+Markwell Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 In this thread back in March of 2002, I gave a long-winded disortation which basically asked the question: How long should one wait on a wayward Travel Bug before abandoning all hope? The point was moot when the wayward bug showed up again in less than a month's time. However, I've got one that I'm going to have to retire. One guy has had Batman for 128 days and he does not respond to e-mails. I checked my own stats on my travel bugs, and found that of the 160 times that someone has "had" one of my Travel Bugs, the average length of holding a bug is 10.3 days (9.6 if you discount the guy with 128 days). I've had four instances of someone holding on to a bug for two months or longer (60+ days) that the bug was eventually released into the wild. Now that Travel Bugs have more experience, I'll ask the same question again: How long should one wait on a wayward Travel Bug before abandoning all hope? Markwell Chicago Geocaching Quote Link to comment
+mrplug Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 Markwell, I say, never give up on a bug. Just move it to the Travel bug graveyard. I have one there that got washed down a drainage canal in a hurricane. It might show up ... one day. Quote Link to comment
+Markwell Posted January 7, 2003 Author Share Posted January 7, 2003 I won't put him in the graveyard - but I will recall him to my inventory. Graveyard adds mileage. But I'd rather that Batman be able to continue his journey in a reincarnation... Markwell Chicago Geocaching Quote Link to comment
+Web-ling Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 quote:Originally posted by mrplug:I say, never give up on a bug. Just move it to the Travel bug graveyard. I have one there that got washed down a drainage canal in a hurricane. It might show up ... one day. This TB washed away in a flood on March 20, 2002. It turned up 4/10 of a mile downstream on November 21, 2002, 8 months later, 30 feet from the cache that replaced the cache that washed away. I had already "resurrected" the TB with a home-made tag, and the resurrected TB had already made it to its goal in England and was on its way back to Texas. I mailed the original tag to the cacher in Pennsylvania who had picked it up, and he reattached the tag. Quote Link to comment
+15Tango Posted January 8, 2003 Share Posted January 8, 2003 I had two of my bugs go MIA--one was grabbed by somebody who no longer has a valid GC account, and one that was listed in a cache that was wiped out in the hurricane. I put both in the TB graveyard, and lo and behold, the one that was listed in the archived cache was grabbed by someone who didn't virtually grab the bug online. It was no problem for me to delete the logs I had placing the bug in the graveyard, and the mileage also returned to normal. Alas, the cacher(s) who grabbed the bug placed it in another cache physically, but not virtually, so I had to once again "grab" it and "place" it, and I've been anxiously monitoring that cache to see if my bug will return to a normal life. Long story short (if it isn't too late), you can place a bug in the TB graveyard, and undo it's trip to the graveyard if it returns to circualtion. Think Globally, Act Locally Quote Link to comment
chloew Posted January 8, 2003 Share Posted January 8, 2003 I had one 'disappear' for over five months as well. Someone picked it up on their second (and last) find and held onto it. E-mails were answered but the bug never reappeared. Then after I had given up hope, it all of a sudden was placed in a cache 1500 miles away by a different cacher. According to the notes it hand been handed off several times before coming active again. Quote Link to comment
+sherk Posted January 8, 2003 Share Posted January 8, 2003 It seems they either go MIA without response or they move along. I suspect that some cachers simply lose them or can't find them and don't want to admit to it. What is the etiquette for this if they admit to it? I think it would take a load off the owner if the loser simply said "sorry, lost it" so the owner could get a copy out there. It's human nature to occasionally lose things, to feel guilty about it, and to avoid confrontation if possible. I'm sure that these are not evil people- they just need some way to make it right. Maybe there should be a FAQ question on the bug page that answers "What happens if I lose a bug I found?" If it needs to be harsh, then maybe geocaching can send monthly auto reminders- if no reply after the 3rd try- the account should be blocked until they spill the beans. Quote Link to comment
+Markwell Posted January 8, 2003 Author Share Posted January 8, 2003 I think it's more likely that people become disinterested (or reduced interest) in caching while they still have a bug in their possession. They block e-mails from the Geocaching account, or never check the e-mail account they specifically set up for Geocaching. Wouldn't it be nice if they finished their business before leaving though? The guy who has the bug that started this thread is a self-proclaimed student. My guess is that sometime after he grabbed the bug in CA on Labor Day, he left the college/school where he had the e-mail account. He apparently hasn't logged back in since 11/29/2002 - but even then he didn't answer any e-mails I sent him for the first 3 months he had the bug. I think I'll set a deadline of six months. After being MIA that long, I'll recall the bug and contact the penultimate cacher (Kevin & Susan) who did such a great job of rescuing the bug from an impossible cache. Then mail them a replacement with the same tag number and get this guy back in the race. Markwell Chicago Geocaching Quote Link to comment
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