The adults were for once not outnumbered on a T648 outing, as 3 scouts and an equivalent number of adult leaders left SWC church right on schedule for their run to the border – the Nevada border. In a sign of the times, the Subway where we planned to stop and eat in Wickenburg was closed due to staffing issues. Alternative? Chubby’s Cheesesteaks. After consuming the nuclear submarine sized sandwiches, we said so long to Chubby from Philly, and rolled ourselves out the door, back on our way.
Upon arrival after 10PM, Mr Benyi declared ‘that’s the farthest I’ve ever driven to sleep in 87-degree temps’ but light sprinkles as we set up proceeded to mitigate it a bit. Boulder City receives 5 inches of rain per year, and we received more than our fair share of it this weekend, with a second glorious 10-minute thundershower before breakfast. The bikes momentarily removed from the trailer were tossed back in and a hastily erected ezup was our port in the brief storm. A Black Jack game broke out under the cover, we were but a stone’s throw from Vegas after all. After a third 2-minute shower after noon, it then appeared to be done for the day – and maybe the rest of the year!
As on most outings, there were useful scout skills developed – this one introduced the aforementioned speed ezup construction. There was also the delicate art of starting a Coleman stove with a blowtorch, as well as protecting camp from roadrunners in search of Dutch oven breakfast leftovers. We finished up scout school later in the day with first aid requirements for road rash from a bike mishap, followed up by the knowledge that Terrible Herbst 76 stores can get you just about anything you need that is missing from your first aid kit, short of a bone saw (those likely are special order).
We started Saturday morning post shower with a bike ride of 14 miles round trip from our Boulder Beach campsite to Hoover Dam. The trail was along the historical railroad route wending its way through mountain tunnels from Boulder City to the site of the dam. Amazing amounts of materials were needed in Black Canyon, and the railroad was constantly used to haul such things as the 4.4 million cubic yards of concrete needed for the dam and power plant. That amount would be enough to pave a 3,000-mile road – one that would stretch completely across the US.
Saturday afternoon was spent in the water and under a partially submerged ezup on Boulder Beach. Can you say dozin’ in the bay? With the three short sprinkles, the temps generally stayed south of 90 degrees, and with spectacular dinners, a glorious sunset and a crackling fire, it was agreed that a fine time was had by all.
69!! Degrees (yeah baby!) greeted us Sunday morning, and some home-bound motivated scouts had us again out on the highway by 7:30AM for a pre-noon arrival back at the church.