rxzephyr

I really can't see that a single, polite, email inquiring about the status of a travel bug would be considered harassment. I can, however, see how many people sending an email - some worded strongly - to a single person could be considered harassment. To keep things orderly, when an ITRAC member is looking into a missing traveller, just make a quick post here to say that you're handling it. That should solve the email flood and keep other people open to look into others. I know we're all enthusiastic, but we have to keep a cool & organized head here. And, above all, keep it polite and professional! This is a family sport and you have no idea surrounding the circumstances that have stranded a bug. And the last thing we need people thinking we are is the TB Police. Some people have pulled parallels between us and SAR groups, which is probably closer to the truth. RXZ

My original concept was never intending for an infinate number of people to contact people who have a travel bug. The concept was more in line with putting people in contact with people who might know the person. For example, someone has a travel bug that's been in the hands of a new geocacher for the past 6 months because it looks like they haven't been out since. The TB owner would then contact the ITRAC group saying that their TB appears to in the hands of NewCacherX who has not responded to a friendly email inquiery. ITRAC has a member who is in the area where the TB was last seen, and is in turn a member of the local Geocaching Association. He remembers ExperiencedCacherA was taking NewCacherX out on an orientation run. They then talk to ExperiencedCacherA who is able to retrieve the TB from NewCacherX's junk drawer because they're not going out anymore. Yes, an idea situation but one that could happen if there was enough co-ordination & representation. This group was never intended to be some kind of vigalente group, so I'll echo the let's keep it friendly statement. RXZ

No postings in 4 days? Am I to assume that people have lost interest in this endeavour?

Travel bug been sitting in the hands of someone for months? Geocoin been sitting in a cache for a year? Contact the ITRAC - the International Traveller Rescue & Assistance Coalition - and we'll try and help you get your traveller back on the road. Open Cases Reported: 11/29/2005 Traveller: His Addictions Owner: the hermit crabs In the Hands: Zippy & The Crew Last Seen: Neighborwood (South Carolina, USA) 03/23/2005 ----- Reported: 11/29/2005 Traveller: Her Addictions Owner: the hermit crabs In the Hands: Winston_Smith Last Seen: Lebanon Travel Bug Hotel (New Hampshire, USA) 04/23/2005 ----- Reported: 11/30/2005 Traveller: TwoPolarBears Owner: aRRKS In the Hands: N/A Last Seen: 270 McDougal Road, Fort Smith, NWT, Canada 08/09/2005 ----- Reported: 11/30/2005 Traveller: Free Long Distance Owner: Cheminer Will In the Hands: N/A Last Seen: Gordon's Travel Bug Depot (New York, USA) 09/02/2005 ----- Reported: 11/30/2005 Traveller: International Cache Change Owner: ExpeditionExplorers In the Hands: N/A Last Seen: VB2 (Alberta, Canada) 05/07/2005 ----- Reported: 11/30/2005 Traveller: Plato Platypus Owner: maccamob In the Hands: Venturing VanHoosens Last Seen: Seaside Beach (Oregon, USA) 07/01/2004 ----- Reported: 12/01/2005 Traveller: Tigger Too Owner: Love Bugs In the Hands: N/A Last Seen: Castell de Montjuïc (Barcelona, Spain) 12/28/2004 ----- Reported: 12/01/2005 Traveller: RXZephyr's Model Railway Travel Bug Owner: rxzephyr In the Hands: killick/lpn Last Seen: Come 'Splore These Falls (Nova Scotia, Canada) 26/08/2005 ----- Reported: 12/01/2005 Traveller: The Borg Travel Bug Owner: rxzephyr In the Hands: shelmybell Last Seen: Rattlesnake Ledge (Rhode Island, USA) 25/09/2005 ----- Reported: 13/12/2005 Traveller: Bugaroo Banzai! Owner: EleriandBlade In the Hands: laurelg2 Last Seen: Smile Mother Teresa you're on Caching Camera (Washington, USA) 24/05/2005 This list will be updated as cases are opened and closed. RXZ

This thread is dedicated to the development of ITRAC - the International Traveller Rescue & Assistance Coalition. At the moment, I believe we should be working on the following: We need a logo! People really identify with a picture, so I think that a logo would be very cool. Now that we have landed on a name that we're going to stick with, is there anyone with artistic ability who wants to take a stab at this? We've already had one attempt - which was very cool! Keep in mind the three themes we want our logo to contain: geocaching, travellers (bugs, coins, etc), and rescue. Maybe take a look at some SAR logos and use them as a concept? *shrugs* We need a website & tracking method! We really need an online presence that we can point to when talking about who we are and what we do. The Frappr! site is a great start as is my 'excel' spreadsheet that I'm manually updating, but we need some place we can post policy, process, mission statements. I noticed that we have a DBA/DBD onboard - welcome! Now we just need some place we can put his talent to use. Of Men and Websites, we also need to decide what we're going to do with the ITBRL Frappr! website. I sent the Frappr! folks an email almost 2 weeks ago now and haven't heard anything from them. Of course, it was Christmas so they may not have been around. However, anyone have a thought for a contingency plan? Speaking of policies, processes, mission statements....this is something else that we need to start to put some words around. We've already had people expressing concern about "how we're going to do this", so I think that putting some words around this sort of thing would be a great start! I know this stuff isn't the fun stuff. We'd much rather be "out there" hitting the geocaches and rescuing travellers, but I think that having all of the above will give the group credibility and begin to increase our visibility. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? And, most importantly, volunteers? RXZ

I'm going to close this thread since I believe we're going to adopt the new name "International Traveller Rescue & Assistance Coalition" (ITRAC) and create 2 new threads to better organize our activities. Thread #1: ITRAC Discussion & Development This will be where we continue our discussions on how we can improve on the ITRAC organization and functionality. Thread #2: ITRAC Open Cases, Reports & Updates This will be where we begin to co-ordinate rescues and take in reports where we might be able to help out. I want to thank everyone for their support thus far. I still believe that this fledgling association can do good things and put the focus back on travellers which disappear. Maybe simply through educating people about how important it is to keep travel bugs on the go and that these are really important things to the people who send them out that we can see fewer travellers go missing. I want to take this time to give a special thank you to "blackjack65" and his friend "vince44" for rescuing one of my travel bugs that I had thought might have been destroyed in Hurricane Wilma this past fall. Super Kudos to these two for getting "Grandma" back on her travels. RXZ

Unfortunately, unless I'm a total blockhead, I can't find an option to just change the title of the page. I'm thinking that the TITLE of the page is linked to http://www.frappr.com/whatgoeshere. That's why I suggested that we might need to create a new group. Would be interesting to see just how many people would be I was thinking perhaps if the guys from Frappr! would be able to help us. *shrugs* Move the existing members and/or put in an automatic forward from the old named site to the new named site. *shrugs* As I said, I'm open to suggestions. I like that one too. Not 100% clear on the TMA. Can you elaborate a little more? Again, I want to emphesise that we do not want to become the Traveller Police here. (Even though that's essentially what we've become.) The last thing we need to do is antagonize both the Traveller Holder AND the Traveller Owner. They might be working things out on their own and don't need to involve a 3rd party. More thoughts? RXZ

Then let's re-open the debate. Recapping from the original message: I have modified the definitions slightly based on some previous comments. I like the classifications with the exception of "Hostage Rescue". I think we have to come up with a 'friendlier' name that means the same thing. Remember, we don't want to antagonize someone because that can make them uncooperative. For MIA and HR, I really believe that we should wait for the Traveller Owner to contact us and ask that we get involved. That might cause trouble while we're a relatively unknown group, but.... *shrugs* I'm open to changing my mind - someone just needs to convince me. RXZ

Looks like ITRAC is winning since it's had 3 or 4 vocal supporters. I think we'll end up adopting that name (with the T referring to traveller. ) In other news, Frappr! has added "Forum" support to the website which gives us the perfect place to discuss active rescues, etc. Unfortunately, with the name change pending, we have to decide what we want to do with the Frappr! website. Do we want to create a new Frappr website once the name is settled on? RXZ

I've updated the list to include the modification to the (I)TRAC entries as suggested. I just hope that, if that's the name that's adopted, that people don't think we'll be rescuing stranded tourists. Travel Bugs, Geocoins, any any other Hitchhiker type thing - I'm okay with. I'll leave the "Rescue & Assistance" of actual Geocachers to the local SAR groups. Semi-final list (~1 day left for nominations): ITBRL : International Travel Bug Rescue League TRIP: Travelbug Rescue International Posse HILL: Hitchikers International Liberation League TBIRD: Travel Bug International Rescue Detachment ITRAC: International Traveller Rescue & Assistance Coalition TRAC: Traveller Rescue & Assistance Coalition

Sounds like the noice I make while choking on a chicken bone. Did my wife suggest that one? That's what Snookie does to me when I tell her we're going geocaching instead of cleaning/working on the house. Seriously, I don't like it because of the negative slant that could be put on it. We "harp" on people when they take/don't move travellers.... Blech. No offence meant, but it just doesn't make sense to me. It's quite obvious that the name was reverse engineered from the desired acronym, which really shouldn't be the way we come up with a name. I'm not even going to include this in the "poll". Not only could it be offensive to some, but it's WAY too negative. My 2 cents. RXZ

These two I really like, placing favour on the ITRAC because of it's inclusion of the "International" designation and it becomes what we do ("I track missing Hitchhikers."). One of the previous posters said that "International" just adds bulk and is unnecessary. I disagree. With all the different regional GC Associations out there, I wanted to make sure that people knew that this group wasn't focused on a particular region. Not just in Eastern Canada or Midwest USA or North Wales or the Outback of Australia: We are a global association of concerned cachers who want to see travel bugs work the way they intended to. Anyway - I will eventually put up a poll and we'll all have a say. Nominations thus far: ITBRL : International Travel Bug Rescue League TRIP: Travelbug Rescue International Posse HILL: Hitchikers International Liberation League TBIRD: Travel Bug International Rescue Detachment ITRAC: International Travelbug Rescue & Assistance Coalition TRAC: Travelbug Rescue & Assistance Coalition Any more? I'll post the poll tomorrow evening (Eastern Cdn. Time ) RXZ

I really think we need to standardize on a name and co-ordinate efforts when going after a travel bug. If we have 18 people contact a cacher, all claiming to be from different named "rescue" organizations (when in reality all of them are from the same people) it can be confusing and overwhelming. Especially for a new cacher. So...... We need to finalize on a name. Everything we have done, including these couple pages of discussions, have been done under the banner of the ITBRL name so I'm in favour of keeping it. (And not just because it was my original concept name.) If there's a good reason to change it - I'll call on people to make their case now as I did in the very first page of this chat. We need a logo! People really identify with a picture, so I think that a logo would be very cool. Anyone with artistic ability want to take a stab at this? We've already had one attempt - which was very cool! Keep in mind the three themes we want our logo to contain: geocaching, travel bugs, rescue. Maybe take a look at some SAR logos and use them as a concept? *shrugs* We need a website & tracking method! We really need an online presence that we can point to when talking about who we are and what we do. The Frappr! site is a great start, but we need some place we can post policy, process, mission statements. I noticed that we have a DBA/DBD onboard - welcome! Now we just need some place we can put his talent to use. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE THIS A SUCCESS! RXZephyr

And that, to me, is the definition of a Travel Bug being stranded. If I had a bug sitting in an infrequently visited cache for a couple months, I'd consider it being stranded. Likewise, if I had a bug that was supposedly in a cache and no one was picking up the bug, I'd wonder if the bug was really there. Remember: these are travel bugs. They are meant to move and not sit in someone's hand or in an infrequently visited cache. To me, unless the TB owner says that their bug is "in trouble", I woudn't bother with it. In absense of that sort of notice/complaint, I'd say that any travel bug that has not moved in 6 months is in need of rescuing. My 2 cents. RXZ

Fortunately, my wife is on the consumer end and isn't a Pampered Chef consultant. (I don't know where she'd find the time....) Well, if you know of people who are going to be in that area - feel free to put them in touch with me. Who knows, they might even be on the same ship as my wife and I. RXZ

Nope. Didn't realise they sponsored cruises. (I won't be telling my wife! ) What cruiseline are they using?

I'm going to be on a Caribbean Cruise this coming April hitting the following islands: Curaco Isla de Margarita Barbados Dominica St. Thomas I am wondering if there are any geocachers (either local or travelling) who might be intertested in geocaching on some of these islands. Since I'm cruising, transportation is going to be an issue and I'll be on tight timelines. Hope to hear from some people! RXZ

I was going to offer to put this TB on the list of 'open cases' for the International Travel Bug Rescue League but noticed that the bug has been placed & moved several times since this was posted. Glad to see that the travel bug is on the move again. RXZ

Great news about my travelbug. I was pleased as punch to see that one go back into circulation - though absolutely amazed as to how far it made it. Pretty much from one side of the contentent to another.... Anyway, here are the other "open files"....I track more information, but until we get a better way to list them, I'll only post the names of the TB's & last known location. Not the best. His Addictions: South Carolina, USA @ 03/23/2005 Her Addictions: New Hampshire, USA@ 04/23/2005 TwoPolarBears: 270 McDougal Road, Fort Smith, NWT, Canada @ 08/09/2005 Free Long Distance: New York, USA @ 09/02/2005 International Cache Change: Alberta, Canada @ 05/07/2005 Plato Platypus: Oregon, USA @ 07/01/2004 Tigger Too: Barcelona, Spain @ 12/28/2004 RXZephyr's Model Railway Travel Bug: Nova Scotia, Canada @ 26/08/2005 The Borg Travel Bug: Rhode Island, USA @ 25/09/2005 If anyone has any additions to this list, please let me know. Since it's inception, the league has grown to 48 members! Best coverage, right now, is un the UK - kudos to them for such a keen interest. Please continue to promote the team and get us more global coverage. RXZ

I personally think this group/league 1st has to prove that it works before Groundspeak can even recognize it. This is not a sport were you get a letterman jacket. I agree 110%! This will only work if people actually get out there and do it! To prove that we're actually making a difference, we need a way to track our successes/ Anyone have any suggestions? And we need to find a way to promote the group. We're getting good coverage in the existing areas (as things spread by word of mouth), but I'd really like to see worldwide coverage! RXZ

I dunno.....kinda looks like this logo is against Travel Bugs!

And since we're posting this - I too have a travel bugs which appear to have gone into limbo. I haven't seen nor heard from a number of my Travel Bugs in months. Emails to those people who have it in their hand go unanswered. RXZephyr's Model Railway Travel Bug Last seen in the hands of killick/lpn after they took it from Come 'Splore These Falls (Nova Scotia, Canada) on August 26, 2005. The Borg Travel Bug Last seen in the hands of shelmybell after they took it from Rattlesnake Ledge (Rhode Island, USA) on September 25, 2005. RXZephyr's Railway Travel Bug Last seen in the hands of Ladybug JMC after they took it from The Real Easy Encounter (Newfoundland, Canada) on October 19, 2005. Posting FYI & Entering them into my "Open Cases" file. RXZ

Everyone who wants to be a part of this - make sure that you sign up at the Frappr! website. I see lots of people saying that they want to take part and then aren't signing up on the map. Just hit the URL below and sign up yourself! I think it's crucial for people to sign up there so that people know what area you're available in. http://www.frappr.com/internationaltravelbugrescueleague And make sure you tell other geocachers to promote the group. Maybe someone can design a logo for us and we can create cards to stash in geocaches to promote the group. (Someone could take a stab at creating them as well.) I'm also tracking the number of "open cases" that are posted in this thread. I'm not sure how to publish them to the League, but I am certainly open to suggestions. RXZ

I think that in most cases, normal travel bug transportation rules will apply. If you're rescuing a TB from an infrequently visited cache, move it to a more frequently visited cache and get it back on it's way just like a travel bug you would have picked up on your own. If you're attempting to retrieve a TB from someone who has "abducted" it, chances are that you know this individual from outside of geocaching or have met face-to-face at a geocaching event. I think in most cases, these people will be reasonable when you confront them. After all - in that case, you're more than just letters on a screen. However, I'm certainly not against a League Charter and a statement of Guidelines/Ettiquite. Anyone who wants to take a stab at writing it, go for it and post to the forum for feedback. Personally, I'd hesitate to call them "Rules" or "Regulations" as we're not a sanctioned body from Groundspeak. We're just a bunch of volunteers who want to do what's best for the sport. My 2 cents worth. :RXZephyr 24 members

Well.....I have to vent. I've tried to promote this group by making some postings into some of the Groundspeak Country-specific or US Regional groups and had my postings closed/locked in some (fair) and deleted without warning (I know I posted in some groups and the posting has disappeared.) I feel that qualifying my posts as "spam" is unfair and just needed to get that off my chest. Anyway, water under the bridge. We'll have to find some other way to promote this fledgling group. We can do good work and I'm trying to not let this get to me. 18 people and growing. Make sure you don't just post here and sign up on the Frappr! Map! RXZephyr http://www.frappr.com/internationaltravelbugrescueleague