Tb's In Events?

[+Team JSAM]

My one and only TB was dropped in a Mega event about 3 weeks ago, I have been to small events but nothing big. I dont understand why the TB's are just sitting there, where are they, whats the deal with the mega events and dropping off hundreds of TB's and they just sit in the listing for 3,4,5 weeks. Just curious to see what the process is on TB's at such events?

 

-TJ

Edited July 30, 2006 by Team Jsam

[+Bjorn74]

My one and only TB was dropped in a Mega event about 3 weeks ago,

 

In this case, I would check with the person who logged it into the event. It was logged three days after the event, so it may just be a mileage drop and it hasn't actually changed hands yet.

 

As for how bugs were handled at the event, the MWGB TB Depot handled over 700 TBs and coins out of over 1400 items that were logged into the event. Roughly half of the items logged in were either personal items (Milage Coins/Bugs, Coin Collections, and Tagged Avatars) or tagged items that the holder did not bring to the Depot. The 700-some travelers were grouped by availability and cachers sorted through to choose the bugs they wanted. They were limited to take only as many as they had brought (roughly) and we think this has helped to keep the loss rate down quite a bit. I think we're down to only 40 (not including the personal items mentioned above) of the 1400 items being unlogged and it does seem like those items didn't make it to the Depot. It takes a lot of time to sort through all 1400 items, though. Believe it or not, there are people keeping track of what needs to be logged, but I think we're at the point where the remaining unlogged items didn't make it to the system and we can't be more help than the person who logged them in.

 

Good luck.

[+BlueDeuce]

If I were you I would complain, very loudly, to anyone who had anything to do with my bug being logged into an event.

 

Let me know if you want my help.

[+q22q17]

some folks log TBs into events, but don't grab them back until they are ready to drop them elsewhere

[+RedhedMary]

My one and only TB was dropped in a Mega event about 3 weeks ago,

 

In this case, I would check with the person who logged it into the event. It was logged three days after the event, so it may just be a mileage drop and it hasn't actually changed hands yet.

 

As for how bugs were handled at the event, the MWGB TB Depot handled over 700 TBs and coins out of over 1400 items that were logged into the event. Roughly half of the items logged in were either personal items (Milage Coins/Bugs, Coin Collections, and Tagged Avatars) or tagged items that the holder did not bring to the Depot. The 700-some travelers were grouped by availability and cachers sorted through to choose the bugs they wanted. They were limited to take only as many as they had brought (roughly) and we think this has helped to keep the loss rate down quite a bit. I think we're down to only 40 (not including the personal items mentioned above) of the 1400 items being unlogged and it does seem like those items didn't make it to the Depot. It takes a lot of time to sort through all 1400 items, though. Believe it or not, there are people keeping track of what needs to be logged, but I think we're at the point where the remaining unlogged items didn't make it to the system and we can't be more help than the person who logged them in.

 

Good luck.

 

 

I logged a TB, Baby Book, into the MWGB and personally left it at the TB depot. It still shows up as being at MWGB. (at least it did the other day when I checked.) So is there anything else I can do at this point? It was a kids plastic softcover book like a baby could chew on. So some baby cacher out there probably is very happy!?!

 

I dropped about 7 other TBs there and all have been picked up and moved on. One was a brand new TB that went to California from MWGB, then was logged into and out of a cache in Paris, France yesterday during a layover on the way to somewhere in Africa! That's what having TBs out there is all about, watching them move!

[+Bjorn74]

I logged a TB, Baby Book, into the MWGB and personally left it at the TB depot. It still shows up as being at MWGB. (at least it did the other day when I checked.) So is there anything else I can do at this point? It was a kids plastic softcover book like a baby could chew on. So some baby cacher out there probably is very happy!?!

 

There really isn't anything that can be done right now. We will be working to determine if some cachers have not logged bugs out of the event, but with so few remaining it will be difficult to pinpoint who took which bugs.

[+NatureGuy360]

One time I had a Travel Bug that was taken to an event and everyone there who so much as even glanced at my Travel Bug considered it a grab. Dozens and dozens of people logged their "find" and yet the bug never moved an inch. Perhaps I am just confused on how the process actually works at these events? Nevertheless that same Travel Bug mysteriously disappeared a short time after that.

[+cantuland]

It used to be that you would go to an event, see lots of TBs, and then go home to log each TB as being grabbed by you. You would then be grabbing it from the event or grabbing it from the last person to grab. If you had the chance, you would put it back in the event for the next person. Often while you were busy, the next attendee would be grabbing also, and you wouldn't have it available to "drop" back in the event.

 

NOW, however, there is the option to DISCOVER the TB. This lets you show that you saw it, got the number, and want a record of it in your stats. The TB doesn't change hands though. This is better for the events.

 

Anything left over is usually waiting for the true holder to "grab" it after everyone else is done with the virtual exchanging. I held an event that had 6 or 7 TBs stuck in it after the event was long over. My guess is that someone has it, wants to hang on to it for memoribilia, and left it there in the event page to show where they got it...I guess.

[+GEOCACHEFERRETS]

It appears as event caches are great places to drop TB's such as coins or jeeps that someone plans on actually stealing! If a dozen or more cachers virtually log a TB(coin or Jeep) as found and then virtually drop it back into the event, then no-one will know who actually stole the TB!!! Check out just about any archived event and there will be TB's still sitting in the cache months after the event has been over!! Better control of the TB's at the events is needed. Maybe, have someone responsible for logging all TB's physically in and out to keep track of them!!! Locally that's how we do it, and it has cut down on the mysterious disappearances!!! Locally we also pretty much know who the individuals are that can not be trusted and the word is getting out. Ironically in our area the cachers that can's be trusted with TB's seem to all be engineers or computer software techs. That is sad as I am an Electronics engineer!!! REMEMBER, you log a TB as DISCOVERED out of an event or a cache without actually moving it!

 

GEOCACHEFERRETS

[+prntr1]

It appears as event caches are great places to drop TB's such as coins or jeeps that someone plans on actually stealing! If a dozen or more cachers virtually log a TB(coin or Jeep) as found and then virtually drop it back into the event, then no-one will know who actually stole the TB!!! Check out just about any archived event and there will be TB's still sitting in the cache months after the event has been over!! Better control of the TB's at the events is needed. Maybe, have someone responsible for logging all TB's physically in and out to keep track of them!!! Locally that's how we do it, and it has cut down on the mysterious disappearances!!! Locally we also pretty much know who the individuals are that can not be trusted and the word is getting out. Ironically in our area the cachers that can's be trusted with TB's seem to all be engineers or computer software techs. That is sad as I am an Electronics engineer!!! REMEMBER, you log a TB as DISCOVERED out of an event or a cache without actually moving it!

 

GEOCACHEFERRETS

 

Seems strange that an event you had, still shows a yellow jeep, that you dropped in

 

I agree thought that events seem to be a TB Bermuda Triangle, would also like to add the at the MWGB the travel bugs were handled the best I have ever seen.

[+Aberwak]

I've seen many archived events with travel bugs still listed. Unforunately, events can be very confusing times and some get taken- but no one knows who took it. If people take multiple bugs, it's easy for one to get misplaced, or they forget to log it. Events also bring people who might not cache very often- so they pick up a bug and don't get a chance to put it anywhere for a while. As someone suggested, some people don't log a TB until they get ready to put it someplace.

 

I have an event cache tonight- (a small one with 20-ish people). I'm hopefully going to keep track of every bug and coin. That is one of my big goals is to make sure everything is accounted for. What I'm going to try to do is have a raffle- so someone draws a number. I'll have a list of all the trackables, each assigned a number. When a person draws that number, I'll write down their name and its their responsibility. If they want to pass it around so others can discover it, they can after I put down who's going to take it- so I know who *should* have it. Hopefully it'll work out.

[+Snoogans]

Events also bring people who might not cache very often- so they pick up a bug and don't get a chance to put it anywhere for a while. As someone suggested, some people don't log a TB until they get ready to put it someplace.

 

The same can and DOES happen more often at geocaches. Most noobs don't head straight to an event unless they already KNOW someone attending.

 

I have an event cache tonight- (a small one with 20-ish people). I'm hopefully going to keep track of every bug and coin. That is one of my big goals is to make sure everything is accounted for.

 

That's wayyyy more work than you NEED to do. Read on..

 

What I'm going to try to do is have a raffle- so someone draws a number. I'll have a list of all the trackables, each assigned a number. When a person draws that number, I'll write down their name and its their responsibility. If they want to pass it around so others can discover it, they can after I put down who's going to take it- so I know who *should* have it. Hopefully it'll work out.

 

TB raffles are a BAD idea unless you're giving away a bunch of official Jeep TB's.

 

A TB is NOT a trade item (except sometimes for other TBs) and therefore not worthy as a raffle prize. You can end up hurting more TB missions than you help with random placement just to sooth your own conscience about bugs at your event.

 

I blame unrealistic expectation from TB owners for this type of paranoia about events and I refuse to subscribe to it.

 

People need to realize that a TB has a life of its own once it leaves their hand and to LET GO and let their TB live it.

 

After 1560+ TBs have passed through my hands, about 2 dozen TB owners and a like number of creepy interested parties (non-owners) stick out well in my mind. Funny how the bugs they are so rudely concerned about tend to fade away within a few weeks or months. No doubt smothered to death by their own concern.

 

About 3,200 TBs passed through my TB station at GW4 and MaxB used the same system for MWGB06. There are quite a few bugs not logged out of both events for whatever reason, but MORE bugs were helped TOWARD their goals at one time than EVER before. It falls to the individuals themselves to DO THE RIGHT THING after taking bugs from an event and NOT the event organizers.

 

A travel bug is personal property that has been placed in public trust. How much do you really trust the public? Hope for the best and EXPECT the worst and if your TBs give you ANY heartburn at all, then you might want to reconsider if this part of the game is right for you.

 

GW4/MWGB06 TB Event instructions. A smaller version of the following instructions will work for ANY event:

 

The TB traders will be asked to put the individual TBs into a new baggie (over any existing baggie if there is one) and give it one of several mission labels with either a Sharpie or sticker:

 

Mission catagory #1 No specific mission / task (Label TBs “NO” or “Task” ONLY for ease of sorting.) For bugs that can basically go anywhere to complete a mission, or have none at all.

 

Mission catagory #2 Destination TEXAS (Label TX.) I took 5 bugs back from GW3 that wanted to STAY in Florida. Oh well. They had NO mission tags. Maybe this will prevent that.

 

The next several mission destination categories are set up just like the regional forums here: (psst: Where the tb wants to go. Not where you're from.)

 

#3 South & Southeast (Label S. or S.E.) Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

 

#4 West & Southwest (Label W. or S.W.) Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

 

#5 Northwest (Label N.W.) Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.

 

#6 Midwest & Great Plains (Label M.W. or G.P.) Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and South Dakota

 

#7 Northeast & New England (Label N. or N.E.) Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC, West Virginia, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

 

#8 Canada (Label C & try to give a province.)

 

#9 Europe (Label E.U. & try to give a country.) I suspect quite a few of these will return home with GeoPirate, Husky, and Darth Maul_3.

 

#10 Overseas (Label "O" & try to give a continent and country. I.E. “O-Asia-China *OR* O-S. America-Peru *OR* O-Africa-Nigeria” ) For all other areas outside the U.S.

 

Mission category #11 will be a catchall for unlabeled bugs and we might even try to look some up if we have WiFi, but I doubt it.

 

Mission catagory #12 is special. It will be TB Amnesty for long lost bugs/Jeeps/Coins. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. The box will not be opened until the end of the event to insure anonymity of those leaving bugs there. The TB staff will personally contact the owners and send them on their way after the event.

 

On the day of the event:

 

As at GW3, each bug turned in to the TB wranglers will get 1 drawing ticket. I.E. 5 bugs = 5 tickets. Prizes will be awarded to winners at the proper time. You MUST be present to win.

 

After you turn in the bugs you brought, you will be allowed to trade (immediately) an equal number of bugs to the tickets you hold. The categories you trade from will be up to you. I.E. No one will have to prove that they are headed to Mexico to grab a TB headed there. Take the bugs that you think you can help.

 

Any bugs left over will be divided among the entire GW4 staff and then anyone else that is interested. Trust me on this. There will be lots of bugs left over. There was at GW2 as well as GW3.

 

No one (on the TB staff) is going to waste time writing TB numbers down. NOBODY is going even try to keep track of who took what bug. It’s a waste of time. If the owner OK’d it and the bug goes missing, C’est La Vie. BTW- If the bug is at the event, the TB staff will assume that the owner approved. We’re not asking for permission slips for every stinkin’ bug. We’re adults.

 

Thanks to Roland Oso, Irish-Texan, PRanger, Loveleigh, and many others for helping me streamline my ideas at our planning event.

 

Thanks most of all to the NEFGA folks for giving me a template to work from. You guys did an AWESOME job.

 

If this works maybe it will become the "system" to use at all big events.

 

All of this information is posted and pinned to the top of the Travel Bug forum at geocaching.com if you have further questions or suggestions....

 

Thanks for taking the time to read through this important information.

[+Aberwak]

That's wayyyy more work than you NEED to do. Read on..

 

All I did for keeping track of the bugs is wrote down who took them. It wasn't that difficult, actually. I thought the raffle idea was good becuase it did, for the most part, let me keep track of the travel bugs. One person drew a number, I got them that TB/geocoin and wrote their name down. Most of the traveling items were geocoins without a mission, anyway.

 

I don't think a random exchange of travel bugs/geocoins is necessarily worse off than a travel bug being found in a geocache. That's still pretty random if the cacher can fulfill the mission or not. Often times, the mission is not stated on the bug itself, but on its page.

 

GW4/MWGB06 TB Event instructions. A smaller version of the following instructions will work for ANY event:

 

Thanks for posting that. That does seem like a good way to handle things. This was my first event cache, so it was a learning experience. There are many ways of doing things- some are better in ways than others. Maybe next time, I'll try it like that way. That does sound like quite a bit more work, however... and it might have been difficult to manage at this event.