Every year the week before Summer Camp, Troop 496 embarks on a long, but fun journey. Scouts strap on their backpacks, lace up their shoes, and hit the road. The first day is hard, but it doesn't compare to the second. We sleep each night in tents that we pitched that we also carried on our backs. The next morning we wave goodbye to our hosts and start on another 13 or 14 mile journey. About mid-day we break for lunch, which we also carried on our backs. After lunch we're back on the road until we reach our next night's sleeping area. There we, pop blisters (even the best hikers get blisters,) set up our tents, cook dehydrated dinner, and then go to bed.This continues for six days until we stop in Uniontown, which is 22 miles from Camp Heritage (Greater Pittsburgh Council's Summer Camp.) Then the seventh day, we wake up two hours early, we load our backpacks in the truck, and we take off, flashlights in hand. As dawn begins to shine her newest rays of day upon the Earth, we are beginning the 2000 ft+ ascent up "The Summit." Near the top we stop for breakfast. Then we clear the peak, head down the montain, and continue on to Camp Heritage.
