Start a traveling rock and create its passport
A cat, a flower, a pattern, or an unpainted pebble: the important part is the invitation, not artistic skill. Start with a rock you own or obtained with permission, give it a little personality, and decide what honest introduction you want the next person to read.
Published by Traveling Rock ·
Prepare the rock and its introduction
Do not collect stones from protected places or paint rocks where they lie. If you paint, use suitable materials and avoid glitter, loose decorations, or finishes that shed. Let the artwork dry before passing it on. The plan is a direct handoff, never leaving it in a park or on a trail.
Choose a name and explain the rock's starting point in your own words. You might describe the painted design or why you want to pass it on; do not invent previous travels, owners, or environmental results. If you use a photo, photograph the actual rock and avoid faces, addresses, and other personal details. Preserve another artist's credit only when you know it and have permission to share it.
Use the existing verified sign-in flow
Creating a passport requires sign-in and a verified email through the site's Firebase account flow. This guide does not create an anonymous passport or bypass account checks. The Create a rock passport link opens the existing /rocks/new form, which shows account requirements and current service availability before saving.
Sign in and verify your email
Open your account and complete the verification prompts before creating a passport. Account access is for managing your work, not a requirement to accept a rock or read public passports.
Add truthful public details
Enter the rock's name and introduction, and choose the optional public photo and broad location only if you consent to share them. Follow the form's permission and moderation notices; a save is not a guarantee of public approval.
Check the public passport
After successful creation, use the public passport page and its QR code for sharing. Keep account credentials and any private management link out of photographs, printed labels, social posts, and the rock's diary.
Make the first handoff an invitation
Ask someone whether they would like the rock. Hand it to them directly only if they agree, explain the mission, and share the public QR code or link. They can keep it, decline to post, omit a location, or pass it on when they find another willing person.
If they choose to write a diary chapter, invite a first-person account from the rock's point of view about the real encounter. Approved chapters join the existing passport instead of becoming duplicate community story pages. A cleanup remains a separate voluntary action and does not need a rock at all.