Camporee Gateway Bridge
Troop 149 scouts decided to build a gateway bridge at our campsite for the 2006 Sycamore District camporee. The initial idea and design started in the spring with some sketches at a weekly troop meeting. Then Mr. Pepe mocked up a small scale version so the boys could see what their initial concept looked like. From this they combined their thoughts and modified the design.
Mr. Twomey donated several spars for the project from small trees he cleared from his wooded lot. So after several meetings where the older youth taught the younger scouts their knots and lashings, the troop finally did a trial assembly at a troop meeting, and then a again at our August outing at Great Lakes Navel Training Center.
 | Original Concept & Design |
| Trial Assembly at Great Lakes |
| Final Assembly at 2006 Sycamore Camporee |
Original Concept & Design (top)
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Trial Assembly at Great Lakes (top)
We were blessed to be able to camp on base along the Lake Michigan shoreline at Great Lake Navel Training Center (The Quarterdeck of the Navy!). The scenic campsite at Seabee Park provided a perfect location for us to assemble the gateway on a campout prior to the camporee so we could practice the process and make any last minute adjustments to the design. We also decided to lash together a super tall flagpole to fly a giant American flag Mr. Pepe received from an anonymous donor at a previous camporee. The flag is huge, measuring about 5 feet tall!
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The boys decided to make some adjustments to the design:
| Tie the tripod lashings higher up on the base poles to raise the height of the cross bars |
| Lower the hand rails so it's easier for smaller Scouts to cross |
| Rotate the base units so the entrance into the campsite will be wider |
| Add a plastic tarp canopy across the length of the walkway |
Because they planned ahead and tested their design at troop meetings and at this campout, the boys were able to produce a final assembly design that they are all are excited about building at the camporee. The gateway assembly at the camporree should also go faster since everyone already knows exactly how it looks and what needs to be done.
Final Assembly at 2006 Sycamore Camporee (top)
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