Too Many Lost Bugs!

[Guest Mr. Snazz]

I think some of the MIA bugs may be from cachers who want to "put it somewhere really good" but never get around to it.

 

For the rest, I think a laminated card with better instructions is a good step. Personally, I plan to create my own companion tag with better instructions, or at the minimum "PLEASE PUT ME BACK IN A CACHE ASAP", so at least someone else with more of a clue will have a chance to play with the bug.

 

Anouther idea is not to use the actual travel bug at all. Just make a laminated card with the travel bug ID number on it and some instructions. Neocachers are probably less likely to impulsivly take something that isn't shiny and metallic

[Guest Mr. Snazz]

I think some of the MIA bugs may be from cachers who want to "put it somewhere really good" but never get around to it.

 

For the rest, I think a laminated card with better instructions is a good step. Personally, I plan to create my own companion tag with better instructions, or at the minimum "PLEASE PUT ME BACK IN A CACHE ASAP", so at least someone else with more of a clue will have a chance to play with the bug.

 

Anouther idea is not to use the actual travel bug at all. Just make a laminated card with the travel bug ID number on it and some instructions. Neocachers are probably less likely to impulsivly take something that isn't shiny and metallic

[Guest VentureForth]

There has GOTTA be a better way to protect TBs from the rookie crowd. Is there enough info on the back of a tag to explain to a newbie how to log a TB?

 

I've been to three caches now in the D/FW area where there is (*STILL*) a TB icon on the cache site and no bug in the box. Through logs, I have emailed a couple of people who have claimed to remove the bugs but to no avail.

 

It'll be a while before I venture out and attack the TB world. Oh, I'll help one or two along if they come by my way, but won't buy any until I can see some relative success.

 

Sigh.

 

----------------

In memory of Gulliver Bear - Hope you're out there, still, buddy!

VF

[Guest blscearce]

r just a few weeks. #7 is probably missing as well. See: http://www.pathetique.com/locate/blscearce-bugs.html .

 

I don't have any solution for this -- you'd think that (almost) anyone who finds a Bug would know about the website. I'm not sure why they're evaporating so fast. Sure, some are going to be vandalized, and some are going to be lost, and some are going to be in people's hands when they drop out of the hobby. But this seems to be worse than any of that.

[Guest blscearce]

quote:

---

Originally posted by VentureForth:

There has GOTTA be a better way to protect TBs from the rookie crowd. Is there enough info on the back of a tag to explain to a newbie how to log a TB?

---

 

I've sent out eighteen Travel Bugs in the last few months. My Bugs are laminated onto cards. The back side of the Bug is invisible, but the front of the card explicitly says to use the card and then place it in another cache. So rookies may not log the Bug, but they should at least put it back into circulation.

 

#8 and #9 are MIA after just a few weeks. #7 is probably missing as well. See: http://www.pathetique.com/locate/blscearce-bugs.html .

 

I don't have any solution for this -- you'd think that (almost) anyone who finds a Bug would know about the website. I'm not sure why they're evaporating so fast. Sure, some are going to be vandalized, and some are going to be lost, and some are going to be in people's hands when they drop out of the hobby. But this seems to be worse than any of that.

[Guest infosponge]

I've been so worried about loss rates that I "recalled" one of my bugs that was a favorite object...the person that had it is mailing it back to me. I guess it should have been common sense but I was really excited by the idea and idealistic way back then (i.e. October )

The moral of the story...don't make it a travel bug if you'd be upset if the item goes missing. It may be OK, but a significant number of TB's just vanish.

[Guest infosponge]

I've been so worried about loss rates that I "recalled" one of my bugs that was a favorite object...the person that had it is mailing it back to me. I guess it should have been common sense but I was really excited by the idea and idealistic way back then (i.e. October )

The moral of the story...don't make it a travel bug if you'd be upset if the item goes missing. It may be OK, but a significant number of TB's just vanish.

[Guest scooterj]

quote:

---

Originally posted by blscearce:

See: http://www.pathetique.com/locate/blscearce-bugs.html .

---

 

Gotta love how the newbie who grabbed #3 a few days ago posted a photo of the travel bug ID code in the log entry.

[Guest scooterj]

quote:

---

Originally posted by blscearce:

See: http://www.pathetique.com/locate/blscearce-bugs.html .

---

 

Gotta love how the newbie who grabbed #3 a few days ago posted a photo of the travel bug ID code in the log entry.

[Guest Doppler]

Clearly, then, it is the mission of the enlightened Geocachers of the world to rescue these Travel Bugs from the clutches of the clueless newbies!

 

Grab those bugs! Move 'em to a new cache! Save the TB's!

 

 

------------------

-- John Doppler

[Guest CR]

nlighten our fellow Geocachers on exactaly what a travel bug is.

 

Most travel bugs have a cute stuffed animal or action figure attached. If I would have found a travel bug before knowing what one was I would have traded out for it and kept it. It has a dog tag attached, so what?

 

Also look at this forum the last post before this one was made over 24 hours ago. This is one of the slowest forums.

 

If we can bring the travel bug to the attention of the majority of Geocaches I think we would see less missing travel bugs.

 

We could start a travel bug in every cache campaign. Every time you place a new cache you also put a travel bug in the cache.

[Guest CR]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Doppler:

Clearly, then, it is the mission of the enlightened Geocachers of the world to rescue these Travel Bugs from the clutches of the clueless newbies!

 

Grab those bugs! Move 'em to a new cache! Save the TB's!

---

 

Almost right. The mission of us "enlightened" Geocachers is to enlighten our fellow Geocachers on exactaly what a travel bug is.

 

Most travel bugs have a cute stuffed animal or action figure attached. If I would have found a travel bug before knowing what one was I would have traded out for it and kept it. It has a dog tag attached, so what?

 

Also look at this forum the last post before this one was made over 24 hours ago. This is one of the slowest forums.

 

If we can bring the travel bug to the attention of the majority of Geocaches I think we would see less missing travel bugs.

 

We could start a travel bug in every cache campaign. Every time you place a new cache you also put a travel bug in the cache.

[Guest TresOkies]

quote:

---

Originally posted by CR:

Also look at this forum the last post before this one was made over 24 hours ago. This is one of the slowest forums.

---

 

Not to mention that a majority of Geocachers don't read (or at least contribute) to the forums. It was over a month between my first find and the time that I registered on the forums. I know people who don't even bother with the forums.

 

Perhaps the solution is to change the wording on the back of the bug to be more explicit. I understand that it's not a simple (or cheap) task to change the wording.

 

FWIW, I got my first hit on one of my bugs this morning. I'm so thrilled. The traveller I sent out in the pre-bug days has been sitting in someone's house for 2 months now. I'm a little disappointed in that, though.

 

-E

 

------------------

N35°32.981 W98°34.631

[Guest Moun10Bike]

I have had the same frustrations with Travel Bugs. In fact, I stopped tracking my geocoins after #070 because they kept disappearing without getting logged, and it became a logistical headache trying to correct all of the problems. Of course, I was maybe asking for it with those, since they don't have even basic logging instructions on them, just the geocaching web site address.

 

The real point of my post, however, is to share an opposite experience. After thinking that my first traveler, the Stash Hopper, was gone for good (a new player grabbed it back at the start of November and held on to it), it suddenly popped up in a new cache yesterday!

 

Of course, the new cache is in Mexico and doesn't get visited very often, but at least the Travel Bug is alive and well!

 

------------------

Jon (Moun10Bike)

N 47° 36.649', W 122° 3.616'

www.switchbacks.com/geocaching.html

[Guest mikemtn]

quote:

---

Originally posted by VentureForth:

There has GOTTA be a better way to protect TBs from the rookie crowd. Is there enough info on the back of a tag to explain to a newbie how to log a TB?

 

VF

---

 

If you'd like to take a look at this Bug's travels you'll see that there are some VERY, Very non rookie/newbie cachers who have had their hands on him. It's not all newbies, not even sure It's mostly newbies who are "not logging Bugs properly".

 

http://www.geocaching.com/track/track_detail.asp?ID=110

 

Mike

[Guest Mr. Snazz]

I think some of the MIA bugs may be from cachers who want to "put it somewhere really good" but never get around to it.

 

For the rest, I think a laminated card with better instructions is a good step. Personally, I plan to create my own companion tag with better instructions, or at the minimum "PLEASE PUT ME BACK IN A CACHE ASAP", so at least someone else with more of a clue will have a chance to play with the bug.

 

Anouther idea is not to use the actual travel bug at all. Just make a laminated card with the travel bug ID number on it and some instructions. Neocachers are probably less likely to impulsivly take something that isn't shiny and metallic

[Guest Mr. Snazz]

I think some of the MIA bugs may be from cachers who want to "put it somewhere really good" but never get around to it.

 

For the rest, I think a laminated card with better instructions is a good step. Personally, I plan to create my own companion tag with better instructions, or at the minimum "PLEASE PUT ME BACK IN A CACHE ASAP", so at least someone else with more of a clue will have a chance to play with the bug.

 

Anouther idea is not to use the actual travel bug at all. Just make a laminated card with the travel bug ID number on it and some instructions. Neocachers are probably less likely to impulsivly take something that isn't shiny and metallic

[Guest LazyLeopard]

quote:

---

"PLEASE PUT ME BACK IN A CACHE ASAP"

---

 

Yep. Words to that effect should go a long way towards making things clearer for folks who pick up a bug and don't follow the URL on the tag.

 

 

------------------

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

[Guest Mr. Snazz]

Where I come from, sarcasm is served like water Are you being serious? I was.

[Guest Mr. Snazz]

Where I come from, sarcasm is served like water Are you being serious? I was.

[Guest LazyLeopard]

quote:

---

Are you being serious? I was.

---

 

Yeah... :/ The current "I go from place to place..." is a little open to interpretation, it seems (judging by the MIA count...)

 

(Where's the "wry smile" icon gone?)

 

------------------

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

[Guest LazyLeopard]

quote:

---

Are you being serious? I was.

---

 

Yeah... :/ The current "I go from place to place..." is a little open to interpretation, it seems (judging by the MIA count...)

 

(Where's the "wry smile" icon gone?)

 

------------------

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

[Guest CR]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr. Snazz:

I think some of the MIA bugs may be from cachers who want to "put it somewhere really good" but never get around to it.

---

 

This is were good communication in a must. As long as an owner knows were his bug is and what it's status is then it isn't MIA. If you have a bug you have responsibility to the owner to answer any email or comply with any request he may have in a timely manner.

 

quote:

---

Neocachers are probably less likely to impulsivly take something that isn't shiny and metallic

---

 

Shiiiiiiinnneeeeeeeeeeeey

 

Thats a good idea, about making your own tags, I just might do that too. At least that way if more than 2 end up MIA you won't have to keep buying travel bugs.

[Guest CR]

d what it's status is then it isn't MIA. If you have a bug you have responsibility to the owner to answer any email or comply with any request he may have in a timely manner.

 

quote:

---

Neocachers are probably less likely to impulsivly take something that isn't shiny and metallic

---

 

Shiiiiiiinnneeeeeeeeeeeey

 

Thats a good idea, about making your own tags, I just might do that too. At least that way if more than 2 end up MIA you won't have to keep buying travel bugs.

[Guest CR]

d what it's status is then it isn't MIA. If you have a bug you have responsibility to the owner to answer any email or comply with any request he may have in a timely manner.

 

quote:

---

Neocachers are probably less likely to impulsivly take something that isn't shiny and metallic

---

 

Shiiiiiiinnneeeeeeeeeeeey

 

Thats a good idea, about making your own tags, I just might do that too. At least that way if more than 2 end up MIA you won't have to keep buying travel bugs.

[Guest CR]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr. Snazz:

I think some of the MIA bugs may be from cachers who want to "put it somewhere really good" but never get around to it.

---

 

This is were good communication in a must. As long as an owner knows were his bug is and what it's status is then it isn't MIA. If you have a bug you have responsibility to the owner to answer any email or comply with any request he may have in a timely manner.

 

quote:

---

Neocachers are probably less likely to impulsivly take something that isn't shiny and metallic

---

 

Shiiiiiiinnneeeeeeeeeeeey

 

Thats a good idea, about making your own tags, I just might do that too. At least that way if more than 2 end up MIA you won't have to keep buying travel bugs.

[Guest Katetrex]

I posted this in another area and then realized it was more pertinent to this discussion as it pertains to Newbies and bugs.

My experience as a "newbie" with my first bug experience are as

follows: The cache log had a new entry by the cache owner

stating a bug had been placed there. No instructions on the bug's

mission and no bug icon appeared on the cache page. I assume

this was because he missed a step somewhere. I retrieved the

bug and tried to find it by entering the number stamped on the

tag into the window on the bug page and pressing "GO". I was

presented with a cache page that had nothing to do with the

bug I now had in my possession. I finally looked at the pictures in

the gallery and found the appropriate bug. At that point, I logged

it as being in my possession. I am assuming that the owner had

never logged it into his possession/cache and that this was my

only option to get it into play. The other issue was that I was

not able to go geocaching for several weeks and had no idea of

the best place to leave it, as it had no mission that I knew of. I

finally placed the bug in a nearby and often visited cache just to

get it out of my possession and back into play.

 

Since that time, the bug's owner had placed a mission statement,

someone else has picked it up and I am off the hook. I doubt if I

will pick up any more bugs any time soon, I am not quite ready

for the commitment and responsibilty of bugs.

[Guest web-ling]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Katetrex:

I doubt if I will pick up any more bugs any time soon, I am not quite ready for the commitment and responsibilty of bugs.

---

I wish more beginning geocachers had your attitude. I also hope that as you get more geocaching experience, you'll find some of my bugs. I know they'll be in good hands if you do.

[Guest timp]

t filled with comments from all over the place was too great.

 

Perhaps two kids fighting in the back of a car tore him limb from limb and the courier was too embarrased to admit it.

 

The point of all this is that there are times when EXPLICIT instructions won't help, BUT IT SURE IS WORTH A TRY.

 

Tim & June (Winchester UK)

 

PS. Gullivers brother, Christopher, (named after the patron saint of travellers) is soon to go looking for him. Once we have it all organised we will post it on Gullivers website. If you would like to be informed when this happens, please visit the site and click the 'Add to Mail List' button.

[Guest timp]

Hi Everybody,

 

Sorry, just caught up with this thread.

 

Thanks VentureForth for posting this as "In memory of Gulliver Bear".

 

For those interested, Gulliver has still not turned up. Thank-you to everybody from 23 countries who have e-mailed us messages of goodwill and wishes that he turns up again.

 

He was doing so well that we had offered him and his website ( www.gulliverbear.co.uk ) to a local charity (The Naomi House Hospice for children with life limiting illness www.naomihouse.org.uk) we support so that they could auction him upon his return at a big auction bash they have planned.

 

Now to my point, his last known courier tells us he handed Gulliver to some cachers at their first find. That's OK. Attached to Gulliver (by cable tie around his neck) was a 'passport' which contained his website address and instructions in English, French and Spanish.

 

I don't know why he dissapeared, perhaps the lure of keeping a cute little teddy bear with a passport filled with comments from all over the place was too great.

 

Perhaps two kids fighting in the back of a car tore him limb from limb and the courier was too embarrased to admit it.

 

The point of all this is that there are times when EXPLICIT instructions won't help, BUT IT SURE IS WORTH A TRY.

 

Tim & June (Winchester UK)

 

PS. Gullivers brother, Christopher, (named after the patron saint of travellers) is soon to go looking for him. Once we have it all organised we will post it on Gullivers website. If you would like to be informed when this happens, please visit the site and click the 'Add to Mail List' button.

[Guest CR]

Katetrex, I am a neobugger myself. I haven't found any TBs and I am about to place my first TB.

 

Owning/using a TB is not very intuitive but I assume that it is the way it is to reduce the chance of fake logs. I did not realize that I could activate my TB and not place it in a cache, until I activated and saw that it did not be in a cache it could be "in the hands of". Now I have time to edit my TB page as I want it before I release my TB.

 

I think the most important thing about travel bugs is communications. It doesn't matter how long you are going to hold on to a bug as long as you communicate your intentions to the owner either in the log of through email. If you said you would place a bug in a new cache next weekend but all of a sudden have something come up. Make a quick log entry or a send a short email to the owner and let them know you will be putting it off for a while. Some lost TBs are beginning to show up again, but they would have never been lost if the person who had the bug would have let the TB owner know what was going on. Hopefully this is the case with Gulliver and the other lost TBs. With a little luck and time Christopher should be able his brother. I really do not think that people are going around looking for TBs to capture.

[Guest tgsnoopy]

d they travelled through NZ in a rental car) on such a little bear would be difficult if not impossible. This is the fate most of us involved presume, our efforts to find out further information draw no reasonable response if any at all.

 

In the case of Gulliver, it is of my opinion (and thats all it is) that Gulliver's fate lay in the hands of an accidental limb tearing by two children playing in the back of the car while his parents drove in a country where you need to concentrate on the road (bcause our roads are small and windy, and they were effectively driving on the opposite side of the road to what they were used to). There is no shame in that happening, he could have continued on his travels, but I can't help wondering if after finding out he was unrepairable, he was simply discarded. Maybe he was passed on, and will reappear I certainly hope so, I would love to be proven wrong.

 

It appears that like in all parts of society, Geocaching has it's less than desireable component, and some times they spoil it for everyone. Lets hope that lots more MIA Bugs reappear along with Gulliver one day in the future.

[Guest tgsnoopy]

In the case of Gulliver, I personally feel (yes I was involved) that the courier (as Timp politely calls this person) knows exactly what the little bears fate is. This person has not followed normal geocaching techniques, and has not responded to or carried out corrective measures requested in e-mails. This person, holds a high management position in a large US based company and should have more scruples than his apparent behaviour indicates he has. If you look into the plans for Gulliver at the time he was uplifted you will see what we mean. http://forums.Groundspeak.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/000068.html

 

Since he was uplifted he suffered a broken leg, this was unexplained, and repairing a leg torn off by two children playing in the back of a car (I understand this person has two boys 4 and 6, and they travelled through NZ in a rental car) on such a little bear would be difficult if not impossible. This is the fate most of us involved presume, our efforts to find out further information draw no reasonable response if any at all.

 

In the case of Gulliver, it is of my opinion (and thats all it is) that Gulliver's fate lay in the hands of an accidental limb tearing by two children playing in the back of the car while his parents drove in a country where you need to concentrate on the road (bcause our roads are small and windy, and they were effectively driving on the opposite side of the road to what they were used to). There is no shame in that happening, he could have continued on his travels, but I can't help wondering if after finding out he was unrepairable, he was simply discarded. Maybe he was passed on, and will reappear I certainly hope so, I would love to be proven wrong.

 

It appears that like in all parts of society, Geocaching has it's less than desireable component, and some times they spoil it for everyone. Lets hope that lots more MIA Bugs reappear along with Gulliver one day in the future.

[Guest temeculan]

The reason I stopped at this topic is because I have found the whole travel bug thing to be rather complicated and thought you folks might be able to increase the life of our travel bugs. After my wife purchased a few for me and the kids we looked into what we needed to do with them.

Oh my gosh, three codes to deal with, attach it to something or don't attach it to something, attach instructions or don't, log before placing it, log after placing it. Oh, and if you want... you can make it's own web page for all to see the cute photo's of it before it gets lost. And if thats not enough, this whole process is too complicated for my kids to understand. Never the less, we will suck it up, take all your advice, cross our fingers, and send our babies to their demise.

[Guest Markwell]

OK - here's what I'm doing. Feel free to copy as you see fit.

 

I'm putting each of my bugs on temporary hold until I can get a laminated card secured by a cable tie out to the person that has the TB in their possession. In the case of the two of the six that are currently in caches, I've got warnings on their pages to hold on to them.

 

Front side of card:

 

Back of card:

 

------------------

Markwell

My GPS Activity Page

Non omnes vagi perditi sunt

[Guest temeculan]

Very nice! Thank you for the help.

[+trippy1976]

That kind of ID card was attached to ALL the TBs I found. It was smaller, but had information on what the goal of the bug was (to see the U.S., to stay in a state and collect keychains on it, etc.) and EXACTLY how to log it. I was able to easily log all TB information. That was after my first caching outing. I think it's a really good idea to attach something like that to all TBs.

[+trippy1976]

Another thing I noticed is that you don't have to be registered on geocaching.com at all to see the caches. If a registration with a validated email address were required to see the caches and coordinates, the chances would be greater that you could track down the lost TBs. At the very least, it would then be possible to see if the newbie took the TB, logged in the physical cache log that they took it, and then look up their profile and email them about it. Just a thought.

[+clatmandu]

Good luck with Lord Baltimore, not only is he missing, but so is the cache he was "left" at. It hasn't been found since early July.

[katiem]

I (actually the husband and I but he considers them mine) have 2 travel bugs out there. I have had medium-level scares with both. Luckily, both resurfaced. In one case, the person who nabbed the bug had logged it. After 2 months time, I e-mailed him asking, very politely and non-threateningly, if the bug was okay. He responded that he had it and that he was training for a triatholon or something and hadn't had time to geocache. To which my unspoken thought was- well, then why the heck did you take it? In the other case, the nabber just put off logging it for awhile. The problem with travel bugs is that you are dealing with people and all the little idiosyncrasies that go along with them. I still have more travel bug tags. I even have one ready to go, but I don't think I'll put it out there until I can do the laminated tag idea Markwell has invented.

[RedShoesGirl]

I just placed my first traveler. After reading all the travails of travelers I am going to add that explanation card to the bug. Hopefully that will help avoid some of the problems. These bugs are not cheap so losing a bunch of them would be unplea$ant.

 

lara

[Robereno]

I haven’t had much success with my travel bugs either. I thought I was being really “different” and “clever” by attaching them to dvd movies. Man, that idea didn’t go over. I did attach a separate explanation (not quite as elaborate as Markwell’s. How big is that card? LOL)

Anyway, since I live out in the sticks, most of the caches I’ve placed them in don’t get a lot of action and they’ve just been sitting. I do have four more bugs waiting to be deployed but I’ve been holding off. Nothing against little stuffed animals and squeeze toys but I would really be interested in hearing about some more unusual bugs. I admit I can’t come up with anything. Maybe that should be a differnt thread.

[+Renegade Knight]

If I ever get a travel bug, if I can help it in it's mission I will, if not I'll stuff it in another cache (probably one of my own since they are handy. As for mine, the mission would be clear. Ultimatly they would need to return. If it took me a week or a month to move it on, that would not bother me at all. Are you in a rush? I'm not going to get a burr in my butt to place a Travel Bug just because I happened onto one. No offence intended. And no I may not even log it right away until I knew what I was doing with one. As of now there are no travel bugs within 100 miles of my home area, so this isn't likely to be much of a problem for a spell.

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Renegade Knight:

If it took me a week or a month to move it on, that would not bother me at all. Are you in a rush?

---

 

My personal rule of thumb is that I try to place the bug into another cache within two weekends of having taken it. I think most people like to see their bugs in circulation, rather than sitting in someone's house, where nobody can get to it. If you're going to hang onto it for longer than a couple of weeks, it might be a good idea to e-mail the owner, just to ease their mind and let them know you haven't forgotten about it.

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Renegade Knight:

And no I may not even log it right away until I knew what I was doing with one.

---

 

I think it's common courtesy to log a bug THE SAME DAY that you take it. If you don't log it, other people may make a specific trip to the cache, thinking they can grab the travel bug...only find out that it's already been taken. (The cache description page will indicate the bug is still in the cache until you've logged it out.)

 

You can always add a note to the bug's page later, once you know what your plans for it are.

[Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Renegade Knight:

If it took me a week or a month to move it on, that would not bother me at all. Are you in a rush?

---

 

My personal rule of thumb is that I try to place the bug into another cache within two weekends of having taken it. I think most people like to see their bugs in circulation, rather than sitting in someone's house, where nobody can get to it. If you're going to hang onto it for longer than a couple of weeks, it might be a good idea to e-mail the owner, just to ease their mind and let them know you haven't forgotten about it.

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Renegade Knight:

And no I may not even log it right away until I knew what I was doing with one.

---

 

I think it's common courtesy to log a bug THE SAME DAY that you take it. If you don't log it, other people may make a specific trip to the cache, thinking they can grab the travel bug...only find out that it's already been taken. (The cache description page will indicate the bug is still in the cache until you've logged it out.)

 

You can always add a note to the bug's page later, once you know what your plans for it are.

[+Rangertrek]

I just came across this thread and it hit home! One of my bugs is mia. Apparently the item, a golf ball, has been separated from the metal tag.

 

Originally it was it a baggie, with a card to log each finder, on a chain with easy instructions to follow.

 

Hard to understand what happens to these things

 

I have a bug in my possession now, found it a few weeks ago and logged it. Will place it in a frequently visited site in a few weeks.

 

Just my thoughts. If my 'snowball' bug is actually mia, I will launch "snowball2' and see what happens. If it goes mia, this will probably be my last travel bug.

 

Prior to the metal tags and actual travel bugs, I sent out two items with cards and instructions to email about their location. Both have never been heard from again.

 

Go figure!

[GeoNW]

I think the suggestions of attaching a laminated card with the bug’s mission statement is the best solution. The one I found didn’t have a mission statement attached and I didn’t find out that I would be screwing it up to take it until I got back and logged the find. I have already generated the laminated cards to go with any bugs I put out and we will see if that works any better.

[+tgsnoopy]

Ok, I'm eating humble pie, and I'm darn happy to be doing so. My aplogies to the person concerned. The relevant message I sent is included at the end of this message. Gulliver has turned up which is very good news.

 

Here's my original message (I would edit it, but I'm unable to, it keeps saying I'm not the originator of the message):

 

In the case of Gulliver, I personally feel (yes I was involved) that the courier (as Timp politely calls this person) knows exactly what the little bears fate is. This person has not followed normal geocaching techniques, and has not responded to or carried out corrective measures requested in e-mails. This person, holds a high management position in a large US based company and should have more scruples than his apparent behaviour indicates he has. If you look into the plans for Gulliver at the time he was uplifted you will see what we mean. http://forums.Groundspeak.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/000068.html

 

Since he was uplifted he suffered a broken leg, this was unexplained, and repairing a leg torn off by two children playing in the back of a car (I understand this person has two boys 4 and 6, and they travelled through NZ in a rental car) on such a little bear would be difficult if not impossible. This is the fate most of us involved presume, our efforts to find out further information draw no reasonable response if any at all.

 

In the case of Gulliver, it is of my opinion (and thats all it is) that Gulliver's fate lay in the hands of an accidental limb tearing by two children playing in the back of the car while his parents drove in a country where you need to concentrate on the road (bcause our roads are small and windy, and they were effectively driving on the opposite side of the road to what they were used to). There is no shame in that happening, he could have continued on his travels, but I can't help wondering if after finding out he was unrepairable, he was simply discarded. Maybe he was passed on, and will reappear I certainly hope so, I would love to be proven wrong.

 

It appears that like in all parts of society, Geocaching has it's less than desireable component, and some times they spoil it for everyone. Lets hope that lots more MIA Bugs reappear along with Gulliver one day in the future.

[+tgsnoopy]

Ok, I'm eating humble pie, and I'm darn happy to be doing so. My aplogies to the person concerned. The relevant message I sent is included at the end of this message. Gulliver has turned up which is very good news.

 

Here's my original message (I would edit it, but I'm unable to, it keeps saying I'm not the originator of the message):

 

In the case of Gulliver, I personally feel (yes I was involved) that the courier (as Timp politely calls this person) knows exactly what the little bears fate is. This person has not followed normal geocaching techniques, and has not responded to or carried out corrective measures requested in e-mails. This person, holds a high management position in a large US based company and should have more scruples than his apparent behaviour indicates he has. If you look into the plans for Gulliver at the time he was uplifted you will see what we mean. http://forums.Groundspeak.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/000068.html

 

Since he was uplifted he suffered a broken leg, this was unexplained, and repairing a leg torn off by two children playing in the back of a car (I understand this person has two boys 4 and 6, and they travelled through NZ in a rental car) on such a little bear would be difficult if not impossible. This is the fate most of us involved presume, our efforts to find out further information draw no reasonable response if any at all.

 

In the case of Gulliver, it is of my opinion (and thats all it is) that Gulliver's fate lay in the hands of an accidental limb tearing by two children playing in the back of the car while his parents drove in a country where you need to concentrate on the road (bcause our roads are small and windy, and they were effectively driving on the opposite side of the road to what they were used to). There is no shame in that happening, he could have continued on his travels, but I can't help wondering if after finding out he was unrepairable, he was simply discarded. Maybe he was passed on, and will reappear I certainly hope so, I would love to be proven wrong.

 

It appears that like in all parts of society, Geocaching has it's less than desireable component, and some times they spoil it for everyone. Lets hope that lots more MIA Bugs reappear along with Gulliver one day in the future.

[+Team Tecmage]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr. Snazz:

Neocachers are probably less likely to impulsivly take something that isn't shiny and metallic

---

 

We included a note, logbook, and camera with our guy Moon Man. The note was clear about moving him on, where to email us, and his favorite foods. As far as shiny and metallic, you need to look at pics of him (he can't help it). I hoping to hear about him soon.

 

Richard and Tracy