May 28, 2021

Annual Bike Trip Cancelled Due to Inclement Weather

Dear Scout Families,

​We have been watching the weather very carefully. With discussions with the Troop Committee Chair, Scoutmaster and Honcho, we have decided to cancel the Family Bike Trip this weekend. It’s a hard call to make. We are all disappointed. Here are some of the factors that weighed on the decision:

• This is a family Bike Trip with the objectives of introducing new families and scouts to our troop and biking the rail trail.
• The forecast is indicating temperatures in the 50’s with >90% rain all day Sunday through Monday (actually gale warnings have been posted for the coastal waters) which would risk having our bike trip at all. Wet road surface and brakes are not that efficient.  
• Rain and cold are risks for hypothermia (we all expect to be in shorts in May over memorial day. 50’s in rain and wet gear are not a good combination when you can’t get inside – see COVID below.
• COVID-19 risk factors in place would have made this even more difficult: we can only have one scout to a tent; and with the Camp Greenough building is closed,  there would be no place to congregate, cook or just change into dry clothes.
• If this was a scout only trip (during non-COVID times) we most likely would proceed – but this is our annual family trip.
• Starting off strong as a group but having people leave; I’m confident we could have assembled and set up tomorrow and learned about sharks but some families might make their own decisions to leave due to the heavy rain, wind and cold expected and lack of opportunity to talk to others. It may lead to slow attrition.
• We are working on alternative dates and times with a most likely June trip and will have more information on this shortly.  Thanks for your understanding and sorry to disappoint. But a good lesson in scouting is being prepared but also situationally aware and knowing the risks

Regards,
Mr. Duggan