Boy Scout Troop 95 holds campout in Baltimore
The December campout has always been a Troop 95 favorite. Every year the troop participates in a historical hike through Baltimore, Md. This Dec. 12, 20 scouts and eight adult leaders packed their gear, boarded the official Troop 95 Scout Bus, and traveled on the two-hour bus ride to Baltimore.
The troop camped at the Coast Guard Shipyard at Curtis Bay for the weekend. Upon arrival at the campsite, the troop immediately went to work, setting up tents and cooking areas. When it was all set up, they went to bed in their fairly frigid tents.
The next morning, the boys awoke to cold air and the annoying ring of a leader’s cowbell. He was intent on waking everyone in the entire camp site. Soon the boys were up, and quickly prepared and devoured their breakfast, then cleaned up. The troop embarked on their exciting adventure through historical Baltimore.
They started the hike at Mount Clare Mansion in Carrol Park. The scouts were given a map and a sheet that contained questions relevant to the different locations on the hike. This challenged the scouts to work as a team and engage them in the interesting history. Once the scouts answered the questions, they moved on through the streets of Baltimore. Specific boys were chosen to lead the group. Others with compasses and maps taught younger scouts orienteering as they navigated through the city.
The hike continued to the Babe Ruth Museum. Once again, scouts had to answer questions about the fascinating and most famous star of baseball. They continued on to the B & O Railroad Museum, the main focus of this year’s hike. After a picnic-style lunch, the troop entered the museum. The museum houses a great number of train-related memorabilia from different parts of American history. One of the attractions the museum offers visitors is a ride in a real train. The scouts loved this and their spirits were high.
Eventually, the troop left the museum and hiked to the Westminster Church and Cemetery. Many famous Baltimore citizens are buried here, including the poet, Edger Allen Poe. Their hike was finally over and the boys took a well-deserved nap, as they waited for the bus which would return them to their campsite.
Back at the campsite, the boys prepared a dinner to fill their hungry bellies. Later that night, they got right back on the bus and drove over to Sandy Point State Park to view the Lights on the Bay Christmas light display. They marveled at the beautiful display of colorful lights. Visiting the Christmas lights has been a long-standing tradition the troop celebrates each year. The droopy-eyed group returned to their camp site, with barely enough energy to eat their late night snacks. All went to bed. It was later than they anticipated and all were tired. Most boys kept fairly warm in their tents, although it was freezing outside. Unfortunately, a few boys were not as prepared as they should have been. They did not pack as warmly as they should have, and they learned how to do better next time.
On Sunday morning, the scouts broke camp, packed up, and attended a Scout led Sunday morning chapel service. Then they drove back to Jones Hall in Georgetown. Another enjoyable campout ended successfully. Every boy enjoyed the companionship of his fellow scouts and the wonders of the Baltimore Historical Hike.
