|
|
||
|
Scouts test their skills From mountain boarding to shotgun shooting, Scouts have plenty of exciting activities to take part in at the jamboree Date published: 8/3/2010
BY JEFF BRANSCOME
Fourteen-year-old Sasha Patton rolled down a hill on what looked like a skateboard with large wheels. It almost appeared that he was surfing as he made several sharp turns with his knees bent and his arms held out to the side. After finishing his ride, Sasha grabbed his mountain board and ran back up the hillside at Fort A.P. Hill in Caroline County for another go. "Yeah dude, it's so fun," said Sasha, who is from Ormond Beach, Fla. "I wish they had mountains in Florida. I'd do this every day." Sasha is one of thousands of Scouts at the National Scout Jamboree who have taken advantage of the event's mountain boarding station, which was introduced at the 2005 jamboree. Some Scouts have waited up to two hours to try it, even though the activity doesn't count toward a merit badge, volunteer Mike Hardebeck said. "I've been waiting for this forever," Sasha said. The 10-day jamboree ends tomorrow. Scouts interested in earning merit badges have plenty of options, including archery, electronics and even plumbing. But the jamboree has several other activities just for fun, including scuba diving and shooting ranges. In mountain boarding, Scouts have a choice between a beginner's hill or a steeper slope. If they fall--and many do--a volunteer asks them to give a thumbs-up. Thirteen-year-old Scout Joseph Hall of Amarillo, Texas, fell face-first on the advanced hill, but he popped right back to his feet. On his next ride, he opted for the beginner's hill. "I hurt my arm a little bit, but not bad," Joseph said. "It was fun until I crashed." Participants wear helmets, gloves and pads on their knees and arms while riding their mountain boards, which have 8-inch wheels. All had to listen to a safety presentation first. Today, Olympic snowboarder Shaun White is expected to visit the mountain boarding station from 10 a.m. until noon. And one of the volunteers, Emily Smith-Zurawski, is the No. 2 female mountain boarder in the country. "I've got my team working four-hour shifts, and I can't get her off the hill," Hardebeck said of Smith-Zuraw-ski.
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
|
|
|||||||||
