DiamondDuste

I'm on the professional staff for the Black Warrior Council, and we ended up getting 3 GPS systems that were used at Jamboree. A bunch of councils got them based on a lottery system from what I was told. We got two Magellan 200's and a 600.

You'll get rid of the bruising quicker if you get some potassium in you. Two fruits that are high in potassium are kewi and bananas. Thanks for the tip!

I've had two: I was at one that was by a historical marker. When I was replacing the cache, I forgot the sign was there, stood up too quickly, and banged the back of my head on the sign. Blood started to flow, and I quickly drove to the doctor. Turned out to be nothing but a small cut... didn't even need stitches. I could see the doctor wanted to laugh, and I probably would have let him. The other was at a simple cache, and as I was leaving, I slipped off a curb and twisted my ankle pretty badly... the same one I had twisted a little under a year ago. After a few moments of blinding pain and knowing it was going to swell, I was able to walk on it and drive home. I had a limp for the rest of the day, and a rock on my ankle for the next week or so. It's just now stopped hurting, but the bruise is still there.

We just ran one in the Black Warrior Council (Tuscaloosa, AL) at a Spring Camporee. We placed 12 ammo boxes all around our camp, and we had the kids go out and try to find them. To log the find, they had to bring back a colored stone that was in each box. The kids had a blast and everyone found all the caches. As a result, we're confident that the extended program we're running at our Summer Camp in June will be a hit.

I don't get caught up with gender issues when it comes to snakes, exspecially if they rattle. RUN AWAY. But while on the subject, I think female snakes pack a wallop, based on my research with other species. Happy Trails >>> STRIDER I'm sure you know this, but it's not wise to run away. It's best to back up slowly, always making sure you can see the snake, and what it's doing. Turning your back on it is not a good idea.

I have an extremely irrational fear of ALL flying, stinging insects... I consider them evolution's cruel joke. I hate being around bees, hornets, wasps, the whole lot of them. Luckily, I haven't been stung by them, but if I notice them buzzing around a bush hiding a micro or something like that, I'll leave instantly. Let me put it this way - I'd much rather get ant bites than bee stings. Also, it seems as if I'm a magnet for mosquitoes in the Summer months, so I don't need to become one for bees.

I was in Hoover, Alabama near a residential sub-division that is also by the Hoover Met (Minor league baseball stadium/home of the SEC Baseball tournament). I was looking for a cache in the woods near the main road, and I heard something rustling about. Instincts told me to stop and see what it was because it didn't sound like a squirrel. Turns out it was about 5 wild turkeys just walking about.

I've had incidents that have basically killed my pride and ego... There was one by a historical marker sign. I was going to replace the cache, but I forgot the sign was there. I came up to fast and banged my head on the sign. I ran my hand on the back of my head, and it was covered in blood. I hightailed it to the nearest doctor's office, only to find out it wouldn't even need stitches. I could just tell the doctor wanted to laugh as hard as he could. Heck, I would have laughed at myself too. This happened this weekend: Was looking for a cache, but the bees(I'm not the biggest fan of them by any stretch) were flying around the bushes. I decided to try to find at another time, and I was walking back to my car. I was on a concrete gutter, slipped, and twisted my ankle. After a few moments of blinding pain, I was able to get in the car and drive from Tuscaloosa, AL to Birmingham to visit my parents. All in all, I was left with a swollen and sore ankle for the weekend.

I made Eagle Scout in 1999, and now I work professionally with the Boy Scouts.

2005 Black Nissan Altima

That sounds like what we're doing at our summer camp (Black Warrior Council - Tuscaloosa, AL). We're going to start it on a Monday, have an instructional/orientation period, and then let the troops have the whole week to find as many caches(all different types) as possible. I like your idea of the point system. We're also making them sign the logs, and then we're going back to check and verify them.

Am sorry, but your statement makes no sense. How is geocaching 'not allowed' in the Boy Scouts in Oregon or any other state/council??? * Geocaching was done at the recent National Scout Jamboree. * Geocaching is now part of National Youth Leadership Training, which ALL councils should be putting on. In fact, this has lead many councils to start obtaining GPS units. * Geocaching will be covered in its own course at Philmont Training Center this summer. Someone has already developed a geocaching training program which will be rolled out soon as an official BSA training. * There is apparently work to create a geocaching badge/merit badge within the BSA. * GPSr are used heavily at the Double H Ranch. Many scouts and scout units are now engaged in geocaching. Someone is encouraging the developing of series of eagle service project-related geocaches, at least one series per district. I agree. I work professionally with the scouts. Our Council(Black Warrior in Tuscaloosa, Alabama) got two GPS systems shortly after last year's National Jamboree, and our Scout Executive told us of the geocaching projects that were occuring at Philmont. We're actually setting up a program at our summer camp this June. I think what the previous post might be meaning is that it might not be 100% official just yet. There is a rule book - the Guide to Safe Scouting - it details all the activities Scouts(From Cubs all the way to Venture Crews) can and can't do. I'm pretty sure geocaching hasn't been added to it, but I would expect it to be pretty soon. FYI- am an active scouter. Also, its "VenturING Crews". I think its a little incorrect to say that the G2SS details all activities scouts can/can't do. Its more about what they can't do, and specific guidelines on certain other activities for safety reasons. The absense of an activity in this guide in no way means its not allowed. And as I pointed out, since geocaching is ALREADY a part of NYLT, Jamboree, etc, its should be "official" to do. G2SS may help in making sure what you are doing is safe, but to claim its somehow not ok to GC because its not mentioned doesn't make sense. Good point. I wasn't trying to infer that just because it isn't in the G2SS, it isn't allowed, however, that might be what the council in Oregon is operating under. I honestly don't know. Like I said, our Council is going ahead and implementing geoscouting programs in the coming months. I expect sooner rather than later some type of guidelines to come out for geocaching/Scouting activities.

District Executive for the Black Warrior Council(Boy Scouts of America) in Tuscaloosa, AL

Am sorry, but your statement makes no sense. How is geocaching 'not allowed' in the Boy Scouts in Oregon or any other state/council??? * Geocaching was done at the recent National Scout Jamboree. * Geocaching is now part of National Youth Leadership Training, which ALL councils should be putting on. In fact, this has lead many councils to start obtaining GPS units. * Geocaching will be covered in its own course at Philmont Training Center this summer. Someone has already developed a geocaching training program which will be rolled out soon as an official BSA training. * There is apparently work to create a geocaching badge/merit badge within the BSA. * GPSr are used heavily at the Double H Ranch. Many scouts and scout units are now engaged in geocaching. Someone is encouraging the developing of series of eagle service project-related geocaches, at least one series per district. I agree. I work professionally with the scouts. Our Council(Black Warrior in Tuscaloosa, Alabama) got two GPS systems shortly after last year's National Jamboree, and our Scout Executive told us of the geocaching projects that were occuring at Philmont. We're actually setting up a program at our summer camp this June. I think what the previous post might be meaning is that it might not be 100% official just yet. There is a rule book - the Guide to Safe Scouting - it details all the activities Scouts(From Cubs all the way to Venture Crews) can and can't do. I'm pretty sure geocaching hasn't been added to it, but I would expect it to be pretty soon.

I work professionally for the Scouts in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. We're starting a geocaching program this summer at our summer camp. A group of Scout volunteers in the area (Team 481) are avid geocachers, and they are going to be helping out. Our council got a couple GPS systems, so we're going to place micros and ammo boxes all over the camp, and then we'll do a competition to see what troop can find the most during the week. I will say getting a new merit badge created is a hard process. Here's information on the process: http://usscouts.org/mb/proposals.html I do know that the Surveying merit badge has a GPS requirement, but it's for the machine's use in surveying.