Boy Scout TB

[+Toecutter1978]

One of my scouts wants to earn his geocaching merit badge, well actually a few do. One of the requirements is for them to make a BSA theme trackable through Travel Bug. When we looked, there were not any BSA theme bugs and we could not find a way to make a custom bug. Any suggestions?

[+germanybert]

Buy a travel bug and put a boy scout object on it and give it a boy scout name.

[+toddnks]

Here is a link to one we created to commemorate my some becoming an eagle, there are Boy Scout coins and tags, but they are either expensive or out of stock at this time.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=4356560

 

For my son, we are taking it to a cache at the entrance of a camp he went to as a cub scout, we hope it will visit other camps or at least caches close to other camps.

 

Just an idea.

 

Here is what I wanted to buy for my son, http://www.tampabaygeocaching.biz/other-trackables.php (scroll down some) then my head got the better of me, and I figured this might just get picked up and never move again, so I just got a set of travel bugs to start with, these are my first travel items, so I am kind of still trying to learn how to do it and keep it going.

 

I just picked up a travel bug released in 2003, it amazingly enough has not traveled as much as you would think it would, but it has a hand stamped number, and belongs to an inactive cacher (they logged in in March, but have done no caching this year, and only a couple last year).

 

Sorry, I tend to ramble a bit.

 

Todd N KS

Edited May 15, 2013 by toddnks

[+Toecutter1978]

Thanks! That will work. After showing two of the scouts the fun, now others want in on the action. Biggest thing we are eaiting on is the permission memo from the local parks saying we can start some new caches. I was told verberlly, but council needs the memo before we do anything, but they can still go caching, not set up new ones yet. Rules, you know. LOL!

[jocruz]

I want to try out the same thing as you did. I want to earn the geocaching merit badge as well. Will you guide me through the process?

 

Sauerstoff Hautpflege

[+Toecutter1978]

I sure can. I'm helping 8 scouts now. Each one in a slightly different progress. The biggest concern I have and I have brought this up with the other leaders and scouts is the they have to track their trackable. Instead we are going to do it under my account, so they don't have direct access to comments from people that do not want to be polite. After hearing some stories from other Troops, I decided that was the best route.

 

What requirements have you completed so far?

[+dprovan]

The biggest concern I have and I have brought this up with the other leaders and scouts is the they have to track their trackable. Instead we are going to do it under my account, so they don't have direct access to comments from people that do not want to be polite. After hearing some stories from other Troops, I decided that was the best route.

I'm very curious to hear about this problem. I've never seen anyone not be polite when logging trackables. My only relation to scouting is that I happen to own a BS geocoin -- long story -- that was being tracked by someone working on his merit badge, as I mention in the description. If anything, people seem to go out of their way to show coin a good time and make nice comments.

 

Furthermore, if there is a problem with impoliteness, I'm wondering if dealing with it shouldn't be part of the scout's learning process. But I'm not in your shoes, so you can take those comments for whatever they're worth.

 

My biggest concern is that sometimes people working on merit badges put out bad caches and don't maintain them, typical newbie problems. I think the hide-a-cache part is now optional, and I've heard of some of the mentors involved in the scouting merit badge discourage hiding. I don't know if you have to go that far, but I do think it's important for scouts to recognize that there's more to hiding a cache, both before in planning and after in maintenance, than just sticking something under a bush.

[+Toecutter1978]

The issues I have heard of is folks being able to message some of the boys about the trackables. The original email is sent through Groundspeak, but any reply is sent directly from the user's personal email, the one that is used to set up the profile. After that, a few boys received nasty emails. Covering topics about BSA policies, to improper relationships. I agree having to deal with certain issues are a learning and life lesson, but you have to remember we are dealing with children, I even look at the boys that are 18 as kids, guess I'm getting too old. The two caches that my Troop have started sense I've taken over this councilor position for the geocaching Merit badge will be taken care of for years to come. Also, I don't pull any punches when dealing with the scouts, but will try my best to protect them from dangerous people and situations. I've asked around if I'm being a bit over protective, and I was given mixed reviews. One patent said no, not enough and others said they agree. While two said let the boys deal with the things that pop up and just be there to support them. What I'm trying to say is there are no right or wrong answers to this. So, after discussing it with the other leaders and thinking it over, for the younger scouts, say 11-15 I will do as I planned. The older ones I will allow to do as they please, they already know what is going on in the world.

[+dprovan]

The issues I have heard of is folks being able to message some of the boys about the trackables.

Ah, got it. Thanks for explaining. That makes perfect sense.

 

Although I've only done it a couple times, I, too, had trouble contacting scouts involved in merit badge activities, so I agree that can be a real problem. That's one of the problems I've encountered with merit badge hides. It's a good idea to have a true geocacher act as the point of contact as well as the ultimately responsible owner for any scout geocaching communications, merit badge hides and TBs or just troop hides and such. I think that's a good idea for many reasons, only one of them being the one you mention about anything less reliable pissing off some idiot who then becomes rude.

 

My attitude is that scouts are experimenting with geocaching so permanent links such as ownership should lead back to someone dedicated to the sport for the long term. Some scounts will eventually become dedicated cachers, and only after that happens should ownership start leading back to them. This is a little disappointing since the responsibilities and joys of ownership would be a good thing for a merit badge to teach, but I agree that the tradeoffs come down on the side of you being the owner.

[+Toecutter1978]

Yeah, it's difficult trying to weight both sides. In one hand, it teaches responsibility and thoughtfulness. One thing I brought up also wear signature items. One boy wants to make a few different puzzles, then put the pieces out for people to collect. I think that would be really cool. This you g man is a wiz with wood working tools, so I can see this going very well. It will take time to get stuff going, but once all the kinks are worked out, yeah it will be a great addition to the geocaching community in the local area.