Travel Bugs & their 'goals'

[+Team Noodles]

My other half has a TB fetish, she just simply cannot resist wanting to grab it when she sees it. We however try to grab only the ones of which we think we can fullfil their goal.

 

Now for my question, I have noticed many many TB's being grabbed/moved with fairly simple goals (take piccie of xyz etc etc) that just haven't been done.

 

I've seen some TB's get moved 8/9/10 times without one single pic/action completed attached to their log. Why do people bother grabbing one if they do not have the intention of playing the TB's game? I can understand someone picking one up from a 'desolate' cache and placing it in a more 'active' area to increase the chance of finds, but grabbing one for the sake of grabbing? Seriously, what's the fun in that? Or do most people not read about the TB's and just assume it needs moving to somewhere else, 'current goal : to travel the world/Europa/cross the atlantic etc' kinda TB's?

 

We ourselves are getting ready to place our first few caches, one of them will contain a TB with a specific goal to be carried out by the person who grabs it. Should I explicitly mention for people NOT to grab it if they aren't going to 'do' what is requested?? Will this be off putting and result in my TB getting stranded somewhere forever??

 

Tis confusing me a bit to be honest, as I'd hate to see my (I think 'good') idea for a TB's goal get burried in a wasteland of grabs/drops without any logs, or stuck in a void

 

What is your view on this?

[+OldNickCov]

My other half has a TB fetish, she just simply cannot resist wanting to grab it when she sees it. We however try to grab only the ones of which we think we can fullfil their goal.

 

Now for my question, I have noticed many many TB's being grabbed/moved with fairly simple goals (take piccie of xyz etc etc) that just haven't been done.

 

I've seen some TB's get moved 8/9/10 times without one single pic/action completed attached to their log. Why do people bother grabbing one if they do not have the intention of playing the TB's game?

 

What is your view on this?

 

Most goals aren't discovered until the cacher returns home, and logs the cache and the bug.

 

Simples.

[+keehotee]

 

I've seen some TB's get moved 8/9/10 times without one single pic/action completed attached to their log. Why do people bother grabbing one if they do not have the intention of playing the TB's game?

 

Because most cachers simply don't have remote access to the online details of every TB they come across out in the field.

If owners are really concerned that their TB's should only be picked up by people prepared to abide by their wishes, they need to make sure that the TB's goal is irremovably and indelibly attached to the TB. You can't blame cachers for not knowing a TB's goal if they can't access it whilst out caching...

[+Dorsetgal & GeoDog]

... not to mention the odd one or two who grab everything in sight because it adds to their COTM score. I gave it up as a bad job when I saw a couple of cachers sweeping up at an event all the TBs in sight, mentioning it's all good for COTM on the way.

 

That aside yes, it often surprises me that these days with mobile phones almost always having cameras etc that people simply do not bother to even take a quick snap.

[+Alibags]

When you release a TB into the wild you lose all control over it and you just have to accept that fact. Any missions for trackables are simply that : requests, you cannot force anybody to take photos, move it to a certain location, etc. I have had at least one clearly labelled TB of mine go way out of the area that I would like it to stay in, but I see it all as part of the adventure and don't get bent out of shape because of it. If you want a TB to get to a certain place by a certain time then post it... if you want to enjoy the sometimes random and sometimes sadly terminal travels of your item, then release it as a TB.

 

I would rather a TB of mine kept moving from cache to cache, even if the people who moved it could not take a photo or move it directly towards it's goal. A static TB is a very sad thing indeed. If I pick up a TB I may or may not take photos, as the mood (and opportunity) takes me. I make no apologies for that. I assume that other cachers are like me and would like to see the TB move as I do. Sometimes I go the extra mile to assist a TB in my possession. If a TB fires my imagination, this is especially true - yet another teddy bear with no special mission and entreaties to take lots of photos just doesn't do it for me (unless it's owned by small kids because nobody likes to dash their expectations).

 

I have had very bad tempered emails from some TB owners making all sorts of weird and wonderful demands for their TBs, including one cacher who told me (not requested) to make a 50 mile round trip to a cache I had previously visited, in order to drop their TB off there, when the TB was just labelled to travel. Now, TBs with large and grumpy messages on their tags inevitably get left where I find them, as I just don't need the hassle.

 

I don't enter COTM. I have decided that for me caching is not a competition, but is more of a journey.

 

Check out the main TB area of the forums where this has been discussed once or twice before.

[+figures]

Keep 'em moving, I say. Nothing worse than being stuck in a cache or stash bag

 

If I can help with a goal, I will. If not, move it on quickly so it can be found by someone who can help

 

And I'd upload more photos if GC.com wasn't so slow

[+Lost in Space]

We ourselves are getting ready to place our first few caches, one of them will contain a TB with a specific goal to be carried out by the person who grabs it. Should I explicitly mention for people NOT to grab it if they aren't going to 'do' what is requested?? Will this be off putting and result in my TB getting stranded somewhere forever??

 

First rule of geocaching: Never, repeat never, put anything in a cache that you expect to see or hear from again.

[+ivanidea]

When I released the Garmin Geocoins, I attached to them the mission that I wanted them to stay in the UK (so the UK cachers could enter the Garmin competition).

 

One of them was picked up and taken straight to Czech! The only consolation is that it is the most active of my coins. Another one ended up in Italy and was picked up by a Yank, although I did give him permission to take it to the States (never to be heard from again).

 

It would seem the mission attachments might have been lost.

[+Bear and Ragged]

Travel Bug.

 

Travel.

 

Travel being the operative word.

If you can help with the TB's mission, so much the better.

[+Lost in Space]

It would seem the mission attachments might have been lost.

 

"First rule of geocaching: Never, repeat never, put anything in a cache that you expect to see or hear from again."

[+Deepdiggingmole]

I have moved on many TBs some with goals others without - i am not always in a position to assist with the goal so i move it on anyway - I firmly beleive in allowing TBs to keep moving - if they have a goal they will eventually get there - i will even pick up TBs in my own caches and move them on if they look like they are growing roots

 

I had one TB which i gave a very specific goal / cache to get to in new zealand - it took a little under 3 years to get there with a lot of travelling in germany and holland - but it did eventually reach its target cache in NZ and the required photo with an old friend was completed - i have another TB in US stil working its way round to the state that is its target but is taking forever - however its moving so what the heck - its fun watching where it goes anyway

[+Gooner]

Travel Bug.

 

Travel.

 

Travel being the operative word.

If you can help with the TB's mission, so much the better.

 

I appreciate that this may be a silly question but hey, thought i'd ask it!

 

Have a couple of TB's in my caching bag at the mo that I picked up on the North of Kent with the aim of dropping one (Big Bass Fish TB) off somewhere on the Coast and the other somewhere on my travels. Over the last few days I haven't been able to drop them in a cache container due to the size of containers that I have found on my travels.

 

Is it a good idea to just log the TB in, the straight back out again (without leaving it on site) so that people can see it moving around, as I don't want to be seen to be holding on to it for too long without action!

[+*mouse*]

I appreciate that this may be a silly question but hey, thought i'd ask it!

 

Have a couple of TB's in my caching bag at the mo that I picked up on the North of Kent with the aim of dropping one (Big Bass Fish TB) off somewhere on the Coast and the other somewhere on my travels. Over the last few days I haven't been able to drop them in a cache container due to the size of containers that I have found on my travels.

 

Is it a good idea to just log the TB in, the straight back out again (without leaving it on site) so that people can see it moving around, as I don't want to be seen to be holding on to it for too long without action!

 

I've done that plenty of times before and have never had a complaint from the owners. I always explain why I'm doing it when I write my log though.

The only time I'd watch out is if you pick up a bug that's in a race with other bugs or something - the movememnt might artificially increase mileage etc.......

If it was one of my TB's I wouldn't mind. I'd rather know there was a genuine reason why my bug wasn't dropped off right away and see it travel, than it not be picked up in the first place. Bugs are made to move!

[+metal-bijou]

GUILTY as charged me lord...

 

I do pick up TB and move. I just don't know why. I try never to hurt their mission and to push them all on ASAP (though I can't quite seem to find a cache big enough for TB I picked up at this year's mega event).

 

When someone does something different with a bug it can be just as rewarding to see. I had one guy pick up one of my first bugs and he dipped it in to loads of caches before finally dropping it off. Off mission but entertaining.

 

I even moved a challenge TB (one that only wanted to go into trads) into the wrong type of cache but didn't mean to.

 

Hypocrite time now though. I have released a TB attached to a key that unlocks a cache. I have asked for it not to go too far away as the challenge is more to see how difficult the cache gets over time not in one foul swoop. I'm amazed and pleased that's it's still live and local.