SCOUTS GATHER IN TEST OF SKILL : OUTDOOR GROUP CALLS IN TROOPS.Byline: Gloria Gonzales Daily News Staff Writer From knot-tying to fire-starting, Boy Scouts from throughout Ventura County showed off their skills Saturday at the 1997 Scout-O-Rama. ``We use square-lashings, clove hitch clove hitch see miller's suture tie. knots and bowline knots on the handrails,'' said Anders Yarbrough of Westlake Village, describing knots used to build a rope ``Monkey Bridge Noun 1. monkey bridge - a high narrow platform above a deck or in an engine room or boiler room platform - a raised horizontal surface; "the speaker mounted the platform" 2. .'' ``You can make this bridge out of wood and rope. It's convenient if you have to get across a stream or a canyon.'' Yarbrough's troop, No. 75, built the bridge Friday afternoon. ``It's structurally sound and very strong,'' he said, as he watched other Scouts line up to teeter across the 50-foot span. ``Last year, we had some 250-pound guys cross. They were more scared than we were, because we knew how strong we built it.'' Nearby, other troops displayed handmade hand·made adj. Made or prepared by hand rather than by machine. handmade Adjective made by hand, not by machine Adj. 1. tepees, a large scale fire-starting apparatus, signal towers and archery archery, sport of shooting with bow and arrow, an important military and hunting skill before the introduction of gunpowder. England's Charles II fostered archery as sport, establishing in 1673 the world's oldest continuous archery tournament, the Ancient Scorton ranges. About 5,000 Scouts and their family members were expected to visit the Scout-O-Rama on Saturday, held in a lot off Santa Rosa Santa Rosa, city, Argentina Santa Rosa, city (1991 pop. 80,629), capital of La Pampa prov., central Argentina. It is a modern city and road junction surrounded by a rich agricultural and cattle-raising area. Road in Camarillo. ``This is the only day when we bring together troops from all over the council,'' said David Graska, the leader of the Ventura County Council of the Boy Scouts of America Noun 1. Boy Scouts of America - a corporation that operates through a national council that charters local councils all over the United States; the purpose is character building and citizenship training . ``The troops can have a fun day and put their Scouting scouting: see Boy Scouts; Girl Scouts. scouting Activities of various national and worldwide organizations for youth aimed at developing character, citizenship, and individual skills. Scouting began when Robert S. skills on display.'' Troop 257's large-scale replica of a friction fire-starting device attracted crowds early Saturday. ``We used two different types of wood. The pole is made of oak, a hard wood, and the bottom piece is a softer wood,'' said Lance Kistler, leader of the Camarillo troop. ``The two should rub against each other a create friction and, eventually, fire.'' Scouts lashed a long rope around the 6-foot high pole and pulled back and forth to rotate the pole, rubbing rubbing, v creating friction and heat by drawing the hands across the body at varying speeds, rhythms, and depths. Benefits include muscle elongation, tension release, and increased flexibility. it against the bottom piece of wood. ``Is this good enough to win a prize?'' asked 11-year-old Derek Martinez, holding a charred mass of matted grass out for Kistler's inspection. ``No, it's not burned yet,'' Kistler told him. ``The bird's nest - a nest of dried grass - goes underneath the pole, and should start on fire if the system is working.'' Scouts from Troop 257 went back to giving heave-ho to the rope, hoping for a spark. More than 80 area troops displayed their skills and raised funds through food booths at the event, Graska said. Children and teen-agers interested in Scouting should call the Ventura County Council of the Boy Scouts of America at (805) 482-8938 for information about troops in their area. |
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