+Chiro75 Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Okay, I finally figured out what a "virtual" cache is. I logged one in town and I am going to be in the Frankfurt airport next month, and there is another one there. I stand in the right place, take my photo, post it, and I log the "cache" as a find. Here's the weird thing... this virtual cache has a geocoin and two travelbugs logged into it. How is that possible? Also, I keep seeing these weird notes in cache logs like "virtual Teddy Bear made it in our virtual Cessna to Morocco where we virtually logged his visit. Hope someone picks him up soon..." This is what I don't get, too. What the heck is a virtual travelbug and what is the point? I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but the point of Geocaching is actually to go to the places where the caches are, correct? I understand virtual caches, no problem. For someone who can find a location but not always find the hidden item, they are a refreshing change of pace! But, what is the accomplishment of pretending that your travelbug, which doesn't exist, went to a location? I'm obviously missing an important piece of this puzzle. Please enlighten me and thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment
+Moose Mob Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Take a poicture is only one way to log a virtual cache. Sometimes you need to answer a question. (I prefer the picture ones) As far as the TB's and geocoins, they seem to be virtual travellers. They aren't there and likely never were. And welcome to the sport! Quote Link to comment
+Chiro75 Posted January 11, 2006 Author Share Posted January 11, 2006 I guess I still don't understand the concept of a "virtual traveler" though. I must be dense... Quote Link to comment
+5¢ Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Virtual travel bugs are illegal (if that is even the right choice of words.) If one gets caught, it usually gets locked down by the big guy. As for logging bugs through a virtual cache, I do that with my personal travel bug, but just to keep track of my caches and the order they are found. Plus I can put notes on the travel bug page if I want to. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 This is what I don't get, too. What the heck is a virtual travelbug and what is the point? I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but the point of Geocaching is actually to go to the places where the caches are, correct? I don't get it either so you're not alone. Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 You can log any bug through a virtual cache but it's mainly done by people who have visited the location to make a find. Quote Link to comment
+tozainamboku Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 (edited) People often log travel bugs and coins when they visit a virtual cache, either because they are using the bug or coin to track where they have been or because the travel bug has a goal that might involve visiting the virtual cache. Virtual travel bugs are where the the travel bug owner has given out the tag number of the travel bug so that anyone can log the travel bug without ever actually having it in their posession. Some of these started just as a fun way for people to share experiences in their logs on the travel bug page. When different types of coins got individual icons, there were many virtual coins that existed just so people could get the icons on their stats page (I have no idea why some people think it's important to get all the icons on their stats page). Recently, the management of Groundspeak has felt that virtual travel bugs have gotten out of hand. Since travel bugs are meant to be real items that travel from cache to cache, they have begun locking the pages of virtual travel bugs so that they can no longer be logged. Edited January 11, 2006 by tozainamboku Quote Link to comment
+El Diablo Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 I once interviewed a guy for Today's Cacher that located remote caches like the Anartica and the Cook Islands etc... and then use Microsoft Flight Simulator to fly to the cache and log a virtual TB in and out. I found the story quite interesting, but I didn't run the article because I knew his TB would be shut down. El Diablo Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 I once interviewed a guy for Today's Cacher that located remote caches like the Anartica and the Cook Islands etc... and then use Microsoft Flight Simulator to fly to the cache and log a virtual TB in and out. I found the story quite interesting, but I didn't run the article because I knew his TB would be shut down. El Diablo More weird than interesting, but hey, whatever floats yer boat. Quote Link to comment
+Chiro75 Posted January 11, 2006 Author Share Posted January 11, 2006 You can log any bug through a virtual cache but it's mainly done by people who have visited the location to make a find. Okay, so that probably explains the coin and two bugs "in" this virtual cache. I guess I still don't get the fun of pretending you've been somplace to the extent that you log these visits and make up stories, etc about how you "virtually" went to the place, etc. I guess you get it or you don't! Diablo, I was looking at a cache page for one in another country and the guy mentioned his virtual Cessna, so I have a feeling he was doing this with Flight Simulator, too. I could see how that would make FS more stimulating. Quote Link to comment
+wandererrob Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 I guess I still don't get the fun of pretending you've been somplace to the extent that you log these visits and make up stories, etc about how you "virtually" went to the place, etc. I guess you get it or you don't! You're not alone. I rather foolishly prefer to actually go to the cache, find it, and log it for real. Silly me. Quote Link to comment
+baloo&bd Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Another use (I use mione this way) is if i have a travel bug that wants to go someplace and i find a friend going that direction. I physically hand it to him but to log the miles for the owner and do the actual transfer, I put it in my virtual near my house and he picks it up from there. Sometime life gets in the way and it takes a couple days for them to pick it up. Quote Link to comment
+Team GPSaxophone Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Geocaching is meant to get you out of the house, not stuck behind a computer making up stories of where your non-existant travelbug didn't really go Quote Link to comment
+HaLiJuSaPa Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 People often log travel bugs and coins when they visit a virtual cache, either because they are using the bug or coin to track where they have been or because the travel bug has a goal that might involve visiting the virtual cache. Virtual travel bugs are where the the travel bug owner has given out the tag number of the travel bug so that anyone can log the travel bug without ever actually having it in their posession. Some of these started just as a fun way for people to share experiences in their logs on the travel bug page. When different types of coins got individual icons, there were many virtual coins that existed just so people could get the icons on their stats page (I have no idea why some people think it's important to get all the icons on their stats page). Recently, the management of Groundspeak has felt that virtual travel bugs have gotten out of hand. Since travel bugs are meant to be real items that travel from cache to cache, they have begun locking the pages of virtual travel bugs so that they can no longer be logged. tozainamboku, I would think that would be called "cheating". Isn't logging a tag number you don't have just to have on your stats page kind of unfair? But I guess since they're technically not "smileys" it's OK Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Geocaching is meant to get you out of the house, not stuck behind a computer making up stories of where your non-existant travelbug didn't really go stuck behind a computer is what the dadgum forums are for. Quote Link to comment
+Airmapper Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 I once interviewed a guy for Today's Cacher that located remote caches like the Anartica and the Cook Islands etc... and then use Microsoft Flight Simulator to fly to the cache and log a virtual TB in and out. I found the story quite interesting, but I didn't run the article because I knew his TB would be shut down. El Diablo More weird than interesting, but hey, whatever floats yer boat. If you think that's weird you ought to hear about the "virtual airlines" that you can fly for using the Flight Sim and internet connection. I've never used one but I've seen that you can do that. Not all that different from the virtual TB and cache. Quote Link to comment
+Doc-Dean Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Geocaching is meant to get you out of the house, not stuck behind a computer .... Says the man with 11 thousand gazillion posts! Quote Link to comment
+Chiro75 Posted January 11, 2006 Author Share Posted January 11, 2006 Says the man with 11 thousand gazillion posts! Probably what he should have said was "Geocaching is meant to get you out of the house, not stuck behind a computer. That's what work is for..." I assume everybody here during the day is either unemployed, self-employed or getting paid by some company that thinks they are working when, in fact, they are participating in this virtual life! Quote Link to comment
+zardoz12 Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 (edited) OH NO! I've been found out..... Squandering company time when i could be doing something worthwhile...... Hey, wait a minute, I'm the boss here. I'll do as I please to get back on topic..... I can kinda get the idea of a virtual cache, in a place where we are forbidden regular ones, but virt. TB's are an abomination, in my lowly opinion. I would guess that's why TPTB are lockin' them down...... [edited out brain cramp] Edited January 11, 2006 by zardoz12 Quote Link to comment
+Zzyzx Road Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 I guess I still don't understand the concept of a "virtual traveler" though. I must be dense... Speaking of Dense, it is foggy here...again... A virtual traveler is experienceing Vuja de. The feeling they have never been there before... "I am NOT here, and you CAN'T make me leave!" Quote Link to comment
+wiseye Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 I guess they do all this in the virtual outdoors? Gee...what fun... Quote Link to comment
+Team GPSaxophone Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Geocaching is meant to get you out of the house, not stuck behind a computer .... Says the man with 11 thousand gazillion posts! Hey, I went out and found 2 caches today, and the first two stages to a 4/3.5 multi. Quote Link to comment
+Prime Suspect Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 If you think that's weird you ought to hear about the "virtual airlines" that you can fly for using the Flight Sim and internet connection. They keep losing my virtual luggage. Quote Link to comment
+Zzyzx Road Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 If you think that's weird you ought to hear about the "virtual airlines" that you can fly for using the Flight Sim and internet connection. They keep losing my virtual luggage. Do you get virtual barf-bags for the virtual flight-sickness? How about them virtual bags-o-peanuts? Quote Link to comment
+KoosKoos Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 How about them virtual bags-o-peanuts? I can virtually never open em! Quote Link to comment
+IndyTechNerd Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 So, if I'm out getting beer and smokes, does that mean I can make your plane virtually delayed? Quote Link to comment
+Quiggle Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 This thread is virtually over. Quote Link to comment
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