Thursday, June 2, 2016
I was a friend of Gene. He was a year ahead of me at NCS and as I recall a member of Troop 22. I will tell you as story about Scouts that happened at Camp Lewiston Trail in Allegany State Park. We went on an overnight to Thunder Rocks and I was a Tenderfoot. After hiking cross country for several miles we emerged at a cross road and Gene and Mickey Ammerman and I were sent down the west road to inform the park ranger we were staying overnight at the Thunder Rocks. On the way back, Mickey was walking through the woods parallel t the road and started making noises like he was being chased by a bear. Meanwhile, Gene ran up from behind me and told he to run to the camp and inform them...all the time while Mickey was being mauled by the bear. Boy did I high tail it. I ran all the last half mile shouting "everybody...get up on the rock, a bear's after Gene and Mickey and I think it's already hurt Mickey. About 5 minutes later in walked the two laughing their heads off, all the Tenderfoot scounts were up on the rocks." I never held Gene accountable and he was a good Scout leader. For years after that my nickname was "Black Bear" Taylor
