Brian's First Ever BSA Camporee

That's me on the right on my knees.  This would have been in the fall of 1983.  I was a Tenderfoot Scout at the time, after having attended Mount Norris Scout Reservation the summer before. I remember the names of most of the Scouts and adults in the picture with me, but not the Webelos Scouts or their leader at the back left.

My fondest memory of this first camporee was the Order of the Arrow tap out ceremony Saturday night.

In those days I aspired to have an external frame pack.  I remember my first one - which I had on this trip and had packed to the gills - was a blaze orange garage sale find.  I took that pack on my first 50-miler in June of 1984 before upgrading to the Eastern Mountain Sports pack that adorns my wall today as a decoration.

In the background you can see what I lusted after as a Scout - a Eureka tent with the optional vestibule.  These are the tents my troop took on all the backpacking trips.  Not very good by today's standard, but pretty posh then.