Find Now, Log Later?

What?

What? I thought the whole idea was to keep track of the bug's travels through the bug's homepage? What's the point of taking it if you're not going to log it or move it along? Yes, that's right ... through the TRAVEL BUG's page ... not the cache page. For example, if you check my profile, it is apparent that I haven't found a single cache, yet I have moved along quite a few travel bugs. Their home pages detail their movements, and the cache pages I retrieved them from/left them at have no entries.

I see no reason for them to log the find online if they don't want to, but if they aren't going to log the retrieval of the TB, they shouldn't take it. When the TB is dropped into the next cache, at least a "note" is required to assign the TB to the cache. The note could then be immediately deleted.

Much like travel bugs, after you've found a few, they're just another trade item.

Sounds a bit like one cache I heard of. It was a Ziploc bag with a piece of paper in it that the owner placed spontaneously because he thought the spot was nice. He asked that subsequent finders bring a logbook, pencil and stuff to "build the cache". Last I heard it went from the Ziploc to Gladware and is now and ammo box full of goodies. Gee, then there's only one step left ... all "cache owners" need to do is post coordinates and leave everything else up to the finders. Nice.

When geocaching in groups, Charter Members lead and Premium Members act as their lieutenants. Cheapskate generic "geocachers" gotta carry all the gear and find the caches, presenting (on bended knee) the logbooks to the Charter Members to sign first. (Followed by the Premium Members, and then the riff-raff.) Also, at geocaching events, Charter Members get first (and second) choice at the dessert table.

That's why people should attempt to remain as objective as possible when considering issues like this, especially when few facts are known. What "seems wrong" or "tacky" to one set of people may very well seem perfectly "okie-dokie" to another set. And it is entirely plausible that neither set is necessarily "in the right" (or "in the wrong.")

Did you mean crop circles created by mountain bikes, ATVs, 4x4s, or marauding groups of geocachers doing the "drunken bee dance?"

It's not a single log ... it's the exchange of notes on this cache.

Sequentially, when I used to count them. Some of us even used to include the number in the log so that we could keep things nicely in order, because the "My Cache Page" does not necessarily list the logs in the order they were entered. Unfortunately, some cachers whine and complain when they see such numbers in logs, accusing people of being "boastful." Yeah, right ... whatever.

Trade items in caches are intended to be traded; the entire cache is (usually) not. I tend to agree with that. However, I don't know that such an understanding existed with those particular coins. Do you? It has not been established that the person auctioning the coins acted improperly in any way.

I'm sure most lawyers aren't so naive as to lend out their cars without a signed contract far more prohibitive than a mere rental car contract.

Wake up and smell the coffee. There are already people that do that for relatives and/or friends for free.

My impression is that the cited auction is for a collection. The purchaser of the collection can do with it whatever they choose. (Keep it or recirculate it in whole or in part.) I don't think a person who left a geocoin or TB (or any other item) at a cache would be able to prove legal ownership of such an item, especially if the last person to retrieve it was able to demonstrate that s/he traded at least evenly for the item. The auction is in no way similar to putting a rental car up for sale on eBay.

Nonsense. There is no requirement to log online, therefore it is impossible "to be incredibly rude" not to log a FTF promptly ... or at all.

It's either that, or "tough nuts."

Log entries found on many truly lame caches that always make me laugh: "Thanks for the GREAT cache!"

HaHa! What a GREAT idea! One could also use eBay to help "move along" traveling caches.

I've run into non-geocache "caches" consisting of beer, porno, drug paraphenalia, hunting equipment, camping equipment, etc. at least a dozen times on the way to, from, or very close to (twice within 5 feet of) existing geocaches. I'll bet those folks all thought that one or more of your phrases applied to their stash. True to form, I left the non-geocache stashes hidden as well, or better, than I found them.

It was not a "global" statement. Many instances can be shown where it was precisely the reason the group was assembled; many instances can be shown where camaraderie was the primary reason.

I think people used to view any/all challenges presented by geocaching, which includes puzzles, to be personal challenges. Now, we routinely see large groups get together to tackle challenges that few of the group members would, or could, tackle as individuals. People discussing puzzle solutions, etc. in the forums is merely a further extension of that.

This is true, but printed material like books (or weekly magazines; even newspapers) are often "stale" even before they reach the checkout stand. One textbook I was a contributor to went through 5 editions in 7 years (mostly because of reformating to include more and more graphical information), and the topic was hardly "new" or "emerging." The core information hadn't changed much in a century. Geocaching today is quite different than it was 4 years ago. I can't imagine what it will be like even 1 year from now, with the introduction of "major sponsorships" and the resulting influx of new cachers. But if they discover geocaching through one of these books, they will need to develop an attachment to all of those things.

I think the authors of the other two books hope people don't think they "know it all" after having read just one of the books.

Some of us think the game has grown too big too quickly without additional exposure from books or "major sponsorships." Of course, those with a financial stake in the game would be expected to find such things most exciting.

Good point; perhaps these books will "turn on" some people to the wonderful world of hiking and outdoorsmanship. Your post also gave me an amusing thought ... I wonder if anyone who had gone into a library looking for a hiking/outdoors book has been exposed to geocaching accidently via a geocache/logbook disguised as a hiking manual?