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Why Even Have A Jeep Contest?


mcl143

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<rant>

 

Why even have a contest like the Jeep contest? People just seem to hoard the WJTB's and last year's YJTB's anyhow. I have 24 WJTB's on my watchlist and none of them have moved in the last 3-4 weeks or more!!! Most of these even have 0 miles on them.

 

Why not either put out more WJTB's or just do the contest a different way or don't do the contest at all? If people are going to hoard them there is no point to even having them.

 

</rant>

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I agree, I worked really hard to find a cache that supposed contained a WJTB, when I got there, no surprise, there was no jeep. Strange thing is that the jeep has been listed on the cache for the past month or so.

 

There are many people that have no respect for the game and just like to hoard the jeeps. What is the point of hoarding them, you only need one anyway.

 

If you have a few sitting around lets get those jeeps moving people.

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At least it's nice to know I find people who get as annoyed as I do. I know folks here in GA that have been hanging onto the same jeep since they received it at GW3. I've even called them on it. Still they keep them.

 

I have one for the Aug photo, but knew I would have no time to get the pic until this weekend. But I can promise this jeep will be out in the first regular cache I find after that.

 

I always try to move them fast. I don't know why so many others are so inconsiderate. It drives me nuts.

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I know what you mean. I had 2 YJTB's, but moved them as fast as I could. The white ones are so rare, I haven't even seen one, other than in pictures.

 

People don't understand that they are called "TRAVEL" bugs, not "event" bugs, or "hoard me" bugs.

 

It's really just worthless to even have a contest if they jeeps are only given out at one place, then distributed amongst a small group of individuals, then hoarded.

 

Why bother?

 

Don't get me wrong. I love the game. However, there's not much of a game when people don't play it fairly.

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I was browsing through the photo gallery and I noticed some pics have as many as 5 or 6 jeeps in them. Forget it, they aren't getting my vote...I can't even get one jeep let alone 5 or 6.

 

They should only allow *ONE* photo entry per person, period. That might help keep the jeeps moving. Because they allow one per month that gives people motivation to keep them (for the next month)

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Jeep hording is the unfortunate part of the contest. I think there are ways that TPTB could discourage hording, but it's still going to be human nature. (Believe me, I'm NOT defending)

 

Who knows, maybe the people who ultimately decide the voting are actually considering things like that. Your guess is as good as mine, but I'll try my best to enjoy the contest anyway.

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They should only allow *ONE* photo entry per person, period.  That might help keep the jeeps moving.  Because they allow one per month that gives people motivation to keep them (for the next month)

 

As one that has entered the Jeep Photo contest I can tell you that you can ONLY enter a WJTB number once for any of the monthly contests. You have to find a different WJTB for each monthly picture. It is getting real hard to find them. WJTB's that are listed in our area mostly are not in the cache. Those that are in caches have really high difficulties and terrains. The average cacher or the handicaped cacher are not able to take on these kind of caches. It is sad. You can buy these toy jeeps at Wal-Mart for $1.97. (If you can find them.) Or you can purchase them on line from the manufactor for $9.99. But I guess the FREE ones are more attractive to the unethical cacher.

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While on vacation out of state last month, I went after three caches that all had WJTBs listed in them... ones that had been placed in by the cache owner just days before. But all three were gone... with no log. They still are not logged. Missing TBs are bad enough... but these are special and really really ought to be logged. But I guess if you never intend to move them, you're not likely to log it and have it sitting in your inventory.

 

HEY YOU HORDERS! GET SOME GUTS AND AT LEAST LOG THE BUG SO WE KNOW IT IS GONE AND BEING COLLECTED... WE PROMISE WE WON"T SEND YOU NASTY EMAILS ONCE WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE! :rolleyes:

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I was browsing through the photo gallery and I noticed some pics have as many as 5 or 6 jeeps in them. Forget it, they aren't getting my vote...I can't even get one jeep let alone 5 or 6.

 

They should only allow *ONE* photo entry per person, period. That might help keep the jeeps moving. Because they allow one per month that gives people motivation to keep them (for the next month)

As seabecktribe pointed out, once you submit an entry with a particular white jeep, that same jeep cannot be used by you again. So there really is no reason to keep them.

 

I too get annoyed by the entries with more than one WJTB in them and hope that TPTB take note of that and detract points in the final judging should one of those entries make it. It's one thing if the pic was taken at an event where there were multiples present, but when a cacher blatantly has several in their inventory and uses them for the shot, it's just uncalled for. But as I've noticed since I began caching, so many people do not play fair or consider others when they do what they do. I honestly feel bad for having "Teddie" for two weeks to take the Aug photo. I can guarantee you the few locals who have had the same jeep in their possession since May/June, are not feeling the slightest bit of remorse.

 

Hey mcl143, where are you located (state)? Lets Go PSU! :rolleyes:

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Atlanta Girl,

 

I am in Lancaster County, PA. Keeping a WJTB for a couple weeks in order to take a picture would be acceptable. However, keeping one for numerous months is the problem. Some are kept forever.

 

I really don't understand what satisfaction people get out of ruining the game for a small hunk of plastic/metal.

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I agree, hording the WJTB is annoying. I watched every jeep in my area for 6 weeks, before I could even log one and I even had to drive 40 miles to get that one. It seems that some people just hold on to them.

 

Right now I have two, that I need to drop off in caches this week and I feel bad that I've had them for 4 days and haven't dropped them off yet...

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I have one for the Aug photo, but knew I would have no time to get the pic until this weekend. But I can promise this jeep will be out in the first regular cache I find after that.

 

I always try to move them fast. I don't know why so many others are so inconsiderate. It drives me nuts.

I hear you. I felt bad because I kept one for almost 2 weeks in July. Our photo shoot location was rained out a bunch of times, and then when I went to place it in a cache, the cache was inaccessible and I wasn't able to get out and place it for a few more days. However, I did post updates on the log, so anyone watching it or just randomly looking for jeeps would know that I still had it, why I couldn't get it back out sooner, and how long I intended to keep it for. I did get out in time for other people to still have just over a week to take their own pics for the July contest.

 

I picked up another one a few days ago. I haven't taken my August photo yet, but I would have if not for cutting my foot open and being forced out of commission for a short while. Even then, I plan to have it back out in the world as soon as possible.

 

Seeing the multiples in photos, is a huge peeve, as is seeing pics with the yellow jeeps in them too, that as far as I can tell weren't picked up recently. If it was just picked up, sure, no problem, but if they were hoarded that's just not cool. I've seen so many of these pictures that I have to wonder how many of them are in the cachers personal collection for keeps. I'm very new to this activity, and I fear I will never find a yellow jeep. (I want to find at least one for the icon. other reasons, too, but the icon plays a part, admittedly.) They have been so scarce in my area. The nearest ones I've seen in months are close to 2 hours away or more and they aren't there long.

 

There was one that was getting close to my area when it was picked up by a cacher who confirmed in his log that he did pick it up. One week later he moved it to the travelbug graveyard. He claims it was because it was in a cache that was muggled, but come on, like we don't know better.

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I agree, hording the WJTB is annoying. I watched every jeep in my area for 6 weeks, before I could even log one and I even had to drive 40 miles to get that one. It seems that some people just hold on to them.

 

Right now I have two, that I need to drop off in caches this week and I feel bad that I've had them for 4 days and haven't dropped them off yet...

Folks, Medic005 is a cooler guy than he's letting on...

 

He's dropping off one of those White Jeeps for me to use as a FTF prize for my new cache coming out this weekend! :rolleyes:

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I've had two WJTB's. Both I only kept long enough to get a photo of, then dropped within a couple of days. One I forgot to write down the number, so even though I logged it when I got home, by the time I loaded the photo it was already in a cache somewhere. I emailed the person that last logged finding it, but never heard back. Oh well, my pic wasn't that great anyway.

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Interesting.

Out here in San Diego we had a CITO event last weekend. About 50 people attended then went to a BBQ after. Not being a local I arrived dead last to the BBQ. In the week prior the other cachers had gone out of their way, some to drive over 300 miles, to retrieve white Jeeps. There were 6 Jeeps at the event - three were still available once I arrived.

 

I would say that pending on how community orientated your region is will determine success. The SD guys knew a lot of first timers (such as myself) had not seen, and possibly would not see a Jeep - so they went out of their way to retrieve the Jeeps for the cache. And more importantly, they did not hoarde for themselves.

 

Interesting, there is a cache near me that has had a Jeep in it for a couple of weeks.

 

If you can solve it, I'd be more than happy to retrieve it and mail it out.

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Ive had direct conversations with 2 cachers who told me straight to my face that they intend to keep WJTB's in their posession. One of them was given a shipment of them to distribute and never distributed them all.

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I like it when they are passed by hand to other cachers and logged falsely into caches so they can *find* them, went looking for one today that was *dropped* off in a micro, to be honest I don't think you should be able to get the icon, or any icon for that matter, unless you make a real find, events don't count.

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Ahhh.. someone struck my chord there with the Jeeps not being "Event" bugs. I have managed to lay my hands on ONE WJTB and ONE YJTB. The YJTB had 0 miles on it and mysteriously appeared in a TB Hotel. It had only been logged one time, I'm guessing by the person who originally received it to distribute. No idea where it started it's journey. I took it to Utah and it's been moving ever since.

 

The WJTB was dropped in a TB JAIL. I saw it drop in and kept watch until I had a chance to go find the cache. Miraculously it was still there almost 3 days after the drop. I wanted to get a perfect photo for it, failed miserably since the weather did not cooperate. A little under two weeks later, the dampness broke and I managed to get it to a cache. Took a photo near where I dropped it off.

 

I do own a white Jeep Rubicon just LIKE the WJTBs. Bought one at Wal-Mart for $1.97. The last one they had at that store at the time. I thought they were cool looking, but I'm not about to STEAL Jeep's property and keep a WJTB.

 

I really was hoping the new additions to this years rules would discourage hoarding. Only one entry per person per Jeep... Only one photo entry per month... Must be found in a cache... Sounded good. Apparently some people are just selfish creeps who want to increase their odds of winning by denying the rest of us a chance. How can you say your entry was the BEST and you beat the competition if you don't give anyone else the chance to compete?

 

And as far as the Jeeps being WJEBs. I want to log as many WJTBs as possible, but I'd rather FIND them in caches one by one, not all at once on a table at some event somewhere. Where's the challenge in that?? Show up and collect more icons? Uhhh... How can a Travel Bug travel if it's sitting in someone's house for 3 weeks waiting for an event to happen?

 

Oh yeah, and here's a new one for you.. THere was a White Jeep dropped into a "Temporarily Unavailable" cache in my area last week. Cache owner TU'd the cache saying it was still there but due to recent changes in the area was going to be relocated when a suitable spot could be found. Then a week later drops a Jeep in it. I wonder how many other suckers have went wandering around the area looking for it.

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As someone who may APPEAR to be a hoarder of last year's Jeep TB...unfortunately of the Jeep TBs I found, one was lost to the lawnmower. I'm usually quite careful with the TBs, but last year the 2-year-old got hold of it and was, apparently, playing with it in the grass where she left it for who knows how long. Daddy found it in pieces after hearing a terrible gnashing of mower "teeth." I was EXTRA bummed to hear he'd thrown it away (and didn't tell me about it 'til after the garbage man had come). I actually thought the Jeep remains would be an even COOLER Jeep TB!

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TeamZebra,

What you say is exactly how I feel and what I was trying to express. Why log bugs at an evetn, just to get your numbers? That's stupid. Yes, if you find a bug at an event, that's fine, but put it in a cache!!! Don't just log it from a picnic table full of other bugs!!! Preach on!

 

BooBooBee,

I realize things can happen to TB's. However, everyone must have integrity. If you know that you did not willfully keep Jeeps, then there is no reason to explain. The problem occurs when people have no integrity and just keep Jeeps for no reason other than to keep them and hoard them.

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Someone who was trusted by Groundspeak to distribute WJTB's has decided to keep a few of them. This is even worse than the random cacher who finds one in a cache and never lets it go. There is a whole group of cachers who may never see a WJTB because someone trusted with handing them out decided to add them to their collection.

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WH,

I agree, a cacher who is trusted by Groundspeak to distribute them, then keeps has no integrity. This is what kills the very game they are a big part of. I suggest if anyone knows for a fact that a person trusted to distribute these is keeping them, that they report them to Groundspeak.

 

Don't know that Groundspeak will care, but it is in violation of the rules and kills the fun of the game for everyone. Besides that the Jeeps are really the property of Groundspeak and Jeep. It's like going out and stealing someone else's TB that they paid good money for. It is not a fair way to play.

 

Also, I do not have a big problem with a cacher that goes out to a cache and finds a WJTB and keeps it FOR A WHILE. Now if they keep it and do what is supposed to be done, by taking pictures, etc... That's ok. But the problem occurs when they keep it for extende periods and no one else has a chance.

 

This is why I say the contest isn't really a contest. As I said before why even have it, if it's really not a contest anyhow.

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Someone who was trusted by Groundspeak to distribute WJTB's has decided to keep a few of them. This is even worse than the random cacher who finds one in a cache and never lets it go. There is a whole group of cachers who may never see a WJTB because someone trusted with handing them out decided to add them to their collection.

That sucks.

 

I know I put the two "Marianne" (my name) named jeeps on my watch list because I'd love to log one. One was reported missing as soon as it was dropped (yeah right) and the other has never been logged from "jeep" yet.

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Someone who was trusted by Groundspeak to distribute WJTB's has decided to keep a few of them.

Similar to some "distributors" around here, who logged in everyone they took out of the box as a find, before distributing them to other cachers.

 

So yes, they have lots of WJTB finds - but didn't have to leave the house for them.

 

The cacher that gave me some to distribute was all class, and didn't log them in first.

 

E

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Similar to some "distributors" around here, who logged in everyone they took out of the box as a find, before distributing them to other cachers.

 

I did that.

 

I had to grab each one so I could drop it into my distribution event.

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Similar to some "distributors" around here, who logged in everyone they took out of the box as a find, before distributing them to other cachers. 

 

I did that.

 

I had to grab each one so I could drop it into my distribution event.

I found it very helpful that the two MA distributors logged all of the Jeeps that they were given to distribute. It made it really easy for me to put all of the MA Jeeps on my watchlist, just by looking at the Jeeps that they had logged.

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THere was a White Jeep dropped into a "Temporarily Unavailable" cache in my area last week. Cache owner TU'd the cache saying it was still there but due to recent changes in the area was going to be relocated when a suitable spot could be found. Then a week later drops a Jeep in it. I wonder how many other suckers have went wandering around the area looking for it.

I've been watching this as well.

 

I went out there to the 'TU' cache today just out of curiousity..... I guess I found where the cache would have been hidden, or at least where I assume it was based on the coordinates and the clue and the looks of the site.

Strange situation with the Jeep being 'dropped' in it after the 'TU'-ing and no re-activation of the cache. Half of me hoped to find the Jeep in a ziploc on the ground, the other half of me was horrified at that possibility. Nothing there, though.

Guess it is just taking longer than anticipated to replace the cache....?

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Someone who was trusted by Groundspeak to distribute WJTB's has decided to keep a few of them.

Similar to some "distributors" around here, who logged in everyone they took out of the box as a find, before distributing them to other cachers.

 

So yes, they have lots of WJTB finds - but didn't have to leave the house for them.

 

The cacher that gave me some to distribute was all class, and didn't log them in first.

 

E

I doubt very much that their reason for "grabbing" them all before distribuing was to bump up their WJTB find count.

 

I'd rather see the individual distributors grab them, because then at least there's a trail of what happened to them.

 

Similarly, even if they just walk up to another cacher at an event and hand them a Jeep, I'd rather see them "drop" it in the event and have the other cacher "retrieve" it from there -- it just adds some more history to the trail.

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I do not know all of the rules on this contest. I have not had much time lately to cache, and would like to find a WJTB, but don't think I ever will. In the Yellow JTB contest I tried many times to find one and never could.

 

How about making a contest entry inelligible until it is shown that the bug was placed in a cache, and left for someone else to find, and that it is actually moving along. This should be a requirement for each entry, extending to the end of the contest. How about the next finder certifying that he found it in a cache and placed it in another for the entry to be valid.

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How about making a contest entry inelligible until it is shown that the bug was placed in a cache, and left for someone else to find, and that it is actually moving along.  This should be a requirement for each entry, extending to the end of the contest.  How about the next finder certifying that he found it in a cache and placed it in another for the entry to be valid.

There are at least two problems with a requirement like that.

 

(1) If Honest Cacher "A" finds a Jeep, takes a contest picture, and drops the Jeep into another cache, and then Dishonest Cacher "B" goes to that cahe, steals the Jeep and never logs it, then Next Cacher "C" will say "Hey, there's no Jeep in here!" and poor innocent "A" will be disqualified from the contest.

 

or

 

(2) Dishonest cacher "D" finds a Jeep, takes a contest picture, and then claims to drop it into another cache but really keeps it. Toady Accomplice Cacher "E" then claims to find it in the cache, making "D" look good and making his photo entry qualified for the contest.

 

edit: yikes, lotsa typos in that one

Edited by the hermit crabs
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I was browsing through the photo gallery and I noticed some pics have as many as 5 or 6 jeeps in them.  Forget it, they aren't getting my vote...I can't even get one jeep let alone 5 or 6.

 

They should only allow *ONE* photo entry per person, period.  That might help keep the jeeps moving.  Because they allow one per month that gives people motivation to keep them (for the next month)

As seabecktribe pointed out, once you submit an entry with a particular white jeep, that same jeep cannot be used by you again. So there really is no reason to keep them.

 

I too get annoyed by the entries with more than one WJTB in them and hope that TPTB take note of that and detract points in the final judging should one of those entries make it. It's one thing if the pic was taken at an event where there were multiples present, but when a cacher blatantly has several in their inventory and uses them for the shot, it's just uncalled for. But as I've noticed since I began caching, so many people do not play fair or consider others when they do what they do. I honestly feel bad for having "Teddie" for two weeks to take the Aug photo. I can guarantee you the few locals who have had the same jeep in their possession since May/June, are not feeling the slightest bit of remorse.

 

Hey mcl143, where are you located (state)? Lets Go PSU! :lol:

There may be another issue here.

 

The first month contest I submitted a photo that had many white jeeps in it. I wasn't hoarding, it was just the first month and my MIL was distributing them. So before they all went out, I took the pic of them together. I figured that was the only time that I would be able to do that, and it was cool to see them all together. I only logged one of the jeeps for that photo, that I actually placed in a cache myself that month.

 

Sad to know that some people may have not voted for my picture because they thought that I was hoarding. That is one of the reasons why I am dissapointed that we are not allowed to place a note with the contest photo explaining our pic. I wonder how many other pics with multiple jeeps were not hoarders, but rather distributers? :lol::lol:

Edited by Ambrosia
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QUOTE (EScout @ Aug 5 2005, 04:46 PM)

 

How about making a contest entry inelligible until it is shown that the bug was placed in a cache, and left for someone else to find, and that it is actually moving along.  This should be a requirement for each entry, extending to the end of the contest.  How about the next finder certifying that he found it in a cache and placed it in another for the entry to be valid. 

 

There are at least two problems with a requirement like that.

 

(1) If Honest Cacher "A" finds a Jeep, takes a contest picture, and drops the Jeep into another cache, and then Dishonest Cacher "B" goes to that cahe, steals the Jeep and never logs it, then Next Cacher "C" will say "Hey, there's no Jeep in here!" and poor innocent "A" will be disqualified from the contest.

 

or

 

(2) Dishonest cacher "D" finds a Jeep, takes a contest picture, and then claims to drop it into another cache but really keeps it. Toady Accomplice Cacher "E" then claims to find it in the cache, making "D" look good and making his photo entry qualified for the contest.

 

Hermit Crabs: You are right. Because of the piggish nature of too many cachers, they will find a way to cheat the system. Perhaps after finding, the requirement could be to mail it to a location for registration, then some system for reinserting into another cache........ this sounds like too much trouble.

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I just found my first yjtb last week and just yesterday I found a wjtb,and with all the hording going on I'm going to send the Jeep tb's that I find overseas(Out of the USA).

Please don't send the WJTB's overseas. At least wait until the end of the contest period. Sending them overseas would just make it them that much scarcer for all the people (who would be eligible to enter) who are looking for them. November 1st, do what you want. But in the meantime, please place the WJTB's you've found in US caches. The thing everyone is complaining about is how rare they are to find and how people hoard them. You'd just be contributing to the problem if you sent them out of the country.

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I just found my first yjtb last week and just yesterday I found a wjtb,and with all the hording going on I'm going to send the Jeep tb's that I find overseas(Out of the USA).

I have a great idea, send them to me, I'll make sure that no greedy hoarders get them.

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I just found my first yjtb last week and just yesterday I found a wjtb,and with all the hording going on I'm going to send the Jeep tb's that I find overseas(Out of the USA).

Please don't send the WJTB's overseas. At least wait until the end of the contest period. Sending them overseas would just make it them that much scarcer for all the people (who would be eligible to enter) who are looking for them. November 1st, do what you want. But in the meantime, please place the WJTB's you've found in US caches. The thing everyone is complaining about is how rare they are to find and how people hoard them. You'd just be contributing to the problem if you sent them out of the country.

I second this request.

 

The overseas folks cannot participate in the photo contest and the icon will still be available after 11/1. Keep them in the US until then please.

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I think a better idea is to make the contest international! :lol:

 

I actually have a white Jeep that I picked up about 4 weeks ago. I have brought it to two summer events so that newer cachers could see an aspect of the game that they might not see.

 

This week, I am buying a bunch of little jeep toys and creating a cache something along the line of "Keep the Jeep" where you move the travel bug jeeps and can take a little toy jeep instead.

 

Bottom line. The Jeep went to some event caches to promote both geocaching and Jeep. The Jeep will now be placed into traditional caches and travel (or be kept by someone else)

 

In fact, I also have a line on an old Yellow Jeep and am thinking of buying some sort of action figure, attaching BOTH Jeeps to the figure as well as a TB tag and calling the TB "Jeep-man!" (3 TB logs for one find!)

 

Hoarding TB's is wrong. Whether we hoard into collections, keep the items for events only (or not allow them to attend events), or do not allow International geocachers to have a chance to see a Jeep.

 

Ideally, a TB should be in someones hands no more than 2-6 weeks.

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I think a better idea is to make the contest international!  :D

 

They would have if they could have. The sweepstakes legalities for each country are worse than individual state rules... that's why HI and AK are not eligible either. They managed to get FL included this year and FL has some of the trickiest requirements where sweepstakes are involved. It's next to impossible to comply with them all and thus they are omitted from participation.

Edited by AtlantaGal
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I agree. It has been pretty clear that TPTB would prefer the contest to be open to as many as possible - including overseas - but the legal issues behind the contest have been too great to overcome.

 

I have been blessed with getting a second chance at a photo op but I worry just the same. Pretty much any cache that can hold a WJTB in my area is one of our caches so I get an early notification. I had contemplated just ignoring those responses but then I am in the delima of not ever having a WJTB due to it not being possible to have one placed in a cache I have not found within my vacinity. I can count on one hand how many caches have been placed within 40 miles of my house in the last 6 months - and yes, I have found them all. All I can say is I never hold one WJTB at a time and never more than one in a single month and ALL do go back to the community. I'd hope that is all anyone can ask for.

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