swirvin-irv

I'm aware of using google earth as a tool, I do it myself. However, I was just trying to say if you do not physically go to a cache to log it, it is the same as logging a travel bug without actually physically, in person going to a cache location and finding or "discovering" it. I think discovery of a travel bug was intended to be a tool for other cachers to let the bug owner know, "Hey, I've seen your travel bug in a cache and it is safe and sound" "I just do not intend to move it along.".

Thanks Auld Pharrrt, I activated the lock on my missing travel bug today. That particular bug had an image posted on facebook...not by me....but it was an image that I mistakenly showed the tracking code when I activated it. Someone "shared" that image within hours of my activation, without my permission or knowledge. I have since put the correct image on geocaching.com, but it is too late. But it kind of irks me that these people have changed the rules (albeit unwritten) to play the game their own way. In my opinion the base game "Geocaching" is by it's own definition, a REAL WORLD OUTDOOR ADVENTURE GAME. These Keyboard Geocachers have taken the outdoor part out of the game. What's next, people using Google Earth street view to find Geocache locations and logging them. I know that's extreme and hopefully unlikely, but that is the best illustration I could come up with to show how I see this subject.

Yup, your bug ended up on Facebook. It seems that there is a group that looks for Trackables on the Geocaching home page. If you took a photo (or someone else took a photo) of the dogtag number, it probably was posted by this group on Facebook. Other people on Facebook can now use the dogtag number to post "Discovery" logs. I have a travel bug that has been missing for quite some time now. It has received hundreds of these "discoveries". The popularity seems to be mostly European people, and in particular Germany, but I've seen them from just about anywhere in the world. I have a posted a rather stern note on my travel bug's page, but that does not deter these FALSE discoveries. I have been deleting all of these discoveries the second they arrive.

I have been watching this thread unfold all day and I must say that the opinions expressed here are great. There is a definite trend towards no CO intervention other than routine maintenance. I agree with that. But it struck me that maybe a trackable friendly rating system for your cache may be a good idea. We rate our caches for difficulty and terrain, why not for trackable friendliness? Lets say 0 for a micro or I don't want any to 5 which is a travel bug hotel. My personal opinion about the message I received is, I just think the TO is impatient. I don't have any hard feelings toward them, it is their trackable and they can do or ask as they please. They are also 4000? miles away so they may not understand our environment/weather, or caching practices here in the U.S. This all started when I bought a new cache container and made arrangements to go out this weekend to change it out. I struggled with the idea of moving it to another cache. I thought about where I would move it especially now that caching has slowed significantly I'm going to leave it, and per the advise expressed here, I'm going to email the TO and assure them that the trackable is fine (if it is indeed fine of course). I'll continue to watch this thread and post any updates. Thanks again for the great posts! Happy Caching 8D

I received an e-mail and a note logged on my cache page the other day and it has bothered me ever since. A TB owner(from Europe) sent me a message that said, in a nutshell, "Owner/cacher, My TB has been in your cache for 4 weeks, please move it to the next cache". My question is, am I responsible to move TBs in my cache? I thought the idea of TBs was to just leave them do their thing "naturally". I'm just looking for comments. I'm not moving it. Am I wrong? Thanks for listening. Swirvin-Irv