Confessions Of A Tb Abuser

[Trinity's Crew]

Hi, my name is Joe and I am a Travel Bug abuser...

 

It all started innocently enough, you know, take a bug from one cache move it to another. It was fun.

 

Then it happened... I took "Fitz & Giggles" from a cache in Atlantic City to bring it back to Baltimore, but something happened. I got caught up in other things, family, illness, work, home projects. Before I knew it 9 or 10 months had passed and I hadn't geocached in all of that time. The poor bug languished in my bag, pining for an opportunity to travel, as God intended.

 

I thought about it from time to time, but never made the time to do the right thing. I don't know why.

When I finally released it, ten months later, my guilt and shame made me vow not to take another bug, no matter what.

 

It only took three weeks before I broke down. I found a cache with a YJTB in it. I had to have it! I selfishly grabbed it from a cache in PA. But one wasn't enough! I took "Mandy Spears" from that cache too! I tried to justify it, you know. Everybody does it, it's no big deal. I did okay for a while, moving bugs along pretty quickly. I even added a laminated card spelling out the remaining goals for "Mandy Spears" in the hope that she could finish her journey and get back home.

 

I held the YJTB too long, but I justified that in my own mind by saying, "It doesn't REALLY belong to a person." and to assuage my guilt, I even emailed the "owner" telling them it would be a little while before I released the Jeep. Not surprisingly, I got no response.

 

I released the Jeep into my own cache after the FTF crowd blew through. I was feeling pretty good. I thought I had it all under control.

 

Then, in May, I found a Geocoin. It was all pretty and shiny. I took it! Heck, I sought it out, knowing I don't cache much in the summer. I was a fool. Before I knew it 2 months had passed.

I missed an opportunity to move it to CT in June because in my haste, I didn't pack my SWAG.

 

As if this wasn't bad enough, while in CT I found a small cache with a BIG bug in it. It's name was Bug-Bug and it was HUGE! It was way too big for the container. It was shoe-horned in so tightly that one of it's legs had been broken off and the cache lid wouldn't go on right.

 

Part of me wanted to leave it. I knew that my caching activity would be greatly curtailed over the next few months. Another part of me wanted to take it. It's nice to move a bug several hundred miles and besides, this one was compromising the container.

 

Now, four months later I still have Bug-Bug. I "virtually" dropped it and retrieved it after my son accidentally left it home when we went on a maintenance run to my cache. We did drop off the coin, only to have it come up missing from the cache after a short time.

 

Oh sure, I emailed the owner and apologized for holding it too long. It doesn't help. I am a heel. I will release Bug-Bug this week. Please forgive me.

Edited October 25, 2005 by Trinity's Crew

[+Sue Gremlin]

Your penance is twelve "Hail Marys" and fifteen hours of community service.

 

 

[+Super_Nate]

It's good that their are people like you who just don't completely abandon the sport of Geocaching all-together! I am hoping that the person who has been holding my TB since March will soon give in and get the thang back on da road!

 

Thanks for admiting your guilt!

 

Their are consequences for every action... (evil eye) I can't wait to get a hold of one of your bugs. Never mind...I wouldn't do that!

[+HolyCowboys]

Sounds like someone need a shock collar..... the kind that beeps first... then....

Edited October 25, 2005 by HolyCowboys

[+Colorado Cacher]

Jerk. And I use the term mildly so that Jeremy wont evict me for life.

[+Team LightningBugs]

There, there. You are trying to do the right thing now and that's what matters. I think your penance should be to release your own geocoin into the wild.

[Trinity's Crew]

I'd like to thank those of you who "got" my attempt at humor and apologize to those who were offended.

 

I do feel like a "jerk" for holding TBs too long. My track record is spotty. I've done well with some, "Loose Cannon" and "Mandy Spears" come to mind, and really dropped the ball with others, such as "Fitz & Giggles" and "Bug Bug".

 

I really didn't want to take "Bug Bug" because I know that my caching activity is practically non-existent in the summer months, but it really WAS compromising the container due to its size.

 

I dropped off "Bug Bug" in a TB motel yesterday. I know that many of you HATE TB hotels, but the darn thing wouldn't fit in my cache unless I removed over half of the trade items. My limited time only allowed for a quick cache n' dash and I figured (correctly) that the TB motel would be big enough to hold it. If it languishes there too long, I'll scope out a high traffic cache in the area and move it there.

 

The fact is, I'm not a model geocacher. I will try to refrain from moving TBs in the future, especially in the late spring when I know that my caching activity is winding down for the season.

 

Edit: Spelling

Edited October 27, 2005 by Trinity's Crew

[Team Firebird]

I have once held a travel bug for nine months. It took me that long to get my cache approved!

[+LaughingTerry]

The first two or three bugs I picked I held for too long. I found them in the midwest and came home to Maine with them. The problem was that most caches in Maine are under a LOT of snow in the winter. LOL I finally dropped them off though.

[Trinity's Crew]

This thread has served its purpose. I unloaded a little guilt, I got some laughs, I got attacked...

In other words, an average thread.

 

Thanks,

 

Joe of TC