One of my favorite scenes in the newest Winnie the Pooh movie is when all of the friends (except piglet) is at the bottom of the Bacson trap and piglet has just cut their only rope into six pieces "so they can all get out." From there is a wonderful dialog using such lines as: "Can you knot?" "I cannot knot." "Oh, so you can knot." "Knot what?/Not what?" "It's all for not." The whole movie is delightful and well done for both children and adult audiences.
I bring this up because I was up late this week finishing this:
It was a lot of work figuring out which knots, how to arrange them, tying them in ways that shows how they are tied, and mounting them on the board. It is far from perfect but I hope the Cub Scouts that I meet with will find it useful. I used nylon para-cord and it work out alright. I used hot glue to attach the ropes and screws for the dowels (for the hitches). I remember learning many of these knots when I was young. I always had problems with the taut-line hitch down. Still can't most of the time, but then I always liked two half hitches better.
I actually learned a number of these knots when I was eight. The year that we turned eight my father would take us on a backpacking trip. I remember feeling a little gypped because Dad took me along on with a whole troop of scouts. We went to Gabe's Bathtub, and the scouts tried to do some fishing, but there was nothing biting. We debated whether there was anything in the puddle. When we didn't catch anything we went over to Blue Lake, which was just down the road a small ways.
Blue lake had lot better fishing (not that I had a pole to use, but the scouts appreciated it.) I found this picture and remember standing on the edge of the small overhang at the bottom looking out at the lake. The water level was a little lower than the picture shows because there was more of a path to the rock in the middle of the late. The scouts wanted to go out to the rock, and I thought it would be neat too, so I followed them. Unfortunately, on my way getting out there I got lost in reeds that reached over my head and mud that almost completely covered my shoes and feet. It was the most lost and helpless situation I have ever known. I was quite upset and started to cry. Luckily, one of the leaders saw me, (I'm sure my mother at home could hear me) and guided me out. Dad got me cleaned up and calm down. The rest of the afternoon he taught me boy scout knots including: the sheet bend, bowline, square knot, two half-hitches, and the lark's head. I felt elated as I knew knots that boys four years my senior were supposed to know.
Dad and I have bonded over many knots since then. We've used them for camping, hiking, and climbing. I remember flipping through his copy of The Ashley Book of Knots. We enjoy trying new knots and have often spent time together, each with a length of para-cord in our hands trying to learn new knots. It's a pleasant way to pass the time.
I bring this up because I was up late this week finishing this:
It was a lot of work figuring out which knots, how to arrange them, tying them in ways that shows how they are tied, and mounting them on the board. It is far from perfect but I hope the Cub Scouts that I meet with will find it useful. I used nylon para-cord and it work out alright. I used hot glue to attach the ropes and screws for the dowels (for the hitches). I remember learning many of these knots when I was young. I always had problems with the taut-line hitch down. Still can't most of the time, but then I always liked two half hitches better.
I actually learned a number of these knots when I was eight. The year that we turned eight my father would take us on a backpacking trip. I remember feeling a little gypped because Dad took me along on with a whole troop of scouts. We went to Gabe's Bathtub, and the scouts tried to do some fishing, but there was nothing biting. We debated whether there was anything in the puddle. When we didn't catch anything we went over to Blue Lake, which was just down the road a small ways.
Dad and I have bonded over many knots since then. We've used them for camping, hiking, and climbing. I remember flipping through his copy of The Ashley Book of Knots. We enjoy trying new knots and have often spent time together, each with a length of para-cord in our hands trying to learn new knots. It's a pleasant way to pass the time.
No comments:
Post a Comment