Troop 120 took a 78 mile canoe trip down the Current River to celebrate the end of a school year and the beginning of the summer season. The Scouts began their adventure at the Akers Ferry Crossing where they carefully pushed off the riverbank into the cold spring-fed water.
The first few hours were spent paddling in the gentle rain towards that nights camp spot. The Troop spent three dark moonless nights sleeping on gravel bars along the fast flowing river. After losing their griddle in an accident in a tight bend, the scouts improvised and used their dutch oven lid upside down to cook their pancakes and spam for breakfast for the rest of the trip over an open fire since the gas stove was also lost. This did not dampen anyone spirits as they toured the various caves and numerous springs along their river route.
A special treat was had on the last day when the troop beached their canoes in the city park in Van Buren and walked into town for a chocolate ice cream cone on the courthouse square.
They ended their trip at Brig Spring which is the largest spring in the United States.
The scouts who paddled the 78 miles were Kyle Brink, Cory Friedmeyer, Colton Foss, Gregory Schroeter and Nathan Pickering. The leaders who accompanied the scouts on the river trip were Eric and Simon Schroeter, Phillip Burger, Scott and Addison Jobe.
The scouts are now getting their gear ready for a week long summer camp in June at Camp Hohn located at the Lake of the Ozarks. Any young man who would like to join Troop 120, please come to a meeting held at Proctor Park every Monday at 7 p.m.