Tracking Mileage

[+MassRadio]

I own a geocoin that I have been logging into and out of each cache I've found to get an idea of how many miles I have invested into this game. It seems I have pissed someone off, so I'm wondering if there are any rules regarding the use of a geocoin to track one's mileage? Also, if this is not an acceptable method, are there any suggestions as to how I might be able to do it?

 

tia,

renohiker

[+Slammer180]

What were they upset about? I do the same thing and have received questions as to why and how did you get a coin in my micro.

[+MassRadio]

I'm doing catch up, so I have to use a note to each log to "drop" the geocoin, then go back and retrieve it afterwards. The party is accusing me of spamming and screwing up the logs by posting the note.

[+GoBolts!]

What I do...when I drop a coin or TB (using a note) is delete it as soon as it goes through...keeps the logs clean...especially for event caches.

 

PS People will always be pissed about something...If it makes you happy...it's not hurting anyone...have fun.

[+Jamie Z]

The OP seems to have a legitimate activity for which he's dropping a coin in lots of caches. However, I'm one of those that would prefer that coins or TBs which don't actually visit my cache, don't get logged into my cache. I may even extend that to retroactively logging a coin.

 

If a TB or coin was never in my cache, I'd like for the page not to say that it did.

 

(Just so you understand the other side.)

 

Jamie

[+Spencersb]

I use a TB number to track my personal mileage, it's attached to my pack. Using a coin is not really any different. I don't log it in and out of absolutely every cache, though, sometimes just one in an area if I hit several that were close together. So if a cache owner got PO'd (it is their cache to do as they please) about just one drop, I'd probably let it go. Unless it was the only cache I did 5,000 miles from home, then I might at least make an argument for it. The use of personal travel bugs is a well established practice.

 

PS. I went back and checked, and yes, I logged in and out of your film canister at Graceland, Jamie. You never said anything, I guess you just considered the source!

[+Jamie Z]

I use a TB number to track my personal mileage, it's attached to my pack.

This is why I never even blinked at logging the TB. "It" visited the cache. You had it with you. What the OP is saying is that he has a coin which he's now going back and logging into caches where the coin never visited.

 

Really, I can't imagine ever getting worked up about either case. I've never questioned anyone about logging a TB into one of my caches, but I wanted to point out why a cache owner might do this.

 

Jamie

[+russell_53040]

What I do is when I log my find is drop the bug at the same time. That way the owner is not receiving two emails. As soon as I log it I then go back right away and take it back out. Not sure if that’s how you are doing it. The only thing that stinks is when I do that I get a lot of emails from my TB. Whish there was a way to turn that off for that TB.

[+Slammer180]

What I do is when I log my find is drop the bug at the same time. That way the owner is not receiving two emails. As soon as I log it I then go back right away and take it back out. Not sure if that’s how you are doing it. The only thing that stinks is when I do that I get a lot of emails from my TB. Whish there was a way to turn that off for that TB.

From what I understand is, as I did, he got the coin after he started caching. I went back to every cache I found and logged the coin then retrieved it so I could track my miles. You have to leave a note when you drop the coin. I wrote "drop/retrieved travel coin". I was supprised how many miles I've traveled in the short time I've been caching. 3,900 miles in less than 6 months with 115 finds. Don't even want to think about this gas .

[+Spencersb]

he has a coin which he's now going back and logging into caches where the coin never visited.

Oh, duh! Missed that. I thought about doing that, since I only got the tb after about 90+ caches, but I decided not to, for the reason you state: the bug wasn't with me for that first 100. I just named the bug my "Post 100" bug. Pity, too, as I went to Seattle and back during my first 100.

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

Well I have logged Travel bugs and coins...USA Geocoins for years now.

Never had a complaint.

But I had the coin(s) with me at the time(s).

And usually but not always add some pictures to the logs.

 

My most milaged TB is,

24,193 and traveling.

S.W.A.T. PRESIDENTS HONOR

If you notice he started at Mile 0.

MILE O GC2E52

 

My most milaged coin is,

5,826 and traveling.

LOUISIANA PURCHASE

They have met lot's of Old and New Geocachers as well.

 

I have seen people and have had my caches logged note and adding miles to their new USA Geocoin.

I never raised a fuss at it.

 

It was usually one coin and they continue untill this day logging their miles.

 

I have several that I always log in to Caches and events.

I see no problem with doing it.

[Cyclops and Son]

If the coin is in your collectoin... no one else should care what you do with it.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[+BadAndy]

The OP seems to have a legitimate activity for which he's dropping a coin in lots of caches. However, I'm one of those that would prefer that coins or TBs which don't actually visit my cache, don't get logged into my cache. I may even extend that to retroactively logging a coin.

 

If a TB or coin was never in my cache, I'd like for the page not to say that it did.

 

(Just so you understand the other side.)

 

Jamie

I have a personal bug that I use for mileage. It's attached via a carabiner to my cache pack. I tap it to the cache container when I find a cache, so it actually was "in" the cache, if even for a moment.

 

I found the cache, logged my bug legitimately in and out. The cache log history is accurate.

 

It's a cool way of keeping track of all those miles. My mileage bug currently has 14,052 miles on it.

Edited November 20, 2005 by BadAndy

[+Jamie Z]

If the coin is in your collectoin... no one else should care what you do with it.

No, I sure don't care what someone else does with their own coin or bug, but if you start making false drops on my cache page to earn "virtual" miles, then I'll care.

 

Then again, that's not what the OP is doing, although it could easily appear to be.

 

Jamie

[+pdxmarathonman]

If the coin is in your collectoin... no one else should care what you do with it.

No, I sure don't care what someone else does with their own coin or bug, but if you start making false drops on my cache page to earn "virtual" miles, then I'll care.

 

Then again, that's not what the OP is doing, although it could easily appear to be.

 

Jamie

It ain't a competition.

 

If this is the method for tracking mileage, that is their business. Not the cache owner's. Delete their log if you want - it'll save the coin owner from doing it. Getting worked up regarding whether a TB, coin, or some mctoy that someone claimed to have left and didn't seems about as ridiculous of a thing to worry about as I have seen regarding caches. And there have been some pretty ridiculous things.

 

Understand the purpose of the the TB/Coin and let it go......

[+Shop99er]

but if you start making false drops on my cache page to earn "virtual" miles, then I'll care.

Why does it bother you if someone logs "virtual miles"? It doesn't affect your cache in any sort of way.

[+Jamie Z]

Why does it bother you if someone logs "virtual miles"? It doesn't affect your cache in any sort of way.

Shop99er,

 

Please read my above post. It doesn't bother me--at least it hasn't yet. I guess you didn't read that part of the thread.

 

And it does affect the cache page. The coin/TB will forever show up in the TB history on the cache page, even if the notes are deleted.

 

What I care about is my cache pages and what is on them. Right now, I've never had a problem with "virtual" miles, although I find the practice rather silly. However, if virtual logging got out of hand and I had bunches of false coin drops on a cache, perhaps that would perturb me.

 

Right now, I'm just trying to point out to the OP why this could bother someone, as he asked in the first post of this thread.

 

To further answer his question, when you retroactively drop the coin into a cache, you might write in your note something like, "Logging my personal coin into all my finds to keep track of my mileage" in order to avoid the perception that you are simply randomly gobbling up virtual miles.

 

Jamie

Edited November 20, 2005 by Jamie Z

[+frf]

I see no problem logging TBs or coins but for accurate miles use your GPSr. I use an auto adapter and a Garmin 60CS and leave it on driving or walking from the time I leave my house until I arrive home. Logging bugs will keep track of miles in a direct line whereas the GPSr will keep track of miles accually driven.

Edited November 20, 2005 by frf

[+GeoHills]

If the coin is in your collectoin... no one else should care what you do with it.

No, I sure don't care what someone else does with their own coin or bug, but if you start making false drops on my cache page to earn "virtual" miles, then I'll care.

 

Then again, that's not what the OP is doing, although it could easily appear to be.

 

Jamie

Some owners have no other choice. Look at coin number 17740. I might do the same thing if my coin goes missing.

[+Marky]

Well I have logged Travel bugs and coins...USA Geocoins for years now.

Never had a complaint.

I've had people do this retroactively before and it is very annoying, since I've gotten over 200 e-mails in one day from someone doing this. I didn't complain about it though, as I understood why the person was doing it. It was annoying though.

 

As an alternative, you could set up something similar on your own site where you listed all your cache finds, and hand entered the coords for them and calculate the mileage from the data. Maybe I should add a page for people to do that on one of my tracking sites, since I already have the mileage calculation code (something like mileage.geocoin.net).

 

--Marky

[+budd-rdc]

I like to log TBs and Geocoins in and out of caches to track VISITS, not mileage.

 

I don't do this to every cache I visit. Instead, I choose based on some theme (old cache, matching a goal, photo opportunity, etc.)

 

Doing this might save grief and reduce chances of complaints, since it's more like storytelling.

[+BlueDeuce]

I own a geocoin that I have been logging into and out of each cache I've found to get an idea of how many miles I have invested into this game. It seems I have pissed someone off, so I'm wondering if there are any rules regarding the use of a geocoin to track one's mileage? Also, if this is not an acceptable method, are there any suggestions as to how I might be able to do it?

 

tia,

renohiker

There are no rules per se, just common courtesy. Back logging a personal tracker is going to cause some cache owners to receive a lot of emails. The best ting to do is state in the posting what you are doing and that you will be deleting the post from the cache page. Then post, delete, and finish up quickly. If they are going to receive multple emails it's best to do it all at once.