Troop 80 Looking for Lost Pines and Texas History? It’s A Capitol Idea!

Early bird Troop hand dolly trailer roll,
Food box, backpack loading goal.
Off we go into the wild blue yonder,
Which exit in Austin? Drivers ponder.
Waxahachie, Waco, Temple, Georgetown,
Four hour drive and eat lunch in town.
Setting up tables, sandwich displays,
Bullock Museum Parking Lot, no delays.
Chill is wearing off, bright sunny day,
Shirt sleeves, good attitudes, “Hey!”
Mr. Sliva challenges discovery walk,
“Statue of Liberty” is first thing to stalk.
Turns out it is a miniature, given by BSA,
In 1951, “Fidelity” is in Capitol to stay.
Capitol dome rises up, red granite, tall
Beats D.C., but #2 to Cajuns, beat us all.
We learn 830,000 Texans served WWII,
Fought in a many Confederate battles too.
Gettysburg, Chickamauga & Galveston Bay,
From Richmond to Appomattox, call it a day.
Messenger (Thermopylae) signaled defeat,
But Alamo had none, died on their feet.
Two Kerrs, Two Kings, Two Johnsons died,
Texans met Santa Anna later, army spied.

 San Jacinto avenged Alamo, Texas freedom;
Sam Houston captures Santa Anna & then some.
Combined with Stephen F. Austin’s settler defense,
Solidified Texas spirit which would stay intense.

Governors of Texas, portraits up rotunda wall,
Taking each new floor to display them all.
Senate “Yes, No, Abstain, Speaker” choices,
Filibuster repeats/off topic? Stop, opposition rejoices.
Onward to Lost Pines Scout Reservation,
Untouched by Bastrop fires, consternation.
Ranger’s Assistant is well aware of drought,
“No rains yet, just showers,” lake level doubt.

 Camping on bed of pine needles, sundown.
Soon lots of Dutch Oven coals on ground.
Everything from Cobbler to Lasagna waits,
While the Mr. Withers taste test hesitates.
Flaming Arrows banana pudding was surprise,
Raiders and Viking stew excellent, no disguise.
Finally Blue Ghosts get fire ratio right, “Ready!”
Lasagna with salad, French bread, forks steady.
End night with a joke telling marathon,
Interrupted with dance contest on lawn.
Stillman/Jones & Champion/Sliva high step;
Parade of Scouts act & tell jokes, little prep.

 Lights out & cold night settles in, starry skies,
Hunkered down in sleeping bags, toasty guys.
Still night but moon was an early wake up call,
Out of tents, warm up, eat fast, break camp, y’all.
Peter keeps Troop in line, gets the jobs done,
Sweeping latrines & trash removal not much fun.
Knots reversed, kitchen flies/tents taken down;
Walk 100 yards to Lake Bastrop, nobody around.
Chapel, logs by the lake shore, reeds and sunrise.
Service “On the Shoulders of Giants,” disguise.
Sing “Help!” and “Day By Day,” and “River of Life,”
Q & A about benefits of mentors, Dads, less strife.
We load up, on to Elgin for BBQ reservation,
Order, grab and run, no more consternation.
While Luke and Drew, .25 mechanical crane,
Persistence pays off, stuffed toy bragging pain.
While elsewhere, lots of Scouts dog Scoutmaster,
It’s a Citizenship in Nation blue card signing disaster!
Chase asks poor Mr. Withers at door of Men’s Room,
Figuring he could sign it anywhere not good to assume!

 Leaving Elgin, head back to Big D by new Toll Road,
Glad that we have two trailers to carry the heavy load.
Thankful for drivers Mueller and Withers, turning skill.
Lots of shoulders, hand dolly, parking not a bitter pill.
Tired from hours on the road, we face the Metroplex,
Wiser about what is Texas, maintains it, not so complex.
We feel more confident, facing the cold and winning,
Thinking about our Troop 80 good times & grinning.
Trip Jones, Asst.Scoutmaster
January 15, 2012