December Campout – Cycling at Brazos Bend

The December Family Campout at Brazos Bend State Park is this coming weekend, December 7-9.

This will be a “Family Campout” meaning that the entire family is invited (sorry, no pets). Although this is a “family campout”, ALL Scouts in the troop are encouraged to attend even if other family members can’t attend. Siblings are welcome on the campout but all non-Scout youth must be accompanied by an adult. The Scouts will be camping in patrols in their own area and the families will camp together in a separate section of the youth group area campsites. This will give siblings a chance to see what “Boy Scout camping” is all about and should be a lot of fun for everyone.

The plan is to meet at New Hope Lutheran Church at 6:00 PM, December 7 and leave from there to Brazos Bend State Park by 6:30.

Biking
The main activity will be biking through the trails at the State Park. This activity is optional but everyone is welcome to participate. If you plan on biking with us, please check out your bikes before the campout weekend for flats or any other mechanical problems so that you don’t have to try to fix your bike out on the trail. Per BSA policy, all cyclists (including adults) must wear helmets while riding. There will be no exceptions to this policy so if you want to ride, please come prepared. If we have enough adult participation to allow for multiple groups, we will plan for a short ride and a long ride so that the younger ones (and young at heart) don’t have to try to keep up with those who might want to ride a further distance than everyone else.

Other Activities
Brazos Bend State Park is the home of the George Observatory so we will have the opportunity to do some stargazing depending on the visibility. Amateur astronomers are usually lined up outside the observatory on Saturday nights and are always happy to let you view through their telescopes and answer questions. For $5, you can take the tour and view the sky through the observatory’s dome telescope. Other activities at the park include hiking, fishing, geocaching, and lots more.

Tents
The Scouts will be using troop tents in the patrol area but the troop does not have enough tents to provide for the entire family so we are expecting that families will bring their own tents for camping. If you don’t have your own tent, please let us know so that we can arrange to find a tent.

Directions to BBSP: http://www.brazosbend.org/parkinfo/directions.shtml
From NHLC, go South on Murphy Rd.
Turn left on Hwy 6,
Turn right at FM 521
Turn right at FM 1462
Turn right at FM 762
Turn right into Brazos Bend State Park

Brazos Bend State Park info – http://www.brazosbend.org/

BBSP Map – http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/park_maps/pwd_mp_p4504_110l.pdf

BBSP Trail Map – http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/park_maps/pwd_mp_p4504_0110w.pdf

George Observatory – http://www.hmns.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=107&Itemid=115