Pack 508 boys, leaders and parents had a fantastic time at the Saints Baseball game at Midway Stadium last night.  We navigated through the tailgaters for a parking spot, easily secured our tickets at the box office and found our spots in left field. 

We bought peanuts and crackerjacks (even some $5.00 snow cones, what?) and hoped we never came back.  Each inning break featured a skit on the field including peculiar races, singing contests and of course Star Wars characters. One of my favorites was the "sports nerd" cheerleader who had many of the adults belly laughing.  The game lasted about 2 hours and 45 minutes so there was plenty of time to do some exploring in the park. The Saints won the game 4-0 defeating the Air Hogs and the crowd cleared.

At this point, we were just getting settled in and were ready for some REAL fun. 

At 10:00 P.M. we, along with about 150 other Scouts, were invited to set up our tents in the outfield of the park and scurried to get our homes for the night set up.  Some boys helped with set up, some boys ran free like the wind.  Both were OK.

There was something missing, though.  Something not quite right about this camping trip. What was it? I'll tell you, it was a complete void of mosquitoes.  They weren't there.  Boys were lounging shirtless on their sleeping bags or blankets on the grass at 10:30 P.M. in the dark completely unimpeded by the vampires of the North.    

Just as we were completing setup, that familiar sound blasted over the stadium loudspeaker.  That special music that bonds generations together.  Bom...Bom, Bom, Bom.  Sure enough (and to our surprise, was supposed to be ROTJ from '83) the original 1977 Star Wars film was right there before our very eyes up on the stadium scoreboard.  Some boys watched intently while others continued to run free as the wind through the soft grassy outfield.  After lots of fellowship, the movie concluded at 12:10 A.M. and I knew I had experienced the best first ten minutes of my birthday ever in 42 years. 

Things got really quiet at 12:30 A.M. as the Scouters drifted to sleep...until...the TRAINS came!  They had been busy all evening running on one Minnesota's most active tracks about 15 feet behind the outfield wall.  Cheering fans, loudspeakers, the sound of traffic and chatter tend to drown out the sound but at night when all the other sounds have slumbered away the trains still make clock.  We experienced on and off heavy rumbling throughout the night but managed to sleep anyway. 

The action commenced again at 6:30 A.M. as campers awoke for the porta-potty dash and subsequent camp breakdown.  After a little visiting, we were all packed up and on our way by about 7:45 A.M.  I was one of the last campers on site and observed that no wrappers, bottles or garbage were present on the pristine field. Scouters came in droves and left no trace.  

It was a fantastic experience the likes of which I have never experienced before.  I would rate the event a 10/10.  

If you did not attend, be sure to ask the leaders, parents and boys about their experience.  I am certain that we had Pack 508 adult members with several hundred tent camping nights under their belts exposed to very new things at this event. 

Thanks all and be sure to keep your eye out for other interesting and unique experiences available to the boy Scouter, your Staff would be happy to lead them to more superb events like this one.

Brad Field

Pack 508 BALOO/Activities Chair