South Orange-Maplewood Cub Scout Pack 19
The boys in Cub Scout Pack 19 of Maplewood and South Orange achieved sub-orbital flight and hiked through the South Mountain Reservation on November 15.
Tensions were high around the launch pad, as early rocket launching successes were marred by a string of technical failures. With the Pack 19 space program at risk of cancellation, resourceful fathers Stanley Fogg and Shajal Miah jury-rigged electrical circuits with sufficient strength to ignite a string of successful launches. Michael Steiner overcame another set of challenges to enable the dramatic final launch of the afternoon. Despite the athletic efforts of several scouts, local trees captured a share of the rockets.
The intrepid group then headed into the wilds of the South Mountain Reservation for a two-mile hike. The loop trail included the two new bridges over South Orange Avenue, Hemlock Falls, views of the water tower in Newstead, and the picturesque Hillspur trail. The boys learned a thing or two about trail blazes, bringing sufficient water, and which parents might carry extra granola bars.
Upcoming activities for Pack 19 include an overnight at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden and an annual camping trip to Fairview Lake.
