Travelbugs in Google Maps... why is it showing twice?

[+Kabuthunk]

So I finished logging my personal TB's caches, and loaded it into Google Maps to see what kinda path I took, see if I tended to dwell in various areas more often than others, etc, etc, look at the interesting stuff.

 

Then I see on the left that there's over 300 'stops'. Curious, upon closer inspection, it appears that almost every single stop is listed twice. Almost every one. Strangely, several were only listed once.

 

Thinking this somehow had to do with this TB in particular, I checked my other TB. Same thing. I loaded up a random geocoin... same thing there.

 

I assume the fact that almost every "stop" is shown twice in google earth indicates the drop-off and the pick-up. However... why in the world does it even show twice, and why are the coordinates different from pick-up to drop-off for most of them? And why are some stops only shown once to begin with, the way that would seem to make the most sense?

 

I'm assuming these extra 'little' jumps for the exact same cache are adding extra incorrect distance to it's travel. It's not much, since it's usually less than a block of distance discrepancy, but still... for a TB that's gone a long way... it'll add up.

 

Click here to see a screenshot example in google earth.

 

Any idea what's causing this, or why some caches are shown twice with two coordinates for each? I'm curious as to how this could even happen. When you set up a cache, you only enter one set of coordinates for where it's located.

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

It shows each entry and exit from the cache. Also, the coordinates that GC send to Google Earth have a random error thrown in, hence the different locations for each. You can drop/retrieve a TB dozens of times, and each will have a slightly different location.

 

What I do for my personal TB is delete the "Retrieve" logs. Doesn't affect anything (miles, where it is, etc) but cleans up the map.

[+Kabuthunk]

Y'know, I was debating whether or not to do that... deleting one of the two logs for the caches. I figured it'd cause problems on the GC databases (a TB having only drops, but no pickups... I figured SOMETHING would snap, somewhere). Not sure how that would affect the caches with only one log showing to begin with (I'm guessing that by randomness, the pickup/drop turned out to be the same).

 

But anyone else go with this practice of killing the 'retrieve' logs? Never heard of this before, so I figure I might as well get as much input as I can, since the next few days will be way too busy to make any changes anyway.

 

EDIT: Oohh, quick question that came to mind. What happens if you delete the 'drops' instead of the 'retrieve' logs? I'm thinking I'd want to leave the log that has the written portion in it. I mean, I'm sure I COULD go and re-text the drop logs by editing the log... but thats several extra steps that if I can avoid would be nice. Any ideas anyone? I've got over 160 caches worth that I'd be doing this for, so I only want to do this once

Edited December 24, 2006 by Kabuthunk

[+BlueDeuce]

But anyone else go with this practice of killing the 'retrieve' logs? Never heard of this before, so I figure I might as well get as much input as I can, since the next few days will be way too busy to make any changes anyway.

 

EDIT: Oohh, quick question that came to mind. What happens if you delete the 'drops' instead of the 'retrieve' logs?

 

I used to on a regular basis, but then I decided it was too much work.

 

You could delete the drop and the bug will track mileage however it is the drop note that is supposed to be keeping track, and if you did it with a bug you didn't own it would remove that stat of you finding it. If you want to use your bug as a diary I say edit the drop note.

Edited December 24, 2006 by BlueDeuce

[+Kabuthunk]

Ah, alrighty then. Sounds good. Methinks I'll begin the mass-retrieve-deleting shortly. In theory, that should go faster.

[+Great Scott!]

I wasn't deleting the drop logs when I started my personal TB. After a while, I thought the TB page would be less cluttered with only one of the logs shown. I experimented with deleting each type of log and found that deleting either log caused no problems with keeping the mileage correct. I choose to keep the retrieve log so I didn't have to edit the drop log to show a message.

 

Viewing the TB travels in Google maps with only the retrieve logs works without any problems.

[+Kabuthunk]

Hmm... intriguing. Haven't started deleting one or the other... so now I think I'll give an experiment with the last two caches or something, and see what happens. Odds are, I'll go with the option where my log entry is there already though. Thanks for the input :}

 

EDIT: Well, it's confirmed. Deleting one or the other both have their upsides and their downsides. The total distance remains the same no matter which of the two is deleted. However, if you delete the "drop" log, then you don't get to see the distance travelled from one cache to the next. You can only see the total distance on the TB page. If you delete the "retrieve" log, then you well... would have to edit the drop log with text.

 

Hence... I will be deleting the "retrieve" logs, since the personal TB is for all kinds of fun little distances to see how far you travelled from cache to cache, and that's only in the drop log. I can always copy/paste the text from the retrieve log into the drop. I COULD theoretically add in the distance as well, but it takes the site a little bit of time to get that number listed for the drop, so it would be tedious.

 

EDIT #2: In afterthought... I'm wondering if you need to leave the absolute last "retrieve" log, so that you're capable of dropping it into the next cache. Or if you retrieve it, then delete the retrieve... can you still drop it. However, after perusing BBWolf+3Pigs's TB, I'm guessing it'll let you re-drop it still... but I may have to confirm that during my next geocaching.

Edited December 28, 2006 by Kabuthunk

[+Great Scott!]

However, if you delete the "drop" log, then you don't get to see the distance travelled from one cache to the next. You can only see the total distance on the TB page. If you delete the "retrieve" log, then you well... would have to edit the drop log with text.

 

[

 

Check your TB again. The miles will update on the logs. It just takes a few hours.

Take a look at my my personal traveler: TBHJ4F

 

All the miles are shown on each log. (except the one I did today, that log will update later this evening)

Edited December 28, 2006 by Great Scott!

[+Zork V]

Your Coin is upside down.