Jamboree 11 days down

Finally, I have two seconds to think.  We have traveled at a rigorous pace since we left home on July 16th.  It is amazing to see 12 busloads of 41 boys/leaders plus 6 extras-- LeSueurs, Hogles and photographers--minus the 11 bus drivers all travel without any (OK a few) problems.  When you do the math our group numbered about 500 people.  We have traversed through:  Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington D.C. and Virginia. The Boston group caught up with us in New York City. The boys are camping at Fort A.P. Hill and I am here at the hotel in Doswell and this room is not much better than the campsites at the Jamboree.  We really were spoiled while in Washington D.C. because we stayed at a luxurious hotel  for three nights.  One man asked me if the boys were working on their resort merit badge.  Ha!  We all needed the calm before the storm.

Speaking of storms, we had a huge tornadolike storm blow through D.C. on Sunday afternoon.  Most of the boys were in museums or on their buses when it hit.  Monty and I were on the beltway driving up to the Temple and the neighboring church building.  We were preparing to stage a shuttle from the Metro for 6 LDS boys and a leader from a Traditional troop who wanted to attend church services.  Their buses and schedule did not allow a way for them to get there without missing half the day.  We had to make two trips from a Metro stop to get them to the church and we made it!!  The forces of nature worked against us.  The storm knocked out power to all of the traffic lights and our first choice for Metro stop.  Trees were blown over all along the way.  The boys had to take two different metro trains and the second one was delayed because of the storm.  The determination of this group to get to church was a bold reminder of where we should be on Sundays.

Here is a brief breakdown of where we have been and what we have done the last 11 days:

Cleveland-
The boys visited the Kirtland Temple as a group and then each troop made the rounds to all of the sites.  We were still adjusting to the time change and one another.  Most kids were flying high; however, there were a few forlorn faces in the crowd.  So many of the boys were with people they did not really even know at all.  (It is now amazing to see them all blended together laughing and having fun together as if they had been friends forever.  Just another reason for having this Jamboree experience.)
I helped Bromley, my nephew, with a cake for his birthday during breakfast.  (Monty went on his first Jamboree with T.C. the week that Bromley was born. My how time flies.)
Palmyra-
Later that afternoon after seeing the Kirtland sites, the boys rode on the bus to the Palmyra area where we enjoyed a nice dinner at a hotel near the Erie Canal.  We went to the Hill Cumorah Pageant that night.  Of course the presentation was great, but I found the parking lot experience was surreal.  We had protesters yelling and screaming out at the street and Mormon Tabernacle choir music on the loud speakers. I think many of the boys noticed too.  We attended the last night of the Pageant and then witnessed the miracle of the blue chairs afterwards.  The boys pitched in and helped pick up the three big truck loads of chairs.  Wow!
Palmyra-
We attended church first thing in the morning and then the groups cycled through all of the sights including:  The Grove, Grandin Museum, Hill Cumorah and the Smith Family Farm sites.  I saw one or two shortlived moments of homesickness.  (We have had very few problems.) I also witnessed many boys deep in thought and pondering what was happening to them and how they were feeling on this trip.  Yes!
We ended the day at the Peter Whitmer Farm and then ate dinner at a hotel close by in Waterloo.  (It was next door to a Wal Mart and the Scoutmasters were very happy about that. Just so you know, we the leaders, get up at 5:30 a.m. and go to bed after midnight if we are lucky.  The boys are supposed to be in bed by 10:00 p.m. if we are lucky.  Hopefully they are finally getting the message whether they like it or not. The people on the buses can catch a nap or two along the way.  Those of us in the cars do the best that we can to keep up.)
New York City here we come-
First we needed to let the boys know that it is time to calm down, listen to their leaders and be obedient.  Every bus received a stern talking to by Brother Hogle.  He knows how to make them mind and if need be put the fear of going home out to them if they did not conform.  It worked and we saw marked improvement in how each group functioned loading and unloading the bus, moving through their activities and bonding as individual groups. Remember that this is normal and all part of  the Jamboree experience.
Cooperstown-
I actually went in to see the museum and I really enjoyed it.  I had been there before about 12 years ago. The lovely town and museum are well worth the visit.  Monty slept in the car at the far parking lot.  Afterwards we received box lunches that included sparkling water.  Do you know what happens when you combine warm sparkling water and boy scouts?  Kapow--explosions everywhere including me!!  Oh well it cooled us off and cleaned our clothes.
New York City-
ARRRRGgh!!  Rush hour in the big apple was crazy.  We tried to get a few things bought for our grandkids and then headed back to NJ to our hotel.  The boys straggled in through the evening and now have a better understanding of city life.  They turned in their dirty laundry and went to bed.
New York City-
We rode one of the buses into the city and then went our own direction.  The boys went to the Intrepid, Empire State Building, Times Square and other NYC sites. I took a cab to see the Guggenheim Museum, The City of New York Museum, the Central Park Conservatory Garden and then I walked over to meet the boys on the west side of the park.  Initially I could not find the group and I laughed to think that here I was in Central Park with no money and no phone.  I asked a man sitting at a park bench to make a phone call for me. I was just over the trees away from the lunch site and in no time reunited with my husband and many friends.  In the afternoon we went to the UN Building with one of the groups.  (The vibes from that place were mixed.  Many conversations and opinions took place amongst the leaders later that evening.)
The laundry was returned but we had chaos amongst the ranks.  Their were many, many items missing.  The people who did not mark their clothes as instructed were hit hard.  We had many "Law and Order" moments as leaders searched bags and matched up clothes to boys.  Amazingly, most of the lost items were flushed out from their own bags.  I have carted around a lost and found bag ever since and it is dwindling.  Sadly, there are a few shirts and pants missing and we will deal with trying to replace them tomorrow.
The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island-
We rode the ferry boat around the harbor and never did get off as we looked for and found leaders to give out information.  We have been the follow up people picking up the pieces literally and figuratively.  The boys had a great time and are learning about humidity.
Valley Forge-
Each bus had a step on guide.  After waving in the last bus, I went and watched the movie while Monty slept in the car.  By about 4:00 p.m. when I returned to the car, Monty said he had slept awhile and then had answered phone calls.  "Who called?" I asked. 
His reply, "President Huber." (Our former stake president who calls everyone for their birthdays.)
My reply tinged with regret and a quick kiss, "Happy birthday dear.  I am so sorry I forgot until now!!" 
So for his 55th birthday he celebrated with boy scouts.
We all went to Old Country Buffet for dinner and the boys had a relatively calm evening after a long day.  We ran leaders around to Wal Mart, etc. and had a typically hectic evening after a long day.
Philadelphia-
The boys and buses went off to join guides for a walking tour of the  Philadelphia historic district including:  The Constitution Center, Liberty Bell, Independence Hall etc.  We picked up my brother Kent from Troop 2016 and ditched out to get a Philly Cheese Steak from famous Geno's.  Yum!! It was really good.  Kent took back 3 sandwiches to his other leaders.  Geno's is across the street from Pat's Philly Cheese Steak.  Geno's is the home of freedom frys and signs that say, "You are in America.  Order in English."
Many of the groups stopped at the Art Museum on the way out of town to make a run up the Rocky steps.  It is funny to think that many of the leaders were in junior high, the same ages as their boys, when Rocky was big.  The boys did not really understand what was happening but the leaders had a great time.
Amish Country-
Oh what a feast we enjoyed at the Amish restaurant, Plain and Fancy, located at Bird-In-Hand.  This was a terrific day!!
Gettysburg-
There is a new visitor's center at the battlefield and the movie and cyclorama presentations were touching and emotional.  The boys had step on guides to see the battlefield.  We picked up a prescription and drove back to the previous night's hotel to pick up a lost camera.  We also found a hat and a T-shirt--more items for my lost and found.  I spent the lunch hour cycling about 6 troops, 250 people, through General Pickett's a small buffet restaurant.  The food was great and the staff was accustomed to large groups and we all worked well together. Once again we all worked together for an orchestrated effort to make it happen without anyone waiting for long in the heat.
Fort McHenry-
We joined some of the groups that went to see Fort McHenry while the others went on to Arlington.  This Baltimore sight is worn and tired.  We sat in a small hot room to watch an old movie about the events that occurred here.  It looked like they were building a new center to upgrade the experience.  We did witness some of our boys help take down the flag.
Washington D.C.-
After two hours of driving on the freeway to cover about 40 miles, we arrived at the Westin Arlington.  AH!!  Monty and I finally had two seconds to have dinner together at P.F. Changs without kids.  It was HOT out today!!!
Washington D.C.-
We missed Arlington, but all of the groups went for the wreath laying either yesterday or this morning. Monty drove Fuji's wife to the airport.  I rode the Metro to see the Smithsonian Natural History Museum and then met Troop 2022 to visit the National Archives, eat lunch at the Reagan Building food court, Holocaust Museum, Ford's Theater (great nap during the presentation) and then return to the Smithsonian Muesum of American History. Monty met me there and we rode with that group to dinner.  We left them to finish dinner while we rode back to the hotel on the Metro and then we walked across the street to eat a hamburger.
Mount Vernon-
We had a non denominational church service on the lawn of Mount Vernon with all of the groups.  Afterwards we saw the house and a few of the sights.  It is interesting to see that some kids want to see everything and others could care less about the site.  We just try to walk a time balance and keep everyone happy.  Mount Vernon was providing lunches for the groups and there was a time mix up.  Monty and I staged the 12 groups to hand out lunches without having a mob scene.  We sent each group to it's own corner and then systematically ran them through the lunch line then outside.  We group by troop number and or color and it makes it easy.  
LDS Temple and church service-
The power was out so they could not go into the Visitor Center. You can scroll to the top to read about our adventure on Sunday.  The service was very nice and included an amazing musical number from boys from Troop 2008.  I rode to the hotel with Troop 2016 and Monty and LeSueurs shuttled our 7 extra people.
Capitol Building-
We missed out because we were setting up for the Jamboree entrance.
Ruther Glen truck stop-
To enter the Jamboree efficiently, the group of buses and the 3 trucks with their gear--which was loaded two weeks ago and shipped by rail--needed to travel together from this point.  The sweetest little ladies at the truck stop had prepared 500 lunches and we all handed them out in an orderly fashion.  The boys each had a restroom stop and then we sent them back to their buses to wait at the back end of the parking lot until time to go.  Once again we had to stage the event to keep the kids from running crazy.  Everyone listened and was very cooperative.  Wow, what a difference 11 days can make.  The groups said good bye to their bus drivers from cleveland.  I think they were all sad to see each other go.  The drivers always say that these boys are the best groups they have ever driven for.
Jamboree set up-
Twelve new campsites are up and running at Fort A.P. Hill.  All seems to be going well.  Glitches are expected and we are grateful that the weather has been cooler today.  I am here at my campsite/hotel and we will run back and forth everyday to help with problems.  Scott and Terri LeSueur are staying in the Jamboree site and will deal with that end of things. (They are in charge of everything and have worked hard for years to put it together.  We have taken turns handing out food and running the groups.  We are all hot and tired.)  Monty has gone to Wal mart for misc. items and then on to the jamboree to make deliveries and check on things.  He will be back later to day.

FYI
(Each troop has four adults who each have specific responsibilities, four older boys known as green bar who have corresponding responsibilities and four patrols of eight boys.  Each group is a total of 40 people so it makes it easy if everyone does his job.  They each have a number and a color: 
2005 safety orange,
2006 navy blue,
2007 royal blue,
2008 forest green,
2013 irish green,
2014 yellow,
2015 burnt orange,
2016 red,
2017 purple,
2022 brown,
2023 maroon,
2024 tan
Their bags and patches are those colors so it is easy to see where they are and who they are.  Each person has a troop number and a personal number within that group 1 to 40 which they use to mark their belongings with. 
Each group also has their own themed patch and gateway.
The four adult leaders with each group need to receive credit for ALL of THE HARD WORK with the boys.  They are all terrific!!  We have been so very impressed.
That is it for now.  We have run non stop.  Please forgive my errors--I am brain dead.
Mary Ann