Boy Scouts pursue coveted award one step at a time

While many kids spent their winter break sleeping late and playing with new toys, the members of Boy Scout Troop 9212 were busy logging miles.

"They are hiking 51.4 miles to earn a $2.50 (50-Miler Award) patch," said Don Lauer, Chartered Organization Representative for the troop, which is based at Palmetto Land Baptist Church in Summerville. "But it's one of the best patches they'll ever earn."

At least one other troop locally also is planning a 50-miler over the break, according to the Coastal Carolina Council of Boy Scouts of America.

The 14 boys in Troop 9212, ages 11 to 14, and seven adults, left at 6 a.m. Monday for the trek that took them a little more than the full length of the Swamp Fox leg of the Palmetto Trail, which covers four different ecosystems in the Francis Marion National Forest.

"I told them when we started, their friends are at home on their couches playing their newest video games while they are hiking through the woods carrying 30-pound packs," Lauer said.

They started at the trailhead near U.S. Highway 17 in Awendaw and hope to end just before dusk today at Camp Moultrie, the Scout camp on the banks of Lake Moultrie, where they will celebrate their success with a dip in the lake followed by pizza, soft drinks, hot showers and a campfire. Parents are scheduled to arrive at noon Saturday.

"We will finish Friday if we have to do it at a crawl," Lauer said.

During the week, they earned merit badges for orienteering, camping, backpacking, woodcarving, astronomy and geocaching. They also completed conservation projects.

"It's been good but sometimes annoying," said senior patrol leader Jared Preston, 12.

He said one of the best lessons he learned is to make sure to carry moleskin to treat blisters.

"I haven't had to use it, but a lot of other guys have gotten blisters," he said. Blisters, chafing and sore muscles have been the worst injuries.

The boys carried their own packs, cooked their own meals, and set up and took down their tents and hammocks each day.

"They could have gone to Winter Camp at (Boy Scout Camp) Ho Non Wah, but our boys decided to look for more adventure," said Scoutmaster Rob Lewis. Although camping in December could be chilly, he said it's better than the humidity and mosquitoes of Lowcountry summers.

Their toughest day, Tuesday, they slogged 15.5 miles in rain, wind and cold.

Their easiest day was Wednesday, when they covered 5 miles, bringing them to the 30-mile mark, and spent the afternoon on merit badges and free time before being joined by their families for a fried-chicken dinner.

"There has been a lot of sucking up pain," Lauer said. "Each of the boys has grown along the way, regardless of their experience. There have been some who complained every step of the way, but they did it. It's been really neat watching them dig deep."

The boys worked in two-man teams, pushing each other along when necessary.

Preparation

Troop leaders, support crew and parents have been planning the trip for about a year.

"It's one thing to plan a trip for the troop to hike 50 miles," Lauer said. "But you also have to have adults that can get the time off to go on the trip and who can hike 50 miles. A lot of work was done preparing before we put that first foot on the ground."

Lauer and Lewis spent several weekends this fall camping along the trail to make sure it was suitable.

Most of the chaperons are long-time Scouts and/or military veterans. They have GPS-enabled watches and phones juiced by solar chargers.

Their 77-page trip plan includes contingencies and emergency information. Rangers, emergency workers and the support crew have copies.

Leaders update a Facebook page regularly. Lauer's wife, Danylle Lauer, was the communication between her husband and the boys' parents.

The hike is a warm-up for the troop's plans to tackle a portion of the Appalachian Trail in June.

Active troop

The pack, which is for boys in first through fifth grade, has been around four years. The troop, for older boys, is nearly 3 years old. The two together have about 100 boys, Lauer said. They are very active and have strong parental support.

"Our bylaws say the troop will do 15 nights and one weeklong camp each year," Lauer said. "We spent 53 nights on the ground in 2011."

During the Boy Scouts' annual popcorn sale, they sold $64,000 worth of products.

Earlier this month, they collected 6,000 items for Toys for Tots, food for 250 needy families and provided Christmas gifts for 30 foster children, logging about 400 hours in community service projects. Some of the boys helped deliver toys at 6 a.m. Christmas morning.

"Even with all we do, when we asked the boys at the end of the year how we can improve next year, many of them said, 'Be more active,'" Lewis said.

Reach Brenda Rindge at 937-5713 or on Facebook.