Travel Bugs that go MIA

[+Jhawk0769]

General question here, I don't know what to do. I have had several trackables go mia after being picked up.

 

In oither cases it may be over have been over 2 months that someone has picked up a trackable, and still have it.

 

Is it appropriate to e-mail the cacher and politely inquire what their plans on placing it are? The latest specific is someone has had one for 2 months and is actively caching, but has not placed it.

 

Thoughts and advise would be really appreciated.

 

Thanks JHAWK0769

[+egami]

Well, this will be moved to the TB forum probably soon then those TB guru's will assist you there.

[+StarBrand]

No problem to ask. I occasionally go through and do that when I see somebody's had one of mine for a month or 2 or 3.

[+briansnat]

Is it appropriate to e-mail the cacher and politely inquire what their plans on placing it are?

 

Sure it's appropriate. I've done it many times. Just prepare to be ignored.

[+Harry Dolphin]

With all the micros around, I do not always move a TB as quickly as I should. If an owner e-mails me to ask about the bug, it will be dropped off on my next geocaching trip. A politely worded e-mail can go a long way.

[+BlueDeuce]

General question here, I don't know what to do. I have had several trackables go mia after being picked up.

 

In oither cases it may be over have been over 2 months that someone has picked up a trackable, and still have it.

 

Is it appropriate to e-mail the cacher and politely inquire what their plans on placing it are? The latest specific is someone has had one for 2 months and is actively caching, but has not placed it.

 

Thoughts and advise would be really appreciated.

 

Thanks JHAWK0769

 

Not after just two months, they may have a deal worked out with the owner. Just send your information to the bug owner and let them decide if they want to politely prod the current holder.

[+BlueDeuce]

...

[+Kealia]

Once every few months I go through my trackables and send a polite email to those that show in somoeone's posessions for 30+ days. Something like:

 

"Hi, I noticed you picked up my TB/coin on XX/XX and I see that it hasn't moved yet. I'm just going through my list to see which ones are missing and wanted to check on the status of this one. If you plan to move it along soon, no problem, I know caching schedules fluctuate and life gets in the way sometimes. If it's lost I would apprecaite knowing so I can mark it accordingly and send out the backup tag in it's place.

 

Thanks!"

 

I've rarely, if ever, received a rude reply and often it reminds the person they have it and it moves within days. It's all about being polite.

[+macatac1961]

Once every few months I go through my trackables and send a polite email to those that show in somoeone's posessions for 30+ days. Something like:

 

"Hi, I noticed you picked up my TB/coin on XX/XX and I see that it hasn't moved yet. I'm just going through my list to see which ones are missing and wanted to check on the status of this one. If you plan to move it along soon, no problem, I know caching schedules fluctuate and life gets in the way sometimes. If it's lost I would apprecaite knowing so I can mark it accordingly and send out the backup tag in it's place.

 

Thanks!"

 

I've rarely, if ever, received a rude reply and often it reminds the person they have it and it moves within days. It's all about being polite.

Nicely written, can I borrow that?

[+HB-vanislelady]

Once every few months I go through my trackables and send a polite email to those that show in somoeone's posessions for 30+ days. Something like:

 

"Hi, I noticed you picked up my TB/coin on XX/XX and I see that it hasn't moved yet. I'm just going through my list to see which ones are missing and wanted to check on the status of this one. If you plan to move it along soon, no problem, I know caching schedules fluctuate and life gets in the way sometimes. If it's lost I would apprecaite knowing so I can mark it accordingly and send out the backup tag in it's place.

 

Thanks!"

 

I've rarely, if ever, received a rude reply and often it reminds the person they have it and it moves within days. It's all about being polite.

 

That's pretty much the type of wording I use....As I have had some trackables go missing I do not even hesitate anymore if they are still in a cachers possesion after 30 days....sometimes they are in the bottom of a backpack somewhere and they just need reminding

 

However since the list of trackables in a cachers possesion are listed on their account page and comes up when they go to log a cache I really do not understand how they can not see that they still have it...somewhere....

[+gorillagal]

I have done this with my travellers after a couple months of no moves. One was quickly put in a cache. The other (a coin), I never heard back from the cacher and it still has not moved. I'm guessing that one has entered a personal collection, but I can always hope. Along a similar line, I have e-mailed the owner of a bug if I've had their bug for more than a few weeks to let them know I still have it and plan to place it.

[+Wadcutter]

With all the micros around, I do not always move a TB as quickly as I should.

Yup, that's a big problem a lot of times. When finding nothing but 35 mm film cans, altoid tins, and key holders, TBs just don't fit. Would like to drop some off but when the area we're caching in is populated with a slew of nothing but micros it's not always possible.

[Keystone]

Moving thread from the Geocaching Topics forum. Sorry for the delay in moving this along, but I had trouble finding a forum big enough to fit it in.

[knowschad]

Once every few months I go through my trackables and send a polite email to those that show in somoeone's posessions for 30+ days. Something like:

 

"Hi, I noticed you picked up my TB/coin on XX/XX and I see that it hasn't moved yet. I'm just going through my list to see which ones are missing and wanted to check on the status of this one. If you plan to move it along soon, no problem, I know caching schedules fluctuate and life gets in the way sometimes. If it's lost I would apprecaite knowing so I can mark it accordingly and send out the backup tag in it's place.

 

Thanks!"

 

I've rarely, if ever, received a rude reply and often it reminds the person they have it and it moves within days. It's all about being polite.

Nicely written, can I borrow that?

 

If you do, I'd suggest that you spell 'apprecaite" correctly first.

[+we"re lost]

Once every few months I go through my trackables and send a polite email to those that show in somoeone's posessions for 30+ days. Something like:

 

"Hi, I noticed you picked up my TB/coin on XX/XX and I see that it hasn't moved yet. I'm just going through my list to see which ones are missing and wanted to check on the status of this one. If you plan to move it along soon, no problem, I know caching schedules fluctuate and life gets in the way sometimes. If it's lost I would apprecaite knowing so I can mark it accordingly and send out the backup tag in it's place.

 

Thanks!"

 

I've rarely, if ever, received a rude reply and often it reminds the person they have it and it moves within days. It's all about being polite.

Nicely written, can I borrow that?

 

If you do, I'd suggest that you spell 'apprecaite" correctly first.

 

Jeep TB's are popular for going MIA.

 

My daughter put out a teddy bear TB , she lost her baby (stillborn) and she wanted the TB to travel and let everyone be aware of still births in our society and now she is wanting to try to get the TB back home. can you do that? or is that allowed? She is a cacher too.

 

we"re lost

[+KJcachers]

I just started caching and wanted to focus on the Jeep TB's as I am a proud Jeep owner! It appears these are very collectible by some becasue I am seeing them listed in caches and not being there when I go to them. For the record I am currently holding 1 for a trip up to a mountain cache. All Jeeps deserve a 4wheel drive trip!

[+Flatouts]

I did a search and came up with this thread. I've noticed the same problem with Jeep TBs - In Maryland we sought after 2 in caches near by and both were missing - that was in mid October this year - they are still missing or should I say listed in those caches.

 

More recently yesterday I had my eye on a cache here in Florida that was listed with a Red Jeep - checked the entries carefully nobody had been to the cache. So it must be there. Well it was a couple days and my loaded PQ was not current - I found the cache but alas no TB. Looking at the log there was somebody there in fact they logged twice - once for the cache and then once for documentation of the TB noting it wasn't listed yet? Not listed ah then how did it get listed to the cache...

 

I think part of the problem is not knowing how to log a TB - even some coins the number is hard to decipher (that could just be an old timer problem sometimes my reading glasses require a magnifying glass to read that tiny print...lol) but you know when you got it right... It really isn't hard.

 

I must admit I'm into the Bugs and think they are a cool aspect to the game... A missing one or lazy logging is as disappointing as a poorly maintained or missing cache.

 

I've just received 6 new TB tags to enter my own into the game. I don't care if I loose them but would like to see their progress. I also just received 2 of the gold US coins that I hope to put out. Considering the cost it's not a big deal but folks need to be considerate that they aren't cheap swag and that they require almost as much to release as putting a cache together and they aren't free. A web page is also produced much like a cache... For the owner to follow up certainly isn't wrong and there shouldn't be any problem with a friendly reminder.

 

I hold bugs sometimes to help them on their journey (at least that is my intent). I have a few that are over a month - but I contact the owner when I get a warning (over 14 days) I tell them of my intent and if they approve I go forth if they ask that I place it soon I do that. I will not put a bug in a lousy cache just to rid myself of it (I've found some in some really bad caches that were all but destroyed and salvaged the TBs).

Because we've been traveling lately I can't always put a bug back right away that doesn't want to leave the area - same with the ones that want to travel to certain destinations like the moon or space lab - yes I have one that want to go to the space lab and we know someone that might be able to make that happen but getting a hold of them and approval will take time plus with us traveling even more time but we're working on it (waiting to hear back in fact).

 

I wouldn't mind a reminder but I probably wont get one as I've already contacted the owner after 14+ days.

 

That brings me to my question;

 

I wonder if it would be improper to contact a cacher that obviously picked up but didn't log it correctly - should this be solely an owners problem or as a fellow cacher could I contact that cacher and ask if they need help logging it... I mean after a week isn't it obvious they might not know how???

 

Reason I ask is:

 

When it's in a contest it doesn't seem fair to the rest of us if they hold or fail to log it.

 

Also when it's part of a major release like the Red Jeep contest - is there an individual owner?

 

If there are deadlines for these and folks should move them quickly as a courtesy to others JMHO.

 

Besides if other cachers were to take up an active roll perhaps less would go missing - who wants to be the one other cachers are saying C'on Bubba lets get on with the game put that TB back out where it belongs or log it or something... Perhaps just offering help to them as a nudge... Course you can see how that would cause more problems than it's worth... I certainly wouldn't want to be flooded with derogative comments when I've worked out something with the owner... Forget I said it...

 

My tongue hurts as I've searched for 4 or 5 of these in different areas and came up empty on every one...

 

I wont be loosing sleep over it as I do this to relax (I used to fish until competition started causing anxiety attacks...lol).

 

BTW if a TB Person needs to know the cache & TB in question please let me know or check my latest

[+Jhawk0769]

You bring you some very good points, and I would hope someday you would stumble across my Red Jeep GeoCoin, which is in Florida. This also happens to be the one MIA.

 

In looking through the individuals record of TB's and GC's, it is apparent that they are a Collector of this type of travel item (Jeeps), as they have several Jeep TB's in their possession, some for over 2 years.

 

Hope is not lost, but at the same time this is a risk of sending something as unique as this into the wild.

 

Cache On!

[+q22q17]

Some cache owners do not realize that they have the ability to mark a TB (Jeep TB or geocoin) missing. And sometimes a gentle and polite prod from a cacher who finds the cache without a TB inside can help the cache owner go to the TB page, and list it as missing. That way, in the future, if someone comes to the cache and us expecting a GJTB or RJTB, they aren't disappointed.

 

Although, this is part of cache maintenance, it's frequently not addressed or remembered. And, that's not the owners fault, per se. They just may not know.

 

And, those who are new to the game, or sometimes don't want to log a TB just yet, will wait until they find the right place to LEAVE the TB before they grab it, then do the drop. That way, they don't get that pesky * on their account page that says they've held the TB for more than 14 days...........

Edited November 20, 2007 by q22q17

[+Astro_D]

I just posted notes on several TB and coins that I have not dropped in awhile stating that I still have the TBs and they are OK. Due to conflicts and now an injury that has me laid up for awhile, I cannot get thier TBs out and moving as I had hoped. I am trying to arrange a hand-off to another cacher so they can get back out there and travel. I feel this is only fair to the TB owner. I do not like to sit on TBs and coins for awhile, but sometimes unexpected things do happen and prevents one from caching.

 

 

I also see nothing wrong with the owner sending a polite email to the TB holder inquiring about its status. It's no fun seeing a TB just sit without much movement for an extended period of time and not knowing why. But I think the owner should certainly wait a period of time before doing so.

[+Nick&Jen]

Our first TB has been in the hands of the person who retrieved it since July. I've sent 2 or 3 messages but haven't received a reply.

 

Oh well, we live in hope.