2023-18 Walt Disney

This Scouter’s Minute was shared back in March of 2019 and was never recorded for this podcast. This one is entitled, Walt Disney.

I’m sure all of you have heard of Walt Disney, the father of Mickey Mouse and the creator of Disneyland. And if you have ever been to one of the Disney Parks you may have noticed all the different and iconic waste bins throughout the park. These waste bins are so well designed that you might not even notice them because they blend in so well with the theme of the area that they are placed in. No matter what land you are in, be it Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Adventureland, Critter Country, Frontierland, Mickey’s Toontown, Main Street, USA, New Orleans Square, or Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge; you will find a waste bin that fits the land. Sometime you will also find waste bins within the lands that are ride specific. An example of this would be in front of the Enchanted Tiki Room. This in itself is amazing as you will find that no matter where you are in the park, there is a waste bin within 30 feet of you.

Walt Disney said,” When I started Disneyland, my wife used to say, ‘But why would you want to build an amusement park? They’re so dirty.’ I told her that was just the point - mine wouldn’t be.”

Walt Disney wanted Disneyland to be a clean place for families to visit. Whenever he saw any bit of trash at the park, he picked it up and put it in the garbage. He thought keeping the world clean was so important that he asked all of his employees to follow his example and pick up trash whenever they saw it. This month, let’s follow Walt Disney’s example and take the time to pick up trash when we see it and dispose of it properly.

2023-17 Health Creed

This month we are starting on the Personal Fitness merit badge.  This is one of the three merit badges that will probably take you the most time as there are tracking requirements of about 3 months.  This merit badge will challenge you as you run your mile, complete your pushups, sit-ups, and or pullups.  The goal is to better your outcome each time that we have a recording day.  If we don’t treat our bodies well, they will not do well when it comes time to see how fast we can run or how many reps we can do.

Back in the 1950’s the Massachusetts State Board of Health published the following which was also included in the Scoutmaster’s Handbook during that period. It’s entitled:

Health Creed

My body is the temple of my soul, therefore,
I will keep my body clean within and without;
I will breathe pure air and I will live in the sunlight,
I will do no act that might endanger the health of others,
I will try to learn and practice the rule of healthy living,
I will work and rest and play at the right time and
in the right way, so that my mind will be strong and my
body healthy, and so that I will lead a useful life and
be an honor to my parents, to my friends, and to my country.

Let us all do our best to be physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight as we strive to keep our bodies in shape.

2023-16 Lucky Charms

This was originally published in the Scouter’s Minute in 1958 and we shared it in 2018 before we had this podcast. Here is “Lucky Charms”

(Display a collection of good luck charms, such as a horseshoe, rabbits foot, four-leaf clover, silver dollar.)

These are some of the things that people consider good luck charms. Some folks think these things keep them safe.

Now what would you think of a man who depended on his rabbit's foot when he was driving his car? Suppose he depended on his rabbit's foot to keep him safe no matter how he might drive - down the left side of the highway, without lights at night, with the motor wide open. Well, you know what would happen to him and his rabbit's foot. He'd wind up in one whing-ding of a wreck.

There's only one way to keep safe while driving a car, and that's by obeying the traffic laws. If you disobey the traffic laws, you'll wreck your car. It's that simple. And if you disobey the other laws of mankind, you'll wreck your life.

No, you don't need good luck charms to keep safe. You can keep safe by obeying the Scout Law and God's law. That's the way to be sure of a long, happy trip through life.

2023-15 A Bicycle

This Scouter’s Minute was shared back in 2019 when we didn’t have his podcast. It’s entitled; A Bicycle

Have you ever thought about how a bicycle works? Most of us just hop on and let it take us where we want to go without giving it a second thought. A closer look shows it takes a lot of different pieces doing their part and working together to make transportation happen.

When you push the pedal with your foot, a lot happens to make the wheels turn. The pedal turns a crank that turns a gear, which pulls a chain that turns another gear, which turns a hub, which pulls the spokes, which turns the wheel, which pulls the tire that pushes against the road to make the bike go.

When you want to stop, you pull a lever that pulls a cable against a housing, which causes another lever to move, which pushes a pad against the wheel. Changing gears involves levers, cables, housing, springs, and pulleys working together. If any one part fails to work when it is supposed to, the whole system fails to work. When one system fails, the bike can still be ridden, but not in top form.

You are the parts, just like on the bicycle. Our patrols are like the pedaling, braking, and gear-changing systems. The senior patrol leader is like the rider. He directs a pedal or a lever—your patrol leaders—to do their part and they in turn ask you to do yours. If you choose not to do your part, your patrol suffers and the troop doesn’t work well. The troop is our vehicle to adventure, fellowship, and good times. And each of you is a very important part.

2023-14 Hidden Treasure

What is the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the word treasure? A map where “X” marks the spot? A pirate with a thick long black beard? A chest full of gold and gems? Or maybe even one of your own prized possessions…  What do you treasure? I know that for me back in the day I treasured my baseball card collection, my Boy Scout personal radio that I won from selling candy bars as a Cub Scout in the Teton Peaks Council, and my first mountain bike when I was 12 years old.  Naturally the items that I treasured throughout my life have changed. Now my treasures are not necessarily things, but mostly include people, experiences, and memories. Take some time tonight and reflect on what you treasure.

There is a well-known story of an old farmer who called his three idle sons around him while on his deathbed to impart to them an important secret.

“My sons, a great treasure lies hidden in the estate which I am about to leave you," the old man gasped. "Where is it hidden?" exclaimed the sons.

“I am about to tell you”, said the old man; "you will have to dig for it."

But his breath failed him before he could impart the weighty secret; and he died. Forthwith the sons set to work with spade and mattock upon the long-neglected fields, and they turned over every sod and clod upon the estate.

They discovered no treasure, but they learned to work; and when the fields were sown, and the harvest came, lo! The yield was prodigious, because of the thorough tillage which the fields had undergone. It was then that they discovered the treasure concealed in the estate, which their wise old father had advised them.

2023-13 Rock Tumbling

The past couple of weeks my daughter and I have been tumbling rocks using her rock polishing tumbler she received as one of her Christmas presents this last year.  If you have never used a rock tumbler before, here is a quick run through of what is entailed using one.  The rocks that you are wanting to polish are place inside the cylinder chamber.  Typically, there are 4 different grades of grit you place inside the tumbler with the rocks along with enough water to cover. Starting with your stage 1 grit, the duration of tumbling time depends on the type of rocks you are tumbling and how much you would like to shape them.

We decided to tumble some Tiger’s Eye that we picked up at a rock shop just outside of Zion National Park from our last trip there a few weeks ago.  If you don’t know what Tiger’s Eye is, it’s a form of quartz that is usually brown in color and is found among other metamorphic rocks.  The pattern of this rock when held up to the light resembles that of a tiger’s eye.  The piece that we picked up from the rock shop was a single piece that was too large to fit within the opening of the rock tumbling cylinder.  So… we grabbed our trusty rock hammer and started smashing it into smaller pieces.  There must have been a little bit of flint within the rock as sparks would fly each time the hammer would hit. 

Success! One large piece of Tiger’s Eye had been broken into roughly eight smaller pieces. We placed all the pieces within the cylinder along with a heaping spoon of step one grit and water. Ensuring that the lid was on tight, we let the rock tumbler begin.  This first round was going to take about 4 days to smooth out the jagged pieces of Tiger’s Eye.  Each day we would check on the progress. It was amazing to see the transformation of sharp edges being smoothed out and rounded as we eventually put them through step 2 and 3.  The final process, step 4, is the final polishing tumble that will make each stone shine to its full potential.

We can compare our scouting experience to the processes of polishing rocks.  When we start on our Cub Scout or Scout BSA adventure, we are a little rough around the edges. It’s ok if we have rough edges when we first start out. Everything is new to us.  Over time we continue with earning the ranks of Bobcat, Wolf, Bear, Webelos.  Within Scouts BSA we earn the rank of Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class. Eventually our rough edges begin to smooth out as we learn valuable skills through each meeting, hike, campout, and adventures.  Before you know it, a great deal of time has passed and what used to be a rough-edged scout has now been through so much that you have been shaped into a bright and polished Arrow of Light or Eagle Scout.

Just like polishing rocks, your trail to Eagle will take many days.  Don’t be discouraged when things do not go as fast as you would like.  It’s been my experience that everything that is worthwhile takes a little bit of time to accomplish. Keep up the good work scouts, your hard work will pay off some day.

2023-12 The Scout Handshake

As we start on the trail of scouting, Requirement number 1 of the Scout Rank has us learning and explaining how and when to use the Scout Handshake.  The Scout Handbook says the following,” Extend your left hand to another Scout and firmly grasp them by the left hand. Made with the hand nearest to your heart, the Scout Handshake signifies friendship.”  We use the right-hand shake when greeting others outside of scouting. 

A young scout back in 1929 asked Daniel Carter Beard the question of “why do we use the left hand shake when greeting fellow scouts.” Here is Uncle Dan’s response, “By agreement of the Scout Leaders throughout the world, Boy Scouts greet Brother Scouts with a left-hand clasp. This means of greeting is also used in connection with all Scout gatherings. It is intended to have this different method serve to remind Scouts that they belong to a world-wide brotherhood and that everywhere throughout the world Scouts are following this method of extending greetings as evidence of their interest in Scouts in all parts of the world.” Pretty much the answer was; because that’s how it’s done within scouting around the world.

The story that has been passed down through time tells us the following.

“The left handshake comes to us from the Ashanti warriors whom Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, knew years ago in West Africa. He saluted them with his right hand, but the Ashanti chiefs offered their left hands and said, ‘In our land only the bravest of the brave shake hands with the left hand, because to do so we must drop our shields and our protection.’

“The Ashanti knew of Baden-Powell’s bravery for they had fought against him and with him, and were proud to offer him the left hand of bravery.”

The Scout Handshake symbolizes respect, courage, and friendship. This kind of sounds like some points of the Scout Law right?  Soon it will be time for week-long scout camps and jamborees where we may need to muster up some bravery to talk with new people we have never met.  Start by offering your left hand and introducing yourself as you create friendships within your scouting adventures.

2023-11 The Heron

This week’s Scouter’s Minute as an Aesop’s Fable

A Heron was walking sedately along the bank of a stream, his eyes on the clear water, and his long neck and pointed bill ready to snap up a likely morsel for his breakfast. The clear water swarmed with fish, but Master Heron was hard to please that morning.

"No small fry for me," he said. "Such scanty fare is not fit for a Heron."

Now a fine young Perch swam near.

"No indeed," said the Heron. "I wouldn't even trouble to open my beak for anything like that!"

As the sun rose, the fish left the shallow water near the shore and swam below into the cool depths toward the middle. The Heron saw no more fish, and very glad was he at last to breakfast on a tiny Snail.

The moral of this story: Do not be too hard to suit or you may have to be content with the worst or with nothing at all.

2023-10 Don't Get Hooked

Years ago, when I was a teenager, my father took us fishing alongside the Fall River located in Ashton Idaho.  Typically, you would use a fly on this river… but for some reason we tied a spoon onto the end of the line.  I’m guessing that Dad just wanted to see if a fish would hit his go-to lure. Now, Dad was not used to fishing on swift rivers like this with rainbows and cutthroat trout, rather, he was used to ponds in Iowa with blue gills and bass. So, with spoon tied on, I clicked my button on my trusty reel and let-er rip. All of a sudden, I felt a shot through my back as I flung the fishing lure directly at myself. My only guess is that the lure snagged on the long grass behind me, causing its flight plan to change course and embed itself through my shirt and into my skin.  Dad rushed over and was successful in removing the fishing lure. Just in case you’re wondering, yes… getting treble hooks out of your back with pliers hurts really bad! 

As we look at how to remove a fishhook from your skin, I’m reminded of how we need to pass this off as we work on Second Class along with the Fishing Merit Badge.  Another story involving a fishhook… A couple of years ago we had a guest visit our troop and assist us with the fishing and fly-fishing merit badges.  He was having a hard time getting the Scouts to understand the process of how to remove a fishhook from your skin. So… he took the object lesson to the next level and purposely stuck himself with a fishhook to have one of the Scouts perform the first aid and remove it. Instantly he had everyone’s attention.  The object lesson was a huge success, and everyone still remembers how to get a fish hook out of your skin because of what they witnessed. With that being said, I highly don’t recommend doing this on purpose. 

Let’s switch gears a little.  What are some metaphorical “hooks” out there in this world that can get you into trouble?  Smoking? Drinking? Drugs? Now, think of how these items keep you away from being physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight? Many of us have someone that we know that has attempted, in the process, or has quit smoking.  The process was a very difficult and long one for the individual that I personally know.  There are a lot of people out there that struggle with smoking and are wanting to quit daily.  The struggle is real, and it’s hard.  The most successful way to quit is to not start in the first place.  

You personally may be placed in a position where you have a friend offer you something to smoke, drink or take.  What are you going to do? What are you going to say?  In reality, the choice is yours.  But, I would raise the question of why would you start doing something that so many people are trying to quit? Each time we are placed into one of these circumstances, let us remember the Scout Oath and Law. 

2023-09 Prayer From A Foxhole

Between December 11th and December 18th, 1942.  A battle was being waged in the Western Desert Campaign of World War II where the Allied forces were pushing back the Axis forces through Northern Africa.  I have this imagery of sand and tanks with soldiers marching and fighting. Almost like in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Except this campaign actually happened unlike the search for the Holy Grail by the great Dr’s. Jones. 

During this Battle of El Agheila, there were an estimated 450 Axis soldiers taken prisoner, 25 large guns and 18 tanks destroyed. The second Zealand Division reported 11 killed and 29 wounded.  Of those members who were killed, one soldier was found within a foxhole with a scrap of paper on his body.  This is what was written on that scrap of paper.

Stay with me, God. the night is dark, 
The night is cold; My little spark 
Of Courage dies. the night is long; 
Be with me, God, make me strong. 
I know that death is but a door. 
I know what we are fighting for; 
Peace for the kids, our brothers freed, 
A kinder world, a cleaner breed. 
Help me, O God, when death is near 
To mock the haggard face of fear, 
That when I fall - if fall I must - 
My soul may Triumph in the dust.

(Found on the scrap of paper on the body of a soldier and a foxhole in Tunisia after the battle of El Agheila) 

2023-08 Angels Landing

This weekend we are exploring Zion National Park which is 1 of the 5 National Parks located in Utah. For the past 4 years we have made it a tradition to visit Zion. This year was the first that we experienced the park with snow and frigid temperatures.  Naturally our major hiking day, Friday, was the coldest day of the trip.  But we were not about to let that ruin the day.  Day one we hiked 10 miles which included an attempt to reach the top of Angels Landing.

Now, let's be very clear about the Angels Landing hike.  This hike has never been on my bucket list as I have no desire at all to dangle my body over a 1,500 foot drop off while holding onto some chains. With that in mind, we started to ascend the Angels Landing trail.

A little history about Angels Landing: A century ago a Methodist minister named Frederick Vining Fisher was so in awe of this massive sandstone cliff that he made the comment that only angels might land on it.  So the name stuck and what used to be known as the Temple of Aeolus was renamed Angels Landing.  The trail was built in the 1920’s and is 5 miles round trip. As you get closer to the top, you reach a section of the trail that is called Walter’s Wiggles. The wiggles are named after Walter Ruesch who was the park’s first acting superintendent. This section is made up of 21 extremely tight switchbacks that eventually put you at Scout Lookout. Angels Landing is one of the most dangerous hikes in the United States as there have been 17 confirmed deaths from individuals falling. 12 of those deaths happened between 1908 to 2016. With all this information to scare me to death alone… we kept on hiking.

As we reached Walter’s Wiggles we ran into an obstacle we had not planned for.  Ice and snow on the trail. We were in need of traction devices to continue on the trail safely.  So, half of the group turned around and started back down the trail as the other half of the group continued on using extra caution on the switchbacks.  Guess who was in the group to continue up… that’s right… me.  The switchbacks were a challenge with the slick conditions but manageable going up. Then the thought popped into my head… this is going to be a whole lot harder coming back down. Which it was. A couple of times we had to slide down the mountain on our backsides.

Finally we reached the end of Walter’s Wiggles and there is a section right before you start on the chain section of Angels Landing that is called Scout Lookout.  At this point, you have an amazing view of the valley as you stand at 5,790’ of elevation with the remaining .5 mile hike up to the end of Angels Landing ahead of you.  As we did not have traction devices for our shoes, the decision was made to have this be our stopping point and we took it all in.

Standing at Scout Lookout, your breath is not only taken away by the 1,500’ elevation gain that you just hiked, but also by the view of the canyon all around you with the Virgin River down below. As I was standing there taking it all in, reflections of my own personal growth and accomplishments came to mind. Reflections also of family members who have come and also left this Earth and all of their accomplishments. Along the trail there are multiple waypoints starting with the Trailhead and then Refrigerator Canyon, Walter’s Wiggles, Scout Lookout, The Spine, and eventually the Summit of Angels Landing.  The same can be compared with our trails within Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA as we work from Bobcat to Lion, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, and eventually Arrow of light. From Scout to Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and finishing with Eagle.  

Each one of us are at different stages along the trail.  Some of us have to be pushed along the trail sometimes. Some of us reach a stopping point before we reach the summit. This is the case with my Father.  As a youth, my father reached the rank of Star. During those years as a youth he was a staff member at Camp Mitigwa in Iowa and loved every minute of being a scout. He was an amazing scout and later Scoutmaster, Cubmaster, District Leader, and many other hats that he wore. It’s with this example that I would argue that the rank does not make the scout, rather the experiences and growth in character along the trail. The rank is only a reflection of what we personally have accomplished through our physical, mental, and moral challenges along the hike.

Let us all continue practicing the Cub Scout Motto, To Do Our Best, no matter where we are on the trail of scouting.

2023-07 The Story of a Good Turn

How good must a Good Turn be to be GOOD? The answer is best given by telling you the story of how Scouting came to America. It shows that it isn't the size of the Good Turn that counts. It's the doing of it, whether large or small.

A GOOD TURN TO AN AMERICAN.

One day in the year 1909 the great city of London was in the grip of a dense fog. An American businessman, William D. Boyce, stopped under a street lamp to locate himself. Out of the gloom a boy approached him and asked if he could be of help.

"You certainly can," said Boyce. He told the boy that he wanted to find a certain business office in the center of the city.
'I'll take you there," said the boy.
When they got to the destination, the American reached into his pocket for a tip. But the boy stopped him.
"No thank you, sir. I am a Scout. I can't take anything for helping."
"A Scout? And what might that be?" asked Boyce.
And so the boy told the American about himself and his brother Scouts. Boyce became very interested. After finishing his errand, he had the boy take him to the British Scout office.
There the boy disappeared.

At the office Boyce met Baden-Powell, the famous British general who had founded the Scouting movement. Boyce was so impressed with what he learned that he decided to bring Scouting home with him.

And so, on February 8, 1910, in Washington, D.C., Boyce and a group of outstanding men founded the Boy Scouts of America. Ever since then this day has been known as the birthday of Scouting in the United States.

What happened to the boy? No one knows. He was never heard of again, but he will never be forgotten. In the British
Scout Training Center at Gilwell Park, England, a statue of a buffalo was put up in honor of this "Unknown Scout." His Good Turn had brought the Scouting movement to our country.

One Good Turn to one man became a Good Turn to millions of American boys. Such is the power of a Good Turn. You never can tell...

2023-06 Not A Man's Footprint

Today we are celebrating Scout Sunday,  which typically is held on the Sunday prior to February 8th.  In reality, you can celebrate Scout Sunday on any Sunday during this month. So, with that in mind, we will be focusing on one point of the Scout Law for the whole month, Reverent.

There is one thing that happens every single day that most of us take for granted, the rising of the Sun.  There’s some mornings where I appreciate the Sun more than usual.  Having the Sun finally rise as I’m  keeping my  hands warm over the camp stove cooking breakfast during a winter campout is one of those mornings. Another, is while on a 14 mile night hike up to the top of Mount Timpanogos located in Utah. Where we reached the top of the mountain to watch the sun rays break through the darkness as the sun peeked over the horizon.

Some fun facts about the Sun. It has 8 planets that orbit around it. It takes 27 Earth days to rotate on its axis. Its radius is 432,690 miles (to give you some comparison, Earth’s radius is roughly 4,000 miles). It would take 1.3 million Earths to make up the mass of the Sun. How can we explain the creation of the Sun along with everything that orbits it within this solar system? If we were told the process of how everything was created, could our minds even comprehend it?

An old Scouters Minute crossed my mind as I started to think about this subject.

A man was crossing the desert with an Arab guide. Day after day the guide never failed to kneel on the burning sand and call upon his God. At last one evening, the man said to the Arab, “how do you know there is a God?” The guide fixed his eye upon the scoffer for a moment and then replied, “how do I know that there is a god? How did I know that a camel and not a man passed last night? Was it not by the print of his hoof in the sand?” And pointing to the sun whose rays were fading over the horizon, he added, “that footprint is not of man.”

As we attend campouts and explore on day hikes, let us all be alert and recognize all those little and big things out there that reflect the footprint of the Creator.

2023-05 The Wright Brothers

Back in October 2021, a great scouter passed away, my father.  In addition to being the greatest man and father anyone could ask for, he was also a patriot and loved American history. Dad worked in broadcasting for many years and as I was going through some of his personal items after his death, I came across a podcast that he was creating but never published. The name he had planned for it was “Byte of History” where he would have a weekly topic on American history.  This week’s Scouter’s minute, we share with you one of the completed episodes of “Byte of History” entitled, The Wright Brothers. I hope you enjoy it.

Byte of History - The Wright Brothers

We return to history in 1899. Having labored in relative obscurity, Wilbur and Orville, the Wright brothers had been scientifically experimenting with the concept of flight. While balloons and gliders had been used for flight,  no one had been able to master powered flight. Samuel Langley of the Smithsonian was working on it but could not achieve powered flight. Langley had the spotlight being followed by the press and the war department. 

Everyone who tried to achieve powered flight relied on brute power to keep their machines aloft. Many of these machines were put together in such a way as to deny the scientific concept of flight. Wilbur Wright once said, “it is possible to fly without motors but not without knowledge and skill.” The Wright brothers had knowledge and skill with over 1,000 glides from the big Kill Devil Hill at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. They had the understanding of what was needed as they truly were the very first pilots and the skills they had learned from the glides helped them come to the point of powered flight. It was all these glides that led them down the path of discovery. They had solved the problem of sustained lift and more importantly, they could now control an aircraft while in flight. 

So they were ready to fly, but how would they power their aircraft? At this time gasoline engine technology had advanced. It was now feasible to use it in an aircraft. But since a lightweight gas engine was not being made, the Wright brothers designed and made their own. It was cruder and less powerful than gas engines of the time, but the Wright Brothers understood that relatively little power was needed. With the right lifting surfaces, and of course the correct propellers. Propellers! They were not available. So using their air tunnel information they designed and made the very first efficient airplane propeller. This in itself is one of the most original and purely scientific achievements of the Wright Brothers. 

Now it was time to try all of these new ideas. So they return to the outer banks of North Carolina at their camp at Kill Devil Hills.  The brothers mounted the engine on the new 40-ft, 605 lb flyer with double tails and elevators. The engine drove two pusher propellers. With chains, the props rotated in opposite directions to counteract a twisting tenancy in flight. Of course they had their problems with broken propeller shafts and other things, but on December 14th 1903 it was time to fly.  By a flip of the coin Wilbur won the opportunity to try to fly first. Wilbur started down the launching rail. As he left the rail he oversteered with the elevator. He climbed too steeply and then stalled. The flier dove into the sand with no flight at all. Then it was back to the workshop for repairs. 

Then 3 days later on December 17th 1903, the Wright brothers would attempt to fly for the second time. On that day there was a 27 mph headwind. That of course was more than what they wanted but they pressed on. They're predicted cruising speed was only 30 to 35 mph. With a sheet, they signal the volunteers from the nearby lifesaving station that they were about to try again. This time it was Orville's turn.  Orville positioned himself and tested the controls.  He remembered what happened to Wilbur three days ago. He moved the stick that ran the elevators to climb and to send. The cradle that he swang with his hips, moved everything needed to turn the aircraft.  His only other control was the gas flow lever and the airspeed recorder. 

The controls were simple and Orville knew the rest was up to him. They started the engine and the propellers. Could they get this 605 lb aircraft to fly?  At 10:35 a.m. Orville released the restraining wire.  With Wilbur studying the wings, the flier moved down the rail.  Just as Orville left the ground, John Daniels from the lifesaving station snapped the shutter of a preset camera capturing the historic picture of the airborne aircraft with Wilbur running alongside. The aircraft was again unruly, pitching up and down as Orville overcompensated with the controls. Orville kept the flier aloft until it hit the sand about 120 ft from the rail.  With the head wind of 27 mph the ground speed had been slowed to 6.8 miles per hour. This made the total air speed 34 miles per hour. They had done it!  The Wright brothers had flown a powered aircraft. 

The brothers took turns flying three more times that day.  With each flight they had a better feel for the controls and increased their distance. The fourth Flight of the day, this one by Wilbur was an impressive 852 ft with a duration of 59 seconds.  But this was the last flight of the day, and the last flight of this aircraft as it was caught by a gust of wind and rolled over and damaged beyond easy repair. While the first flight by Orville was only 120 ft, which is approximately the length of one wing of a modern-day 747 jumbo jet, it was the real deal.  

Orville and Wilbur Wright had transcended all the others and their aircraft had flown.  To this day we are blessed by what Orville and Wilbur did at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina as they took all of us to the unlimited bounds of the sky.

2023-04 Balanced Diet

It’s that time of year when everyone starts to hit the gym or begin a new diet as part of their New Year’s resolutions.  The last statistic I heard this year regarding those that quit their resolutions early was 85% by the middle of January! One aspect of life I have always strived to follow is that of a balanced diet. A few years ago, I found myself enjoying one too many cobblers around the campfire and came to the realization that I needed to change my eating habits.  Within my personal research, I came to the conclusion that if I was going to take the weight off, and keep it off, I would need to not just crash through a diet, but actually make some life changes. Growing up I was always taught that you could have all things in moderation. With that being said, is eating cobbler bad? I would say no.  Is eating cobbler for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next week ok? I would say it is probably not the best thing you could do or eat for a week straight. Anyway, you get the point.

As we all know, there are 6 major food groups within a balanced diet. Bread & Grain being one, Vegetables, Fruits, Dairy, Meat, Sugar & Fat. Each one of these groups has their benefits.  We are taught in a really good, and ancient book, that man can not live on bread alone.  Yes, there are those of us that are unable to put some of these items in our body. I’m  unable to digest dairy. Some of us make life choices to not consume meat. Does that mean that we are not following a balanced diet? I would say no. Mother nature is amazing and has provided multiple ways to consume the needed proteins and nutrients our body’s need to survive. In my case, as I’m unable to consume dairy products, I can get my needed calcium through things like almond milk, broccoli, figs, sunflower seeds, fish and beans.

Just like with our food, I believe the same sort of thing is true for our lives, not just our bodies. I can think of 6 'life groups' kind of like the 'food groups' - Academics, Athletics, Family, Music, Religion, and Social.

If you focus on just one of these life groups, the rest of the groups will suffer.  For example, not saying that this is a horrible thing to do, but if you spend 100% of your time on your academics and only focus on homework from sunup to sundown, then your social life, family life, and religion may be affected. 

Scouting, in my opinion, does an amazing job in helping each of us in these categories. The merit badge program teaches us many great things. Scouting is a game with a purpose, and sometimes those games help us stay physically strong. We receive constant help from our family as we work through our rank advancements. As our campfire fades away from a fun night of singing campsongs, we close with scout vespers. Each day we strive to do our duty to God. And, through our dens, packs, patrols, troops, teams, and posts, we are constantly building our social life through the patrol method.

We can live a balanced life as we strive to keep the Scout Oath each day.  To do our best, to do  our duty to God and our Country, to help other people at all times, to keep ourselves physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

2023-03 On The Trail

Back in 2017 I came across his Scouter’s Minute from Troop 174 in Elwood, NY.

Once a long time ago a hound was out with his owner trailing a mountain lion. The hound came to a place where a fox had crossed the trail, and the hound decided to follow the fox instead of the lion. 

A short time later, a rabbit crossed that of the fox, and again the hound changed direction. Why should he chase a fox when a rabbit might be easier to catch? 

When the hunter finally caught up with his hound, the dog was barking at a small hole in the ground. The hound had brought to bay a field mouse instead of a mountain lion. 

Well, how about you? Have you set out on a trail to achieve your ambition? Are you able to follow it, or are you sidetracked by easier trails that cross it from time to time? 

Don't be like that hound. Find out what it takes to achieve your ambition, and then get started. The best way to achieve anything in life is to set a true course for it and then stick to that trail.

Thank you to Troop 174 in Elwood, NY for posting this wonderful Scoutmaster's minute. http://bsatroop174.org/A_Scoutmaster.html

2023-02 Pearls of Wisdom - Quotes From Baden-Powell

This Scouter’s Minute is a redo from back before I had this podcast in 2018. This redo also seems very fitting for today, since Lord Robert Baden-Powell left this earth on January 8th, 1941, that we reflect on some of his quotes. Now, I realize that most of his quotes here do not include girls even though Baden-Powell assisted with the beginnings of the Girl Guides. That’s because this was back in the early days of the Boy Scouts and the Boy Scouts of America with only boy membership. With that being said, you could apply “girl” for most of these and they would be applicable. So, without any further ado, here are some of the awesome things that this great man said.

"We Must change boys from a 'what can I get' to a 'what can I give' attitude"

"The code of the knight is still the code of the gentleman today"

"The real way to gain happiness is to give it to others"

"In Scouting you are combating the brooding of selfishness"

"Scoutmasters deal with the individual boy rather than with the mass"

"A boy on joining wants to begin Scouting right away"

"A fisherman does not bait his hook with food he likes. He uses food the fish likes. So with boys."

"Scouting is a man's job cut down to a boy's size."

"Scouting is a game for boys under the leadership of boys under the direction of a man."

"Where is there a boy to whom the call of the wild and the open road does not appeal?"

"It is important to arrange games and competition so that all Scouts of the troop take part."

"We are not a club or a Sunday school class, but a school of the woods."

"Fun, fighting, and feeding! These are the three indispensable elements of the boy's world."

"Scoutmasters need to enter into boy's ambitions."

"A boy is supremely confident of his own power, and dislikes being treated as a child."

"Boys can see adventure in a dirty old duck puddle, and if the Scoutmaster is a boys' man he can see it, too."

"The spirit is there in every boy, it has to be discovered."

"Teach Scouts not how to get a living, but how to live."

"Can we not interpret our adult wisdom into the language of boyhood?"

"It is only when you know a boy's environment what you can know what influences to bring to bear."

"It's the spirit within, not the veneer without, that makes a man."

"It is risky to order a boy not to do something; it immediately opens to him the adventure of doing it."

"You can only get discipline in the mass by discipline in the individual."

"The Scoutmaster must be alert to check badge hunting as compared to badge earning."

"The Scout Oath and Law are our binding disciplinary force."

"A week of camp life is worth six months of theoretical teaching in the meeting room."

"A boy is not a sitting-down animal."

"Vigorous Scout games are the best form of physical education because most of them bring in moral education."

"A boy is naturally full of humor."

"An invaluable step in character training is to put responsibility on the individual."

"When a boy finds someone who takes an interest in him, he responds and follows."

"The sport of Scouting is to find the good in every boy and develop it."

"Success in training the boy depends largely on the Scoutmaster's own personal example."

"Correcting bad habits cannot be done by forbidding or punishment."

"Show me a poorly uniformed troop and I'll show you a poorly uniformed leader."

"The more responsibility the Scoutmaster gives his patrol leaders, the more they will respond."

"The Scoutmaster teaches boys to play the game by doing so himself."

"O God, help me to win, but in thy wisdom if thou willest me not to win, then O God, make me a good loser."

"In Scouting, a boy is encouraged to educate himself instead of being instructed."

"There is no teaching to compare with example."

"We do not want to make Scout training too soft."

"The Good Turn will educate the boy out of the groove of selfishness."

"When you want a thing done, "Don't do it yourself is a good motto for Scoutmasters."

"Loyalty is a feature in a boy's character that inspires boundless hope."

"See things from the boy's point of view."

"The boy is not governed by don't, but is led by do."

"The object of the patrol method is not so much saving the Scoutmaster trouble as to give responsibility to the boy."

"The most important object in Boy Scout training is to educate, not instruct."

"Scoutmasters need the capacity to enjoy the out-of-doors."

"If you make listening and observation your occupation you will gain much more than you can by talk."

"A boy carries out suggestions more wholeheartedly when he understands their aim."

"The Scoutmaster guides the boy in the spirit of an older brother."

2023-01 Difficult Roads

Today we say hello to the very first day of the year 2023. For the past 2 years, rather than displaying ads for items that are on sale, our local grocery store has placed inspirational messages on the signs along the outside of the building. Yesterday as I pulled to get some last minute items for our New Year's Eve celebration, I read the following. “ Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.” I kept thinking about this sentence as I was walking through the isles and some of the beautiful destinations that I personally have explored this past couple of years.

Sequoia National Park comes to mind as the road to reach the park is one that will push your vehicle to its limits with the steep and windy road. But hugging one of those massive redwoods after enduring the long hard road is totally worth it.

Timpanogos Caves inside Mt. Timpanogos is another one that comes to mind. Even though the hike up to the cave is only 2.5 miles, it is a hike that will push your body to its limits. After you reach the cave opening, and catch your breath for about 20 minutes so your heart doesn’t jump out of your chest, the beauties of all the stalagmites and stalactites along with the Heart of Timpanogos will take your breath away again.

Ruth Lake is another hidden gem that we discovered inside the Uinta National Forest along the Mirror Lake Hwy. The elevation is pretty high up there which brings its own challenges with breathing, headaches, and fatigue and the trail is constantly up and down throughout the 3 mile round trip. But the blue high elevation lake is one that brought me one of my most relaxing days I have had in a long time as I took a nap in the hammock alongside its shore line.

These are all great destinations, and there are many more that I could talk about. But, my mind started thinking about some of the destinations that I have reached that are not necessarily found on a map. These are items that I have personally accomplished that may have been difficult to endure through. I think my son would have one of his personal destinations be planning and completing his Eagle Project.

New Years is one of those great times of the year that we can reflect on how we are personally doing, what we should be doing better, and some of the items we would like to complete on our bucket list. It’s a time for resolutions and goal setting. I personally do not have New Years resolutions, but I do set some goals that I would like to accomplish for myself personally along with some goals I would like to accomplish with my family.

These past couple of years have been very difficult for many people. Emotionally, physically, and mentally. I personally had the difficult time of losing my father in October of 2021. My kids would probably say that their school year this last year was really difficult. Difficult roads will always be part of our life. Whatever your difficult roads have been, take some time to reflect on how you are the person that you are now because of the experiences you have been through. Reflect on some of those amazing places that you have hiked to or camped at that were off the beaten path. Each difficult road that we endure through makes us a little more Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.

2022-34 Man In The Glass

I originally shared this Scouter’s Minute back in 2018 and I'm not sure if this is still done at Island Park Scout Camp, but when I was a staff member from 97' to 98', each Thursday night was honor trail for the scouts. At the end of the honor trail, the staff member assigned to that station, would pull out their Boy Scout signal mirror and recite the poem, "The Man In The Glass" as you faced the mirror towards the scouts in order for them to see their reflections. We were to have this poem memorized in the event that we were assigned to the last station that night. But, just in case, the words were printed and placed on the back of the mirror if we needed a little help. Pictured is my personal IPSC Staff signal mirror.

THE MAN IN THE GLASS

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father, or mother, or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

You may be like Jack Horner and chisel a plum
And think you're a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.

He’s the fellow to please, never mind all the rest
For he’s with you clear up to the end
And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass. 

--- Dale Wimbrow (1934)

2022-33 Help Other People At All Times

Here is a fun one found in the 1958 printing of ideas and stories for the Scoutmaster’s Minute entitled “Help Other People At All Times.”

I have in front of me two plates, an apple on one; a few apple seeds on the other.

If I gave you a choice, which of these plates would you rather have? Well, I guess most of us would choose the one with the apple, wouldn't we?

About a hundred and fifty years ago, there was as a fellow who would have taken the seeds. He was a nut on apple seeds, so much so that people called him Johnny Appleseed. He walked across hundreds of miles of our frontier lands year after year, until he died, and everywhere he went he planted apple seeds. The trees that grew from those seeds fed thousands of people with their fruit. All because of a screwball called Johnny Appleseed!

Most of us seem to be interested only in the present. We haven't time to plant seeds. We want just the brightest fruit, and we want it right now.

But you know it would be easy for us to plant a few seeds along the way, seeds that would bring good to many people for years to come. How? Just by living our slogan, "Do a Good Turn Daily." Every time we help another person we are planting a little seed of good feeling. Just one such seed can start the growth of a tree of good deeds in each person you help. You can see how important your Good Turn is. It can lead to thousands of good deeds throughout many years of the future, affecting the lives of thousands of people.

Remember your Good Turn every day!