+Team JMCW Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 I'm seeing more and more caches listing TBs which have dissappeared (people failing to log their pick up of the TB). I think one reason is because the Groundspeak website makes it too difficult to log that it has been taken. On the "Log your Visit" web page for a Cache - there is a link which allows you to drop a TB. But there is no link to pick up one of the TBs in the cache. After logging your visit to the cache, you then have to return to the Cache page, then follow the link to the TB, then follow another link to log your pick up of the TB. That's too many steps! Groundspeak needs to add a link directly from either the "Log your visit" page, or the page you are sent to once you've finished logging the visit. If the list of TBs was on that page, I think more people would remember to log their pick up. You need to have both actions, logging the cache visit and logging the TB pickup - connected in the site UI. (Sorry if this is the wrong forum to post this suggestion. I could not find a way to contact the webmaster of Groundspeak to suggest this change directly.) Link to comment
+donbadabon Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 I think that is a great idea. One log entry to log your visit and either pick up or drop off a bug. The correct forum would probably have been "Geocaching.com Web Site", but TPTB will move it to wherever it needs to go. Link to comment
+jcjayhawk Posted August 21, 2005 Share Posted August 21, 2005 Admittedly this is a problem, one that we have discussed here before. In addition, we attended a Geocaching picnic here yesterday afternoon in Kansas City, and while there picked up two Jeep Travel Bugs. Within an hour we logged our retrievals, and they both showed up in our possession on the website. And then an hour or two later we no longer had them (on the website only). We found that they had been retrieved (while we still have then in our possession), and then in each case, were placed back into the Picnic Geocache website. This has now happened three times with both Travel Bugs, and since we properly logged the "retrieval" we do not understand why this is happening. Also, we don't understand what we should do about it. In each case a different person (team ?) has taken the TB(s) away from us. It actually feels like people are stealing them away from us, even though we still actually have them in our possession. It seems as though this should be reported to an Admin, but since we don't understand this whole process, are not sure how to proceed. Any advice ? Link to comment
+Team LightningBugs Posted August 21, 2005 Share Posted August 21, 2005 (edited) Admittedly this is a problem, one that we have discussed here before. In addition, we attended a Geocaching picnic here yesterday afternoon in Kansas City, and while there picked up two Jeep Travel Bugs. Within an hour we logged our retrievals, and they both showed up in our possession on the website. And then an hour or two later we no longer had them (on the website only). We found that they had been retrieved (while we still have then in our possession), and then in each case, were placed back into the Picnic Geocache website. This has now happened three times with both Travel Bugs, and since we properly logged the "retrieval" we do not understand why this is happening. Also, we don't understand what we should do about it. In each case a different person (team ?) has taken the TB(s) away from us. It actually feels like people are stealing them away from us, even though we still actually have them in our possession. It seems as though this should be reported to an Admin, but since we don't understand this whole process, are not sure how to proceed. Any advice ? The nice term for this is catch-and-release. People wrote the jeep numbers down at the picnic, then used them to "grab" the jeeps from you to boost their stats. Since there is no option to give a TB back to someone, their only option then is to drop it back into the event. This has happened to me several times and while I think it is rude, it is legal and there's nothing we can do about it. Just wait a few days until everyone is done, then retrieve the jeeps out of the event again. On topic: I think it would be great to be able to check off what TB you picked up during the logging process. But how would it work logistically? It can't go in to your inventory until you verify the number. That would have to be worked in somehow. Slightly off topic: Personally, I would like to see the ability to add text when dropping a TB into a cache. I know this can be done with an edit, but the TB owner doesn't see an edit in the automatic email. Edit to add on topic opinion. Edited August 21, 2005 by Team LightningBugs Link to comment
+The Ulmcrest Ct 4 Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 I hadn't picked up TB for a while until this past weekend. I forgot about having to log 2 places for a pickup. I agree it would be easier if they had a "pick up TB" option when logging a cache that has TBs in it. Link to comment
+webscouter. Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 So how about having the link to the travel bug automatically post a log on the cache also. You could have one added dropdown that shows the status of the cache find, either found, or note. The same log could be posted on the TB page and the cache page. Link to comment
+welch Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 that would work only if it had a way to accept the number too... If you can come up with a simplier system that doesn't let just anyone 'grab' the TB, lets here it I usally do the cache logging, seperally from the Tb logging. With the TBs, I line them all up and hit the tracking link off the left side of the main page. enter the number, and select and copy it, to look it up. then when it loads the TB page, paste the number back in, enter the log notes, and hit enter. the log posts and down at the bottom it says " Visit another travel bug: TBXXXX", enter the next TBs number there (and copy it), hit enter, and the that page loads.... and just just keep doing that till they're all logged. its still not that fast, but its a little quicker than playing follow the link for each one. Link to comment
+Eartha Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Admittedly this is a problem, one that we have discussed here before. In addition, we attended a Geocaching picnic here yesterday afternoon in Kansas City, and while there picked up two Jeep Travel Bugs. Within an hour we logged our retrievals, and they both showed up in our possession on the website. And then an hour or two later we no longer had them (on the website only). We found that they had been retrieved (while we still have then in our possession), and then in each case, were placed back into the Picnic Geocache website. This has now happened three times with both Travel Bugs, and since we properly logged the "retrieval" we do not understand why this is happening. Also, we don't understand what we should do about it. In each case a different person (team ?) has taken the TB(s) away from us. It actually feels like people are stealing them away from us, even though we still actually have them in our possession. It seems as though this should be reported to an Admin, but since we don't understand this whole process, are not sure how to proceed. Any advice ? At events cachers often write down the numbers to travel bugs to log them. (it says found, not moved) Give them all time to log it, they are "grabbing it" from you and dropping it back in. When they are all done you can "retrieve" the bug back, and send it on its merry way. It happens often at events, and will happen again and again. They are not stealing it from you, merely logging a TB, adding another number to their stats. It's done a lot. In this case it's more obvious, because because they were Jeep TBs. Everyone seems to want one. They should change the name from "Rubicon" to "Bandwagon". I'm curious, just how did you manage to get away with TWO Jeep TBs alive? Link to comment
+Eartha Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 And you are correct, this is a question for the Geocaching.com website forums, so I will move it there. Link to comment
+webscouter. Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 that would work only if it had a way to accept the number too... If you can come up with a simplier system that doesn't let just anyone 'grab' the TB, lets here it The travel bug page already has the mechanism to accept the number. Here is the link path I think would be good. From the cache page click on the travel bug link. On travel bug page click on log this bug link In current drop down box select Retrieved from "cache name here" Add tracking number New drop down box contains three options 1. Add found log to "cache name here" 2. Add Note log to "cache name here" 3. Do not add log to "cache name here" If you selected one of the first two options the note you add on the travel bug log page would also be added to the cache as a log. This would accomplish a couple of things. 1. Only one step to log both the cache and the bug. More bugs would be logged and less lost. 2. The logs on bugs would be more than just "got it" or "picked up" If you selected the last option the system could automatically take you to the log page for the cache that the bug was retrieved from. One less click. Also if you like to "virtually" log a bug it would be in your travel bug list to put right back in when you log the cache. That way you could pick up a bug for instance at an event and put it right back into the event for the next cacher to pick up. Link to comment
+Hynr Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 This has happened to me several times and while I think it is rude, it is legal and there's nothing we can do about it. Just wait a few days until everyone is done, then retrieve the jeeps out of the event again.While it may seem rude to you, it is not rude at all, just unexpected. It may seem rude because you don't fully understand what is going on, but it is legitimate and standard practice: When you drop a TB on the table at an event a large number of persons will physically pick it up, copy down the embossed number, and then decide to drop it right back on the table. Later they log this at the website. It generally only happens with items that have a separate icon at the website (coins, jeeps, etc) but it could happen with any TB. Link to comment
+Markwell Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Groundspeak needs to add a link directly from either the "Log your visit" page, or the page you are sent to once you've finished logging the visit. If the list of TBs was on that page, I think more people would remember to log their pick up. You need to have both actions, logging the cache visit and logging the TB pickup - connected in the site UI. I think the idea has merit. Any way you can ease the process for logging is a good idea - as long as the TB engraved 6 digit code is still required. I wouldn't want people logging willy-nilly without having that code. It really mucks things up when people get the code just from the pictures. The problem is that to be able to enter in the 6 digit code, AND choose the action (write note, retrieve from cache) AND be able to put comments on the bug page (since the automated process for retrieval doesn't put comments - and the pick up is the ONLY place during handoffs that comments can be written) you'd need something like this interface for a cacher that has one White Jeep bug in his/her possession, and four White Jeep bugs in the cache they visited. Pardon the typos in the image. It's not White Heep, but White Jeep, and I intended the multiple bugs in the cache to all be individual, not all White Jeep "Kelly". To me, THIS and its accompanying explanation notes is more complicated than the existing process. I don't know the perfect solution, and I think this is closer, but it needs to be streamlined to account for multiple bugs and comments. One suggestion I have for this that would be very easy-to-implement and elegant solution would be that once you LOG a cache, you're taken to a page that reviews your log. Put the links to the TB listed in the cache on THAT page... One possible solution. I'm sure there's more. ================================ Not to side track the thread, but it's definitely related... Another idea is to adding another log type in the TB section: "Bug Wasn't There" - similar to a DNF on a cache. This would be nothing more than an informational note that the bug was not in the reported cache. It wouldn't do anything to the bug itself - as I would leave that to the cache owner and/or the bug owner to mark it as missing (like it is now). But if the most recent log on a Travel Bug is a "Bug Wasn't There" log, maybe it could put this icon on a Bug's Page.... Then when the bug is either retrieved or grabbed, the attribute of the possible missing goes away. Just another TB idea. Link to comment
+Folshen Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Sounds like a great idea to me. Link to comment
+Miragee Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 (edited) Admittedly this is a problem, one that we have discussed here before. In addition, we attended a Geocaching picnic here yesterday afternoon in Kansas City, and while there picked up two Jeep Travel Bugs. Within an hour we logged our retrievals, and they both showed up in our possession on the website. And then an hour or two later we no longer had them (on the website only). We found that they had been retrieved (while we still have then in our possession), and then in each case, were placed back into the Picnic Geocache website. This has now happened three times with both Travel Bugs, and since we properly logged the "retrieval" we do not understand why this is happening. Also, we don't understand what we should do about it. In each case a different person (team ?) has taken the TB(s) away from us. It actually feels like people are stealing them away from us, even though we still actually have them in our possession. It seems as though this should be reported to an Admin, but since we don't understand this whole process, are not sure how to proceed. Any advice ? What you are seeing is a common practice for coveted TBs or coins at Events. I went to an event the other day and a very kind Geocacher brought along a rare and coveted Moun10Bike coin that he owns. Many of us touched "the precious" and wrote down the number so we could have that icon. As stated, this is commonly done at events . . . but what I want to know is how/why did you walk away with TWO very coveted Jeep TBs? Edited August 23, 2005 by Miragee Link to comment
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