Hide Idea for a Multi

[+mvigor]

Supposed I released a travel bug with a stated mission to travel only to caches within a 5 or 10 mile radius of home.

 

The bug itself would hold digits for finding the final leg of a multi-cache hide.

 

So to find my multi-cache, you would also first have to track down the current location of my travel bug, wherever that may be.

 

Has this been done?

[+horsegeeks]

Supposed I released a travel bug with a stated mission to travel only to caches within a 5 or 10 mile radius of home.

 

The bug itself would hold digits for finding the final leg of a multi-cache hide.

 

So to find my multi-cache, you would also first have to track down the current location of my travel bug, wherever that may be.

 

Has this been done?

 

We've got two of these in the Raleigh area and they are working out well.

[+Miragee]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

I think that could be a very fun idea. There is a fantastic "Puzzle" cache in this area that requires finding two different TBs in order to ultimately find the final location.

 

Check out "Zis Is KAOS, Ve Don’t Bush-vaak Here!."

[+mvigor]

Thanks for the welcome! I've been lurking a week or two now.

 

The cache you linked to looks evil! Not much in the way of clues!

[+trainlove]

There are about 15 like that around Massachusetts.

Some have 4 different bugs with part of the answer in such a way that you can't guess even if you got 3 out of the 4.

Others there are 5 bugs that all have the same information.

Others are singular like your idea.

 

I've done about 75% of these here and have the others on my watch list. I missed getting one of the newest ones by just 12 hours, and there were at least 5 other cachers that also went to that same cache to get the bug that failed as I did.

 

I'd also like to suggest that this is a puzzle not a multi. You might have a bit of trouble getting the reviewers to approve it as a multi since you can't post the coordinates of the bug, it's constantly moving.

 

I'd provide links to the ones I know about but well that's going to be a bit'o'work for TB numbers and GC names. And part of the fun in these is discovering the puzzle in the first place. I mean, I don't think some of the cache placers would like it being broadcast that this cache exists and you have to find x for it. Let each cache finder learn of the existance of the cache or the bug by seeing it in their searches or in someones profile.

 

P.S. It's even harder if the bug or coin for the cache belongs to a different cacher and that cacher has hundreds of bugs with names not related to the cache, ha.

Edited January 7, 2008 by trainlove

[+hydnsek]

Supposed I released a travel bug with a stated mission to travel only to caches within a 5 or 10 mile radius of home.

 

The bug itself would hold digits for finding the final leg of a multi-cache hide.

 

So to find my multi-cache, you would also first have to track down the current location of my travel bug, wherever that may be.

 

Has this been done?

Yes, it's been done, many times in many ways. Some are simple "find the TB and get the coords" as you suggest. Sometimes you have to find multiple TBs, each holding part of the final coords (I still remember the four KISS duckies I had to track down). For another cache series, not only did you have to find the relevant TB, but you had to determine the cache coords by listening to the songs on the attached CD!

 

Still a fun idea - go for it!

[+Miragee]

Thanks for the welcome! I've been lurking a week or two now.

 

The cache you linked to looks evil! Not much in the way of clues!

Oh it is . . . and when we were doing it, after we got the first half, we had to find "Agent 99," the second TB. The previous holders of "her" had put her in a Tucson Thompson Puzzle cache, "The Blueprint . . .

 

It took us several weeks to finally finish that cache . . .

[jholly]

Only problem I see is someone traveling through the area grabbing the bug without knowing its purpose. Finding out when they get home (500 or a 1000 miles away) to log it and going "Oh, Dear" and then dropping it into a nearby cache. Do You have a tag on the bug that clearly states its mission so I don't have to go home and look it up on my computer? Many times I cache with a somewhat out of date cachmate list and I really don't have information on the mission until I get home. (you know these things tend to move around quite a bit). If I see a tag that says the bug should remain x miles within cache so-and-so then I'll probably just log a discovered find. Otherwise it sounds like a really neat idea.

 

Jim

[+StarBrand]

I know of one like that a few hundred miles away. The only problem they had with it was the Tb kept leaving the area. It had a tag that clearly outlined where it suppose to go but it kept leaving anyway.

[+trainlove]

Only problem I see is someone traveling through the area grabbing the bug without knowing its purpose. Finding out when they get home (500 or a 1000 miles away) to log it and going "Oh, Dear" and then dropping it into a nearby cache. Do You have a tag on the bug that clearly states its mission so I don't have to go home and look it up on my computer? Many times I cache with a somewhat out of date cachmate list and I really don't have information on the mission until I get home. (you know these things tend to move around quite a bit). If I see a tag that says the bug should remain x miles within cache so-and-so then I'll probably just log a discovered find. Otherwise it sounds like a really neat idea.

 

Jim

 

Bugs or coins like this should be clearly labeled to stay within x miles of y right on the bug object itself. An attached piece of paper can come dislodged leaving just a plain old bug whose mission one does not know until one gets back to a computer.

[+Miragee]

Only problem I see is someone traveling through the area grabbing the bug without knowing its purpose. Finding out when they get home (500 or a 1000 miles away) to log it and going "Oh, Dear" and then dropping it into a nearby cache. Do You have a tag on the bug that clearly states its mission so I don't have to go home and look it up on my computer? Many times I cache with a somewhat out of date cachmate list and I really don't have information on the mission until I get home. (you know these things tend to move around quite a bit). If I see a tag that says the bug should remain x miles within cache so-and-so then I'll probably just log a discovered find. Otherwise it sounds like a really neat idea.

 

Jim

The TBs associated with the cache I linked to above were clearly marked, with a laminated card, that said it was to remain in the San Diego area. The TBs have gone missing a few times, which has meant having to also replace the key , and the laminated card with encrypted text attached to the TB tag . . .

[+briansnat]

It's a fun cache, but just be prepared for the TB to go off on an unwanted trip. I had a similar cache and I attached a note to the TB asking that it not be taken out of a certain county. The TB page also had the same note along with a map of the county in case anyone was confused about its borders.

 

It was only a matter of weeks before the TB wound up in another state despite all my precautions. Some people just have a hard time following directions.

[+ace862]

This cache in my area is a similar type of idea but the TBs are keys that open the lock on an ammo box. GC17EY0 However there is no restriction on where the TBs may travel. Check out Key#4. TBs are meant to travel and I think that's half the fun. As the TBs travel they bring attention to your cache from other areas that they otherwise might not notice. If you pick up a TB that opens up a cache hundreds of kilometers/miles away, it gives you a good excuse to travel somewhere new or different.

Just something to think about.

Edited January 7, 2008 by ace862

[+edscott]

There are about 15 like that around Massachusetts.

Some have 4 different bugs with part of the answer in such a way that you can't guess even if you got 3 out of the 4.

Others there are 5 bugs that all have the same information.

Other... <snip>...

 

I'd also like to suggest that this is a puzzle not a multi. You might have a bit of trouble getting the reviewers to approve it as a multi since you can't post the coordinates of the bug, it's constantly moving.

......

 

Sometimes you can guess with 3/4 of the data. I've done two like this without all the data. If you have the longitude or latitude and the other to within a range like -75 20.000 to -75 20.999 just go to one end of your line and walk in a straight line to the other end. This might be even easier with a GPS.

 

Agree it's a puzzle not a multi.

 

edited to add example.. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...46-980dffb73076

Edited January 7, 2008 by edscott

[+trainlove]

Sometimes you can guess with 3/4 of the data. I've done two like this without all the data. If you have the longitude or latitude and the other to within a range like -75 20.000 to -75 20.999 just go to one end of your line and walk in a straight line to the other end. This might be even easier with a GPS.

 

The ones that I've had that are multiple are designed in such a way that ALL are required.

 

Digits were jumbled so that not enough came out on 3 out of the 4 Follow That Bug bugs. But yes, you can get within about 600 feet with only 3 of them if you know the rub. TBB001

 

All 3 of the Revenge of the Tape Measure are required. Even guessing will only get you to some 200 possible devious spots.

[+mvigor]

I am really liking the idea that the TB will hold a physical padlock key. Thank you for that idea twist.

[+edscott]

Sometimes you can guess with 3/4 of the data. I've done two like this without all the data. If you have the longitude or latitude and the other to within a range like -75 20.000 to -75 20.999 just go to one end of your line and walk in a straight line to the other end. This might be even easier with a GPS.

 

The ones that I've had that are multiple are designed in such a way that ALL are required.

 

Digits were jumbled so that not enough came out on 3 out of the 4 Follow That Bug bugs. But yes, you can get within about 600 feet with only 3 of them if you know the rub. TBB001

 

All 3 of the Revenge of the Tape Measure are required. Even guessing will only get you to some 200 possible devious spots.

 

I'd have to see the cache.. but usually the listed coordinates will give you the first three digits.. and the final two places are not needed leaving N NN Nx.x00 by W NN Nx.x00 where solving the 4 x digits will get you close enough. Eliminating the private property and other areas that won't support a cache further narrows the search area. If a hider wants to force people to find all the components, they need to plan it carefully and look at it from a few different perspectives. BTW I don't really like puzzle caches. I only do the ones that pop up on my closest unfound caches list.

[+simpjkee]

That sounds like an awesome idea, however, I wouldn't be surprised if a hardcore TB mover got their hands on it and moved it to log miles while ignoring the goal.

 

I've come across that quite a bit lately.

[+Bunganator]

There is one cache up in Duluth, MN were the cache has a lock and a key moves around, untracked, to caches in the area. If you are lucky enough to find the cache with the key, you can open the lock.