Question On Cache/travelbug Idea

[+gluteusmaximus92]

I had the idea of creating a geocache that was in a locked lock box. You could only get the coordinates to it once you had the key to it, attached to a travel bug I could stash somewhere. You could get them by logging the TB find and I could contact them with them. Is this allowed? Is this a dumb idea? Tell me.

[+The Leprechauns]

It's not uncommon for caches to rely upon travel bugs, either for a combination or to provide the actual coordinates. A common variation requires the finder to locate multiple travel bugs, each of which provide *some* of the coordinate numbers.

 

The problem with this type of cache is that the travel bugs tend to go missing or outside the area, even if they have very clear goal tags attached. If you want your cache to be found often, this is not a good setup. Be prepared to send out duplicate tags, or maybe have several TB's circulating to make it a bit easier to locate the secret to the cache.

 

Note that I said the combination, coordinates, etc. were WITH the travel bug. You would need to modify your idea to remove the part about contacting the owner to obtain the coordinates. That is normally not permitted. See the section of the listing guidelines for mystery/unknown/puzzle caches.

[GeoWorms]

I like these kind of caches, but agree with what Lep said.

 

Calvin and Hobbs is a local cache similar to this.

 

River Roses is another.

 

In general you should use a combination lock, rather than a keyed lock, because when the TB goes missing, it's much easier to write a combination on a new TB tag, than to get another key made. You could have one TB with the final coord's and another with the combination.

 

I think it's a good idea--put it out there and enjoy!

Edited March 15, 2006 by GeoWorms

[+the hermit crabs]

Ware My Keys? in Ware, MA, is a cache of that type, although the coords to the cache are attached to the travel bug padlock key, so you don't have to email the owner for the final coords. And as Lep said, TBs can go missing -- this cache started out with two identical key TBs, and there is currently only one left. But the cache has been around for almost two years, and still gets logged pretty regularly, so that's pretty good.

[+gluteusmaximus92]

Oh.... That makes sense. I could just write the coords and the como on the TB tag....makes sense.