+teamboomerang Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Found the Iowa Post-It travel bug tonight, and the bonus was I was I had some friends with who were curious about geocaching, so this gave me a great opportunity to explain travel bugs! I think they're hooked, too! The other bonus is I have a Hardee's gift card just itching to be used, so I will have an excuse to drive 45 minutes east to use it--the travel bug wants to move east! It was fate! Yes...I AM a dork. Thank you for noticing. LOL Remember your first travel bug find? Quote Link to comment
+LimaD&H Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Congratulations! So explain to a noobie...is it just luck to happen on one of these, or is there any way to know where they are? From what I've been reading it sounds like only the person who moves it to a new location knows where it is. Not that that would be a bad thing. Quote Link to comment
+CluelessnLuV Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 (edited) On the geocache page (of the cache you are heading out to find) below the Attributes is Geocache Inventory. There it will say if there are any trackables in the cache. However, read up the previous logs of the past cachers. Sometimes, unfortunately, it does happen that the trackable is not in the geocache, even though cache page says that it is. This could be due to the trackable not having been logged-in properly. You can click on The Name of the trackable on the cache page to see more info about this trackable (Like it's Mission, Goal, origin, miles travelled, picture of it, etc). There are lots of trackables around so i'm sure you will find some. When you do find it, please take time to read any stuff that accompanys it. You might find the Mission Statement of the Travel Bug right along with it. This and what you've read earlier on the trackables page on-line, could help you determine whether you want to just "Discover" it (means if you're not able to help it on it's mission you leave it in the container, but do write down it's trackable number, and then on the Trackables page log it as "discovered"), or "Retrieve It" (means if you think you can help the trackable reach it's goal in any way, you grab it, log it's trackable number on trackable's page as "retrieved from GC....." or "grabbed it from somewhere else" type of log, and then drop it off in the other cache) Also if you switch to "Original Map" from the New Maps BETA view, and click on the cache on the map - if it has any trackables it will show a tab on that little bubble that opens up with quick cache info, that tells you if there are any trackables that are supposed to be in the cache. Hopefully they (lackeys ) will employ that feature on the new Beta maps. And it helps to remember that the Trackable Owners do like when you post pictures of their trackables' travels online, so don't be shy with your camera. Hope this helps. Edited June 22, 2011 by CluelessnLuV Quote Link to comment
+Gitchee-Gummee Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 (edited) Congratulations! So explain to a noobie...is it just luck to happen on one of these, or is there any way to know where they are? From what I've been reading it sounds like only the person who moves it to a new location knows where it is. Not that that would be a bad thing. Well, if you have the right kind of retriever.... you know, the kind that retrieves bugs.... The cache page shows you inventory on the right side of the page. It may or may not show a traveler. But (there's always a but, isn't there?)..... even though the inventory shows a traveler in the cache, it doesn't necessarily mean that the item is yet in the cache. It very well could have been taken out 10 minutes before you show up. Too, it could just plain be "missing" and nobody ever took the time to remove it from the cache inventory (becoming more common, so it seems). The best way is to pay attention to the last few logs, the cachers should mention whether they drop or take a traveler. That type of log however, is in retrograde... as more people log 'blank' logs and many more than them log simply TFTC, failing to mention drops or retrievals, etc. For a nØØb, it's pretty much hit-n-miss. With practice, you will learn whether or not you can 'expect' one to be present. Edited June 22, 2011 by Gitchee-Gummee Quote Link to comment
+teamboomerang Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 (edited) Yeah....I wanted to take some pics but it just started raining, and I didn't want to get my phone wet. I might just run back there Thursday when it isn't supposed to be raining and snap a quick one. I'm hoping to get it moving along and into a new cache Saturday. I know it's kind of cheating with the pic Thursday when I found it tonight, but I can live with it. It's just the pic. I signed the log book and logged it here. And it made me realize I NEED to get my geocaching bag together so I can have it with me at all times! That's on tomorrow's list! I'm just glad the cache had a working pen so I could sign the log! Also, my son wanted to trade for a rubber bracelet that was in there, so I'm hoping to go back for it when I can bring some swag to trade for it. Hopefully, it will still be there! Edited June 22, 2011 by teamboomerang Quote Link to comment
+SuperRat Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 People are forgetting to log when they take the TBs from caches so now you can't rely on the map telling you where TBs are... Quote Link to comment
Keystone Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Thank you for your enthusiastic post, which reminded me of how excited I was when I found my first travel bug in 2002! I am moving this thread from the Geocaching Topics forum to the Travel Bug forum. Quote Link to comment
+LimaD&H Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Great information everyone! I hadn't even noticed that box over on the right side with inventory. I appreciate the fact that you took the time to explain, even though it's obvious to those who've been doing this a while. Quote Link to comment
+teamboomerang Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 Thanks for the move! I was so excited, I posted in the wrong forum! I've been obsessively looking for the perfect cache to move this little guy along! Quote Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Also, apart from just seeing trackables listed in the cache inventory on the cache page... If you do a Search for caches (from this page "Hide and seek a cache" ) you'll get a list of caches. Those that contain trackables will show a little TB icon, or a geocoin icon, in the column titled "Info". But, as mentioned above, these details are often inaccurate and you need to check when the trackable was placed into the cache and then calculate the chances of it still being there... MrsB Quote Link to comment
scidawg Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 also...please don't let your enthusiasm wear off....of the many travelers I have assisted moving, I wish I had a nickel for everyone that has been picked up by someone with less than 50 caches, who then just gives up the hobby and the traveler dies a lonly death in their junk drawer. Not saying you would do this of course, but it happens. Quote Link to comment
+broncobob9 Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 (edited) Found the Iowa Post-It travel bug tonight, and the bonus was I was I had some friends with who were curious about geocaching, so this gave me a great opportunity to explain travel bugs! I think they're hooked, too! The other bonus is I have a Hardee's gift card just itching to be used, so I will have an excuse to drive 45 minutes east to use it--the travel bug wants to move east! It was fate! Yes...I AM a dork. Thank you for noticing. LOL Remember your first travel bug find? I've been caching since April and STILL haven't found a trackable. I have released 2 though. Edited June 22, 2011 by broncobob9 Quote Link to comment
+K4kman Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I'm also very new at all this and wanted to know if anyone has the ability to clean up a TB that is no longer in a given Cache. I have found lots of Caches show a TB being in them for over a year but when I go and find the cache no TB is there. To me I find it's more existing not to know a TB will be there and get even more excited when you luck out and one is in fact in the cache. Quote Link to comment
scidawg Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 ... wanted to know if anyone has the ability to clean up a TB that is no longer in a given Cache. I have found lots of Caches show a TB being in them for over a year but when I go and find the cache no TB is there. Either the cache owner or the travel bug owner have the ability to mark a bug missing which removes it from the cache inventory. You should mention this in your log when you find them missing, and sometimes one of them will follow through, sometimes they won't. Quote Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 ... wanted to know if anyone has the ability to clean up a TB that is no longer in a given Cache. I have found lots of Caches show a TB being in them for over a year but when I go and find the cache no TB is there. Either the cache owner or the travel bug owner have the ability to mark a bug missing which removes it from the cache inventory. You should mention this in your log when you find them missing, and sometimes one of them will follow through, sometimes they won't. Also, if there's more than one trackable listed, mention the missing item by name in your cache log, to make it absolutely clear. It's also helpful to post a note on the trackable's home page too, that way you know the owner will get the notification that it's not in the cache. MrsB Quote Link to comment
+aka Momster Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Yeah....I wanted to take some pics but it just started raining, and I didn't want to get my phone wet. I might just run back there Thursday when it isn't supposed to be raining and snap a quick one. I'm hoping to get it moving along and into a new cache Saturday. I know it's kind of cheating with the pic Thursday when I found it tonight, but I can live with it. It's just the pic. I signed the log book and logged it here. And it made me realize I NEED to get my geocaching bag together so I can have it with me at all times! That's on tomorrow's list! I'm just glad the cache had a working pen so I could sign the log! Also, my son wanted to trade for a rubber bracelet that was in there, so I'm hoping to go back for it when I can bring some swag to trade for it. Hopefully, it will still be there! You do not need to go back to the cache to take photos. Owners are happy to see any photos of the trackable during the bug's stay with you. Show it with a nice sunset background, at a historical building, with your pet, or whatever you can think of. Well, maybe not in a mud puddle or something like that, but you get the idea. The main thing is to be sure not to show the tracking number of the trackable in your online photos. Simply arrange the tag so it is covered, or photoshop it out. I still remember my first trackable finds and have yet to lose my enthusiasm for moving them. Have fun! Quote Link to comment
+teamboomerang Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 I sort of figured that, but I'd also like to have a photographic record of my caches found/my adventures. I'll probably do both--something goofy and one near the cache. If I were a TB owner, I'd want to see all the places it had been! I just haven't ordered any TB's yet. It's on the list! Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I I just haven't ordered any TB's yet. It's on the list! Make sure to read: Snoogans' Tb Longevity Clinic Quote Link to comment
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