![Back to Archives](/assets/static/back-to-archives-single-line.59be513.3f53ebb739c6533e30e0f92a75694b08.png)
![Back to Archives](/assets/static/back-to-archives-single-line-yellow.59be513.fe2b453217a2c0051fef18f74c4d0eb3.png)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953660/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/header-images/the-scout_header-img1_left.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953660/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/header-images/the-scout_header-img2_center.jpg)
![The Scout title image](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/the_scout.png)
I really loved scouting. We camped out, built fires, cooked outside, went snipe hunting, sang songs, and slept in tents. We hiked, we had knives and whittled. I carved a neckerchief slide that looked like a lobster. We learned to swear and how to piss and shit in the woods. We earned merit badges, learning lots in many different areas of skill and knowledge. You needed 21 merit badges to become an eagle scout, the highest rank. I achieved the feat by the time I was 13.
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953660/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/header-images/the-scout_header-img3_right.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_1.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_2.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_3.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_4.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_5.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_6.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_7.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_8.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_9.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_10.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_11.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_12.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_13.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_14.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_15.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_16.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_17.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_18.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_19.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_20.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_21.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_22.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_23.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_24.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_25.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/all-about-erik/image/upload/f_auto/v1592953198/Archives/09.%20The%20Scout/gallery/the-scout_gallery-img_26.jpg)