2021 cannot come fast enough

We are hunkering down during the holiday season and going as many outing as we can. This is still different from our tradition of ski/snowboarding in Lake Tahoe, visiting theme parks. But this will do until things are stable again.

With Max joining Troop 805, I got a chance to see how a performing troop opererates. I am copying their outing agenda and use it for Renee's troop.

We went to Brushy Peak in Livermore, a park that we learned about through another family in Renee's troop.

Max actually wanted to go to Lake Chabot. I heard it wrong nad took everyone to Lake Del Valle! In a hindsight, this is much better place due to its awesome view and much smaller crowd in the park.

I came to this exact site during the summer a couple of times, eating my food, listening to the podcast, and trying to make sense of what is happenning.

Christmas day feels a bit different without all the friends and fan fare around opening gifts. But Renee and Max still got a kick out of the gift opening.

We visited our very old stomping ground, Castle Rock.

Here is another old trail that we used to visit, from South Gate of Mount Diablo to the Rock City. Max had a picture with his buddy, Ben, who was "taking it all in".

It took them a while to get a hange of climbing up. Renee's persistence pervailed in the end.

We reachout out to the family ground with whom we go on the Christmas trip almost every year. We visited a park and hiked together for three hours.

Waiting for 2021

November, especially after the presidential election, feels that we are just holding our breath and waiting for 2021. With better understanding of the COVID-19, we are venturing out more while keepnig the necessary precautions. It is great that hand sanitizer is not out of stock anymore. We use it on regularly during the day. The mask is widely available too and we were able to get the ones that are with good quality.

Renee organized a troop hiking where each scout hikes on her own with the family but check in at specific points where we set up. The weather was really cool, switching between sunny and foggy.

Max' troop did food collection event as part of the annual scouting for food drive.

Renee lost her very last baby tooth! This is the moment when we treasurish every day with Renee and Max before they decide to go out on their own and take on the world.

We discovered this cool park where kids can ride around and do jumps on the bike. Max is still getting a hang of it.

We have continued our family hiking and picture taking.

We are kicking off backpacking training. This is the first time for the troop to get together. Everyone was nervous and stay with the family. On day 2 and day 3, however, the scouts are more comfortable talking to each other. We let them walk ahead. They are pretty good at keeping the mast on and stay enough distance from each other.

The scouts learned how to use JetBoil and cook the backpack food.

Scouting in Shelt-in Period

It goes without saying that this shelter-in period thing is weird for everybody. It is pretty much the opposite of why I have encouraged the kids to join scouting and do my best to support them as well as the organization. It goes without saying that everyone recognize it. With everyone still not sure about gathering, we are trying to do something outside the house while stay connected with the group.

The district arranged a virtual Camporee. While it is not nearly as fun as last year's two-night events, where our troop learned a lot about what it means to be a Scouts BSA troop, this year Renee and Max took it together to be with the program.

Renee signed up for First Aid Merit Badge. As part of the requirement, she needs to demonstrate and teach some first aid skills.

Max' troop 805 has better adult support to do something. On this day, they arranged a bike ride where the scouts can ride with the parents to a trail and compete for time.