This council organized an epic re-creation of a 1966 trek

Cross-country adventurous trips weren’t that accessible for Troop 513 of Whiteville, N.C. So Scoutmaster John McNeill looked for ways the group of 50 Scouts could find adventure close to home.

As a result, the troop would go on frequent campouts at local farms and parks, where they’d swim, hike, and build rope bridges and signal towers.

“Dad was a dreamer,” Sandy McNeill says. “He wanted to get out there and do something. None of these things could’ve been done without a troop committee; they gave their time, too. Other fathers made these things work.”

In 1966, John and other adult leaders organized a big trip: hiking from one border of the state to the other. The guys would need to trek about 20 miles a day to complete the journey.

“The kids can do it. The kids are capable,” says Ronnie McNeill. “The leadership is the key; it’s the magic ingredient.”

That’s the ingredient the Cape Fear Council employed last year when the council recruited Scouts to re-create the 1966 march.

Decades later

Council leaders thought they could emulate Troop 513’s awesome trip, but they needed two years to plan its re-creation, says Martin Clemmer, assistant Scout executive with the Cape Fear Council.

Trekking from Danville, Va., to Bennettsville, S.C., isn’t the same as it was more than 50 years ago. Then, the Scouts hiked dirt roads and pitched their tents on the side of the road. Those dirt roads are busy highways now.

Council leaders would need to make sure the 170-mile trek could be done safely, so they planned stops at state parks and council camps. They scouted out the route, noting where they could go in case of a medical emergency or find shelter in case of bad weather. Instead of hiking the whole way, the trip would include hiking, canoeing and cycling with most of the journey done via bike.

“Biking that much was something I’d never done,” says Kayla Oxendine, 17, a Life Scout from Troop 1447 of Laurinburg, N.C. “I wanted to jump in.”

So did more than 20 other Scouts and several adult leaders from across the state. A contingent of eager trekkers prepared for the trip with a few council-led shakedowns.

“That was essential,” says Martin Scott, the trek’s lead advisor. “It was more to get you out on the road for distance. We had Scouts from all walks of life; they were bringing different styles of bikes. It was a bit of a challenge to get everybody to where they could complete the ride. We were all able to do those rides, though.”

An amazing adventure

The first day started with a 15-mile hike. Some found it a nice way to begin the trek, while others were challenged by it. But the Scouts and adult leaders – many from different units – soon bonded and encouraged each other. With 13 adults on the trek, the Scouts had plenty of support along the way. They piloted the support vehicle, full of cycling supplies and a custom trailer with bicycles they could quickly swap out if their bike had a mechanical issue. They also worked with local authorities to set up police escorts through towns and busy roads.

The group also received encouragement from others. On the first day, they stopped at a church to use its restrooms, and the pastor there gave them a blessing. Every day, people waved, honked or cheered at the group. By the end of the trek, the Scouts had counted more than 300 people who had applauded them.

The trip was filled with amazing moments, like canoeing in the rain, riding their bikes around the track at Rockingham Speedway and touring the North Carolina Zoo.

“Over the last couple months, I haven’t been as active in Scouting,” says William Clements, 17, an Eagle Scout from Troop 102 of Boiling Spring Lakes, N.C. “This reminded me how much I love Scouting.”

Crossing the border together

At the end of the 170-mile trek, the group had a surprise waiting for them: seven members of the 1966 trek. The Scouts changed into their field uniforms and walked side-by-side with the original trek members as they all crossed the southern state line.

“I loved it,” William says. “I talked to a couple of them. It was awesome to see some of the similarities. This has only happened one other time. We got to share that with them.”

The council hosted a ceremony with cake, and handed mementos to the Scouts, including commemorative medals, shoulder patches and certificates.

“I had kids telling me that they wished that they could keep going,” Scott says. “They had such a good time; they wished that it had lasted a bit longer.”

Also in Scout Life magazine

You and your Scouts can read all about the inspiring trek across North Carolina in the August issue of Scout Life magazine. The story features more photos from both the 1966 and 2023 trips.

Additionally, the August issue includes stories about California troops tackling the waves during their annual surfing campout.

Youth can also learn about cicadas, read how to make a bee hotel and enjoy comics and games in the August issue.

Subscribing to Scout Life provides you and your Scout with tons of exciting outing stories, plus tales of Scouts using their knowledge and skills to save others, camping gear reviews and tips that help youth on their Scouting journeys.