Cycling Merit Badge, Done

So this past weekend, Troop 1010 finished the Cycling Merit Badge.

Unfortunately, I did not get to go on their 22-mile bike ride with them. And fat as I am, I was really looking forward to it. But due to some unexpected bike breakdowns, I got to do only about 3 miles before I handed my bike over to Michelle so she could finish the ride with her girls.

I felt bad, not being able to fix Michelle’s bike, which has a bent rim, and Isaac’s bike, which we brought as a backup. One of his pedals fell off. They are both cheap Walmart bikes, so the question is now do we bother to repair them, or do we put that repair money into getting bike shop bikes that’ll last a while, and be good while they last? The latter is what I favor. But we’ll see where we go, now that Cycling is done and winter approacheth. I may begin moving bikes into the shed for the season, and then worry about it when Christmas rolls around. Michelle may want a new bike. Jury’s out on Isaac. We’ll see.

Pity is the 22-miler they did on the Ashton Rails to Trails, going from Felt to Grainville. Crossing two rather impressive trestle bridges and getting to see a lot of fall foliage. I was looking forward to that. But Liam and I had a good time in the support vehicle, tooling along the roads to meet up with the group, which made excellent time. There was one moment when we thought Bri and Lexie weren’t going to finish; Bri has athsma and Lexie’s back has been hurting her. But they kept each other going through the last seven or so miles, and I think they both felt pretty proud that they’d finished.

The night before we stayed in Felt with Cheryl Seidelmann, camping out on her property. We had lots of rain that night and into the morning, with wind gusts that at 3 am I’m pretty sure were in the 40 mph range. Rather unsettling to sleep in, particularly in a tent that was creaking like an old unanchored swingset. But we all made it through. Heidi, our newest Scout, did not come on the ride with us, and I don’t blame her, after that unsettling night. But she did make it the night through, which was awesome. I think it was the wind and rain that convinced her and her Dad to go home.

And it was probably a good thing, as the emergency backup bike was dragooned into operation before we’d gone 100 yards. We tried to fix Michelle’s rubbing rear brakes, but we final determined the rim was bent, so no matter what we did, the brake was going to be dragging. And then at about Mile Three, the emergency backup bike lost a pedal, putting it out of action. So I loaned Michelle my bike for the rest of the trip, as I explained earlier.

But the good news is this: Of the seven girls we began with merit badge with, five finished it this weekend. Hannah had to bow out, due to shoulder surgery, and Sam decided since she’d already earned the Swimming merit badge, cycling wasn’t necessary (which it isn’t in her case for Eagle).

Me? This is the third time I’ve done this merit badge, though technically I’ve only earned it once. Second round, I was released as Scoutmaster before we could do the 50-miler, and since I couldn’t do the 22-miler, not this round either, though I suppose I could go 22 miles elsewhere and say I did it. I’ve done more Scouting as an adult than I did as a Scout, so I’m hoping we’re giving these girls a good program. I’m hoping we hear from them today, as we put in more time for our Citizenship in the Community merit badge, that they enjoyed their weekend. Just wish I’d been able to go with them.