Sorry for the Delay...

Did you miss us?  I knew you did J

I apologize for not blogging earlier, we are now in Northern Ontario and I am having some difficulty with internet access…this includes instagram.  There will be a fresh load of pics once I my phone gets an internet signal.  Clearly I’ve chosen a poor provider for cross country treks.

So we met our first true test of our trip when we first stopped for the night.  The tongue on the trailer which connects it to the bus decided to buckle.  The good news was that we were in camp and we were able to set up tents (albeit in the dark) and get a good nights rest.  In the morning we made the attempt to take the trailer into town but it just wasn’t meant to be and we were forced to stop at the side of the road and call CAA, upgrade our membership to RV coverage to include the trailer and having towed to a shop to have it fixed. 

As a result we had to take an extended tour of Sudbury.  Scouter Andy stayed with the trailer while the rest of the Scouts led by the equally capable Scouter Colin ventured to Dynamic Earth to see the Giant Nickel and take the grand tour which included a dinosaur exhibit and a guided tour through a mine!  Just as lunch concluded, we got word from Scouter Andy letting us know the trailer was repaired and we could get back on the road.  Big thanks to Scouter Gerry and Scouter Barbe who helped us every step of the way during our delay.

Day 2’s itinerary was to conclude with us staying in Thunder Bay for the night, but our delay forced us to stop short and we camped overnight beside Crescent Lake, which was beautiful…although infested with mosquitos.  Some campers braved the leaches and went for a swim that night, and some in the morning.  Luckily we escaped with only two older scouters having to receive the salt treatment.  Bleh.

Day 3 has begun with an amazing sunrise and we have nothing but blue skies ahead of us.  We passed two moose (off the side of the road and no threat to us) just after we broke camp.  The newly re-enforced trailer is working just fine and scouters are all still happy and smiling.  We stopped by the infamous Wawa goose for breakfast and photos, met Scouter Wally from Wawa and another traveling scouter (from London on his way to CJ) and even the tour bus driver in the parking lot was a leader from Misissauga! 

Now making our way towards Thunder Bay.    I believe the next stop is the Terry Fox Memorial.  As a very small child I passed Terry Fox while he was jogging both on the way and back from one of our family trips out west.  The itinerary also say The Sleeping Giant, but I’m not certain what we are forgoing in order to make up time from our delay.

That’s where we’re at!  Hopefully you are enjoying the twitter/instagram photos…and hopefully we’ll get a signal back and you can get more of them!  As for photos on this blog, I’m not sure we can upload them all so I promise I will make copies of them all and share them on our return!

Thanks for your patience, doing our best to keep you updated.

Scouter Keith

We Can't Stop Here...

This is bat country!  Luckily, this is the only way Andy resembles Hunter S. Thompson…

 

Sunrise this morning brought us rain, and lots of it.  As luck would have it (and I’m hoping this is an omen for the whole trip) it broke just long enough for us to pack up the bus and trailer, say a quick prayer, bless the bus and be on our way.

Not a bad start considering my personal track record with some of vacations include stitches, 2^nd degree rug burn and trying to locate a shop who can replace my radiator at 6am on a Sunday morning….

After a few more off an on showers and some good old long weekend cottage traffic, we are well on our way.  The sun broke through just north of Barrie and we enjoyed a delicious, scenic dinner by the marina in Pointe Au Baril.

We are now on our way to our campground for the night, and hopefully some stargazing away from the big city lights!

Mood is good, kids are happy and healthy.

I'm having trouble uploading photos on the road.  Will post them to the blog when I get better reception...sorry.

Until tomorrow,

Scouter Keith 

Last Minute Preperations

So...we're about a day away from starting our expedition.  Last minute preperations are being done on the Scouter Limo...

but the important thing is that there are still smiles on everyone's faces :)

It will be tough to say goodbye to loved ones tomorrow.  It's difficult to deal with ones emotions when half of you is so very excited to go explore the world, and the other half wants to stay with the comfort and shelter of loved ones.  Only once have I been gone this long from my wife and family since the day we met.  Luckily my days were so jam packed with training for a new job it helped deflect the homesickness I felt, and I'm sure the kids will be just as busy if not more so.

Any and every trip of this magnitude is going to have it's ups and downs.  We can only focus on the ups, and downplay the downs.  Friendships will be strengthened, new ones will be forged.  Limits will be tested...but I've seen these kids in action and I know they are up to the task.  A lot of that goes to the strong leadership of the unflappable Scouter Andy (and of course his super loyal support staff).  Their commitment to the Scouts program and to the healthy development of these kids is nothing short of extraordinary.

One of the first trips my daughter took with the Scouts was a in the fall, and it was cold and rainy the whole time.  My wife and I fought the urge to call and check on her until we could stand it no more.  Scouter Andy sent us back a picture of Brynn with a bunch of her fellow scouters all laughing and cheering at the side of a campfire.  That one picture alone told me that if he could keep those kids happy in those conditions, then they were in the best possible hands they could be...

The amount of time and effort the entire 1st Binbrook Scouts group has put into fundraising, and preparing for this trip is phenominal.  My daughter and I wouldn't even be able to go on this trip had it not been for the efforts they've made.  I don't really know about any of the other Scouts groups across Canada, but it's hard to imagine there's a better run group than the 1st Binbrook Scouts.  I can't wait to see first hand the real inner workings of this group...

For now though...it's back to packing.

Chat soon,

>K

Thanks Mom...

Update!  My mother has located a picture of me when I was in Scouts...Thanks mom.

Circa 1985?

Running With The Wolves

 My personal scouts career include one hazily remembered year in Cubs in Rexdale, Ontario.  I think I got a woodworking badge for a game my father built.  I remember selling apples at the grocery store across the street from my house.  As hard as I try, that's it.  I wish I had more to draw upon...but that's it.  I don't even have any photographs from that time.

Now, 25 years later, as an honorary Volunteer Leader, I'm about to get on a bus with my daughter and 22 other scouters and drive from Southern Ontario, to the 2013 Jamboree in Calgary and back.

I won't lie.  The idea of this trip scares the bejeezus right out of me.  18 days.  On a bus.  With 20+ kids.  Camping every night...

 It's also an opportunity to create memories that will last a lifetime.

The purpose of this blog is to try and help share the amazing experience these kids are going to have with those parents who aren't fortunte enough to experience it with them.  It's also a chance for me to share my experiences as a parent, who is trying to connect with his daughter during one of the most influential times of her life.  As a writer, it will also give me insight into one of the oldest youth organizations in North America while having the opportunity to explore this great nation of ours.

I will go into more detail in the posts that follow, but wanted to give you an idea of what to expect in the weeks to come.  I will do my best to keep it updated as frequently as possible.  I will upload as many photographs as well.  You can also follow me on Instagram using this handle: @preciousmutator or twitter @1stBinbrkScouts .

I encourage feedback and interaction, but please do not try to use this as a message board to have a conversation with those on the trip.

Thanks so very much.

Scouter Keith