Bull Run Shooting/ Camp Snyder OutingJan 21-22, 2012
The 6:30 am departure time got pushed back to 9:00 am because of ice on the early morning roads. I can’t say that I was disappointed—it allowed me to get some extra sleep on a Saturday morning! Due to the schedule change, our Troop went straight from the church to the Bull Run Shooting Center. Upon arriving, the Troop signed in and we all braved the cold while listening to our safety instructor, who explained in his British accent how to treat weapons and why we should not point them at other scouts. After the brief lesson the older scouts headed up to the Wobbler Course. The wobbler was a clay pigeon thrower that shot each new clay at a different location and trajectory than the previous clay. Each shooter got five shots at each of the five stations. After several barn-burning rounds we tallied up the scores. Drew D. won first place with 44 out of 50. I myself got a 40 and tied with Charles S. for second place. After the shooting our Troop headed to Camp Snyder in Haymarket and we set up camp. The camp had raised platforms to put our tents on, which made sleeping a lot more comfortable. That night the Dragons Patrol, consisting of only myself and Daniel R., made some absolutely dope Dutch Oven burgers which we balanced with Utz chips and Oreos. Don’t worry about our health—we included lettuce and ketchup on our burgers for vegetables! That night Daniel and I stayed up late to complete our Scoutmaster Conferences, so the Sunday morning 7:00 am wake-up was tough. I had to leave camp early to get back for an SAT Prep Class, but former Dragon Patrol member John S. (the SPL and newest Eagle Scout) helped Daniel cook up a chocolate chip pancake and bacon breakfast. This outing had all the elements that made it a good one for me–a reasonable start time, a close-by location, and a fun and challenging activity. I hope the Troop goes back next year. Submittedby Kyle D. – Dragon Patrol
