Block Island Bike Trip June 20-22, 2008

The Block Island bike trip was an awesome outing to cap off the scout year and kickstart summer. Many scouts just finished their last exam and last day of school. Others got to leave school a little early on their next to last day. The troop started off with a beautiful ferry ride from Point Judith, RI. A few snacks and a couple video games on the boat and the North Lighthouse was in sight. The ferry docked and the scouts backpacked or rode bikes upto the campsite. Tents were up and camp was made in no time. The troop headed down to Aldo's for some delicious pizza and a fun time together. There was excitement and anticipation in the island air. Dave T. won a Nintendo DS system for Conner from the game machine. That was a major surprise which got everyone excited and then everyone had to give it a try. We hit the island candy shop and headed back to camp to start a fire.

Saturday was an excellent day full of activities and fun. We started with bike rentals and set off on the road in search of breakfast. Chris had a small accident coming down the hill from the airport, but was thankfully okay. The island staff was amazing and had paramedics, an ambulance and police on site before he could say, "I'm alright, really".










We all headed to Ernie's for a tasty breakfast, got on our bikes to start our whirlwind tour of the island. First, up to the very top of the island to the North Lighthouse. We walked along the shore and found many interesting rocks and stuff. A few boys took off their shoes and got in the water. Next, on to the Labyrinth, then the gorgeous main beach pavilion. The water was refreshing and much time was spent enjoying the sand, salt water and this special time together. A vicious sand castle challenge sparked and the boys got building. Once a large whole was dug, it only made sense for someone to jump in it. David M. got buried up to his head.

Next, everyone rode through town and headed to the South Lighthouse. The ocean views were spectacular. The huge stairs at the bluffs led us down to the waterfront. This was the favorite stop for many scouts. They enjoyed exploring the tidal pools and finding many sea stars, spider crabs and other sea life. Some boys mixed the natural clay from the bluffs with the water and got creative with clay sculpting. It was a wonderful visit and if it weren't for the notion of going for food, we might not have ever left.

Dinner was right by the beach at the famous Ballard's restaurant. Mmmm... clam chowder, sea food, pasta and more tasted so good after such a busy and full day riding and playing. After a wonderful dinner, some scouts headed for ice cream, others the candy store and all ended back at the campfire for s'mores. Talk around the fire recalled the beautiful places we visited that day.

Sunday morning came quickly and the camp was broken down swiftly. Once packed, the troop rode back down to our new favorite breakfast stop, Ernie's. Afterwards, the local shops were visited and a little more time on the bikes was enjoyed. A small group pushed their legs for a loop around the Southwest part of the island and a short visit to Rodman's Hollow, a large wooded area with the ocean in the background. Everyone enjoyed the ferry back to Point Judith were people took the opportunity to relax, reflect, enjoy the views and spend a little more time together before heading in different directions for summer, or at least until summer camp.

Hidden Valley Earth Day Observance Cleanup

Kudos to all the boys who came today to help New Fairfield Parks and Rec. Dept. prepare for the annual Earth Day Celebration event at Hidden Valley Nature Center on Gillotti Road. The boys cleared excess leaves, fallen branches and overgrown brush from the trails that run through the Nature Center connecting the High School/Middle School with Meeting Hill House School and Rita Drive. Troop 137 has a long-running tradition of keeping Hidden Valley’s trails open, which also helps the boys with community service time, rank projects and even an Eagle Project! For more details on the Earth Day Event, Hidden Valley, and Troop 137’s support of the Nature Center, please click here.

Backpacking and AT Hike - Durland

With nearly a 100 percent turnout, the Troop set out on their first full-scale backpacking trip for this generation of Scouts. The boys did an excellent job of packing just what they needed for a hiking trip without having to hike back to the car for additional gear or food. After a 2 mile hike, the boys got right to business setting up camp, collecting firewood and sitting down to dinner by the fire before dark. It was quite an achievement over previous adventures.



After some overnight rain, the skies cleared and the boys cooked breakfast before setting off on a long day hike early Saturday, including a few miles on the Appalachian Trail (AT). All 20 scouts got a chance to experience the AT and surrounding trails with all 20 boys completing their first 10 mile hike segment toward their Hiking Merit Badge. The first segment is always the hardest and all who attended showed a lot of Scout spirit in completing this challenging task and they have grown from the experience. One of the adult leaders shared some interesting information about the AT on our way and you can find out more at: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/

The weather really was excellent with beautiful blue skies and warm breezes. Everyone loved the awesome view of the lake at our campsite and from the top of the first overlook on our hike. The Troops saw many outstanding sights along their hike and enjoyed a nice lunch break by another quiet lake. The Scouts finished the weekend off Sunday morning with a delicious pancake breakfast and tour at the Niese Maple Farm. Yum :-) They learned about one of the oldest syrup farms in the country. Niese's Farm has remained in the same family for seven generations - WOW!

All the adults, Scoutmaster included, were very impressed with the Scouts set up and break down of camp and the boys efforts all weekend. They proved to be a much more experienced and capable group than just 6 months or 1 year ago. They should be very proud of their accomplishments and growth!

Click on pictures to take a closer look.

Pandemic Preparation

On April 5, Troop 137 participated in the Pandemic Preparation Drill in Bethel



The boys enjoyed an opportunity to earn a requirement for Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge while helping local emergency and health care workers in a practice response to a massive pandemic flu outbreak. The scouts were assigned various symptoms and were directed to either return home with instructions to treat their illness or were asked to report to the emergency tent for further evaluation. Nurses, Student Nurses, Physician Assistants and Doctors checked the serious cases and either "treated" them in the emergency tent or "sent" them off to the hospital. The drill was an excellent learning excercise and gave the scouts insights into the complexities of managing a large pandemic flu outbreak. The emergency and health care workers were very appreciative of the boys taking the time on a Saturday to assist in this important excercise.




See Danbury Newstimes coverage of the event by clicking --> here

Click on pictures to take a closer look.

Ski Trip! Killington Ski Resort, Killington, VT

Let's go skiing! The boys skied the slopes of Killington Ski resort for two days in March on another exciting annual trip. Boys, and adults, of all ski levels made their way from top to bottom for a few hours on Saturday before retiring to the lodge where there is a heated pool and hot tub for thawing out. Such a life! This was a first timer for one boy, who managed quite well. There was plenty more skiing had by all on Sunday before returning home from this fun-filled and, yes, exhausting weekend.

Cabin Trip - Hoyt Scout Reservation, Redding, CT

A favorite trip, the annual Cabin Trip took place in February at the Rangers Cabin in the Hoyt Scout Reservation, Redding, CT. This is the one trip a year where the boys are permitted to bring any and all electronics, at least the PG-rated ones. This year we counted 12 televisions, 7 game stations, a few movies and an electronic guitar. After a long Friday night competing in various games, the boys did manage to get up and out of the cabin Saturday morning for a hike on a local trail in Ridgefield.

Klondike Derby - Richter Park, Danbury, CT

In January, Troops from all over Fairfield County converged on the back nine at Richter Park Golf Course in Danbury to participate in the annual Klondike Derby. The boys compete in a skills challenge, complete with patches and prizes, by pushing a special sled around to various stations. The Troop 137 boys developed and managed the Emergency Shelter Building Station and had a lot of fun directing and judging the other troops efforts to build a storm-worthy, survival shelter. It was a cold campout, but the boys were prepared, managed to stay warm and had a great time. Some even had their picture included in a Danbury NewsTimes article on the event!