Girl Scouts 100

[Captain_Slo]

Hi Everyone,

The Girl Scout centenary is coming up next year. To commemerate the event I'm organizing a through hike of the AT--like a relay with folks (girls and alums) from all parts of the country coming out to hike. (You can join the facebook group -- Eaglet Express )

Besides just a general 'heads up' to the community I wanted to see if anyone wanted to share some hiking stories -- especially AT/GS related ones --for the blog we're putting together (www.eaglet-express.blogspot.com)

Additionally, is there anyone who's brain I can pick about AT specifics?

Thanks,

Sam

[kizzybean]

Sam,

I'm a 50+ yo girl scout with fond memories of my scouting years. I am an AT section hiker and would love to sign up for a section when you get to that point in the process. I spent my summers at Maine's girl scout camp Natarswi which sit's looking up at Mt Katahdin across the lake. Presently Baxter park has grown to surround the camp and they have a wonderful relationship promoting outdoor activites for girls.

To this point I have completed just over 400 miles of the trail in hikes from one to 5 days at a time. I'd be happy to share what little information I have about the trail.

Kizzy

[Red Hat]

I did from GA to ME last year and would be glad to help any way I can.

[Captain_Slo]

Hi Kizzy and red hat!

Yes! I'd love it if you two could help me.

The way this is going to work: I'm going to thru hike, and we're going to meet up with groups along the way--like a relay. Right now i'm trying to put together reasonable sections that people can commit to. Red Hat, would you be willing to help me go through my draft itinerary? You know, since you've been there?

Kizzy, would you be interesting in telling me more about camp Natarswi? I'm filling up this blog with stories of our best kept secret--how AWESOME scouting is. (because, how could we loose when all you have to do is be yourself?)

sl

[Rifleman]

My fraternal grandmother, Marguerite Biehl, started (and Scoutmastered) the first Girl Scout Troop in Allentown PA in the late 1920s-early 1930s. She told me several times how her girls (and her) would sell Hershey candy to earn money for two weeks of summer camp. None of her Scouts ever was left home from summer camp for lack of funds. It was an independent troop and only affiliated with the national Girl Scout organization after several years of being on their own. To the end of her life she was quite proud (justifiably) of doing this service for the girls of Allentown, PA.
Who knows, perhaps somewhere there is a great-grandmother or two that still remember those summer camping trips in the woods outside of Allentown.

[Blissful]

I was also Girl Scout, completed the trail NOBO and will do so SOBO this spring.
I looked at your blog, let me know when it gets active and anything else. I also love speaking to groups, kids and adults, and have done so with BSA here as well as school groups. And I show pictures and my gear. You can e-mail me if you need help

[TunesKnits]

I'll have a group of Girl Scouts on the trail this summer. I would love it if they could count their section as part of the centennial hike. I'll check back in when the blog goes live.

Tunes

[Kermitt]

I would be glay to help in the northeast, & my daughter & grandaughter.

[BarFight]

I'm a former girl scout, thru-hiked in 2008. I went on my first backpacking trip with the girl scouts at Camp Farnsworth in Thetford VT when I about thirteen. We did a section of the Long Trail and met both thru-hikers and LT end to enders. I remember thinking that it would be cool to hike the whole long trail, but AT hikers were crazy (and they were all strange men with beards). One of my group leaders commented that she wanted to thru-hike, probably she was the one who first put it in my mind for years later. I laugh now remembering the talk we got about being veeeery quiet at night at the shelters ("People have been hiking all day and they are VERY TIRED, you will be SILENT", so true, I hated loud groups as a thru-hiker). I remember how thrilled other women backpackers were to see a group of girl scouts on the trail because they usually only saw the boy scouts out. Good memories all.

[BarFight]

I forgot to say I'd be happy to help any way I can with your project. I'm in Vermont.

[Namaste]

I love to hear about GS events like this. I was a leader for years when my girls were young and while I was taking my troop hiking other troops were off having their nails and hair done. I took six 8 yr old girls from DWG up to Sunfish Pond in the snow during Christmas break (this was their first AT hike). They trudged up, complained a bit, but had a great time. These girls are now 18 and still talk about that great adventure. That's just one of many great outings we had as Girl Scouts. I'd be happy to share more stories on the blog.

[Eaglet Express]

ok, eaglet-express.blogspot.com is live

[rhapsody98]

I'm impressed by all of you who say you're taking your Girl Scouts out on the trail. All my friends joined boy scouts, and learned all kinds of neat things like camp fires and knots, and which plants were edible, and whittling. I got excited and joined girl scouts, but all we did was paint rocks and interpretive dance. I got sick of it and quit after a year. I wish I'd've had your troop leaders!