Cub Camp - Day 2 of 4

%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0ACub+Camp+day+2+was+just+as+fantastic+as+day+1%21+I+went+home+on+Monday+wondering+what+they+could+possibly+have+in+store+that+would+top+the+games%2C+ %2C+and+crafts+that+they+had+organized+for+Monday.+Well+between+the+obstacle+course%2C+archery%2C+and+SWORD+MAKING%2C+they+sure+came+close%21%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+first+obstacle+was+a+set+of+5+car+tires+that+the+kids+had+to+step+through%2C+like+you+see+in+a+military+basic+training+video.+Then%2C+they+had+to+walk+a+2x6+plank+laid+across+a+water+obstacle%3B+it+was+hardly+an+obstacle%2C+since+it+was+only+about+3+inches+deep%2C+but+it+was+the+IDEA+of+an+obstacle+that+was+neat.+Next%2C+they+had+to+scale+a+3%27+tall+wooden+wall%2C+which+was+taller+than+some+of+the+kids+that+tackled+it%21+Several+of+the+smaller+Cubs+charged+it+with+gusto+and+vaulted+themselves+over+it%2C+to+the+applause+and+cheers+of+onlookers%21+The+obstacle+course+was+in+the+same+place+as+the+Ship+from+day+1%2C+but+the+cardboard+box+ship+was+taken+down+and+repurposed+into+a+crawl-through+maze%2C+which+came+after+the+wall.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp3.blogger.com%2F_MqWWGq5iBWE%2FSGgkMykK9qI%2FAAAAAAAABjE%2FnSXkSzfrtMw%2Fs1600-h%2FDSCN0211.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin%3A+0px+auto+10px%3B+display%3A+block%3B+text-align%3A+center%3B+cursor%3A+pointer%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp3.blogger.com%2F_MqWWGq5iBWE%2FSGgkMykK9qI%2FAAAAAAAABjE%2FnSXkSzfrtMw%2Fs320%2FDSCN0211.jpg%22+alt%3D%22%22+id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217459970459236002%22+border%3D%220%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp2.blogger.com%2F_MqWWGq5iBWE%2FSGgkN42B1GI%2FAAAAAAAABjU%2FaiCpLg5DK_A%2Fs1600-h%2FDSCN0214.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin%3A+0px+auto+10px%3B+display%3A+block%3B+text-align%3A+center%3B+cursor%3A+pointer%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp2.blogger.com%2F_MqWWGq5iBWE%2FSGgkN42B1GI%2FAAAAAAAABjU%2FaiCpLg5DK_A%2Fs320%2FDSCN0214.jpg%22+alt%3D%22%22+id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217459989324616802%22+border%3D%220%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3ESince+the+maze+was+entirely+enclosed+in+the+boxes%2C+I+joked+with+the+Cubs+in+my+crew+that+it+was+probably+pretty+scary.+%22Do+you+think+there+are+pirate+ghosts+in+that+maze%3F%22+I+asked.+They+all+saw+right+through+that+one.+%22There%27s+no+such+thing+as+ghosts%21%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Well+maybe+they+made+a+tiger+pit%2C%22+I+suggested.+I+had+to+explain+that+a+tiger+pit+is+a+deep+hole+in+the+ground+with+a+tiger+in+it%2C+and+it%27s+covered+up+so+that+you+can%27t+see+it.+One+step+on+the+covering+and+%22Aaah%21+Rrrrowr%21+Aaaaaaah%21+Rrrroooooooooooooowr%21%22+A+few+of+them+looked+skeptical%2C+but+a+few+looked+a+bit+nervous%2C+too.+I%27m+so+bad.+Needless+to+say%2C+there+were+neither+pirate+ghosts+nor+tiger+pits+in+the+maze.+Pity.%0D%0A%0D%0AAfter+the+maze%2C+the+Cubs+had+to+cross+the+water+hazard+going+back+in+the+other+direction%2C+but+this+time+using+a+rope+web+to+climb+on+instead+of+a+plank.+This+section+was+probably+the+most+challenging+for+the+Cubs%2C+and+several+feet+got+wet+from+my+Crew.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp1.blogger.com%2F_MqWWGq5iBWE%2FSGgkNTWehGI%2FAAAAAAAABjM%2F7JAca4lbw2o%2Fs1600-h%2FDSCN0212.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin%3A+0px+auto+10px%3B+display%3A+block%3B+text-align%3A+center%3B+cursor%3A+pointer%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp1.blogger.com%2F_MqWWGq5iBWE%2FSGgkNTWehGI%2FAAAAAAAABjM%2F7JAca4lbw2o%2Fs320%2FDSCN0212.jpg%22+alt%3D%22%22+id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217459979260167266%22+border%3D%220%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3ESo+the+obstacle+course+was+fun%2C+but+the+real+jewel+of+the+night+was+sword+making.+The+basics+of+the+sword+was+a+32%22+%28or+so%29+piece+of+1%2F2%22+PVC%2C+a+3%22+long+piece+of+%22swimming+noodle%22+on+one+end%2C+and+a+24%22+piece+of+noodle+on+the+other+end.+The+noodle+pieces+had+to+be+sliced+in+order+to+get+them+on+the+PVC%2C+and+then+taped+laterally+so+as+to+hold+the+slit+noodle+together.+Oh%2C+and+each+noodle+piece+extended+at+least+1%22+beyond+the+PVC+so+that+you+could+stab+with+the+noodle+and+not+hurt+anyone+with+the+PVC.+The+staff+also+had+colored+duct+tape+so+the+Cubs+could+make+their+swords+all+bee-youtiful.+Arr%21%0D%0A%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp3.blogger.com%2F_MqWWGq5iBWE%2FSGglk9oy0zI%2FAAAAAAAABjc%2FvYDppzKhrVA%2Fs1600-h%2FDSCN0221.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin%3A+0px+auto+10px%3B+display%3A+block%3B+text-align%3A+center%3B+cursor%3A+pointer%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp3.blogger.com%2F_MqWWGq5iBWE%2FSGglk9oy0zI%2FAAAAAAAABjc%2FvYDppzKhrVA%2Fs320%2FDSCN0221.jpg%22+alt%3D%22%22+id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217461485259903794%22+border%3D%220%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp1.blogger.com%2F_MqWWGq5iBWE%2FSGgllVg-wCI%2FAAAAAAAABjk%2Fv_E2EB-ktrc%2Fs1600-h%2FDSCN0222.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin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+and+slashing+aplenty--one+boy+in+particular+was+rather...enthusiastic+and+had+to+be+warned+%3Ci%3Eseveral+times%3C%2Fi%3E+that+this+was+not+a+%3Ci%3Ereal%3C%2Fi%3E+battle+and+that+he+needed+to+tone+it+down.+One+of+the+rules+that+was+strictly+enforced+was+no+head+shots.+I+think+the+boys+did+rather+well+at+policing+each+other+on+that+one.%0D%0AAfter+all+the+Cubs+had+made+their+swords%2C+the+staff+announced+that+there+was+a+bit+more+raw+material%2C+and+if+any+ s+wanted+to+make+a+sword+they+were+welcome+to+do+so.+I+had+my+PVC+and+noodle+pieces+before+he+finished+his+proclamation%21+Five+minutes+later%2C+I+was+out+thumping+my+Crew.%0D%0A%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp1.blogger.com%2F_MqWWGq5iBWE%2FSGglmFb7DOI%2FAAAAAAAABj0%2FN9v4dQToMV4%2Fs1600-h%2FDSCN0224.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin%3A+0px+auto+10px%3B+display%3A+block%3B+text-align%3A+center%3B+cursor%3A+pointer%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbp1.blogger.com%2F_MqWWGq5iBWE%2FSGglmFb7DOI%2FAAAAAAAABj0%2FN9v4dQToMV4%2Fs320%2FDSCN0224.jpg%22+alt%3D%22%22+id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217461504533269730%22+border%3D%220%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%0D%0AAfter+a+minute+or+so%2C+time+slowed+measurably.+I+saw+20+heads+of+20+mini+pirate+swashbuckler+wannabes+turn+to+gaze+at+me%2C+the+pirate+captain+with+a+parrot+on+his+shoulder.+%22Get+the+bird%21%22+they+yelled.+Oh+no.+%22Retreat%21%22+called+my+brain.+% +before+dishonor%21%22+cried+my+spirit.+For+the+first+5+minutes%2C+my+sprit+won.%0D%0A%0D%0AI+hacked%2C+I+slashed%2C+I+stabbed%2C+I+poked%2C+I+spun%2C+I+dodged%2C+and+I+whirled.+I+might+as+well+have+been+in+the+Matrix+for+the+acrobatics+I+was+pulling%2C+battling+these+pint-sized+piranha.+Then%2C+my+legs+remembered+that+they+ran+two+miles+at+lunch+time%2C+about+45+seconds+per+mile+faster+than+I%27m+used+to.+And+the+velcro+closure+on+my+chest+harness+that+kept+Polly+perched+pertly+on+my+shoulder+decided+to+pop.+I+called+a+time+out+%28which+only+kept+%3Ci%3Ehalf%3C%2Fi%3E+of+the+boys+from+bopping+me%21%29+while+I+fixed+the+strap.+And+gasped+for+breath.+Thirty+more+seconds+of+Cub+cutting+and+boy+bashing+and+I%27d+had+it.+I+tossed+the+sword+to+a+nearby+dad+who+had%2C+until+then%2C+been+a+spectator.+%22Tag%21+You%27re+it%2C%22+I+gasped.+Fortunately+for+the+boys%2C+he+brandished+the+sword%2C+gave+a+mighty+pirate+%22Aaaargh%21%22+and+waded+into+the+fray.%0D%0A%0D%0AAbout+5+minutes+later%2C+two+more+ s+joined+in+and+the+boys+split+ranks+to+deal+with+the+new+foes.+The+ %27s+swords+were+passed+from+hand+to+hand+pretty+frequently...but+that+just+meant+more+dads+could+join+in+the...fun%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22text-align%3A+center%3B%22%3E%3Cobject+id%3D%22BLOG_video-5704650cf23850a5%22+class%3D%22BLOG_video_class%22+contentid%3D%225704650cf23850a5%22+width%3D%22320%22+height%3D%22266%22%3E%3C%2Fobject%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22text-align%3A+left%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Fdiv%3E%3C%2Fdiv%3EIt+was+a+really+fantastic+night.+The+organization+and+level+of+planning+that+went+into+this+is+evident%3B+there+are+some+fantastic+Cub+leaders+around+my+city.+I+can%27t+wait+for+Wednesday+night%21