Cub Scout Campout – NomadSmucks

The campout started Friday evening. Here are Carrie and Chris after we setup camp and were waiting for the pack campfire activities to begin.

The next morning we spotted this Steller’s Jay in the campground.

The whole pack went for a hike through the Academy grounds. This view shows the cemetery and B-52 display beyond. The campsite was in the trees on the right. The relatively recent urban sprawl from Colorado Springs fills the land to the north and east of the Academy.

Now facing the other direction, you can see Pikes Peak peeking above the foothills. In years past Carol and Dave would hike into the mountains through a pass on the right.

A little further along the path I noticed some cactus. This isn’t a particularly interesting shot, but while I was taking this picture Chris was falling onto a similar plant further up the trail.

And here he is getting the spines pulled from his hands. 🙁

As you can see, he was suffering no ill effects when we returned to camp.

Later in the day we went to see the falcons used as mascots for the Air Force Academy. The keep about a dozen, with some performing at the football stadium while others go around the country on recruiting trips.

Here is a closeup of the same falcon with his hood off.