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This page was updated on: Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Venturers American Expedition

Three 13 year olds from Venturers Search and Rescue have just returned from a three-week expedition to the USA exploring the old pioneer wagon trails from east to west, and fact finding about the real American way of life, far from the normal tourist routes.

Highlights included a tour of the police HQ in the city of St George, Utah.

They already have in place a curfew for teenagers, as recently suggested by the English government. Under 16's have to be home by 10 p.m. and under 21's by midnight, unless they have an adult in charge.

Anyone found out on the streets after curfew is taken to the police station where parents have to collect them, or they remain overnight.

This seems to work very well as there were no signs of any gangs hanging around or trouble. The lack of graffiti or litter was due to heavy fines rigorously enforced.

Perhaps the envy of the boys were the many opportunities American teenagers have for outdoor activities and adventure.

There were four wheel drive recreational parks where under parental supervision, they could drive jeeps, quads and dune buggies; camping with real camp fires, fishing, target shooting, and many more activities which absorb youthful energy, and perhaps was the reason there was not the level of vandalism committed by the UK's bored youth.

The school curriculum also includes driving lessons, with the power to issue licences.

The Venturers were invited to attend a Mormon church service, and visited the fire service, and the old school house at Goff, which was built on land donated by an Englishman and which has now been restored.

For adventure the Venturers completed the old and only wagon route from east to west until a trail was blasted through the mountains.

This historic 126 mile Mohave route from Needles to Bastow would be too dangerous for one lone Landrover, and arrangements were made with Mojava trail guide, Raymond Davis.

The trail included prehistoric Indian petroglyphs, and the remains of an Army fort with a notice stating it was the worst posting in the US Army and had the highest desertion rate.

On route was a cairn where every traveller placed a rock and which had a brass sign stating "In 1897 nothing happened here".

They also completed a 90 mile off road route to a remote hot spring in Death Valley, where they found clothes were "optional".

It was the originally founded by the Hippies, who built a large pool under the trees, a smaller outdoor pool, an open air bath and shower and kitchen sink, all supplied by pipe work from the spring.

It is now used by families.

The journey had its problems as just a few miles from the spring a flash flood had washed out a great canyon about 10 metres deep.

Rather than return and go to the other entrance, a distance of several hundred miles, the Venturers used their hydraulic winch and ground anchors to overcome the problem.

This Landrover was shipped on a ferry from Southampton to Port Hueneme thanks to a private sponsor meeting the costs.

It attracted considerable interest, the right hand drive producing some consternation from motorists who thought the small boy on the left was driving with a map in front of his face or sleeping!

"All Americans we met showed great interest in our organisation and were amazed at the young age of our crew.

They were complimentary on the boys' smart uniform, politeness, and good behaviour", said Philip Pearce-Smith, expedition leader.