Sytar

Given I havn't been on any of the hikes with you guys yet, but do you always get off to such and early start? For me to even get there at 6:20 I would have to camp there. Totem, what area do you normally try and setup the hikes in? I would love to join you, but this one is about 2-3 hours drive from me.

I think that it is hard to keep track of many of the trackables that you may pick up or drop off, especially if you are on a trip someplace and planning on hitting a lot of caches. I have had a few times where I picked up a few trackables, and then later that same day I wanted to drop them off, but hadn't been able to get them since they were not 'dropped' in the cache I got them from, so if I needed to, I would Grab it, then drop it in the cache I got it from, then retrieve it. That way it gets dropped off in the appropriate cache and gets the miles needed.

I just noticed this myself, My account shows that I am a Premium Member, but I don't have access to all the parts that say that you need to be a Premium member for. I guess I get to do the 1/year subscription to get things set back up.

Great idea.. kinda unique in a way of determining the amount. It may also encourage people to move the bug faster/further then it would without this.

I emailed them earlier and asked about the cache, and it was as you described, a place for them to log stuff for when they do trading. It appears that they have all moved on and been swapped with others. I guess overall, this is not a bad thing, I just got a bit concerned seeing that it was placed in something that others couldn't get to. I guess I am glad to see it moving, and not MIA.

But if you think about it, it really isn't moving in the spirit of caching. It is just being handed off from person to person, never touching an actual cache. It looks like my bug also went in and out in about a day, but that dosn't mean that it actually moved, or even left the hands of the original person. I read about people at events that just write down the TB number and log it, while they never really had it in the first place, they just saw it. I don't mean to be rude to anyone, but how is having a large number of bugs pass through your hands into a cache that dosn't really exist a mover? Top 50? What does that mean. If I wanted to get my caches found number up there, I could just start hitting every cache within 300 miles of me and get to a few thousand without ever leaving my desk. I guess I just feel a bit jipped beacuase I wanted my bug to be a traveling bug, not a trading bug. In the long run, they may have the best of intentions, but at this point it seems a bit strange. Is it possible to request a change to the Geocaching site, that you are not able to place new trackables into an archived cache? Since the whole idea of an archived cache is that it is not suitable for use - basically not a cache.

I noticed in one of the comments that they were trying to find bugs that they hadn't seen before, almost as if they are trying to touch as many bugs as possible. I think that this is fine as long as they don't stash them for this reason.

Yah, it also looks like one other person that "Visits" the cache does trade and drop off also. Maybe it is the same person, or husband/wife. But looking at the history, they have had a few times where they traded over 40 TBs at once? Goodness. Ok, going to an event, I can understand maybe getting a few, but that is a bit much for doing it over and over. Or is this part of the TBs/Geocaching that I havnt' seen before?

I find that if I am headed to a TB hotel, I do what I can to at least drop some off, and not wipe out all the TBs inside. If I have time, I will also check for which ones have been there longest and take those. I don't follow the "Rules" of the cache, but I do try and help them keep stuff moving through the cache. If you take everything from there, then people won't come to drop off/take anything from it. I also try and keep everyone happy, and not try and just go with the "You are wrong, I am right" mantality. I may also drop off 3-4, and take 5-6, or vise-versa. All depends on the cache, and what I have with me.

I have been watching a TB that I sent out mid last year, one of our first, and it has done some good movement recently. However, it seems to have been placed in what I would call an Oubliette. No, not the cache (although I have found that one. <grin>), but a cache that is archived, and has been for a long time. This cache also appears to be holding about 20 other bugs... I am not sure if this is a way for the person to store the bugs that he picks up, although the inventory seems to do that well enough, it has only been visited by the cacher, and one or two others. All seems strange to me, but I wanted to see what others had to say about this.. My TB is Augie's Dog Tag (TB1RM20), and the cache in question is Scooby's Private Trading Post! (GC14RDY).

I think my biggest problem is trying to be stealthy.. a bit hard to do that when climbing out from under a bridge, or in the woods digging in the bushes with a flashlight, seems like it is enough to get the cops called on you. []

Just wondering, if you remove a TB but didn't drop any off, and your post gets deleted, dosn't that make the cache look like it still has the bug in it? or does that just relate to the find. Also, you could drop off a bug later and check another back out, then log your find for the earlier date. You technically did do what he wanted, just not in the order he wants.

Does anyone else find it a lot more difficult to go caching in the winter? I noticed that once I get off work it is dark, and the weekend always seem to be busy. I have done some caches in the dark, but most just seem a bit strange to be creeping around in the dark with or without a flashlight in neighborhoods or parks.

Travel bugs are meant to move. As long as you can assist the bug towards its goal you can take as many as you wish. It doesn't matter if it's two or twenty. I just hate the idea of wiping out a cache just so I can move them along. I do normally look at the log books and see who and when a bug was dropped. Maybe leave the ones that just got dropped, and take the others. I did think that it would be funny to gather as many TBs as I can before I do a drive to Southern Cali. Dropping them off all over the west coast.

WOW, I am not headed down there, but I would love to hear the story about how it got there and how it got retrived. You should find that TB and frame it with the story below.

Just put it in a cache convenient to you. There is nothing special about "TB hotels/motels". In fact, some of them seem to be more like "TB Roach Motels - TBs check in, but they don't check out". I have wondered about some TB motels, it seems that the ones that move the most bugs are the ones that are by major freeways, or in easy access spots. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the ones that are out in the middle of no where or in a small town no where near a major freeway, don't get much movement. The other problem is depending on where they are located, they could be muggled easier since they are accessed more often. Is there anything wrong with dropping off 1-2 TBs and then grabbing 4-5 from the motels to get them moving?

Although I know that brail is not for deaf people but blind, would be make sence to add a line of brail around the coin spelling Geocahing? That would make the coin... bi-lingual? I think that overall this is a great idea. Deafhunt, please keep working towards this. If you have enough determination, you will find someone that will fund or support you in making the coins. When it comes to written communication, don't hesitate to ask for some support in trying to get your idea across. Many of the people here have created many coins and may be able to give you some help in what to ask for or how to ask.

What types of designs do you all look for? I have heard jeeps, but there are many others I am sure. Dragons, Vehicles, States, Symbols, Custom logos, Military? What about Colored verses Metalic? I too am thinking of making some coins. I would like to find out some more about what actually makes something successfull to help and recoop some of the cost of making them.

One of the coins that I recently picked up, I used as a card marker in a friendly poker game. Call it superstition, but I won. That is the first time that I have won, so I was going to try and use it next game also, but I don't want to keep the coin out too long. I will have to try and get one of my own to use as a marker, then I won't have the lingering feeling that I REALLY should send it on its way.

This is an amazing story, and I just wanted to wish the family and Skye good wishes and luck in her continued improvment. Each time I read one of your updates, one of the things that stuck out in my mind was the support of her family and friends. Having that type of support and love there every day can do wonders to someones will to live and to succeed. Although she recently got a wheelchair it sounds like walking is not out of the question! Keep up the support, and the updates. You are doing a wonderfull thing in helping a friend so unselfishly. Hopes and Prayers to all!

Thanks for the reply. I was guessing that this was the unspoken procedure for coins, although I wish I could keep some of the cool ones that I have found. I will do as I should and keep them moving along, and maybe one day I will be the lucky one to find a cache that has one that is unactivated. I am looking into creating one of my own, with those I guess i could simply drop them in a cache as a trade item (unactivated) or activate them and start them moving. I would wonder if you dropped 5 in one cache if there would be an issue of someone snagging all 5, rather then just 1? Geocaching as a whole is on the honor system more then anything.

I was wondering with many of the Geocoins that are left in Caches, are they ever kept? The FTF coins seem like something that the Cache owner would leave in the cache for the first finder. But when you do find it, what do you do? I have seen the FTF Geocoins that are traveling the same as a Travelbug or other Geocoin. Is this the way that they all work, or are some designed to be collectables? I guess my overall reason for asking is that I am looking at making some Geocoins and wanted to know how they are handled. I have only found coins/bugs that are already moving and have never had a new one.

I was just thinking that it would be nice to have a central place to look up both GeoCaches and Waymarking. Maybe when you pull up a list of locations near you, you would see a big red W that would show you the location of a waymarker. This would be pulled from the same type of listing that we do with Caches. I know that the two companies are not the same, but it would be nice if they could work together and get more visability to both.

The pepper spray to me sounds like a great idea.. the knife is almost as bad a carrying a gun. If you don't know how to use it effectivly, then your chances of having it work to your benifit drop quickly. The last thing you want to do is to give them a weapon to hurt, or God forbid, kill you with. Stick with the non-leathals... As for your GF, i know what you mean. I cache with my wife and I would do the same for her. Although if things did get bad, I would make darn sure that she got away. Adrinaline does wonderfull things when you need it to.

Sorry to hear about the attack, I think that I would have a hard time giving up my Digital SLR also. Even with insurance, there is just something about having someone TAKE something from you by force. Check with your Homeowners, and ask them what amount of claim will effect your payment. It may be $2000, so you can do your claim and get at least part of your cost back (minus the deductable of course). Although this really should not be required, there is something to be said about going in pairs. Someone is a LOT less likely to be attacked if you are with someone else. Check around your area, maybe you will find another cacher that you can join up with. Otherwise go with your girlfriend.