29 years ago I earned my Cycling Merit Badge with my dad. The year after the Flood of '93 and the Katy Trail was still closed in sections so we had to do some detours along Hwy 94 in Warren County, to those St Louisans on here, you understand how sketchy and hilly that is, zero shoulders with trucks and cars doing 55+.

Anyway, our son is 11 and today I just finished the 25 mile ride with him. We have the 2 10s, 2 15s and today's 25 done. One more 25 and a 50 mile left to do. Iowa is much flatter with better trails. My bike is a 18yr old Fuji Nevada 2.0 Hybrid 18 speed set up for the Katy Trail gravel. His is a 24" wheel 18 speed we gave him for his 11th birthday in anticipation of this. 29 years ago my dad and I were using cheap Wally World Murrays that dragged the brakes because you could never adjust them right. My body is feeling those 29yrs because up until this year, I hadn't ridden more than 5 miles total in a year since 18 years ago when my wife and I were in Missouri.

I'm still having a blast. One thing that is different is "Scouts BSA" has made Cycling an Eagle-required alternative to the Swimming merit badge. I would venture to say the Swimming merit badge would be far easier to earn, except our son can't swim that well yet.

I got my cycling merit badge in 1975. Did the final ride around Big Bear Lake in California. My dad bought me a strawberry shake at a biker bar and grill. Their bikes were Harleys though. We were a little out of place lol

quote:

Originally posted by Scuba Steve Sig:
I would venture to say the Swimming merit badge would be far easier to earn, except our son can't swim that well yet.

Oh, man! I'd have taken the cycling option over swimming, quick-like!

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Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by Scuba Steve Sig:
I would venture to say the Swimming merit badge would be far easier to earn, except our son can't swim that well yet.

Oh, man! I'd have taken the cycling option over swimming, quick-like!

The current swimming merit badge requirements are:

1. Do the following:
(a) Explain to your counselor how Scouting's Safe Swim Defense plan anticipates, helps prevent and mitigate, and provides responses to likely hazards you may encounter during swimming activities.
(b) Discuss the prevention and treatment of health concerns that could occur while swimming, including hypothermia, dehydration, sunburn, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, muscle cramps, hyperventilation, spinal injury, stings and bites, and cuts and scrapes.

2. Before doing the following requirements, successfully complete the BSA swimmer test: Jump feet first into water over the head in depth. Level off and swim 75 yards in a strong manner using one or more of the following strokes: sidestroke, breaststroke, trudgen, or crawl; then swim 25 yards using an easy, resting backstroke. The 100 yards must be completed in one swim without stops and must include at least one sharp turn. After completing the swim, rest by floating.

3. Swim continuously for 150 yards using the following strokes in good form and in a strong manner: front crawl or trudgen for 25 yards, back crawl for 25 yards, sidestroke for 25 yards, breaststroke for 25 yards, and elementary backstroke for 50 yards.

4. Do the following:
(a) Demonstrate water rescue methods by reaching with your arm or leg, by reaching with a suitable object, and by throwing lines and objects. Explain why swimming rescues should not be attempted when a reaching or throwing rescue is possible, and explain why and how a rescue swimmer should avoid contact with the victim.
(b) With a helper and a practice victim, show a line rescue both as tender and as rescuer. The practice victim should be approximately 30 feet from shore in deep water.

5. Do the following:
(a) Float faceup in a resting position for at least three minutes with minimal movement.
(b) Demonstrate survival floating for at least five minutes.
(c) While wearing a properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket, demonstrate the HELP and huddle positions. Explain their purposes.
(d) Explain why swimming or survival floating will hasten the onset of hypothermia in cold water.

6. In water over your head, but not to exceed 10 feet, do each of the following:
(a) Use the feet first method of surface diving and bring an object up from the bottom.
(b) Do a headfirst surface dive (pike or tuck), and bring the object up again.
(c) Do a headfirst surface dive to a depth of at least 5 feet and swim underwater for three strokes. Come to the surface, take a breath, and repeat the sequence twice.

7. Following the guidelines set in the BSA Safe Swim Defense, in water at least 7 feet deep*, show a standing headfirst dive from a dock or pool deck. Show a long shallow dive, also from the dock or pool deck.

8. Explain the health benefits of regular aerobic exercise, and discuss why swimming is favored as both fitness and therapeutic exercise.

Swimming Merit badge requirements

As a kid, the 150yrds was tough at first, but tougher was the diving headfirst. It took me a long time to not instinctively end up feet first and get the idea that I would go THROUGH the water. I later ended up earning the Mile Swim (albeit it VERY slowly with a side stroke).

I think 50 some years ago I had to swim 1/4 mile along with the other requirements to earn the badge. I was a very weak swimmer, that quarter was a challenge. I never attempted the mile swim. Both my boys completed it several times.

Swimming is way easier to get than cycling. It’s usually most Scouts’ first Eagle badge because it’s easy to earn at camp. Hiking also works, buts it’s the hardest of the three to get.

Good for you guys repeating what you and you father did, that’ s cool. Hopefully, it will be something he remembers.