+Sissy-n-CR Posted February 5, 2003 Share Posted February 5, 2003 I was thinking about placing a couple of hotels along a major north-south corridor, one each at logical forks in patterns of travel. My questions are: - What's the maximum out-of-the-way distance should I keep these hotels? One intersection is completely devoid of safe, legal means of stopping. The nearest exits are 4 miles away. If I place along the most traveled leg, would 4 miles be too far to go out of the way if you're traveling long a different leg? - Should these be traditional caches, as well? Log a find once, notes there after is what I'm thinking. Plus, travelers could log a find even without swapping TBs. - Should I figure a way to keep the TB's and trade items seperate? CR Quote Link to comment
+Markwell Posted February 5, 2003 Share Posted February 5, 2003 I think you're thinking too hard about it - which can be nice sometimes. My take on it: I wouldn't make it a TB only cache or it will most likely have nothing in it. A disappointment for the kiddies that cache (and some adults, too). Don't place a requirement that if you're taking a TB that you must leave one. I might really be able to help a TB on its goal, but if I don't have one to trade, the TB in the cache may languish there for quite some time. As a general guideline I keep my GPS76S on a 2 mile radius when I'm driving the interstates. Caches that show up on the screen are usually within 4-5 miles of my spot. I consider those fair game. I wouldn't worry about keeping the bugs separate Why would there be any special considerations on logging a TB hotel that would make it more than one find per cacher? You found it once. All other subsequent visits are notes unless the cache moves significantly to a new location (i.e. it's a moving cache). Markwell Chicago Geocaching Quote Link to comment
+Sissy-n-CR Posted February 5, 2003 Author Share Posted February 5, 2003 So, basically, an ample-sized traditional cache strategically placed just off the interstate for ease of TB movement. No other stipulations except maybe detailing the TB's mission logged into the logbook? Pretty simple. Thanks! CR Quote Link to comment
+Mr. Snazz Posted February 5, 2003 Share Posted February 5, 2003 Travelbug hotels strike me as tricky things. You'd want it to be easily accessible to encourage frequent visits (and thus bug movement)... but... someone recently placed a travelbug hotel nearby, and while it was very easy to get to, you're in view of traffic and a business while accessing it. I expect the cache to disappear soon. Its unfortunate, because the park they placed it at has better and less-visible hiding places, only a short distance from the current location. I guess my point is that I'd be more careful than normal when considering where exactly to place a hotel. If one gets plundered, a lot of folks could loose travelbugs. Quote Link to comment
+Sissy-n-CR Posted February 6, 2003 Author Share Posted February 6, 2003 I haven't finished scouting yet, but I've found a good spot for one of them. It's not ideal as it's not on the desired leg of the intersection, but it's just off the interstate and fairly secluded from everything at that exit. I'm going to keep looking to see if I can find an equally good spot on the most traveled leg. Another consideration is the ability to get a bigrig near there so Sissy can check on them every so often. CR Quote Link to comment
+Webfoot Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Sissy-n-CR:I haven't finished scouting yet, but I've found a good spot for one of them. It's not ideal as it's not on the desired leg of the intersection, but it's just off the interstate and fairly secluded from everything at that exit. I'm going to keep looking to see if I can find an equally good spot on the most traveled leg. Another consideration is the ability to get a bigrig near there so Sissy can check on them every so often. At least we have lots of interchanges to possibly hide some travelbug hotels. If you're near a junction between two major hiways, might I suggest looking near there. My friend and I got lucky with Hotel Devore as the location was right near a junction, plus the location was far enough from the roadway and behind a berm to keep out any prying eyes. Good luck in your search for the perfect location. Webfoot One of my hobbes? Tromping through the underbrush looking for Tupperware containers. Quote Link to comment
Hologram21 Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Well, I recently (Jan 1st) set up my own TB Hotel on I-95 in Walterboro. There were a few reasons why I set it up the way I did. First, it is right behind a restaurant that I do some work for about once a week, so I drop by to maintain it at least once a week. I modeled it after the Travel Bug Depot in Greenville with the same rules. We require if you take a TB to leave one also. Here is my reasoning on this: It is more likely that TBs coming and going from my hotel will be logged correctly since the cacher already has one in his possession. This keeps newbs from grabbing one and never logging it and the TB turning up MIA. I do agree this isn't the greatest rule since some cachers may be able to help a bug on its way but can't since they don't have one to trade out. A minor flaw IMHO for trying to keep TBs from vanishing w/o a trace. As for cache size, mine are a little bit bigger than a shoebox. I divide the container into 2 sections. The smaller, about a third of the cache, is for smaller trade items for cachers w/o bugs and the larger for the TB's. [This message was edited by Hologram21 on February 06, 2003 at 07:17 PM.] Quote Link to comment
+Webfoot Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Hologram21:It is more likely that TBs coming and going from my hotel will be logged correctly since the cacher already has one in his possession. This keeps newbs from grabbing one and never logging it and the TB turning up MIA. I do agree this isn't the greatest rule since some cachers may be able to help a bug on its way but can't since they don't have one to trade out. A minor flaw IMHO for trying to keep TBs from vanishing w/o a trace. the geocacher who would like to take a travel bug on a journey because he/she is going the way the travel bug would like to travel. This set up precludes anyone from taking a travel bug to further its goals unless they have a travel bug already in hand. The purpose of a bug hotel, in my mind anyway, is to provide a spot for geocachers to easily pick up travel bugs so the bugs can move freely and quickly. Your setup holds bugs hostage unless someone has a bug to trade. I predict you'll have bugs languish in there for months, with owners frustrated that their particular bugs are in there. I don't think new geocachers should be prohibited from taking a bug just because they're new and don't have one. This is how you get someone new interested in a particular aspect of a hobby, by allowing them to try it out. Since you have such easy access to the cache, you should be able to figure out who took the MIA bug and send them a gentle reminder to log the bug, or perhaps even send along logging instructions with your email. Webfoot One of my hobbes? Tromping through the underbrush looking for Tupperware containers. Quote Link to comment
+welch Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Webfoot: This set up precludes anyone from taking a travel bug to further its goals unless they have a travel bug already in hand. The purpose of a bug hotel, in my mind anyway, is to provide a spot for geocachers to easily pick up travel bugs so the bugs can move freely and quickly. Your setup holds bugs hostage unless someone has a bug to trade. I predict you'll have bugs languish in there for months, with owners frustrated that their particular bugs are in there. I agree 100%! Hotels with trade restrictions turn into prisons too easy(IMO). Quote Link to comment
+smillersmiller Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Hologram21:It is more likely that TBs coming and going from my hotel will be logged correctly since the cacher already has one in his possession. This keeps newbs from grabbing one and never logging it and the TB turning up MIA. I think this is a good theory, but what are the odds that someone who can't be bothered to figure out how a travel bug works will actually bother to read the cache rules. The last time I went on a trip, I tried to grab a Travel Bug heading East before leaving. As chance and timing would have it, I ended up with no bugs in my possession when it came time to make the trip. It would've been a shame had I stopped by this cache and found a bug heading my way (either to my final destination or on my way home), but I'd have to leave it behind because I didn't have a bug with me. I think a good alternative would be to include in the description for a bug hotel a brief (4 to 8 sentence) description of how a Travel Bug is different from a normal trade item and that it should be logged and then put into a new cache - something similar to the instruction cards some people are attaching to their bugs. Scott ICQ: 5563417 Quote Link to comment
+kayakanimal Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 I like this one and have used it often to drop off bugs and to help others on their way. Orlando Airport TB Hotel They don't require you to swap but to just helb bugs along their journey. Quote Link to comment
McFurby Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 I agree with The Orlando Airport Travel Bug Hotel as being an exceptionaly well established establishment. It has the best of everything a hitching bug could want, lounge, gym, resturant, pool & hot tub. The innkeepers are very close and can watch the goings on and the USMC exercizes nearby. The one thing lacking is a travel bug car rental, they still must bum rides everywhere. Captain Walker Quote Link to comment
+maleki Posted February 17, 2003 Share Posted February 17, 2003 The necessity of a travel bug hotel seems rather excess to me. Why not just let the bugs move 'naturally'. To me thats seems like some of the fun of it. Who's to say its not gonna get somewhere even if it goes east when it should have gone west. It can still get there eventually. Whatever... I hope when mine get started here soon they never need to be spending time at a 'bug hotel' Quote Link to comment
+Sissy-n-CR Posted February 18, 2003 Author Share Posted February 18, 2003 quote:Originally posted by maleki:The necessity of a travel bug hotel seems rather excess to me. Why not just let the bugs move 'naturally' It's only expedite a bug's travels. Say someone picks up a bug in FL. The bug is going to TX. The cacher is going to NY. The cacher could drop it off at a hotel near I-10, I-26, or I-20 so someone else could pick it up to go west. (Plus pick up a find, as well, as long as it's the first time at the cache.) You don't have to use a hotel, but it sure is nice when people want their bugs at a certain place in a certain time. CR Quote Link to comment
+kayakanimal Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 The big problem is if people won't read the tag as to where a TB is going. My first TB was left the airport in Orlando trying to make it to a friend in Houston TX. It went to Salt Lake City! OOPS! Quote Link to comment
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