Lousy TravelBugs

[+tabulator32]

I went to a popular online auction site which shall remain nameless ('don't want to be accused of promoting! ) to peruse the cool stuff and someone was trying to sell a "fake bullet" travelbug for geocaching. Basically, it appeared to be a real bullet and casing sans powder.

 

I hope anyone in geocaching would know to never put an ammo round ("live" or otherwise) into a geocache.

 

Its obviously someone trying to make a buck that is not really into geocaching.

 

[+Snoogans]

I went to a popular online auction site which shall remain nameless ('don't want to be accused of promoting! ) to peruse the cool stuff and someone was trying to sell a "fake bullet" travelbug for geocaching. Basically, it appeared to be a real bullet and casing sans powder.

 

I hope anyone in geocaching would know to never put an ammo round ("live" or otherwise) into a geocache.

 

Its obviously someone trying to make a buck that is not really into geocaching.

 

 

Live ammo is clearly against the rules. What is the problem with "otherwise" unless it is made to look falsely live?

 

I just handed off a cool 20mm TB with a way cool history behind the item.

Edited December 6, 2007 by Snoogans

[+joranda]

I don't understand what would be wrong with a fake bullet travel bug? I think it could make a cool one called the silver bullet that wants to go from cache to cache in a flash!

[Keystone]

Moving thread from the Geocaching Topics forum to The Travel Bug forum.

[+tabulator32]

I went to a popular online auction site which shall remain nameless ('don't want to be accused of promoting! ) to peruse the cool stuff and someone was trying to sell a "fake bullet" travelbug for geocaching. Basically, it appeared to be a real bullet and casing sans powder.

 

I hope anyone in geocaching would know to never put an ammo round ("live" or otherwise) into a geocache.

 

Its obviously someone trying to make a buck that is not really into geocaching.

 

 

Live ammo is clearly against the rules. What is the problem with "otherwise" unless it is made to look falsely live?

 

I just handed off a cool 20mm TB with a way cool history behind the item.

 

The problem with the one on the auction is that it didn't look like yours and it didn't have a travel bug tag. It just said "travel bug" and it was the casing AND the bullet, put together, and it was virtually indistinguishable from a live round as far as I'm could tell.

 

One set up like YOUR photo doesn't really present a problem (at least not to me) as it is obvious that it is simply a casing.

[+ZSandmann]

I cansee your tracking number, whoo whoo.

[+Inmountains]

Bad examples of Travel Bugs:

1. Anything LIVING. Human, pet, plant, mold, etc...

2. Anything eatable, period.

3. Any explosive including live ammunition.

4. Pictures, especially of your ex-spouse.

5. And MOST IMPORTANTLY, anything that DOES NOT fit into a Five Gallon Bucket. Cars, boats, planes, propellers, houses, etc... I am just waiting for someone to drill a hole in a rock and say the entire EARTH is a Travel Bug, moving at 25,000 MPH thru space.

 

The true spirit of a Travel Bug is to be placed from cache to cache. I like the interactive ones, like a disposable camera, that asks for pictures of each cache it visits, or a Travel Bug that you can add an item to, like a charm bracelet.

 

Travel Bugs are a fun part of Geocaching and I hate to see it "made silly" by people who think it is cute.

[+SUp3rFM & Cruella]

 

5. And MOST IMPORTANTLY, anything that DOES NOT fit into a Five Gallon Bucket. Cars, boats, planes, propellers, houses, etc... I am just waiting for someone to drill a hole in a rock and say the entire EARTH is a Travel Bug, moving at 25,000 MPH thru space.

 

What a great idea!

 

[+Eartha]

Travel bug hitchhikers are usually something that means something to the person sending it out. Anyone who would buy an empty casing, when they could probably find one on the ground left by a sloppy hunter in any hunting area, or at any shooting range, is probably someone who is careless with their money. One man's junk is another man's treasure. Free enterprise, what can we say? Travel bugs do not go through a review process, we can only hope people use common sense. Live ammo in caches is against the geocaching guidelines.

[+Snoogans]

Bad examples of Travel Bugs:

1. Anything LIVING. Human, pet, plant, mold, etc...

 

4. Pictures, especially of your ex-spouse.

 

5. And MOST IMPORTANTLY, anything that DOES NOT fit into a Five Gallon Bucket. Cars, boats, planes, propellers, houses, etc... I am just waiting for someone to drill a hole in a rock and say the entire EARTH is a Travel Bug, moving at 25,000 MPH thru space.

 

The true spirit of a Travel Bug is to be placed from cache to cache. I like the interactive ones, like a disposable camera, that asks for pictures of each cache it visits, or a Travel Bug that you can add an item to, like a charm bracelet.

 

Travel Bugs are a fun part of Geocaching and I hate to see it "made silly" by people who think it is cute.

 

WOW personal aesthetics makes it into TB land. Congrats on that feat.

 

Thank YOU for defining how the rest of us should have fun.

 

In my not so humble opinion (2178 TBs moved) MANY of the items on YOUR list are the MOST fun types of TBs.

 

Frankly, anyone who can't appreciate a little silliness in their recreational activities to the point that they project their seriousness on others seriously needs (*Snoogans, moderate thyself*) ummmm, some help loosening up.

[+Snoogans]

 

Now that's what I call FUN!

[+Inmountains]

A little silliness? Last time I checked, not only could I not carry a VW, I have never found a cache it would fit in. To each their own is absolutely correct. Maybe to you, making an empty Railroad Box Car a "Geocache" is just a 'little silliness', because it just might move from time to time.

 

Each one has their own idea of what is a 'little silliness' and was is 'absolutely absurd'. If we are going to continue down the road of absurdity, let's make your entire Little League Baseball Team a Travel Bug. Then we can make a Boeing 747 a Travel Bug. Heck, let's just get the largest moving thing on earth as a Travel Bug, An Aircraft Carrier. Where do you draw the line? For me, and this is ONLY me, a Travel Bug should be easily carried and be placed in a cache without damage. Starving a dog to death in a cache is rather cruel. Having a potato sprout in a cache is rather gross.

 

Having a Tattoo of a Travel Bug tag, someone needs some serious help, taking this way too seriously.

 

Snoogans, you absolutely have the right to do as you wish, I will not take away from your fun. We were asked to post OUR OPINION on lousy Travel Bugs, and from YOUR post count, you express your opinion quite often and freely. So don't take it personally when someone else posts their opinion. This is not a "right or wrong" thread, is is a chance to post your opinion.

 

You want some real fun? Come to the Rocky Mountains, and we can do some caches at 13,000 and 14,000 feet, using ropes, belays and this time of year, some fun ice climbing. We can also do a little caching via Snowshoes or Cross Country Skiis when the mercury hits 20 below zero and the wind is blowing at 30 mph. Everyone has their own idea of fun.

[+kingsting]

Bad examples of Travel Bugs:

1. Anything LIVING. Human, pet, plant, mold, etc...

2. Anything eatable, period.

3. Any explosive including live ammunition.

4. Pictures, especially of your ex-spouse.

5. And MOST IMPORTANTLY, anything that DOES NOT fit into a Five Gallon Bucket. Cars, boats, planes, propellers, houses, etc... I am just waiting for someone to drill a hole in a rock and say the entire EARTH is a Travel Bug, moving at 25,000 MPH thru space.

 

The true spirit of a Travel Bug is to be placed from cache to cache. I like the interactive ones, like a disposable camera, that asks for pictures of each cache it visits, or a Travel Bug that you can add an item to, like a charm bracelet.

 

Travel Bugs are a fun part of Geocaching and I hate to see it "made silly" by people who think it is cute.

 

Oh my.... I think the propeller comment was aimed at me...

 

I guess I have quite a few bad ones. I have not one but two propellers, a picture of my boss, and a charm with a picture of my spouse. They seem to be doing well and cachers have had a blast with the two propeller blades. They're large but have traded hands many times, been stuffed into caches, been to plenty of events, and one even made it back home after going cross country and back. They're also interactive. People have signed and put stickers on them, took plenty of pictures of them, and even added small items to one.

 

I made two "traditional" travel bugs and they have since vanished. People seem to like the "silly" ones and keep them moving. My little Johnny Lightning SSR is probably part of someone's die-cast collection now.

[+Inmountains]

OK, here is a very simple question. How many caches has your propeller actually been placed in?

 

Items that travel from Geocacher to Geocacher are great. People sign them, put stickers on them, take pictures of them and more. There is nothing wrong with that, and I enjoy being part of that as well. But is that really a Travel Bug? Can you LEAVE it in a cache for another cacher to pick up days later?

 

It would seem that Travel Bugs should have categories:

Cache Travel Bugs (TBs that fit inside a cache)

Event Travel Bugs (TBs that can ONLY be exchanged at events)

Living Travel Bugs (TBs to me met only)

Geocacher Travel Bugs (TBs that can only change hands, and not change caches)

 

Another thing I would like to see would be on the Travel Bug Page, an icon showing if the TB has been to multiple countries. Much like we have icons on a Cache page for different attributes, why not have a handful of icons on the Travel Bug Page?

[+AMMOMAN]

There is nothing wrong with that, and I enjoy being part of that as well. But is that really a Travel Bug?

 

On the Travel Bug FAQ page it states: http://www.geocaching.com/track/travelbugfaq.aspx

 

What is a Groundspeak Travel Bug?

 

Simply put, a Groundspeak Travel Bug is a trackable tag that you attach to an item. This allows you to track your item on Geocaching.com. The item becomes a hitchhiker that is carried from cache to cache (or person to person) in the real world and you can follow its progress online.

 

So the prop is a hitchhiker, the tag is the travel bug. Both are carried from cache to cache (or person to person) in the real world and you can follow its progress online. So I would say it fits the definition as set forth by Groundspeak.

[+kingsting]

OK, here is a very simple question. How many caches has your propeller actually been placed in?

 

Items that travel from Geocacher to Geocacher are great. People sign them, put stickers on them, take pictures of them and more. There is nothing wrong with that, and I enjoy being part of that as well. But is that really a Travel Bug? Can you LEAVE it in a cache for another cacher to pick up days later?

 

 

I'd have to reread the logs but both of them have been left behind at actual geocaches and retrieved at a later time.

 

Just as there are sick folks like me that make huge travel bugs, there are also those who create caches large enough to support them (Although they are far and few.) and cachers crazy enough to haul them to a remote cache and drop them off.

 

I know Iggy Prop (TB18TH6) is in Sledgehammer right now. From what I can tell, this cache is an old Nissan Pathfinder located on a cachers property.

 

Mary Proppins (TBGTB2) has been in a few, one of which appeared to be a large plastic shed.

 

Both of these have been lugged up to Catz Eye (GCTJA6) thanks to LPYankeefan and Flyingmoose. The cache isn't big enough to fit them but they were hidden nearby.

 

I have logged these two in and out of a few local caches to get a starting point for the mileage but they weren't left behind.

 

Cindy the Cinderblock and Chain Chomp (one of my favorites) are two large bugs that have traveled extensively and have passed through caches in the wild. Some of the logs and pictures for these two are great!

 

Just as some cachers enjoy challenging hides there are others that like bugs that will be challenging to move/hide/complete their goals. Maybe we should come up with a rating system for how easy/difficult a bug will be to move or get closer to completing it's mission?

[+kingsting]

 

It would seem that Travel Bugs should have categories:

Cache Travel Bugs (TBs that fit inside a cache)

Event Travel Bugs (TBs that can ONLY be exchanged at events)

Living Travel Bugs (TBs to me met only)

Geocacher Travel Bugs (TBs that can only change hands, and not change caches)

 

Another thing I would like to see would be on the Travel Bug Page, an icon showing if the TB has been to multiple countries. Much like we have icons on a Cache page for different attributes, why not have a handful of icons on the Travel Bug Page?

 

I like these ideas

 

Give them a catagory, an attribute or two, and maybe a difficulty rating like I mentioned above.

[+ZSandmann]

Why complicate things with additional categories and classifications? New cachers already have a hard enough time figuring out how they work, why make it tougher? I believe some people have serious filing issues and need everything to fit in it's perfect little spot. Anyone watch Monk?

 

(BTW, not directed at any particular person)

[+PhxChem]

Having a Tattoo of a Travel Bug tag, someone needs some serious help, taking this way too seriously.

 

Just think of how he felt after they changed the design......

[+DudleyGrunt]

It would seem that Travel Bugs should have categories:

Cache Travel Bugs (TBs that fit inside a cache)

Event Travel Bugs (TBs that can ONLY be exchanged at events)

Living Travel Bugs (TBs to me met only)

Geocacher Travel Bugs (TBs that can only change hands, and not change caches)

 

Another thing I would like to see would be on the Travel Bug Page, an icon showing if the TB has been to multiple countries. Much like we have icons on a Cache page for different attributes, why not have a handful of icons on the Travel Bug Page?

 

But mine wouldn't fit any of these.

 

It won't fit in a cahce.

It can be and has been discovered "in the wild" (well, Colonial Williamsburg). These are my favorite kinds of discoveries and can't wait to get more.

It's not alive - last time I checked.

I definitely don't intend for it to change hands.

 

[+Inmountains]

But mine wouldn't fit any of these.

 

It won't fit in a cahce.

It can be and has been discovered "in the wild" (well, Colonial Williamsburg). These are my favorite kinds of discoveries and can't wait to get more.

It's not alive - last time I checked.

I definitely don't intend for it to change hands.

Can I at least sign it using a key?

[+DudleyGrunt]

But mine wouldn't fit any of these.

 

It won't fit in a cahce.

It can be and has been discovered "in the wild" (well, Colonial Williamsburg). These are my favorite kinds of discoveries and can't wait to get more.

It's not alive - last time I checked.

I definitely don't intend for it to change hands.

Can I at least sign it using a key?

NO! Besides, you don't sign travel bugs (in general).

[+joranda]

I think human travel bugs are cool. I was going to make myself a travel bug with a tattoo but a fellow cacher beat me to my idea so now I would look like thw copy cat. I don't want that.

[+swizzle]

Wow, I didn't realize that me and my wifey are bad examples. I thought being a human TB was a fun and interesting idea and a great way to start up a conversation with other cachers. I guess I should stick to the usual, plain stuff and try not to think as an individual. Maybe I'll change my user name to Geosheep. Swizzle & Family

[+the hermit crabs]

5. And MOST IMPORTANTLY, anything that DOES NOT fit into a Five Gallon Bucket.

Bicycle definitely wouldn't fit in a 5-gallon bucket (or a 20-gallon one, either), but it does travel from cache to cache... It has a chain with a lock; cachers leave the bike chained up somewhere in the vicinity of the cache and leave the key to the lock inside the cache. (They ride the bike away after retrieving it.)

 

Looks like a fun and creative TB to me.

[+giddyupNwhoa]

5. And MOST IMPORTANTLY, anything that DOES NOT fit into a Five Gallon Bucket.

Bicycle definitely wouldn't fit in a 5-gallon bucket (or a 20-gallon one, either), but it does travel from cache to cache... It has a chain with a lock; cachers leave the bike chained up somewhere in the vicinity of the cache and leave the key to the lock inside the cache. (They ride the bike away after retrieving it.)

 

Looks like a fun and creative TB to me.

 

Oh, I really hope bicycle makes it out here to Oregon - we would have loads of fun with that TB!!!

[+kingsting]

5. And MOST IMPORTANTLY, anything that DOES NOT fit into a Five Gallon Bucket.

Bicycle definitely wouldn't fit in a 5-gallon bucket (or a 20-gallon one, either), but it does travel from cache to cache... It has a chain with a lock; cachers leave the bike chained up somewhere in the vicinity of the cache and leave the key to the lock inside the cache. (They ride the bike away after retrieving it.)

 

Looks like a fun and creative TB to me.

 

I love this bug and want to do one of my own someday. I have plenty of old bicycles around...