2 dimensions. Our Earth is roughly a sphere. Any map in 2 dimensions distorts that 3 … Read more
1- Flag definitions: A- Band: is the strip of canvas on the flag pole side or staff side of the flag that holds the grommets that attach the flag to the halyard via the halyard clips. B- Canton: is the field in the upper left corner of the flag. The US Flag has a blue … Read more
1- Jupiter is the largest and most massive planet in our solar system. It would take 318 Earth’s mass to equal one Jupiter. If you take every planet (except Jupiter) in the solar system, add all of their masses together, then multiply that total mass by 2.5 to equal Jupiter’s mass alone. At night … Read more