personal travel bug

[Guest c-troop]

What are your thoughts or opinions of this... Release a travel bug, but keep it in my possession and log it at all the caches I find for a set amount of time, say 6 months or a year, or maybe even keep it forever as a running mileage log of my personal travels?

c-troop

[Guest Ranz]

I think you are on to something. Use the bug to track the cacher. I am surprised nobody thought of this before. At least not that I can tell.

 

Of course it would be most useful to the actual cacher, but it is also a good way to show others where you have been if they are interested.

 

[Guest glenn95630]

This is kind of being done with the Harry Scorp TB

http://www.geocaching.com/track/track_detail.asp?ID=1024

 

Please make it clear in the description that you are using it as a 'Personal Tracker' or 'Cacher Tracker' or 'Personal Mileage Logger', something like that so it won't be confused with a normal TB. Maybe I'm just a little slow, but for awhile I thought Skorp had been 'kidnapped'.

[Guest c-troop]

Of course I would set it up telling everyone it was a personal TB and not one that will actually be released to be found by others. Hmmm I may just do it! I think it would work if I logged it correctly like this... I log it as dropped off in a cache, but then retrieve it right back out of the cache, that way it wont show that the cache has a TB in it waiting to be found when it really isnt, in other words, it will always be spotted in the hands of (me)

Sounds like a plan!

Kinda like the Harry Skorp TB only with the real intention of being a personal TB from the very beginning.

C-Troop

[Guest Mopar]

VERY cool idea, c-troop! You could attach the TB to your GPS's lanyard or your backpack (with pics on the TB's homepage, of course), so this way the bug actually does visit all those caches.

Hey, if you attach it to the GPS, then you have the added benefit that if you ever loose your GPS, someone who finds it has a way to contact you. Assuming they are honest enough to even attempt to find the rightful owner, of course.

 

[This message has been edited by Mopar (edited 22 December 2001).]

[Guest c-troop]

Ok its all setup, you can view it here:

www.geocaching.com/track/track_detail.asp?ID=2078

 

c-troop

[Guest Robereno]

OK, I put you right on my travel bug watch list. So come on, whats the delay? Let's get moving!

quote:

---

Originally posted by c-troop:

Ok its all setup, you can view it here:

www.geocaching.com/track/track_detail.asp?ID=2078

 

c-troop

---

[Guest rdwatson78]

That's a fine GPS you've got that tag attached to. You better get moving if you want to catch up to Harry. (4000+ miles) rdw

[Guest c-troop]

Not a race, but I do plan on hitting some of the caches I have already found, and take pics at each one that way people dont think I just cheated and logged it anyway. The pic will be proof that I was there. Im still new at this and since its winter It may take awhile to rack up a few miles!

 

C-Troop

[Guest lathama]

i don't really agree with doing that with a travel bug, a TB should be placed in a cache and then left for the next user that way more and more people meet ur bug and u arer able to have the satisfaction that you started the bu and now it is over 4,000 miles away.

[Guest glenn95630]

Maybe the best thing is to not think of it as a Travel Bug. It is a new category of Personal Travel Logger (PTL).

 

This would also solve the 'problem' of cache owners being able to delete peoples logs. People could write whatever they want and post as many spoiler photos as they feel like on their PTL page.

 

Of course this might be a huge pain in the rear for Jeremy and it might overload the servers. I don't know all the ramifications. Maybe a PTL should cost $20 to offset these issues.

 

Comments?

 

glenn95630

[+MissJenn]

quote:

---

Originally posted by glenn95630:

using it as a 'Personal Tracker' or 'Cacher Tracker' or 'Personal Mileage Logger', something like that so it won't be confused with a normal TB. .

---

Way way cool idea.

 

-----

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by c-troop:

Ok its all setup

---

 

Just be careful about giving out the tag number. I'd hate to see you get grabbed when you're least expecting it.

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by c-troop:

Ok its all setup

---

 

Just be careful about giving out the tag number. I'd hate to see you get grabbed when you're least expecting it.

[C-Troop]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zuckerruebensirup:

Just be careful about giving out the tag number. I'd hate to see you get grabbed when you're least expecting it.

---

 

You never know...I may enjoy it!

 

C-Troop

[C-Troop]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zuckerruebensirup:

Just be careful about giving out the tag number. I'd hate to see you get grabbed when you're least expecting it.

---

 

You never know...I may enjoy it!

 

C-Troop

[+PocketPCGuy]

Hi,

I get worried about seeing hundreds of caches listed with a travel bug at them and in fact that not be the case. I think it would be easier for Jeremy to just add a field to the "My Cache Page" that calculates the mileage for you based upon your logging a cache. Should be the same technology as the TB; just without the confusion!

Could be one of the member's features or something...

 

Just a thought...

 

B.

[+MissJenn]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pocket PC Guy / team GeoMurph:

I get worried about seeing hundreds of caches listed with a travel bug at them and in fact that not be the case..

---

From what I gather, the idea is that you would log this bug as "in" the cache and then grab it right back out. Yes, it would say that there is a bug in a cache, but only until the person grabs it back out within a few seconds or a fast minute.

(at least, that's how I understood it)

[+Glenn]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pocket PC Guy / team GeoMurph:

Hi,

I get worried about seeing hundreds of caches listed with a travel bug at them and in fact that not be the case. I think it would be easier for Jeremy to just add a field to the "My Cache Page" that calculates the mileage for you based upon your logging a cache. Should be the same technology as the TB; just without the confusion!

Could be one of the member's features or something...

 

Just a thought...

 

B.

---

 

And a map!

 

- Lone Rangers

[+Glenn]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pocket PC Guy / team GeoMurph:

Hi,

I get worried about seeing hundreds of caches listed with a travel bug at them and in fact that not be the case. I think it would be easier for Jeremy to just add a field to the "My Cache Page" that calculates the mileage for you based upon your logging a cache. Should be the same technology as the TB; just without the confusion!

Could be one of the member's features or something...

 

Just a thought...

 

B.

---

 

And a map!

 

- Lone Rangers

[+Glenn]

MissJenn have you sent up your personal travle bug yet? Post a like to it when you do.

 

You can visit mine at http://www.geocaching.com/track/track_detail.asp?ID=4631

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by MissJenn:

quote:

---

Originally posted by glenn95630:

using it as a 'Personal Tracker' or 'Cacher Tracker' or 'Personal Mileage Logger', something like that so it won't be confused with a normal TB. .

---

Way way cool idea.

 

-----

http://users.beanstalk.net/jsk/images/dartfrogsmall.jpg

---

 

- Lone Rangers

[+infosponge]

I had a "real" travel bug that was all the way out in Kansas (from Florida) but I became increasingly worried that I would never get it back, so I converted it to personal bug...now it goes on all my cache hunts.

http://www.geocaching.com/track/track_detail.asp?ID=767

[C-Troop]

quote:

---

Originally posted by MissJenn:

From what I gather, the idea is that you would log this bug as "in" the cache and then grab it right back out. Yes, it would say that there is a bug in a cache, but only until the person grabs it back out within a few seconds or a fast minute.

(at least, that's how I understood it)

---

 

Yeah you got it right, it never resides in a cache for more than a few seconds while I grab it right back out, nobody else has the tag # so Im not really afraid of being "Grabbed"

So really no confusion, The only confusion I have is theBug in a Jar TB I set free, and was making good mileage until it got placed in a buried cache in Colorado Springs, nowhere to be found, and I cant even get the cache owner to e-mail me back

[C-Troop]

quote:

---

Originally posted by MissJenn:

From what I gather, the idea is that you would log this bug as "in" the cache and then grab it right back out. Yes, it would say that there is a bug in a cache, but only until the person grabs it back out within a few seconds or a fast minute.

(at least, that's how I understood it)

---

 

Yeah you got it right, it never resides in a cache for more than a few seconds while I grab it right back out, nobody else has the tag # so Im not really afraid of being "Grabbed"

So really no confusion, The only confusion I have is theBug in a Jar TB I set free, and was making good mileage until it got placed in a buried cache in Colorado Springs, nowhere to be found, and I cant even get the cache owner to e-mail me back

[keanepgh]

As a database administrator for many years, I can tell you that I get annoyed by redundant information. :-(

 

It would be so much easier to simply add the mapping feature to display where a person has been, and what the total distance is, than to add the redundant tracking info of the personal travel bug just to get that feature.

 

My thoughts, anyway -

 

I'd suggest asking about it on the website forum before every geocacher is sporting TB necklaces. The information is already there. The question is whether this is the correct way to get what you want (tracking of you). I'm pretty sure it isn't.

[+Glenn]

quote:

---

Originally posted by keanepgh:

As a database administrator for many years, I can tell you that I get annoyed by redundant information. :-(

 

It would be so much easier to simply add the mapping feature to display where a person has been, and what the total distance is, than to add the redundant tracking info of the personal travel bug just to get that feature.

 

My thoughts, anyway -

 

I'd suggest asking about it on the website forum before every geocacher is sporting TB necklaces. The information is already there. The question is whether this is the correct way to get what you want (tracking of you). I'm pretty sure it isn't.

---

 

Great idea, but until Jermey desides if he wants to add the feature and then gets around to it I'll be "sporting my TB necklace".

 

- Lone Rangers

[C-Troop]

When I originally set up my TB, I read somewhere about a using TB for anything you wanted, and I believe it even mentioned attaching one to yourself if you wanted to. I tried to find the page that contained that info, but it may have changed??? Anybody else see that same info??

 

This may not be the correct way to do it, but it works for me, and unless the rules change or a new feature is added to do the same thing, I dont plan on doing it any different.

 

I also think if Jeremy came up with something that would track the cacher based on the find logs per user would be cool, and it would make my TB obsolete. But it would also be another burden on Jeremy to create new scripts to make it all work, and then someone would want to tweak it just a little, and then someone else wouldnt like the format, and on and on.

 

Something I Didn't want to do is saddle J-Dude with more stuff to program...he already calls himself the Geo-puppet, give him a break already.

C-Troop

[+Team Spring]

Hello all,

Just noticed the posting about the TB here so im a little late in posting. Harry was originally going to be a TB for another team in AZ (wolfb8), in a conversation with wolfb8 she learned our team mascot was a scorpion and graciously donated (Skorp) to the team, hence Harry Skorp. The idea of placing and retrieving Harry was just to document the cache finds with a picture of Harry there, and post it to the TB page. (Half in part so anyone could verify we had actually found the cache) Im thrilled to have started something here, and I do see the need to refer that the TB is a personal TB in the TB home page. I have found as long as you place the TB when you log a cache, then go directly to the TB page and retrieve it, there wont be a problem with the icon on the cache page saying its there when it isnt.

Anyone with any questions or comments feel free to drop me an email, be glad to hear from ya

[+Team Spring]

Hello all,

Just noticed the posting about the TB here so im a little late in posting. Harry was originally going to be a TB for another team in AZ (wolfb8), in a conversation with wolfb8 she learned our team mascot was a scorpion and graciously donated (Skorp) to the team, hence Harry Skorp. The idea of placing and retrieving Harry was just to document the cache finds with a picture of Harry there, and post it to the TB page. (Half in part so anyone could verify we had actually found the cache) Im thrilled to have started something here, and I do see the need to refer that the TB is a personal TB in the TB home page. I have found as long as you place the TB when you log a cache, then go directly to the TB page and retrieve it, there wont be a problem with the icon on the cache page saying its there when it isnt.

Anyone with any questions or comments feel free to drop me an email, be glad to hear from ya

[+MissJenn]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lone Rangers:

MissJenn have you sent up your personal travle bug yet?

---

not yet - but someday ....

[+Glenn]

quote:

---

I get worried about seeing hundreds of caches listed with a travel bug at them and in fact that not be the case.

---

 

I know this is a little off topic and I am NOT posting this to slam the person who wrote the post. I'm only quoting it as an example (one of many).

 

There is still confustion about how TBs work. I know I was confused until I actualy set up my own TBs and could play with the system a little to see exactaly what happens.

 

Only thing, I really dont know how I would change the TBs to make them more intuitive. Sorry Jeremy

 

- Lone Rangers

[+Glenn]

quote:

---

I get worried about seeing hundreds of caches listed with a travel bug at them and in fact that not be the case.

---

 

I know this is a little off topic and I am NOT posting this to slam the person who wrote the post. I'm only quoting it as an example (one of many).

 

There is still confustion about how TBs work. I know I was confused until I actualy set up my own TBs and could play with the system a little to see exactaly what happens.

 

Only thing, I really dont know how I would change the TBs to make them more intuitive. Sorry Jeremy

 

- Lone Rangers

[+unclerojelio]

One thing about creating a personal travel bug is that the map of your local caching are gets kinda crowded. Maybe the map could auto scale down to more reasonable area.

 

... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by, ...

 

unclerojelio

[+unclerojelio]

quote:

---

Originally posted by c-troop:

Not a race, but I do plan on hitting some of the caches I have already found, and take pics at each one that way people dont think I just cheated and logged it anyway. The pic will be proof that I was there. Im still new at this and since its winter It may take awhile to rack up a few miles!

 

C-Troop

---

You can log you bug at all your previous finds by going back and editing the log. It took me a couple hours to go back and drop off and pick up my Personal Travel bug from my previous finds by it was worth it to see all those miles rack up. The only thing to watch out for is a small bug in the system. If your log has already scrolled off the bottom of the cache page, use the "view all logs on one page" option instead of the other option. The other option doesn't give you the ability to edit for some reason

 

... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by, ...

 

unclerojelio

[+unclerojelio]

quote:

---

Originally posted by c-troop:

Not a race, but I do plan on hitting some of the caches I have already found, and take pics at each one that way people dont think I just cheated and logged it anyway. The pic will be proof that I was there. Im still new at this and since its winter It may take awhile to rack up a few miles!

 

C-Troop

---

You can log you bug at all your previous finds by going back and editing the log. It took me a couple hours to go back and drop off and pick up my Personal Travel bug from my previous finds by it was worth it to see all those miles rack up. The only thing to watch out for is a small bug in the system. If your log has already scrolled off the bottom of the cache page, use the "view all logs on one page" option instead of the other option. The other option doesn't give you the ability to edit for some reason

 

... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by, ...

 

unclerojelio

[C.I.A. Agents]

quote:

---

Originally posted by C-Troop:

When I originally set up my TB, I read somewhere about a using TB for anything you wanted, and I believe it even mentioned attaching one to yourself if you wanted to. I tried to find the page that contained that info, but it may have changed??? Anybody else see that same info??

---

Yep, I read it too and it's still right here in the "Announcements" so I would guess it's still alright. I just registerd our personal bug today.

 

p.s. It mentions using bugs personally in the third paragraph.

 

Okami

President, C.I.A.

[C.I.A. Agents]

quote:

---

Originally posted by C-Troop:

When I originally set up my TB, I read somewhere about a using TB for anything you wanted, and I believe it even mentioned attaching one to yourself if you wanted to. I tried to find the page that contained that info, but it may have changed??? Anybody else see that same info??

---

Yep, I read it too and it's still right here in the "Announcements" so I would guess it's still alright. I just registerd our personal bug today.

 

p.s. It mentions using bugs personally in the third paragraph.

 

Okami

President, C.I.A.

[C-Troop]

Thanks Okami!

I knew I saw it somewhere, I just couldnt remember.

 

C-Troop

[+Webfoot]

quote:

---

is that the map of your local caching are gets kinda crowded.

---

 

This has spurred my interest in creating a personal travel bug. Your map is rather crowded, but if you were to visit one out of state cache, that might alleviate the problem. Most of our cache finds are in Southern California, but we do have one find in Utah. That one Utah find would most likely create a more open looking map.

 

Webfoot

[+unclerojelio]

... but I'll tell ya anyway.

 

I've been logging my PTB in/out of all the physical and virtual caches that I actually visit. I have not been logging him in/out of 'Locationless' virtual caches. I guess this is my own strange sense of values but I want the PTB map to reflect our actual travels together and not necessarily all the caches I've logged. Is anyone else doing it this way

 

... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by, ...

 

unclerojelio

[+unclerojelio]

... but I'll tell ya anyway.

 

I've been logging my PTB in/out of all the physical and virtual caches that I actually visit. I have not been logging him in/out of 'Locationless' virtual caches. I guess this is my own strange sense of values but I want the PTB map to reflect our actual travels together and not necessarily all the caches I've logged. Is anyone else doing it this way

 

... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by, ...

 

unclerojelio

[+worldtraveler]

quote:

---

Originally posted by unclerojelio:

...I want the PTB map to reflect our actual travels together and not necessarily all the caches I've logged. Is anyone else doing it this way...

---

 

I also plan to use a travel bug I've carried on all my hunts as a personal travel bug for the purpose of logging my geocache searches. I would like to include, in their proper chronology, the caches I didn't find along with those I did find. It wouldn't add significantly to the mileage because all of my unsuccessful searches were in conjunction with others where I was able to log a find.

 

I would also like to include return legs to my home between trips (or at least those trips where the distance was at least 100 miles), again to accurately record my travels.

 

I'm just wondering out loud to Jeremy and any others who helped create the bugs whether including these "not founds" and return legs were thought of when they introduced the concept of personal travel bugs and whether including them is in keeping with his/their intentions.

 

Worldtraveler

"Time's fun when you're having flies." - Kermit the frog

[+moghedian]

We read the 1st post and thought "Wow,that's a pretty neat idea!" Then saw it was from December!! Can't believe we didn't think of it earlier! As long as you log it and pick it up what's the problem? Posting pictures for each cache visited would help the Personal Travel Bugs following! "Follow Jabbas Adventures and Discoveries!!" says Jabba. We don't own a digital camera yet, but reading this post tonight, we might just get one tomorrow and start logging the Adventures of Jabba (the Monkey that is, not the Hutt). It's sort of like a personal timeline of your caching adventures that you share with the caching community!! Yeah! Maybe started a little late but better late than never! Jabba is all fired up now, looking to become famous. Stay Tuned for Jabba..............

[+moghedian]

When we start logging Jabba on his travels with us, we aren't looking to log miles to and from home, to and from caches not found, etc. Jabbas Miles.. (Jabba Miles..sounds cool) Jabbas Miles will be from found cache to found cache. He's not looking to pad his miles. "Cache to Cache" says Jabba. "Nothing More." ...Stay Tuned...

[+WalkinJake]

I don't think anyone has the intention of padding miles for their personal travel bugs. Tracking mileage to AND from a cache is certainly not unethical nor is it cheating. After all, the odometer on my Suburban continues to count upwards on both legs of my trip. The problem, as I see it, is how do you set this up. One could set up his/her house as a cache and log the TB in and out with each trip.......but then you have this cache AT your house to deal with.

 

"Never chase buses or women 'cause you'll always get left behind."

---Snoopy

[C-Troop]

I think Jeremy has created "Home Coordinates" but Im not exactly sure how to use the feature regarding logging a personal TB. Sounds like the way to do it if you were wanting to track mileage from your home coords. to the cache and back. And I dont think a cache is involved...maybe one of the gurus can enlighten us??

C-Troop

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by WalkinJake:

 

One could set up his/her house as a cache and log the TB in and out with each trip.......but then you have this cache AT your house to deal with.

---

 

Everyone knows it's not a good idea to leave cache lying around the house. You won't get any interest that way. (Well, except from stalkers, that is.)

 

-------

"I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by WalkinJake:

 

One could set up his/her house as a cache and log the TB in and out with each trip.......but then you have this cache AT your house to deal with.

---

 

Everyone knows it's not a good idea to leave cache lying around the house. You won't get any interest that way. (Well, except from stalkers, that is.)

 

-------

"I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!"

[+worldtraveler]

I'm able to log a cache somewhere near my home between my longer trips most of the time, but there have been a few times where I've had long trips back-to-back with no time to find a cache near home. If I only log from one found cache to the next, it's not accomplishing (my understanding of) the intent of the personal travel bug.

 

For example, I found the Dragon's Crossing cache in Taiwan on 14 Mar. and then returned to the U.S. before finding my next cache, Het Geheime Wapen, in the Netherlands on 23 Mar.

 

On another occasion, I found the Lantau cache near Hong Kong and then searched for (but didn't find) the Great Wall Treasure at Simatai cache near Beijing before returning home. Now Simatai is a pretty fair distance from Hong Kong, and the search was a memorable one that I would like to include as part of my personal travel bug log. The near certainty that the cache has gone missing (no finds) should not, in my opinion, preclude me from logging the travel that actually took place.

 

Worldtraveler

[C-Troop]

quote:

---

Originally posted by worldtraveler: Now Simatai is a pretty fair distance from Hong Kong, and the search was a memorable one that I would like to include as part of my personal travel bug log. The near certainty that the cache has gone missing (no finds) should not, in my opinion, preclude me from logging the travel that actually took place.

 

Worldtraveler

---

 

I wouldnt have a problem with it, and personally it doesnt matter what I or anyone else thinks. Its YOUR travel bug and if the goal is to track you and your cache hunts, then it shouldnt matter if you actually found the cache or not, you did travel and search but I dont see why you cant log the miles.

 

One thing Ive noticed about Geocaching is that there are many types of people involved in the GAME, some play by a strict set of guidelines, while others make their own rules, Me personally...I view the whole Geocaching thing as a game and play it as such, if it wasnt fun I wouldnt be doing it, Im saying this because Im sure some people will view your logging the TB mileage on a unsuccessful cache hunt as cheating or a general feeling that "those miles dont count since he really didnt find the cache" but as I said before..its YOUR TB and you are the only person that knows exactly where its been and where it hasnt, anybody accusing you of cheating for logging the miles in a situation like yours needs to get a life!

C-Troop