National Outdoor Achievement Badges and Award

[King Ding Dong]

My son and I have been looking at the National Outdoor badges and award an it looks like a great worth goal, to strive for and will likely take an entire scouting career to complete. I am concerned about the meaning of "under the auspicies of the BSA". I have looked at the programs of many troops in my area and none have a program that would allow a scout to come close to earning the award. How is a boy to earn this if there is not a significant amount of boys in the troop that want to. The BSA states it is not for every boy, but shouldn't every boy that wants to earn it be allowed the opportunity ? Example riding, the distance requirements for the cycling MB do not require the presence of a patrol or troop or even the MB Counselor. However requirement 3 200 miles, that includes the distance of the MB must be "under the auspices of the BSA". Camping with a silver device is 125 nights in 25 night blocks with only 5 long term allowed. So that is 100 short term nights. Great goal, but again that means 14.29 short term nights per year for 7 years, no cancelations. I can't find any troop that has that kind of program. There are many that are very active, but they include other activities other than camping. (Like bus trips, cabin camping in winter, etc) and outside of summer camp, do not meet in the summer. I have tried searching for a definition of "under auspices of the BSA " and have not been able to nail it down. For cycling it seems reasonable to me that a boy could schedule a distance ride for a Saturday, get scoutmaster approval and invite anyone from the patrol and it would count. But what if no one else wanted to go ? Same with a patrol hike, camping, swim etc. There are not a lot of boys that enjoy distance swimming, how can a boy achieve 100 hours of swimming in a troop setting (required for two gold devices) What if his father, also a registered and trained unit leader, went along on the ride, swim or camping trip. Is that now "under the auspicies of the BSA". Seems like it would be, but what about the boys from units that do not have that advantage ? The award seems like an ambitious and worthy goal and a great exercise in meticulous record keeping. It just seems mathematically impossible to achieve strictly as a group effort. Do I understand the requirements correctly ?

[koolaidman]

"but shouldn't every boy that wants to earn it be allowed the opportunity ?" -- your has the opportunity to participate in contingent troop activities, district and council activities. He also has the option of bringing up activities to the PLC.

 

" But what if no one else wanted to go ?" If the PLC or patrol schedules an activity that is not cancelled its still an BSA activity, right?

 

Having Scouter dad along does not make it under the auspices of the BSA. The PLC, patrol, district, council make it under the auspices of the BSA.

 

"Do I understand the requirements correctly ?"--I think you understand the math correctly. It is a difficult award. I think you understand "under the auspices of the BSA" but want to hear differently.

 

Why are you skipping ahead and worrying about the silver devices? Seems similar to worrying about Eagle palms at Tenderfoot.

 

Related thread: http://www.scouter.com/forum/camping-high-adventure/14552-national-camping-award

[King Ding Dong]

"but shouldn't every boy that wants to earn it be allowed the opportunity ?" -- your has the opportunity to participate in contingent troop activities, district and council activities. He also has the option of bringing up activities to the PLC.

 

" But what if no one else wanted to go ?" If the PLC or patrol schedules an activity that is not cancelled its still an BSA activity, right?

 

Having Scouter dad along does not make it under the auspices of the BSA. The PLC, patrol, district, council make it under the auspices of the BSA.

 

"Do I understand the requirements correctly ?"--I think you understand the math correctly. It is a difficult award. I think you understand "under the auspices of the BSA" but want to hear differently.

 

Why are you skipping ahead and worrying about the silver devices? Seems similar to worrying about Eagle palms at Tenderfoot.

 

Related thread: http://www.scouter.com/forum/camping-high-adventure/14552-national-camping-award

Thanks for the response and link. I am looking at the silver devices because they are required for the award. I have always been concerned that this troop is a little light on activities, especially camping. The nature of this award requires some planning.

 

He also does better when he has goals he wants to achieve. He says he wants to earn it, but probably does not fully grasp its scope. It won't happen with his current troop.

 

Will look into contingent activities and other troops, but have not seen any council or district events that would fulfill requirements.

 

This probably goes to "not what I want to hear", but....if the PL approves the activity as a patrol activity the patrol members may participate in if they wish then it is a BSA event, right ?

[Scouter99]

The paperwork involved in this award is a capital-N Nightmare. To facilitate boys who want to apply for it, I've created a spreadsheet that keeps track of every trip the troop offers or any Scouting event that any boy from the troop attended (OA, high adv., jambo) going back as far as the oldest scout in the troop. First column is the date (month/year), then trip title (XYZ State Park), then a column for each badge category: Camping, Hiking, Riding, Aquatics, Adventure. In those 5 columns is recorded the applicable data; for camping X nights, aquatics, X hours, riding X miles, etc.

It's virtually impossible, in my view, for a boy to calculate his hours, miles, etc by himself, especially since TroopMaster will not allow us to record that information in a trip (it's either a campign trip wtih recorded nights, or a hiking trip with miles, but not both)

Take note that a single high adventure trip which doubles the defined parameters of high adventure can count as 2 toward the award. Also take note that multiple activities on one trip count toward all badges (if on one campout you rode 5 miles, swam for 2 hours, and hiked 3 miles, that's creditable to all 4 badges).

 

I do not share your interpretation of the use of long term nights for the camping gold/silver device. The only limit on long term nights for the badge. There is no such restriction listed for the devices. The first 3 boys in our troop to earn the award all qualified for silver camping devices at the same time; and they all applied 15-30 nights of long term camping to the device (they all had multiple years of summer camp and the 2010 nat'l jamboree). I did not allow the boys to count nights spent indoors (our annual lock in, or the rare cabin trip).

The council reviewed and approved the applications. They were between 14 and 16 years old, so it's well within an active scout's reach to earn multiple silver devices in camping.

The ability for a scout to earn these is dependent upon his troop's program. Our troop goes biking with a 50-mile option every year. We hike all the time, and we go on long-term hikes almost every summer. Riding and camping are a cinch. The real difficulty, in my opinion, is the aquatics badge because of its inclusion of the Mile Swim on the base level, and the high adventure badge because of the amount of high adv a boy has to do (10 for the base badge).

 

So, if your troop camps every month, and your son goes with them, and he goes to summer camp, and throws in a week-long hike once a year, and some OA campouts, there is no need for you to start manipulating the PLC into calling father-son bike rides troop or patrol events. I think you're overthinking it.

 

If you are worried about the ability to earn it within your existing yearly program, then your son should talk-up the award to his patrol mates and get them all inspired to earn the awards, and then they'll want to set up their own patrol day trips and campouts to enable themselves to earn it. Maybe call the council and see how many boys earn it (very few if I were a betting man, mostly due to its clerical nightmarishness) and turn it into a prestige thing for the boys--even rarer than Eagle.

[Basementdweller]

Under the auspices......Means during a scouting function or event....as mentioned earlier....

 

your out of line again. You should discuss it with your son. Maybe coach him how to approach the PLC about it and maybe help him promote it. But the bottom line is the boys need to decide to do it. If they say no.....then shelve it for a year and then bring it back up.........

 

 

In my opinion it is a far superior award to Eagle. the award means a lad has took his BSA experience and got every last drop of adventure. I would like for my son or a member of my troop to earn it....But they simply are not interested in it.

 

Being short sighted as young men are.

[Basementdweller]

"but shouldn't every boy that wants to earn it be allowed the opportunity ?" -- your has the opportunity to participate in contingent troop activities, district and council activities. He also has the option of bringing up activities to the PLC.

 

" But what if no one else wanted to go ?" If the PLC or patrol schedules an activity that is not cancelled its still an BSA activity, right?

 

Having Scouter dad along does not make it under the auspices of the BSA. The PLC, patrol, district, council make it under the auspices of the BSA.

 

"Do I understand the requirements correctly ?"--I think you understand the math correctly. It is a difficult award. I think you understand "under the auspices of the BSA" but want to hear differently.

 

Why are you skipping ahead and worrying about the silver devices? Seems similar to worrying about Eagle palms at Tenderfoot.

 

Related thread: http://www.scouter.com/forum/camping-high-adventure/14552-national-camping-award

DAD this is not cub scouting...Back off.....Your boy is what 10. Let him enjoy his patrol mates and get to first class. Let him learn his knots, how to pitch a tent, plan and cook a meal on his own. Learn first aid, swim........Let him be a boy..........

[King Ding Dong]

Under the auspices......Means during a scouting function or event....as mentioned earlier....

 

your out of line again. You should discuss it with your son. Maybe coach him how to approach the PLC about it and maybe help him promote it. But the bottom line is the boys need to decide to do it. If they say no.....then shelve it for a year and then bring it back up.........

 

 

In my opinion it is a far superior award to Eagle. the award means a lad has took his BSA experience and got every last drop of adventure. I would like for my son or a member of my troop to earn it....But they simply are not interested in it.

 

Being short sighted as young men are.

Thanks for the input. I have discussed it with my son, that should have been clear when I stated his desire to earn it.

 

Out of line again, seriously ??? Asking questions and gaining knowledge is out of line ???

[Scouter99]

I'd agree with BD's plan "Let him enjoy his patrol mates and get to first class. Let him learn his knots, how to pitch a tent, plan and cook a meal on his own. Learn first aid, swim" He can't earn any of them til he's first class, anyway.

 

BUT keep track of what is done on every camping trip. It's damn near impossible to turn around 3 years later and start trying to figure out how many miles were hiked on XYZ trip in 2009, and it takes a lonnnnng time, believe you me. AND use the requirements to guide some of his decisions about which MBs he earns at summer camp and throughout the year.

[King Ding Dong]

The paperwork involved in this award is a capital-N Nightmare. To facilitate boys who want to apply for it, I've created a spreadsheet that keeps track of every trip the troop offers or any Scouting event that any boy from the troop attended (OA, high adv., jambo) going back as far as the oldest scout in the troop. First column is the date (month/year), then trip title (XYZ State Park), then a column for each badge category: Camping, Hiking, Riding, Aquatics, Adventure. In those 5 columns is recorded the applicable data; for camping X nights, aquatics, X hours, riding X miles, etc.

It's virtually impossible, in my view, for a boy to calculate his hours, miles, etc by himself, especially since TroopMaster will not allow us to record that information in a trip (it's either a campign trip wtih recorded nights, or a hiking trip with miles, but not both)

Take note that a single high adventure trip which doubles the defined parameters of high adventure can count as 2 toward the award. Also take note that multiple activities on one trip count toward all badges (if on one campout you rode 5 miles, swam for 2 hours, and hiked 3 miles, that's creditable to all 4 badges).

 

I do not share your interpretation of the use of long term nights for the camping gold/silver device. The only limit on long term nights for the badge. There is no such restriction listed for the devices. The first 3 boys in our troop to earn the award all qualified for silver camping devices at the same time; and they all applied 15-30 nights of long term camping to the device (they all had multiple years of summer camp and the 2010 nat'l jamboree). I did not allow the boys to count nights spent indoors (our annual lock in, or the rare cabin trip).

The council reviewed and approved the applications. They were between 14 and 16 years old, so it's well within an active scout's reach to earn multiple silver devices in camping.

The ability for a scout to earn these is dependent upon his troop's program. Our troop goes biking with a 50-mile option every year. We hike all the time, and we go on long-term hikes almost every summer. Riding and camping are a cinch. The real difficulty, in my opinion, is the aquatics badge because of its inclusion of the Mile Swim on the base level, and the high adventure badge because of the amount of high adv a boy has to do (10 for the base badge).

 

So, if your troop camps every month, and your son goes with them, and he goes to summer camp, and throws in a week-long hike once a year, and some OA campouts, there is no need for you to start manipulating the PLC into calling father-son bike rides troop or patrol events. I think you're overthinking it.

 

If you are worried about the ability to earn it within your existing yearly program, then your son should talk-up the award to his patrol mates and get them all inspired to earn the awards, and then they'll want to set up their own patrol day trips and campouts to enable themselves to earn it. Maybe call the council and see how many boys earn it (very few if I were a betting man, mostly due to its clerical nightmarishness) and turn it into a prestige thing for the boys--even rarer than Eagle.

Interesting point on the camping. If I am understand your interpretation then one of the options for the medal is spending a season on staff at camp. They sleep in tents, so would those nights count toward the camping ?

 

Earning the medal is a huge undertaking and not likely with his current troop, I want to understand all the details before I tell him he will need to change troops if he wants to earn it. I don't really see this happening but don't want to shoot down an admirable ambition or lead him on.

[Scouter99]

The paperwork involved in this award is a capital-N Nightmare. To facilitate boys who want to apply for it, I've created a spreadsheet that keeps track of every trip the troop offers or any Scouting event that any boy from the troop attended (OA, high adv., jambo) going back as far as the oldest scout in the troop. First column is the date (month/year), then trip title (XYZ State Park), then a column for each badge category: Camping, Hiking, Riding, Aquatics, Adventure. In those 5 columns is recorded the applicable data; for camping X nights, aquatics, X hours, riding X miles, etc.

It's virtually impossible, in my view, for a boy to calculate his hours, miles, etc by himself, especially since TroopMaster will not allow us to record that information in a trip (it's either a campign trip wtih recorded nights, or a hiking trip with miles, but not both)

Take note that a single high adventure trip which doubles the defined parameters of high adventure can count as 2 toward the award. Also take note that multiple activities on one trip count toward all badges (if on one campout you rode 5 miles, swam for 2 hours, and hiked 3 miles, that's creditable to all 4 badges).

 

I do not share your interpretation of the use of long term nights for the camping gold/silver device. The only limit on long term nights for the badge. There is no such restriction listed for the devices. The first 3 boys in our troop to earn the award all qualified for silver camping devices at the same time; and they all applied 15-30 nights of long term camping to the device (they all had multiple years of summer camp and the 2010 nat'l jamboree). I did not allow the boys to count nights spent indoors (our annual lock in, or the rare cabin trip).

The council reviewed and approved the applications. They were between 14 and 16 years old, so it's well within an active scout's reach to earn multiple silver devices in camping.

The ability for a scout to earn these is dependent upon his troop's program. Our troop goes biking with a 50-mile option every year. We hike all the time, and we go on long-term hikes almost every summer. Riding and camping are a cinch. The real difficulty, in my opinion, is the aquatics badge because of its inclusion of the Mile Swim on the base level, and the high adventure badge because of the amount of high adv a boy has to do (10 for the base badge).

 

So, if your troop camps every month, and your son goes with them, and he goes to summer camp, and throws in a week-long hike once a year, and some OA campouts, there is no need for you to start manipulating the PLC into calling father-son bike rides troop or patrol events. I think you're overthinking it.

 

If you are worried about the ability to earn it within your existing yearly program, then your son should talk-up the award to his patrol mates and get them all inspired to earn the awards, and then they'll want to set up their own patrol day trips and campouts to enable themselves to earn it. Maybe call the council and see how many boys earn it (very few if I were a betting man, mostly due to its clerical nightmarishness) and turn it into a prestige thing for the boys--even rarer than Eagle.

That is a very interesting question. I'm sure there would be deep divisions over it from different corners, but, sure, I would sign that. Long-term camping is allowed for the devices, and if the staff sleep in tents, their experience isn't any different than the campers, so I would sign it.

But, I'm not your son's Scoutmaster/designee, so it would be up to that guy and I would make sure he feels the same way before I spent 7 weeks in a tent. If the fact that he's being paid is an issue, do it as an unpaid CIT.

[King Ding Dong]

The paperwork involved in this award is a capital-N Nightmare. To facilitate boys who want to apply for it, I've created a spreadsheet that keeps track of every trip the troop offers or any Scouting event that any boy from the troop attended (OA, high adv., jambo) going back as far as the oldest scout in the troop. First column is the date (month/year), then trip title (XYZ State Park), then a column for each badge category: Camping, Hiking, Riding, Aquatics, Adventure. In those 5 columns is recorded the applicable data; for camping X nights, aquatics, X hours, riding X miles, etc.

It's virtually impossible, in my view, for a boy to calculate his hours, miles, etc by himself, especially since TroopMaster will not allow us to record that information in a trip (it's either a campign trip wtih recorded nights, or a hiking trip with miles, but not both)

Take note that a single high adventure trip which doubles the defined parameters of high adventure can count as 2 toward the award. Also take note that multiple activities on one trip count toward all badges (if on one campout you rode 5 miles, swam for 2 hours, and hiked 3 miles, that's creditable to all 4 badges).

 

I do not share your interpretation of the use of long term nights for the camping gold/silver device. The only limit on long term nights for the badge. There is no such restriction listed for the devices. The first 3 boys in our troop to earn the award all qualified for silver camping devices at the same time; and they all applied 15-30 nights of long term camping to the device (they all had multiple years of summer camp and the 2010 nat'l jamboree). I did not allow the boys to count nights spent indoors (our annual lock in, or the rare cabin trip).

The council reviewed and approved the applications. They were between 14 and 16 years old, so it's well within an active scout's reach to earn multiple silver devices in camping.

The ability for a scout to earn these is dependent upon his troop's program. Our troop goes biking with a 50-mile option every year. We hike all the time, and we go on long-term hikes almost every summer. Riding and camping are a cinch. The real difficulty, in my opinion, is the aquatics badge because of its inclusion of the Mile Swim on the base level, and the high adventure badge because of the amount of high adv a boy has to do (10 for the base badge).

 

So, if your troop camps every month, and your son goes with them, and he goes to summer camp, and throws in a week-long hike once a year, and some OA campouts, there is no need for you to start manipulating the PLC into calling father-son bike rides troop or patrol events. I think you're overthinking it.

 

If you are worried about the ability to earn it within your existing yearly program, then your son should talk-up the award to his patrol mates and get them all inspired to earn the awards, and then they'll want to set up their own patrol day trips and campouts to enable themselves to earn it. Maybe call the council and see how many boys earn it (very few if I were a betting man, mostly due to its clerical nightmarishness) and turn it into a prestige thing for the boys--even rarer than Eagle.

Well I will be on the lookout for a program like yours. He is a fair ways away from staffing, but a possible option.

 

For him the aquatics may be the easiest to earn. He can swim 2/3 of a mile already and we have 3 sailboats in the family one of which I we are going donate to the local SeaScouts. He loves canoeing also, just not strong enough to earn the MB yet.

 

Focus is definitely on first class right now and he is doing great with knots, cooking and fires. He earned pioneering at camp, but that sheepshank gives both of us fits though.

 

And before BD starts yelling about rushing him through again, he has tenderfoot but he has not gone for it because I told him he needs to get to one full pull-up.

[Basementdweller]

Under the auspices......Means during a scouting function or event....as mentioned earlier....

 

your out of line again. You should discuss it with your son. Maybe coach him how to approach the PLC about it and maybe help him promote it. But the bottom line is the boys need to decide to do it. If they say no.....then shelve it for a year and then bring it back up.........

 

 

In my opinion it is a far superior award to Eagle. the award means a lad has took his BSA experience and got every last drop of adventure. I would like for my son or a member of my troop to earn it....But they simply are not interested in it.

 

Being short sighted as young men are.

Yep, your questions are to a very specific point....

 

Here is how your post reads Despite my troops poor program how can I make sure MY son can earn this award?????

 

I discussed it with my son and the PLC a year or two a go......they were interested but did not pursue it. sure I am disappointed. but this isn't my scouting journey.

[King Ding Dong]

Under the auspices......Means during a scouting function or event....as mentioned earlier....

 

your out of line again. You should discuss it with your son. Maybe coach him how to approach the PLC about it and maybe help him promote it. But the bottom line is the boys need to decide to do it. If they say no.....then shelve it for a year and then bring it back up.........

 

 

In my opinion it is a far superior award to Eagle. the award means a lad has took his BSA experience and got every last drop of adventure. I would like for my son or a member of my troop to earn it....But they simply are not interested in it.

 

Being short sighted as young men are.

The BSA program is a combination of individual and troop/patrol activities and goals. You are clear in your opinion that the activities in this award must be a troop/patrol effort and if my son chooses to pursue this award he will need to sway the PLC. Others have provided helpful suggestions on alternatives if he is unsuccessful with the PLC that currently has other goals.

 

I apologize for assisting my son in determining how he may achieve his goals. I was not aware that is unacceptable.

[Basementdweller]

The paperwork involved in this award is a capital-N Nightmare. To facilitate boys who want to apply for it, I've created a spreadsheet that keeps track of every trip the troop offers or any Scouting event that any boy from the troop attended (OA, high adv., jambo) going back as far as the oldest scout in the troop. First column is the date (month/year), then trip title (XYZ State Park), then a column for each badge category: Camping, Hiking, Riding, Aquatics, Adventure. In those 5 columns is recorded the applicable data; for camping X nights, aquatics, X hours, riding X miles, etc.

It's virtually impossible, in my view, for a boy to calculate his hours, miles, etc by himself, especially since TroopMaster will not allow us to record that information in a trip (it's either a campign trip wtih recorded nights, or a hiking trip with miles, but not both)

Take note that a single high adventure trip which doubles the defined parameters of high adventure can count as 2 toward the award. Also take note that multiple activities on one trip count toward all badges (if on one campout you rode 5 miles, swam for 2 hours, and hiked 3 miles, that's creditable to all 4 badges).

 

I do not share your interpretation of the use of long term nights for the camping gold/silver device. The only limit on long term nights for the badge. There is no such restriction listed for the devices. The first 3 boys in our troop to earn the award all qualified for silver camping devices at the same time; and they all applied 15-30 nights of long term camping to the device (they all had multiple years of summer camp and the 2010 nat'l jamboree). I did not allow the boys to count nights spent indoors (our annual lock in, or the rare cabin trip).

The council reviewed and approved the applications. They were between 14 and 16 years old, so it's well within an active scout's reach to earn multiple silver devices in camping.

The ability for a scout to earn these is dependent upon his troop's program. Our troop goes biking with a 50-mile option every year. We hike all the time, and we go on long-term hikes almost every summer. Riding and camping are a cinch. The real difficulty, in my opinion, is the aquatics badge because of its inclusion of the Mile Swim on the base level, and the high adventure badge because of the amount of high adv a boy has to do (10 for the base badge).

 

So, if your troop camps every month, and your son goes with them, and he goes to summer camp, and throws in a week-long hike once a year, and some OA campouts, there is no need for you to start manipulating the PLC into calling father-son bike rides troop or patrol events. I think you're overthinking it.

 

If you are worried about the ability to earn it within your existing yearly program, then your son should talk-up the award to his patrol mates and get them all inspired to earn the awards, and then they'll want to set up their own patrol day trips and campouts to enable themselves to earn it. Maybe call the council and see how many boys earn it (very few if I were a betting man, mostly due to its clerical nightmarishness) and turn it into a prestige thing for the boys--even rarer than Eagle.

Oh I am very sure your boy will be first class in a year and patrol leader at that point......

 

Boys advance as they advance...

 

And making him do one pull up is adding requirements......he just needs to show improvement.....had a boy go from hanging limp to maybe a third the way to one.... it was an improvement.

 

No more no less than is written

[King Ding Dong]

The paperwork involved in this award is a capital-N Nightmare. To facilitate boys who want to apply for it, I've created a spreadsheet that keeps track of every trip the troop offers or any Scouting event that any boy from the troop attended (OA, high adv., jambo) going back as far as the oldest scout in the troop. First column is the date (month/year), then trip title (XYZ State Park), then a column for each badge category: Camping, Hiking, Riding, Aquatics, Adventure. In those 5 columns is recorded the applicable data; for camping X nights, aquatics, X hours, riding X miles, etc.

It's virtually impossible, in my view, for a boy to calculate his hours, miles, etc by himself, especially since TroopMaster will not allow us to record that information in a trip (it's either a campign trip wtih recorded nights, or a hiking trip with miles, but not both)

Take note that a single high adventure trip which doubles the defined parameters of high adventure can count as 2 toward the award. Also take note that multiple activities on one trip count toward all badges (if on one campout you rode 5 miles, swam for 2 hours, and hiked 3 miles, that's creditable to all 4 badges).

 

I do not share your interpretation of the use of long term nights for the camping gold/silver device. The only limit on long term nights for the badge. There is no such restriction listed for the devices. The first 3 boys in our troop to earn the award all qualified for silver camping devices at the same time; and they all applied 15-30 nights of long term camping to the device (they all had multiple years of summer camp and the 2010 nat'l jamboree). I did not allow the boys to count nights spent indoors (our annual lock in, or the rare cabin trip).

The council reviewed and approved the applications. They were between 14 and 16 years old, so it's well within an active scout's reach to earn multiple silver devices in camping.

The ability for a scout to earn these is dependent upon his troop's program. Our troop goes biking with a 50-mile option every year. We hike all the time, and we go on long-term hikes almost every summer. Riding and camping are a cinch. The real difficulty, in my opinion, is the aquatics badge because of its inclusion of the Mile Swim on the base level, and the high adventure badge because of the amount of high adv a boy has to do (10 for the base badge).

 

So, if your troop camps every month, and your son goes with them, and he goes to summer camp, and throws in a week-long hike once a year, and some OA campouts, there is no need for you to start manipulating the PLC into calling father-son bike rides troop or patrol events. I think you're overthinking it.

 

If you are worried about the ability to earn it within your existing yearly program, then your son should talk-up the award to his patrol mates and get them all inspired to earn the awards, and then they'll want to set up their own patrol day trips and campouts to enable themselves to earn it. Maybe call the council and see how many boys earn it (very few if I were a betting man, mostly due to its clerical nightmarishness) and turn it into a prestige thing for the boys--even rarer than Eagle.

My son will be happy to hear your opinion and your confidence in his abilities. I am not so confident about the PL though.

 

Some Scouters believe 1 is the only acceptable improvement but I have seen other opinions. Regardless I have no authority to pass rank requirements and he can continue his fitness program until the next troop meeting in August.