timing etiquette

[+birdheh]

I am in San Diego and new to the game. I have seen a posting for a a tb going to prescott, AZ. I am going to Tucson AZ in 3 weeks. Is it OK to pick up the bug now and hold it for 3 weeks until I go, or do i let someone else take it and just watch it?

 

Howard Harris

[+Team Tecmage]

Welcome to Geocaching! I would email the TBug owner first. Some of us TBug owners get jittery if someone holds a TBug too long. If the owner doesn't mind- go for it!

 

Richard and Tracy

[+snake1411]

I concur that sometimes owners get jittery over the fear that their TB just might have disappeared, but I would not see anything wrong with picking the bug up and holding onto it until your trip...just be sure to express the fact that the bug won't be dropped off for an estimated X days/weeks when you log the TB pick-up.

[+infosponge]

3 weeks is not unreasonable, unless the bug is in some kind of race with other bugs.

I've had someone pick up a TB in the fall, and tell me they'll move it after it thaws out in the spring. That's kind of a long time to wait, but at least they told me what the schedule was going to be when they picked it up.

[+Team Tecmage]

After reading Infosponge and Snake1411, I have to agree. Tracy and I are jittery TBug owners. We don't have a problem if someone logs that the bug isn't going to move for a couple or three weeks. Reading the mission of the TBug will really help determine if you should grab it or not.

 

Richard

[Robereno]

Howdy & welcome,

 

Considering how slow my travel bugs are moving, 3 weeks isn’t a lot of time.

 

Say, while you’re at it, this guy has been waiting for ever to get his traveling cache out of San Diego county. It’s on your way! Hint Hint

We’re not getting a lot of action out here in the east county.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=14924

 

CreekBed.com

[Robereno]

Howdy & welcome,

 

Considering how slow my travel bugs are moving, 3 weeks isn’t a lot of time.

 

Say, while you’re at it, this guy has been waiting for ever to get his traveling cache out of San Diego county. It’s on your way! Hint Hint

We’re not getting a lot of action out here in the east county.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=14924

 

CreekBed.com

[+Silver Horde]

I found a TB 'Star wars' and knew I would not move it for a while and let the owner know. Then I started feeling guilty that I was holding on to it too long (I was reading a simular thread to this one) So I put it in BREEDER cache. It is still there, several months have passed. I could have taken it further in the mean time! So my feeling is that either way a TB's fate can not by guided one way of another

 

Peregrinus

[+Laserman]

Comunicate your intentions with the owner and follow through. If for some reason you cannot follow through comunicate with the owner. As the owner of 8 soon to be 9 released bugs I can say that comunication is usually very appreciated. Lack of comunication is very frustrating, I have one out there that was picked up at thanksgiving and is still in the hands of that person (to the best of my knowledge). If he/she would just comunicate its condition I would be a lot less frustrated, even if a bear ate it (almost happened to another of my bugs).

[+infosponge]

It probably helps if the goal(s) of the travel bug are printed on the bug somewhere, rather than requiring a visit to the web site. Someone may take it, only to find out later that the goal was not compatible with their geocaching patterns. Communicating up front is a big help.