Well, Jambo sure is over.

Alright, Looks like this blog post will be filling in for all the blog posts I missed upcoming to closing day, so bear with me.

At the closing arena show, we were given information on the whereabouts of the next National Jamboree. It will be held at what is called "The Summit" in West Virginia, made possible by a generous (i believe) 2 million dollar donation.

The last day of Jambo isn't really much to brag about. Most of it was taking down the camp and about 3 hours of round-about time (in which I used to get my Duty to God segment that goes around the Jambo patch)

The day of departure, around 3:00 AM I was woken up to lightning and the notice that our camp was being evacuated due to severe storms. With this, we all lost all hope to sleeping except for me, as I managed to smuggle in my sleeping bag and pillow.

With the bus ride, I was forced to board RJs bus in Maryland due to the 513 bus's radiator overheating. Funny thing, We had our AC break down on to way to Virginia, and on the way to Connecticut our radiator overheats. We all guess its some curse that was bestowed on 513.

Anyways, I got to sit with RJ back to Connecticut, where we had waited around 45 minutes for the 513 bus to show up. While everyone said their goodbyes, I headed home with 527s scoutmaster (we happen to be in the same troop) Richard Davis and Jamboree was over.

Following up after Jamboree, My dad spent the day getting everything organized and cleaned. We have about 100 CDs which we have a thousand or so pictures of the Jamboree, so if you would like one please post on this blog.

I would like to thank everyone who attended the Jamboree for making everything awesome. Im hoping i'll stay in touch with some of you and i'll see you in 2013!

Now, 2 things I'd like to clear up. One, I have a blog post I was going to finish but some troopmates demanded we browse youtube, so i'm going to attempt to finish that tonight.. Just dont mind the post date.

Also, we have a 513 video of SPL Ryan Kellher and a troopmate Doug imitating some people on the radio. This was the day of arrival to Fort A.P. Hill, and since I (somehow) managed to log into RJ's National Jamboree youtube account without a password, i'll go ahead and post that

My birthday is on the 13th of August, incase anyone really cares

Goodbye 2010 National Jamboree, Hello 2013 National Jamboree!

-Michael

Post-Jambo

Sorry about the picture from the last post...for some reason it wouldn't post for me.

Anyway, this is my last blog post. We arrived at Rentschler about 45 minutes before everyone else, and within an hour, almost everyone was gone. The Jamboree was over!

I enjoyed the Jamboree, but I am happy to be home. I have posted a video below that is a condensed version of the Jamboree. It's about 5 minutes, but you can still enjoy it.

Thanks to all who commented from home, and to all the scouts who were in the blog. I enjoyed interviewing scouts and then writing it up for parents. 

So, in conclusion: Thank you to all who contributed to the blog, and be sure to watch the video below. And...Troop 527 scouts: you sang "Don't Stop Believin'" at the campsite. So take that title and this whole experience, and Don't Stop Believing! You never know how much that can help you in the future.

The Video is at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtAhjNFyh5Y

-RJ

En Route à la Maison (On the Way Home)

So much was going on this week, I forgot to announce some of the biggest news of the week. For some reason, I am remembering it now on the bus!

First and foremost, Senior Patrol Leader Paul Van Steenbergen had his Eagle Scout Board of Review while down here, and he passed. Van Steenbergen completed all the requirements for Eagle Scout, including his Eagle Project, and was able to get his Scoutmaster Conference done before he arrived. His Board took place here at the Jamboree, and it was announced that night that Paul was the troops newest Eagle Scout.

Below, Paul, minutes after his Board, meets the world's oldest living Eagle Scout. How amazing that in the centennial celebration, the Newest Eagle Scout would meet the Oldest!

That's about it. Like I said, I'll post again after I get home. It's been great blogging for you, and I hope you enjoyed the jamboree, even if it was just reading about it!

Yours in Scouting

-RJ

The End is Here

Our last day at Fort A P Hill has arrived, and far too soon! Over the past week the 44,000 attending scouts have participated in countless events. Last night, I posted a blog about what all the scouts thought of the Jamboree. Today, we will be packing everything away, unless it is vital to the scouts for tonight or tomorrow. We are packing most of the cooking gear away, wrapping up and breaking down the picnic tables, and even packing away the tents. Tonight we sleep under the stars and over our cots.

Tomorrow we will wake up, pack everything into the bus, get on the bus, and leave. I will write a post while in the two hour bus line. Yes, two hours of just...sitting on the bus. There are so many people leaving at once, it's just one long line.

I will pull out my laptop and post on the bus, and then I'll post one more time after I get back.  Until then...!

-RJ

Last Full Day at A. P. Hill

Well, the end is here, and the epilogue is beginning.

Over the past 10 days, Michael and I have been describing the events going on at Fort A. P. Hill. He has been doing the articles, and although I haven't been able to send any up to the Bulletin yet, he has been on top of that, like I have taken care of the Blog.

And what we have blogged and written has been:

"It was awesome. Truly life changing." -Thomas Cook, Troop Quartermaster

"It was filled with many new and some old experiences that made life different for me." -Andrew Van Steenbergen, Border Patrol

"Rosse Gates just made an awesome patch trade! If you put your mind to it and make a plan, you can get so much accomplished." -Rosse Gates, Border Patrol

"The food was good. The 5K was great. The activities were fun. My favorite part was trading patches and the arena shows!" -Nate Chapin, IDK Patrol

"It was pretty exciting and fun. I got some pretty neat patches, the action centers are pretty cool, and at Brownsea Island, I saw some birds close up." -Chris Chapin, IDK Patrol

"I think it was really fun and was well worth the price. There were lots of things to do...Definitely coming back in 2013!" -Nate Kinsman, Border Patrol Quartermaster

"It was great. I enjoyed the experience." -Evan Vrabel, Border Patrol

"It's been an amazing experience to be at Jambo. It's great to meet new people from around the country and world. Hopefully coming back in 2013." -Stephen Phenicie, Blazing Brigadier Patrol

"The Jamboree was magnificent. To meet kids froom around the world and country shows a camaraderie between us; it brings us together as Boy Scouts." -Jake Jendrzejczyk, Assistant Border Patrol Leader

"I enjoyed rappelling off a helicopter skid. Pioneering was cool because they used lashings to make everything there." -Wilson Nickel, Border Patrol Leader

"I enjoyed leading a rebel of misfits, but I can't help but love them, like brothers!" -Nick Kinsman, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader

"For an adult to come in as an leader, having not been a scout myself as a youth, I am just overwhelmed, gratefully overwhelmed at the amount of scout spirit and patch trading and the arena shows! I fell in love with the Boy Scout Program. I brought my two sons through it, and my daughter as well when she could join Venturing. This Jamboree is the pinnacle of Scouting. We can only hope that these scouts will become future leaders." -Mr. Dick Davis, Scoutmaster

I think that explains it, but just in case:

"WE ALL HAD A GREAT TIME!" -Troop 527

-RJ

Todays events

Note that this blog post was a draft that I attempted to finish during jambo, but was almost impossible at the time, So i'm gonna go ahead and finish it up with what I remember.

Hey guys, Michael here. Once again I really haven't been updating the blog but RJ has been covering for me so its all good. I'm aware that some of you are reading as I was told so I would like to thank you for taking time to read me and RJ's stories from the 2010 National Jamboree.

Today, I went down with my troopmate Dillion down to TechQuest, a really cool exhibit held by staff and a booth by Michigan Tech. The highlights of TechQuest was a car with two big wheels on the back and two really small wheels on the front (sorry I just REALLY dont know what its called), The Michigan Technical booth and the Lego station. This car I'm horribly attempting to describe is probably one of the coolest attractions availible at TechQuest. After a lot of fooling around on it I discovered the Lego station, and it brought out the 5 year old in me. While messing around with the station for a bit, we finally found the Michigan Tech. station, with some cool stuff like Ooblek.

Ooblek is a Non-Newtonian fluid that gets denser equal to the amount of pressure you apply. In other words, If you we're to put your hand in slowly, it would be like water, but If you hit it with a wrecking ball at full force, the wrecking ball wouldnt pass through. I made some of this stuff in 6th grade, and boy is it cool (Its corn starch + water). Anyways, back on subject, they had a rectangular platform you could either run across or sink in then try to run in, but miserably fail. Other then Ooblek, they also had Dragons breath, AKA Graham crackers soaked in liquid nitrogen. What it does is it makes your breath become visible while eating it or letting it sit in your mouth.

While rushing back to camp, we saw some stuff such as a Avatar patch set and some more Denver car patches, got back late, and then I was stuck in camp for the rest of the day.

Jamboree is nearing its conclusion, so i'll just have to make the best of it. Michael out!

-Michael

Arena Show!!!

The lack of blog post yesterday can be described in two words: Arena Show. Last night, 80,000 scouts, leaders, and visitors attended the 2010 National Scout Jamboree Arena Show, one of the most amazing performances I have ever seen.

At 7:40, the pre-show events ended, and a countdown to the show appeared above the audience on a large screen. The audience began a loud and exciting countdown when only 30 seconds remained. When the 10 second mark was reached, the screen faded and everything suddenly seemed to get quiet. Yet, right on time, eight large tower roofs exploded in flame, fireworks shot up, and the crowd cheered, and the show began.

This centennial arena show was essentially a speech, a few videos and announcements, and a Switchfoot Concert all rolled into a single three hour spectacular. One of the first events was a twenty minute talk with Mike Rowe, the host of the popular TV Series, Dirty Jobs. He talked about his first Boy Scout experience. When Rowe was younger, he was shy, and so his dad took him to his first scout meeting and Rowe found himself lying on the ground with a bloody nose within the first two minutes. He had been hit by a bag of rags in the feet which had knocked him over. Even though his first experience at Boy Scouts had been a disaster, he returned, and grew out of his shell. Later in life, he became a TV Show host, and even suggested last night that a Dirty Jobs Merit Badge be considered.

Later, an official announcement regarding the 2013 National Scout Jamboree was released, stating that it would take place at BSA’s newly-acquired High-Adventure Center, The Summit. The show continued with a performance by Honor Society. The group also sang the National Anthem earlier in the show.

The show began its dramatic conclusion with several songs by Switchfoot. At its end, Chief Scout Executive Bob Mazzuca announced that the bon fire would be lit, and its flames traveled from scout to scout through candles. All at once, Mazzuca ordered that every scout put out his candle, and so they did.  A spectacular fireworks show began, and we did not get back to our campsite until nearly midnight. It was an amazing night!

Today, my dad and I walked around and did some patch trading. We saw some of the Buckskin Games Exhibits, and ended the day with an ice cream stop.

It has been a great Jamboree, and I can’t believe it's almost over! Tomorrow is our last full day, and Tuesday is a half-day. Wednesday, we leave at 6:00 AM! See the Norwich Bulletin for some new articles that will hopefully be coming out soon.

 

-RJ