Nick - Cacher

I'm preparing to send out my first TB, just waiting for the tags to come in the mail. I was thinking of making my own "Print Info Sheet" to attach to it rather than the one that comes from this website. Rather than saying "Don't remove me unless you plan to log your visit at www.geocaching.com", I was thinking of replacing that last part with "www.geocaching.com/track/default.aspx", because of all the apathy I've seen with logging TB's. Another thing I was thinking of including on the Info Sheet (to attach) is the phrase "PRIVATE PROPERTY" and also "DO NOT KEEP ME! I am a travel bug," so they understand it's not something to trade/keep from a geocache. I've noticed that only the traditional dog tags contain "DO NOT KEEP ME", while the other tags and geocoins don't include that.

One observation is that probably the OP is dealing with TBs that DO NOT say www.Groundspeak.com but say www.Geocaching.com instead. Most I've seen use the Geocaching version. That is the page that needs something like what is on Groundspeak. One can find the information by browsing the Geocaching site, but it is tucked away a little bit. Just needs to be brought out in the clear for first timers. Doug 7rxc That's one thing I've noticed. I've only been geocaching for about a month and a half now. I've been discouraged when I research 7 caches which are supposed to hold travel bugs and find only 1 of them actually contains a travel bug (and not the travel bug listed). It's like many people take them but don't log it. Even if it seems like dumbing it down by helping them log their visit, it's a lot better than the frustration of only one in seven geocaches having a travel bug.

In post #270 above, I was thinking about making a hitchhiker cut out of clip art and having it laminated with very stiff material or some other type of protection, and I could make any size. I was thinking about having it 3.5 inches long, but I'm debating with myself what's optimal size. Do you think 3.5" would be too big, or would that work? It would be small enough to close a hand around it, but then how long it is is a different matter. I was thinking if it's too small with the clip art, it will be hard to see the art details on it since it's shrunk. However, having it small would help it to fit into a lot more geocaches smaller than the rating of shoebox/ammo can regular size containers. Any advice on my post #270 above?

That sounds interesting! So you can put cut outs of clip art printed on photo paper in them, or how exactly do they look/work? How secure would they be if someone wanted to remove the clip art from it (like when you talk about cable to make TB's less likely to be removed)? Can they be sealed off well from water, or should I just laminated it first then put it in?

Hi, One of the reasons I was curious about wording it that way is on the printout sheets you can get from a travel bug's websites, it just says log your visit at geocaching.com. However, for a brand new newbie picking up a trackable and then going to the geocaching.com website, they can't see where to go to track it, you have to already know where to go. I was debating with my self whether posting "www.geocaching.com/track/default.aspx" will make it easier for them, increasing the likelihood it will be logged? It seems like half of the time when a cache says it has a trackable, it doesn't really (and all these other cachers for years and years have been complaining that it's missing). Also, I was curious about including the phrase "PRIVATE PROPERTY" somewhere in the travel bug goal sheet attachment? I would want people take it more seriously when thinking about snatching it from a geocache, or would that just backfire by making it sound less inviting to those who would legitimately help move it along?

Hi, I'm new to geocaching and want to send out a TB of my own. For the hitchiker to attach to the dog tag, I was thinking about printing out a clipart of a jogger on printing paper. Then I would make a cut out and laminate it with some of that really stiff/thick thermal laminating material. Then for the travel bug instruction sheet to attach, I was curious about feedback. How would something like this sound? Would it make sense to someone who never read any of the rules of geocaching? Would it be too wordy, or just right? Suggestions? : "(name of TB): DO NOT KEEP ME! I am a travel bug. I am private property, traveling from geocache to geocache, with a tracking number. Please don’t remove me from this geocache unless you plan to log your visit at www.geocaching.com/track/default.aspx My goal: Please help me to move across the country. I also think it would be fun to eventually visit other countries. Even if you help me move to another geocache just a mile away in the right direction, that would be nice, but please do not hold onto me for very long. When logging me online, it would be fun to see pictures of the places I’ve visited. Even perhaps getting your picture taken with this travel bug could be fun."