Time Frames From Tb Retrieval To Dropping Tb In Next Cache

[+Osceola]

I registered my first TB about two months ago and placed it in a cache. About 45 days ago a cacher retrieved my TB along with several other TB's and has yet to drop my TB in another cache. What is considered the rule as far as the amount of time in picking up a TB and dropping it in another cache? I'm growing a bit frustrated since this TB is still sitting on 0 for total mileage. I have contacted the possessor of my TB and he has told me he will drop it in his home state. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Thanks...

[+StarBrand]

Generally speaking 14 days is common. Some get mad if you have them for more than a week. Others don't care if you have it for a month or 2 so long as it is travelling to meet the goal when you drop it off. But maybe I shouldn't comment, I have often been guilty of holding them for too long. Caches can be few and far between where I live. Also, since my boys have come along, I have actually managed to (gulp) lose 4 travel bugs. Two showed up later in the toy box but 2 others remain mia in my possesion. I watch them much closer these days.

[+briansnat]

There is no rule, but I think anything over 2 weeks is inappropriate. If you are keeping it longer for a reason, drop an e-mail to the owner and ask if its OK.

[+Beffums]

2 weeks is the goal (after that point, you get a little message on your "my account" screen reminding you that you need to do something with the TB), but please keep in mind that sometimes unexpected events happen. Imagine: You pick up a TB on a Sunday and, for the sake of the argument - let's say you work during the week and only cache on weekends, so you are planning to place it the following weekend. That weekend, bad storms move through the area or the like - weather prevents caching. Ok, no problem - you'll place it the next weekend - just squeezing in before the 2 week deadline. You go out, you try - all dnf's. Yes, ideally you would then just re-hit a cache you know of to drop it, but sometimes that doesn't happen.

 

So, after the 2 weeks, as the owner, you can contact the cacher with your TB and *gently* ask if there's any reason they haven't placed it (beware - you do not want to piss them off; if you do, they might just hold onto the TB for a lot longer!). {I'll be honest - I tend to be slack on doing that with my TB's. I'm more likely to ask for help in the forums if a TB is stalled in a cache for too long. Right now, one person has one of my TB's, which they've had since Feb 20th. hmm, 2 months - I guess I should try to contact them about it. I'm more likely to e-mail people if I see reports that my TB is no longer in the cache it's still listed in.} Since it's been 45 days, it's perfectly reasonable to have written to ask about it. But, I'd give them a chance to place it before hassling them again over it. The last thing you want to do is to make them dislike you or the TB - while we think that we're all mature adults who would never hold a grudge...

[+ganlet]

i recently had a TB for over a month. i lil before the 2 week point my older brother winded up in ICU then quite a bit else happened. i felt bad but life happens

 

when everything calmed down i placed it. i didnt give the explination but would have if the owner would have emailed me.

[+YuccaPatrol]

About half of the time, my travelbugs take longer than 2 weeks to move. I don't really care though, they end up moving eventually. If one gets held up for a long time, I will email the person that grabbed it and they have always had a perfectly good reason. As long as they assure me that they will move it, I don't really care if it takes them a while.

 

Only once did someone hold a bug for several months and that really bugged me.

[+Freth]

I recently picked up a TB from a local cache. It was the first time I'd ever seen a TB and it had been sitting in the cache for two months. I decided I would move it to another cache near a busy highway so it could find its way to other places.

 

Shortly after getting the cache I ran into some big personal problems concerning an ex-girlfriend and a friend of mine. It consumed my time for two weeks and I couldn't function much less get out and place the TB. I felt so bad about it. After the bad stuff blew over I made my way to a cache and dropped off the TB.

 

My point is, life can throw you curve balls. It does all the time. I was concerned because I didn't want the owners angry that I hadn't moved the TB on to another cache. I did post a message in the TB's log to let them know of the problems I was having and that I would be placing it soon. That and maybe contacting them personally may be a good idea. I would hope most TB owners wouldn't get bent out of shape about it.

[+Quiggle]

Moving to TB forums.

[+Osceola]

Thanks for the explanation. I agree that it is best to let these things run there course than to get bent out of shape about it. I'll remain patient and see what happens in the next 30 days or so.

 

 

2 weeks is the goal (after that point, you get a little message on your "my account" screen reminding you that you need to do something with the TB), but please keep in mind that sometimes unexpected events happen. Imagine: You pick up a TB on a Sunday and, for the sake of the argument - let's say you work during the week and only cache on weekends, so you are planning to place it the following weekend. That weekend, bad storms move through the area or the like - weather prevents caching. Ok, no problem - you'll place it the next weekend - just squeezing in before the 2 week deadline. You go out, you try - all dnf's. Yes, ideally you would then just re-hit a cache you know of to drop it, but sometimes that doesn't happen.

 

So, after the 2 weeks, as the owner, you can contact the cacher with your TB and *gently* ask if there's any reason they haven't placed it (beware - you do not want to piss them off; if you do, they might just hold onto the TB for a lot longer!). {I'll be honest - I tend to be slack on doing that with my TB's. I'm more likely to ask for help in the forums if a TB is stalled in a cache for too long. Right now, one person has one of my TB's, which they've had since Feb 20th. hmm, 2 months - I guess I should try to contact them about it. I'm more likely to e-mail people if I see reports that my TB is no longer in the cache it's still listed in.} Since it's been 45 days, it's perfectly reasonable to have written to ask about it. But, I'd give them a chance to place it before hassling them again over it. The last thing you want to do is to make them dislike you or the TB - while we think that we're all mature adults who would never hold a grudge...

[+Team JSAM]

After 2 weeks I would email the cacher just make sure you are nice and sugercoat your email if you are rude and make demands your tb will remain MIA

[+q22q17]

I had a new cacher pick up a relatively new travel bug. And emails sent went unanswered. I was ready to let the TB move to the "unknown" location, and all of a sudden, 5 months later, he placed it in Ireland! And now a lovely cacher picked it up this week and moved it to Finland.

 

I've learned to check the profile of a TB grabber and if they are new to the game, I send them a hello email, welcome them first to geocaching, and then thank them for picking up a travel bug. Always offer help in how to place it with the log when they drop it. I almost never get an email back, but I like welcoming folks to our game.

[+dirtisgood]

I recently contacted an owner about a TB. It was dropped in some high mountains late last summer, and will likely be under snow until late May or early June. I told him I was planning a trip in June to the area and would attempt to retrieve it. He may not have known what the area is like.

[+Team_Talisman]

Saturday I saw people looking for a cache, that I had visited before... I was on my way to lod a TB for the first time.....

 

I got to them just as they found cache....I asked if I could log in first with dropping TB...They said sure and told me in 3 to 4 weeks they would be living in Alaska, would I mind if they took it....I said no problem, that is why I wanted to log it in for the first time before they signed log...

 

I can wait to see Team_Talisman TB move around Alaska for a bit and then back down Here....

[+BlueDeuce]

Saturday I saw people looking for a cache, that I had visited before... I was on my way to lod a TB for the first time.....

 

I got to them just as they found cache....I asked if I could log in first with dropping TB...They said sure and told me in 3 to 4 weeks they would be living in Alaska, would I mind if they took it....I said no problem, that is why I wanted to log it in for the first time before they signed log...

 

I can wait to see Team_Talisman TB move around Alaska for a bit and then back down Here....

 

Cool. Next to finding caches, meeting cachers is the next best thing.

 

I agree that bugs should be dropped into a cache first - on line - rather than having them grabbed away from you. As for signing the logbook first, to me it's like holding open a door. The person behind me goes first. I can even hold the door for the person (ahem) in front of me. The bug won't care or have its tracking disrupted.

[bandgeek]

The bug is sitting on the table at the cottage... hopefully someome decides to go to the cottage this weekend, otherwise the 2-week time frame isn't really going to work out! Obviously didn't mean to leave it there, just a bit stressful as we were leaving. As soon as someone is there to bring it home, it will contine its journey south towards my house, therefore helping its mission: it wants to go somewhere "warmer."