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Too Many Lost Bugs!


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quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Snazz:

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


 

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

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Count us in with those who've had a TB go MIA.

(http://www.geocaching.com/track/track_detail.asp?ID=3331)

 

We tried, via gently inquiring emails, to contact the person who retrieved The Mini Pod (they added a post to the cache that they took it but then never logged it out of the cache) and another geocacher who was involved with it's travels also emailed the retriever...all to no avail. Not even a response that would say if they had it but just didn't have a chance to move it along yet, which seems to me to be the minimum courtesy expected.

 

I like the idea of the laminated card. We'd included directions/information inside a zip-lock-baggy with The Mini Pod when we turned it loose, figuring that was all it would need. Guess not. We're keeping our fingers crossed that it'll turn up soon and continue it's travels and any/all future bugs of ours will most definitely have that card attached. Thanks for sharing the idea with the rest of us!

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The Moon Man has resurfaced! Tracy and I have been checking the website and email everyday looking for some signs the little silver guy is still out there!

 

Another Geocacher found him in Utah! It seems a couple of people have moved him along, but never released him, so we have lost track of where he's been and milage. Hopefully he still has his logbook and camera, so we may have a record that way.

 

Is there a way of backtracking for his TB Page?

Check out the Moon Man!

 

Richard and Tracy

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I have to imagine that one of the biggest problems is not having the "mission statement" attached to the TB's. I can just imagine someone picking up their first TB from a cache, then anxiously heading back home to see what the TB's story is all about. Then they see:

 

"This TB's mission is to travel from North America to Asia by the end of the year."

 

So now the Geocacher is intimidated and feels he'd let the TB owner down more by not moving it along faster than just plopping it back where he got it or moving it a mile away. So it sits in their drawer until his next vacation to the coast.

 

I was about to place my first TB until I read this thread. My idea was to send a Geocaching baseball hat around, instructing finders to attach a pin to it whenever it was found. Now I'm thinking 1) that's only begging for someone to keep it for themselves, and 2) it's asking too much for someone to come up with a cool pin to attach to it. I'm thinking it's time to rethink that idea. icon_rolleyes.gif

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I have to imagine that one of the biggest problems is not having the "mission statement" attached to the TB's. I can just imagine someone picking up their first TB from a cache, then anxiously heading back home to see what the TB's story is all about. Then they see:

 

"This TB's mission is to travel from North America to Asia by the end of the year."

 

So now the Geocacher is intimidated and feels he'd let the TB owner down more by not moving it along faster than just plopping it back where he got it or moving it a mile away. So it sits in their drawer until his next vacation to the coast.

 

I was about to place my first TB until I read this thread. My idea was to send a Geocaching baseball hat around, instructing finders to attach a pin to it whenever it was found. Now I'm thinking 1) that's only begging for someone to keep it for themselves, and 2) it's asking too much for someone to come up with a cool pin to attach to it. I'm thinking it's time to rethink that idea. icon_rolleyes.gif

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quote:
Originally posted by budlvr40:

I made rookie mistake #3 today by not writing down the T.B.'s serial #, so I can't at present log it into its new location. d this tothe laminated T.B. cards!

bud


 

Hey Bud,

 

Not to state the obvious if you've thought of this, but you can e-mail the TB's owner, and they can e-mail you the serial number. I've done this as a bug owner on a few occations.

 

Also, if you use IE with the auto-form feature, it will store the last few serial numbers from the "seek" page, if you used that orginally. I've been able to retrieve numbers that way.

 

But, finally, if you "grabbed" it, you should be able to place it when you log the new cache location. At the bottom is a form called "Dropped off a traveller?", and if you have logged the TB as "grabbed", you should be able to drop it here.

 

Hope this helps.

 

/AlienPuppy

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My kids have recently become interested in Geocaching, and we have had three outings thus far. I thought that I would check out this area to get some information on how someone should manage a travel bug. It's interesting in that there are a bunch of whiney messages about "rookies" and "newbies" not knowing how to manage the bugs. I came here because of a post that a veteran entered today, where he said that he recovered several bugs in my area, but can't move them in the immediate future. I then emailed him to ask why he retreived them if he couldn't move them. It seems to me that "newbie" and "rookie" are not necessarily the right labels. Like everything else in life, doing something for a long time doesn't always mean doing it well. Perhaps those of you who are concerned about the bugs should message those who appear to have the bugs to keep them moving.

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quote:
Originally posted by RJBS:

It seems to me that "newbie" and "rookie" are not necessarily the right labels. Like everything else in life, doing something for a long time doesn't always mean doing it well.


I couldn't agree more. I'm sick and tired (and tired and sick) of the "newbie/rookie" comments.

 

Case in point: The team that picked up our bug would be considered a "newbie/rookie" team (they have fewer than 10 finds) but they did an outstanding job. Logged the bug properly and even posted a picture at the cache page!

 

The next team, with well over 150 finds, never logged our bug as "dropped off" after placing it. The bug was then grabbed by another team so our bug never saw an official placement in the cache where it was dropped off.

 

Go figure!

 

40513_800.JPG

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Of course, you're right. It's not always the rookies that cause the problems. The generalization is just that the first time someone grabs a travel bug, they may not know how to properly log it. The process is a little counter-intuitive.

 

However, I have had many first timers log my travellers indicating how excited they are - and they take the time to carefully read and understand the instructions. Also, if they have questions, they ask. These neocachers are the best kind - knowing that they may have to study up a little and performing the correct way the first time.

 

Markwell

My Geocaching Page

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I only mean newbie/rookie in this thread to mean those who don't have experience with travel bugs. Sounded better than *$()! !)@%* %)__!@#*_.

 

There are those who are expereienced and those who just don't have a clue. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who are both.

 

There are too many lost bugs. It's because people don't read. It's because people don't care, and it's because people don't know (which is almost unexcusable - there's a link about travel bugs on nearly every page on geocaching.com). There really was no harm in starting this thread and referring to newbies and rookies as such - mainly 'cause the topic at hand was directly involving newcomers to the sport. I think this thread has been very very productive in helping to promote ways to clarify the mission of travel bugs to those who don't know how to log them.

 

People spend a lot of money and time to come up with the bugs and their accompanying storyline. It's just disappointing when other cachers don't respect that effort.

 

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

Go! And don't be afraid to get a little wet!

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Well sadly I have already lost my first travel bug. Unit 14 didn't make it very far either, in fact it started in my first cache, was placed in my second cache, and from there has disappeared. I even had specific instructions on it's goals and how to log it online attached along with the "dog tag" even this apparently doesn't help, I'm wondering if some people out there are purposely stealing travel bugs, taking things from caches without putting something back in, and not logging finds online, it just seems to happen so often. In my area alone the first three travel bugs I went in search for turned out to be M.I.A. although one did finally pop up in another cache, who ever took it never logged taking it, nor placing it, but at least they DID place it, and the next person was more dillagent about logging it, so it is back in action. But thus far my first travel bug is M.I.A. and it bums me out. I wouldn't have a problem if my cache had just been plundered by some kids who stumbled upon it by accident, that is just a risk of placing it out there, but since it wasn't plundered, had been rehidden, and it's just short a few select items, it is clear the problem is not "random chance destruction" but instead, inconsiderate geocachers.

 

ummmm....not sure what to say here....so ummm, well errrr, uhhhh, well I guess that's it.

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quote:
Originally posted by RJBS:

My kids have recently become interested in Geocaching, and we have had three outings thus far. I thought that I would check out this area to get some information on how someone should manage a travel bug. It's interesting in that there are a bunch of whiney messages about "rookies" and "newbies" not knowing how to manage the bugs. I came here because of a post that a veteran entered today, where he said that he recovered several bugs in my area, but can't move them in the immediate future. I then emailed him to ask why he retreived them if he couldn't move them. It seems to me that "newbie" and "rookie" are not necessarily the right labels. Like everything else in life, doing something for a long time doesn't always mean doing it well. Perhaps those of you who are concerned about the bugs should message those who appear to have the bugs to keep them moving.


 

When refering to "newbies" and "rookies" in the TB forum we are not necessarily refering to people who are not experienced with Geocaching. We are refering to people who are not experienced with Travel Bugs.

 

The complaint that most TB owners have with the rookie crowd is the LACK of communication with the owner. When they run in to problems, instead of emailing the owner, leaving a note on the TB page, or comming to the forums for help they just ditch the bug. Hopefully they ditch the bug in a cache. Idealy they put it back in the cache they got it from.

 

Most geocachers are friendly when contacted. But, by the time the owner has tracked down the person who took the bug the person who took it has already gotten rid of the bug.

 

Here are a few more topics you should have a look at:

How frustrating... When will my bug start moving again! How to handle this?

My first and only travelbug is M.I.A.

Travel bug MIA - Jason's Excuse - HELP!

Where is my bug!!!

Who has the Bug?

 

- Lone Rangers

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Frankly I really don't think this is an issue of "new" or "inexperienced" geocachers. I am relatively new, and relatively inexperienced, yet I am careful to be sure I log any travel bugs I find, I read the instructions on the page, and found it to be fairly easy. I am not of superior intellegence, in fact average would probably be the best descriptor of myself, yet I found logging a travel bug rather easy.

 

The real problem is people who don't care enough to simply read how to do it, or worse don't care enough to do anything more than take that travel bug and keep it. Just like it doesn't take a mental giant to figure out that the online logs are there to be used, as are the physical logs, yet many don't fill out either. It's a matter of inconsiderate people for the most part I think, that and anyone can get co-ordinates without EVER reading the rules of how to play, or agreeing to play by the few basic rules that exist.

 

ummmm....not sure what to say here....so ummm, well errrr, uhhhh, well I guess that's it.

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This is not a hobbie where "experience" counts other than learning some tricks to make your hunts more successful. As for Travelbugs, there's ettiquette.

 

You learn that after you release a few travel bugs and watch in frustration as they are picked up and just "held" for weeks and months on end. I have six out right now, and none are on the move. One has gone 600 miles and then stopped. The rest have been picked up out of local caches and never moved on. I assume their retrievers are all busy with life, but after a couple of weeks I would think most people would go out and find a cache and drop them off, even if its the one they took it from. Newbies, veterans alike - let's keep those bugs amovin'!

 

Life goes fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you might miss it. Cache ON!

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quote:
Originally posted by GeoNav:

This is not a hobbie where "experience" counts other than learning some tricks to make your hunts more successful. As for Travelbugs, there's ettiquette.

 

You learn that after you release a few travel bugs and watch in frustration as they are picked up and just "held" for weeks and months on end. I have six out right now, and none are on the move. One has gone 600 miles and then stopped. The rest have been picked up out of local caches and never moved on. I assume their retrievers are all busy with life, but after a couple of weeks I would think most people would go out and find a cache and drop them off, even if its the one they took it from. Newbies, veterans alike - let's keep those bugs amovin'!

 

Life goes fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you might miss it. Cache ON!


How do you contact the Geocacher who claimed a "lost" travel bug?
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quote:
Originally posted by Markwell:

 

However, I have had many first timers log my travellers indicating how excited they are - and they take the time to carefully read and understand the instructions. Also, if they have questions, they ask. These neocachers are the best kind - knowing that they may have to study up a little and performing the correct way the first time.


 

On our very first cache outing we grabbed a TB. Getting the TB was one of my main objectives in picking that cache. We had checked out the website for days before actually "heading out", and I took it upon myself to learn about TB's and the proper way to handle them. Our very first cache placement was designed completely around that travel bug and was, in fact, named for him. Now, I just wish he'd move. I just wish someone would visit that cache! It isn't all that remote compared to some others in the area.

 

But it doesn't matter. The TB isn't even in it. It has been sitting in someone's house since November ( icon_mad.gif ). He's not my TB, but I'd sure like to see him move, or the person who has him to put him out somewhere even if it isn't the place he'd originally planned on taking him, just so he could meet his agenda.

 

IMHO, people shouldn't keep a TB longer than 2 weeks. We took some up to the Contact Cache, so they moved far when we moved them.

 

I also found a traveler in a cache (Agent Scully) and took her to the Contact Cache (seemed right up her alley!), but when I attempted to email the owner as requested in her FBI Report Book the email has come back as non-deliverable. The last person to have her had the same problem. I have no idea where Scully is, how to keep track of her or who her original owner was. Sad.

 

I'm happy to see the idea for a laminated card attached to the bug with the tag. Seems like it would inspire more activity.

 

----------

Lori aka: RedwoodRed

KF6VFI

"I don't get lost, I investigate alternative destinations."

GeoGadgets Team Website

Comics, Video Games and Movie Fansite

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quote:
Originally posted by Markwell:

 

However, I have had many first timers log my travellers indicating how excited they are - and they take the time to carefully read and understand the instructions. Also, if they have questions, they ask. These neocachers are the best kind - knowing that they may have to study up a little and performing the correct way the first time.


 

On our very first cache outing we grabbed a TB. Getting the TB was one of my main objectives in picking that cache. We had checked out the website for days before actually "heading out", and I took it upon myself to learn about TB's and the proper way to handle them. Our very first cache placement was designed completely around that travel bug and was, in fact, named for him. Now, I just wish he'd move. I just wish someone would visit that cache! It isn't all that remote compared to some others in the area.

 

But it doesn't matter. The TB isn't even in it. It has been sitting in someone's house since November ( icon_mad.gif ). He's not my TB, but I'd sure like to see him move, or the person who has him to put him out somewhere even if it isn't the place he'd originally planned on taking him, just so he could meet his agenda.

 

IMHO, people shouldn't keep a TB longer than 2 weeks. We took some up to the Contact Cache, so they moved far when we moved them.

 

I also found a traveler in a cache (Agent Scully) and took her to the Contact Cache (seemed right up her alley!), but when I attempted to email the owner as requested in her FBI Report Book the email has come back as non-deliverable. The last person to have her had the same problem. I have no idea where Scully is, how to keep track of her or who her original owner was. Sad.

 

I'm happy to see the idea for a laminated card attached to the bug with the tag. Seems like it would inspire more activity.

 

----------

Lori aka: RedwoodRed

KF6VFI

"I don't get lost, I investigate alternative destinations."

GeoGadgets Team Website

Comics, Video Games and Movie Fansite

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quote:
Originally posted by RJBS:

 

It's interesting in that there are a bunch of whiney messages about "rookies" and "newbies" not knowing how to manage the bugs. I came here because of a post that a veteran entered today, where he said that he recovered several bugs in my area, but can't move them in the immediate future. I then emailed him to ask why he retreived them if he couldn't move them. It seems to me that "newbie" and "rookie" are not necessarily the right labels. Like everything else in life, doing something for a long time doesn't always mean doing it well.


 

You're absolutely right. Newbie's do tend to take a lot of the blame for things that don't go smoothly here. In many cases, I believe they get blamed because it seems more excusable to do something wrong when you're new, and therefore less offensive to have it pointed out.

 

On the other hand, to blame things on "idiots who can't read/follow directions and/or inconsiderate people who refuse to practice common courtesy" is likely to get a lot of people ticked off.

 

So, to save face and to save arguments, we point out the errors that "newbies" are making...and hope that the message will sink in to those others, as well. icon_wink.gif

 

-------

"I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!" 196939_800.jpg

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quote:
Originally posted by RJBS:

 

It's interesting in that there are a bunch of whiney messages about "rookies" and "newbies" not knowing how to manage the bugs. I came here because of a post that a veteran entered today, where he said that he recovered several bugs in my area, but can't move them in the immediate future. I then emailed him to ask why he retreived them if he couldn't move them. It seems to me that "newbie" and "rookie" are not necessarily the right labels. Like everything else in life, doing something for a long time doesn't always mean doing it well.


 

You're absolutely right. Newbie's do tend to take a lot of the blame for things that don't go smoothly here. In many cases, I believe they get blamed because it seems more excusable to do something wrong when you're new, and therefore less offensive to have it pointed out.

 

On the other hand, to blame things on "idiots who can't read/follow directions and/or inconsiderate people who refuse to practice common courtesy" is likely to get a lot of people ticked off.

 

So, to save face and to save arguments, we point out the errors that "newbies" are making...and hope that the message will sink in to those others, as well. icon_wink.gif

 

-------

"I may be slow, but at least I'm sweet!" 196939_800.jpg

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Anybody know where one would go to get a TB info card laminated at minimal expense? Obviously, I don't have access to a laminating machine at home or work.

 

--- Two paths diverged in a wood, and my... my GPSr pointed dead center between them. ---

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Thanks to Markwell for the template idea on this. I took his example and created two MS publisher forms that you can customize to your travel bug. Just threw something together quickly, but you should be able to make it work.

 

Hope it helps and thanks again to Markwell for his excellent suggestion.

 

Cowfish.net

 

Two files are there in *.pub format:

 

travbug_generic.pub is the main form

travbuginstr.pub is the instruction sheet

 

[This message was edited by Cacique500 on June 30, 2002 at 03:45 PM.]

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quote:
Originally posted by CR:

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.


I did that - though I ran into a "bug" of my own - I could not show the bug as actually being in it until the cache was approved. It did work though - three people went for it the first Saturday it wsa available. Fortunately, the first person there took the travel bug, because by the time the third person went to look, the entire cache was already gone.

 

http://custer37.livejournal.com/

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I do all my own lamination with 2 inch wide clear tape. Lay your item-to-be-laminated down on a clean surface and cover it with the tape, overlapping it a bit with each strip. Now, once a side is completely covered, flip it over and do the same thing again. Trim the taped edges leaving enough all around to seal your job well and voila, you have a cheaply done lamination. I use this for my cache notes as well as maps I carry in the field and it works great.

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Sketch,

 

Your comment reminded me of an old thread... and I went to search for it, but the old forums were gone... Thanks to Elias who posted a link to the old forums for temporary use, I have the link.

 

In this thread (MadPhatBoy brings it up, Glenn95630 says he tried it and it didn't work), the idea of tape-lamination was brought up, with questionable results. scooterj offered a better solution to a do-it-yourself laminate.

 

Jamie

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Zappers Proposal #1, bug must be returned to a cache within 1 month. If after 1 week the bug still resides at the cache, the placer may re-retrieve it then only for the purpose of moving it within another week.

 

Proposal #2 No bug shall be falsely logged. Photo's shall not clearly show the bug ID number.

 

Proposal #3 Hitchhikers can be altered but not detached from the TB. Adding additional items hitchhikers to a bug is permitted. I.e. a keychain full of keys or a beanie with pins attached etc. unless specific TB instructions say otherwise.

 

 

More info? see http://fourscoreandsevenyearsablog.blogspot.com

 

More to come. Yes You can quote me

 

[This message was edited by The Bug Zapper on July 31, 2002 at 05:02 PM.

 

[This message was edited by The Bug Zapper on July 31, 2002 at 09:02 PM.]

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After 2 dissappointing Missing bug caches, I decided to take some action. First I email the "Bug Napper". One sucessfully fixed the problem, the other did not respond. After a week or so without a response, I emailed the Bug owner with the following...

 

"Your (NAME) travel bug was removed from the (cACHE nAME) Cache back in February by (Bug Napper), but never logged. We spend a hot dark

buggy night looking in this cache for this bug, and were very dissappointedto find it not there. You might want to email (Bug Napper) to see if he couldlog the bug, or if you have the 6 number code, "Call it home" until (Bug Napper) fesses up, or remembers to log it. I have had to do this with a bug before. It was a dissapointment for me to have the bug out of commission, but

realized it was kinder to other cachers who might go looking for it when it has been missing for so long. Cache on! Angela Wieske"

 

The Bug Owner was very appreciative, had already tried contacting the Bug Napper to no avail. He recommended the Travel Bug Graveyard listed above, I suggested he make a copy of his tag, laminate it, attach it to another simular item, and post (mail) it to me. I would place it back in the cache where it went MIA, resurect the bug from the graveyard and send it on it's merry way.

 

Perhaps this is a solution for those of you that have encountered this problem. I am sure someone logged "Went looking for X bug and it was NOT THERE" Email these cachers, ask them if they would be interested in a resurection, copy and laminate the tag and mail it out to a helpful cacher to put back in the cache it went MIA in. Just my 2 cents.

 

Angela

The-Wild-N-Wooly-Mrs.-Wieske

 

Don't take your organs to heaven, heaven knows we need them here!

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