A Conversation for Camp Guyasuta, Boy Scouts of America

Peer Review: A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 1

HG Gustwinger

Entry: BSA Camp Guyasuta - A87900816
Author: HG Gustwinger - U15002740

Let me know if there is any edits or ideas you have on how to make it more descriptive or punch it up. Thanks!


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 2

Bluebottle

A very enjoyable entry, thank you for sending it in.

Sounds bigger than my local Scout Camp, which had fields, trees and an awful lot of mud: http://www.corfcamp.org/
There were a couple of references I didn't get, such as 'COPE' – I'm guessing that is some sort of 'Go Ape' climbing thing? Also, what is STEM? I'm used to STEM Courses standing for Science Technology Engineering & Maths but I'm not sure that applies in this context. Similarly I don't know what ROTC is?smiley - huh

Otherwise a very impressive first contribution to the Guide! You've not written much on your homepage to date, but I assume that's somewhere you've enjoyed spending time at?

<BB<


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 3

SashaQ - happysad

This is a really informative Entry - thank you indeed for writing about it for us smiley - biggrin

There's a scout field near me, too - it is also mostly grass, trees, and mud but there is a pavilion with good facilities. The site isn't half as well equipped as this one, though, so I'm very impressed smiley - ok

I'm pleased to read about how accessible the activities are, too smiley - biggrin I'm disabled myself, so that is really helpful information smiley - ok

"For those who are wheelchair bound " - a better way of putting that would be to say "For those who use wheelchairs"

Otherwise, I think this article is very descriptive and punchy, so you have done well smiley - ok


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 4

Dmitri Gheorgheni, Post Editor

Hi! smiley - smiley This is, indeed, well-written and informative. smiley - ok

Perhaps you could mention the origin of the name Guyasuta? I had to look him up. Guyasuta was an 18th-century Seneca leader who lived in the area. He was a personal friend of George Washington's, and uncle to the more famous Seneca leader Cornplanter.

Picture of statue of Guyasuta with George Washington in Pittsburgh, up on Mt Washington:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PointofViewSculpturePittsburgh.jpg

I don't know if you want to put all that info in or not, since your focus is on using the park. But a mention of the reason for choosing a Native American name might add 'punch'. smiley - winkeye


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 5

Bluebottle

Also discussed here: F22152747?thread=8318925

<BB<


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 6

HG Gustwinger

Thank you! I should probably elaborate on the abbreviations. COPE is just the Boy Scout title for a challenge course. I will fix that.

Also, I don't have to much on there because I haven't gotten to that yet haha I had another profile on here but lost my login info and could not get back into it, so I created a new account to actually post from. I've been lurking since back when the BBC hosted the site, but this is my first actual contribution. I am currently working on more. smiley - smiley


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 7

HG Gustwinger

And yes, I have spent a lot of time there, both growing up and working the previous two years on the COPE course staff. It is a great place to be.


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 8

HG Gustwinger

Thanks! I might add a bit of a blurb into the entry about that. I am kicking around the idea of writing on some of the prominent Native America leaders of the area and locations either named for them or that feature their stories-there are a great many of them, each with an intriguing story of their own.


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 9

HG Gustwinger

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed that. One of the videos I send along to [email protected] was of my friend Willy who came to the camp as a participant and then joined our staff. The video is of him riding the Big Zipline, our first person to ever ride it who uses a wheelchair. I really appreciate the terminology clarification, I want to make sure I am being sensitive to others and not ignorant in any way. Thank you!


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 10

HG Gustwinger

Alright everyone, I believe I have implemented the edits your recommended. Is there anything else you think it could need?


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 11

SashaQ - happysad

Excellent - you've made great improvements there smiley - ok

That's very impressive about the accessibility of the ziplines smiley - ok I've been on a small-ish zipline once, but it wasn't adapted so it could have been quite dangerous... I managed to hold on, but I would have enjoyed it more if it had been less painful for my legs...

That Power Pole sounds like a challenge indeed - seems incredible to me that someone could do 1 pull up after that, never mind 34!

smiley - orib You've done a good job of describing the activities, but I just wondered what "Every element is belayed by trained ropes course staff." means.


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 12

HG Gustwinger

Thanks!

Belay systems are the most common climbing used around the world. If you climbing with an outfitter or to a place with a rock wall, you will them in use. They are also called "Top Rope" systems in some places. This is a climbing system where you are in a climbing harness and have a rope hooked into the climbing loop of the harness by a carabiner. The rope then runs to the top of the wall or element where it pass through an anchor on the top-it is kind of like a pulley, but it doesn't move-and then back down to the ground to the person who is belaying you. On their end the rope passes through a belaying device such as a figure eight or grigri as well as a carabiner that is attached to them, back through the device. The system allows one to climb while the belayer takes the slack out of the rope by pulling the excess through the device keeping the rope taunt. This way if a climber falls, they don't fall very far at all, maybe 1 foot at the most due to using dynamic rope when climbing, and then they can continue on. A belay system provides for safety and security, especially if a climber is unsure or feels unsafe, because the belayer can take every bit of slack out of the rope and make it very taunt. Conversely, if a climber feels that it is too tight and they need a bit of slack to allow them to maneuver the way they need to, the belayer can also do this. The other benefit is the belayer can always lower the climber down, and while this is the normal way to lower someone down from the top of a rock wall or element, it can also be handy if they become to scared to move on their own or injured to a point where they cannot get themselves down (i.e. unconscious).

Belay systems are also used by emergency groups all over the world where climbing or lowering someone down is involved. I hope that helps smiley - smiley


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 13

SashaQ - happysad

Ah! smiley - eureka I know the system indeed, as I've seen it in action (I've not done any climbing wall climbing myself, but a disabled friend of mine has, and the belayer made sure he was safe at all times smiley - ok)

When I read the word, I thought of Captain Picard saying "Belay that order" but I suspect the two usages are related...

Thank you smiley - biggrin


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 14

Dmitri Gheorgheni, Post Editor

A belaying pin is a feature on sailing ships. I know this from reading all those nautical novels...


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 15

bobstafford

Belay means to secure, stop or tie down, ask a climber on a rock face smiley - smiley


pictures
https://www.google.fr/search?q=belaying+pin&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiJytvPrIzYAhVXOMAKHSY0CxcQsAQIOw&biw=1600&bih=807


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 16

Florida Sailor All is well with the world

In nautical speak, 'Avast' means to stop, Belay means to 'secure' (tie off). A small difference but it takes more time to untie a rope before you can start pulling it again. I think in climbing 'belay is more just a round turn rather than the knot that is used in sailing.The purpose of using a pin is that it can be pulled from the rail, releasing the knot almost instantly.
smiley - pirate

F smiley - dolphin S


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 17

bobstafford

Good explanationsmiley - cheers


A87900816 - BSA Camp Guyasuta

Post 18

HG Gustwinger

That's all pretty cool!

Is there anything else I need to do before this can exit the peer review process and become an edited entry?


Congratulations - Your Entry has been Recommended for the Edited Guide!

Post 19

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Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

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Congratulations - Your Entry has been Recommended for the Edited Guide!

Post 20

SashaQ - happysad

Congratulations! smiley - bubblysmiley - biggrin

Very exciting - this Entry is going to look awesome in the Edited Guide with pictures and video smiley - applausesmiley - biggrin


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