When a hotel becomes a prison

[+Dan2099]

A popular tb hotel in my area is made out of a row of foot lockers there are 5 lockers in total all with padlocks....one of the padlocks has broken and inside are several tbs.....months of requests and notes to the owner have done nothing he has hundreds of hides most have been archived and tons are requesting repair he also seems to log in frequently but hasn't responded....

 

I understand things happen in life that prevents a owner from fixing a cache in a timely manner but if you are logging in shouldn't you at least have the courtesy of writing a note saying you will get too it.

[+GeoBain]

Hang in there, buddy. You're likely to set a blaze sooner or later. In fact, you might just have enough kindling to get this one going. TB Hotel threads are usually good for a few flames.

[+Ohiosiouxfan]

When it comes to TB Hotels, are these supposed to be relatively easy to access? I've come across some that are the exact opposite of that. They are hidden near traffic areas (highways, rest stops, etc) but a few are deep in the thorny woods or otherwise tough to access. It's not that I mind the bush-whacking, it just seems like it defeats the primary purpose of a TB Cache - which I presume is to move these little guys along on their respective missions. The pic below is at a rest stop a quarter mile from the parking lot:

 

By ohiosiouxfan at 2012-06-26

Edited June 26, 2012 by Ohiosiouxfan

[MisterEFQ]

From what I can see the owner hasn't been on since the beginning of June.

 

And no they don't have to post updates for you.

[+Ambient_Skater]

If a cache holding TBs is padlocked and there's no puzzle to find the key or combination, the lock should be cut if it's the only way to rescue the bugs.

[MisterEFQ]

If a cache holding TBs is padlocked and there's no puzzle to find the key or combination, the lock should be cut if it's the only way to rescue the bugs.

 

Its actually 5 different "suites" with locks. One of them seems to be broken:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=a52eedc6-b697-403e-8247-777b36cf9269

 

It need maintenance, and a NM was posted on 03/28/2012.

[+The_Incredibles_]

You can always drop by with some bolt-cutters.

[+fuzziebear3]

It seems to be functioning fairly well. With 5 suites, even if one can't be opened, it seems to be doing just fine on the others. Is it really that big of a worry?

 

 

This seems like a nice and well run TB Hotel.

[+Dan2099]

You can always drop by with some bolt-cutters.

 

Ha no the cops often patrol the area would be hard to explain

 

It seems to be functioning fairly well. With 5 suites, even if one can't be opened, it seems to be doing just fine on the others. Is it really that big of a worry?

 

 

This seems like a nice and well run TB Hotel.

 

Well its down to three one was used only by the c/o, cachers including myself have sprayed the other locks inorder to help prevent further damage....and another cacher replaced a key holder...Yeah it's pretty nice but I would hate to be the people who have their tb stuck in what is now a prison....

 

Also notice the amount of NM requests and how many of his hides have been closed by a reviewer due to lack of response....I mean he made a really cool tb hotel why just let it continue to fall in total disrepair?

Edited June 26, 2012 by Dan2099

[+Ambient_Skater]

Accidental discovery and mugglings are also not an issue because the container is anchored and the doors padlocked. [...] You can find the key to the hotel doors located in a magnetic key holder underneath the hotel.

Because that's the last place anyone would look when coming across a locked container.

I would remove the remaining locks to make the containers easier to access for anyone else who may be transferring travel bugs, either with the key, a shim (you can make one out of an aluminium can) or bolt cutters.

[MisterEFQ]

So you would mess with another persons cache and property because you don't like where they are hiding the key?

 

The only thing that needs to be done is maintenance by the cache owner. No need for bolt cutters, removing locks, cutting them, picking them.

[+Don_J]

So you would mess with another persons cache and property because you don't like where they are hiding the key?

 

The only thing that needs to be done is maintenance by the cache owner. No need for bolt cutters, removing locks, cutting them, picking them.

 

What I would do is cut the bad lock off, place a new one and leave the new key with the others. A new cheap lock probably costs less then the can of spray they are trying to fix the old lock with.

[niverson92]

step one: get bolt cutters

 

step two: get replacement lock

 

step three: wait until coast is clear

 

step four: cut lock on locker that is damaged

 

step five: retrieve TBs that have been in for to long and replace lock.

 

easy

[+The_Incredibles_]

Ha no the cops often patrol the area would be hard to explain

 

 

If the cops see you, just explain the situation? If the cache owner was there with the bolt cutters, he would have to do the same thing. You can have a new lock with you. A combination lock is what people use in our city. Often with the last 4 digits of the coordinates. Easy.

 

It's not right for the cache owner to be holding other people's travel bugs hostage. They don't belong to him.

Edited June 27, 2012 by The_Incredibles_

[+GrateBear]

How about contacting the CO, offer to rent some bolt cutters to open it, then put the TBs in one of the other lockers?

[+Vater_Araignee]

From what I can see the owner hasn't been on since the beginning of June.

 

And no they don't have to post updates for you.

I would give ya favorite points for that if I could.

 

I go through bouts where I don't log in for months, It doesn't mean I haven't found out something is wrong with a cache or that I wont get to it. (It also doesn't mean I'm not actively finding caches either.)

I had to write a message to a reviewer because a cache that was not missing was going to get archived for being missing.

[+The A-Team]

From what I can see the owner hasn't been on since the beginning of June.

 

And no they don't have to post updates for you.

I would give ya favorite points for that if I could.

 

I go through bouts where I don't log in for months, It doesn't mean I haven't found out something is wrong with a cache or that I wont get to it. (It also doesn't mean I'm not actively finding caches either.)

I had to write a message to a reviewer because a cache that was not missing was going to get archived for being missing.

It isn't required that you post updates, but it's very much appreciated by both finders and reviewers. Otherwise no one has any idea what's going on with your cache. There are a lot of inactive and negligent owners out there, so it doesn't take much for you to get lumped in with them. The incident you mentioned with the reviewer is proof of this. After all those DNFs, a simple note stating that you checked on it and it was still there would have sufficed.

[+Dan2099]

From what I can see the owner hasn't been on since the beginning of June.

 

And no they don't have to post updates for you.

I would give ya favorite points for that if I could.

 

I go through bouts where I don't log in for months, It doesn't mean I haven't found out something is wrong with a cache or that I wont get to it. (It also doesn't mean I'm not actively finding caches either.)

I had to write a message to a reviewer because a cache that was not missing was going to get archived for being missing.

 

Like I said in my first post I know he doesn't have too but it would be useful if he did....half of his hides are now archived and out of the remaining half are listed as NM.... It's just sad to see good caches falling into disrepair.

 

Also there is no way I would use or even bring bolt cutters to this cache...it's at a business attached to the security fence.

[+Sol seaker]

Send the CO a link to this thread??

[knowschad]

From what I can see the owner hasn't been on since the beginning of June.

 

And no they don't have to post updates for you.

I would give ya favorite points for that if I could.

 

I go through bouts where I don't log in for months, It doesn't mean I haven't found out something is wrong with a cache or that I wont get to it. (It also doesn't mean I'm not actively finding caches either.)

I had to write a message to a reviewer because a cache that was not missing was going to get archived for being missing.

 

Like I said in my first post I know he doesn't have too but it would be useful if he did....half of his hides are now archived and out of the remaining half are listed as NM.... It's just sad to see good caches falling into disrepair.

 

Also there is no way I would use or even bring bolt cutters to this cache...it's at a business attached to the security fence.

 

Odds are good that the cache owner works right there. Stop in and ask.

[+Vater_Araignee]

From what I can see the owner hasn't been on since the beginning of June.

 

And no they don't have to post updates for you.

I would give ya favorite points for that if I could.

 

I go through bouts where I don't log in for months, It doesn't mean I haven't found out something is wrong with a cache or that I wont get to it. (It also doesn't mean I'm not actively finding caches either.)

I had to write a message to a reviewer because a cache that was not missing was going to get archived for being missing.

It isn't required that you post updates, but it's very much appreciated by both finders and reviewers. Otherwise no one has any idea what's going on with your cache. There are a lot of inactive and negligent owners out there, so it doesn't take much for you to get lumped in with them. The incident you mentioned with the reviewer is proof of this. After all those DNFs, a simple note stating that you checked on it and it was still there would have sufficed.

And then if someone has simply used a NM log I would have simply removed the attribute showing that I was on top of it with having to post a log. The only thing that actually happened was a Self Entitled To Find Every Cache Cacher, made me have to contact a reviewer because the SETFECC was to lazy to actually look for the cache.

4 DNF's is nowhere near an indication that a cache is missing, and obviously Tom n Chris never heard of a decoy.

[+The Blorenges]

From what I can see the owner hasn't been on since the beginning of June.

 

And no they don't have to post updates for you.

I would give ya favorite points for that if I could.

 

I go through bouts where I don't log in for months, It doesn't mean I haven't found out something is wrong with a cache or that I wont get to it. (It also doesn't mean I'm not actively finding caches either.)

I had to write a message to a reviewer because a cache that was not missing was going to get archived for being missing.

 

Like I said in my first post I know he doesn't have too but it would be useful if he did....half of his hides are now archived and out of the remaining half are listed as NM.... It's just sad to see good caches falling into disrepair.

 

Also there is no way I would use or even bring bolt cutters to this cache...it's at a business attached to the security fence.

 

From what you're saying it does sound as though the cache owner may have lost interest in the game, or at least has lost interest in maintaining this cache. Have you considered contacting him and asking whether he would allow you to adopt the cache?

 

MrsB

[+Vater_Araignee]

 

From what you're saying it does sound as though the cache owner may have lost interest in the game, or at least has lost interest in maintaining this cache. Have you considered contacting him and asking whether he would allow you to adopt the cache?

 

MrsB

That works too. I have never taken issue with an inquisitive cacher e-mailing me. Some times my responses are so short as to appear curt but I do reaspond and I would rather see 10 DNF's in a row on the page and then someone gets excited because they took a chance and found it vs. having to post it is ok every two or three DNF's and people deciding they need to form a mob to find it.

 

And to be honest when I am having difficulty with a cache to the point that I resort to reading the 5 logs I would rather see 5 descriptive DNF's that might clue me in. Yes dnf's have helped me find caches.

But getting...

1. Enable Listing (nothing was ever wrong)

2. Temporarily Disable Listing

3. Needs Archived

4. Didn't find it (I'm going to request a NA)

5. Didn't find it

... is 60 to 80% guaranteed useless information.

Edited June 30, 2012 by Vater_Araignee

[+The A-Team]

But getting...

1. Enable Listing (nothing was ever wrong)

2. Temporarily Disable Listing

3. Needs Archived

4. Didn't find it (I'm going to request a NA)

5. Didn't find it

... is 60 to 80% guaranteed useless information.

Agreed, but getting:

1. Write note ("Yes, it's there")

2. Didn't find it

3. Didn't find it

4. Didn't find it

5. Didn't find it

... is 100% useful information. Not only does this confirm that the cache is indeed there, it tells me that this is likely a devious/clever hide and it will change the way I search for it. It also helps avoid that dreaded NA log and the useless information that comes from the associated logs (ie. the disable and enable you mentioned in your list).