Travel Bugs

[+Richcachman]

Can any geocacher,s out there please explain to a newish member what the point of picking up a TB. and dragging it around to various caches, and recording the fact that this is what they have done. I am sorry to say that at this moment of time it seems pointless and a bit sad to me. But I always try to have an open mind, and maybe I have missed the point, which appears to me that they are able to record a TB. find. Richcachman.

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

Can any geocacher,s out there please explain to a newish member what the point of picking up a TB. and dragging it around to various caches, and recording the fact that this is what they have done. I am sorry to say that at this moment of time it seems pointless and a bit sad to me. But I always try to have an open mind, and maybe I have missed the point, which appears to me that they are able to record a TB. find. Richcachman.

 

If you are refering to people who grab a traveler, and then hold on to it for weeks (months) at a time, "dipping" it into all of the caches they find, I am with you. I find it kind of silly, and prevents it from traveling out in the wild (and hopefully) reaching its goal.

 

Yes, the traveler is acquiring miles, but it is not able to reach its goal.

[Space*Cadet]

Can any geocacher,s out there please explain to a newish member what the point of picking up a TB. and dragging it around to various caches, and recording the fact that this is what they have done. I am sorry to say that at this moment of time it seems pointless and a bit sad to me. But I always try to have an open mind, and maybe I have missed the point, which appears to me that they are able to record a TB. find. Richcachman.

 

 

It's a way for the owner of the Trackable to be updated, from time to time, that their trackable is traveling. And not sitting idle somewhere.

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

It's a way for the owner of the Trackable to be updated, from time to time, that their trackable is traveling. And not sitting idle somewhere.

 

To apoint, that's fine. But the current trend seems to be holding onto them for weeks and months, and not re-releasing them into the wild.

[+Meandering WA]

I have some bugs traveling in England in this fashion. To me it is fine

 

I know the bug is thought of and being taken care of. It is moving and gaining miles, sometimes a picture

 

I take a look at some of the caches it is visiting and relive some of the places I went on vacation.

 

I have concerns for a bug picked up and then nothing...months on end and the people are not that active.

 

So pretty much accept it is gone. Will give them a little while longer before I send them a note

 

Rather get alerts and live the fun, then hear nothing.

 

If it is happening to your bug, you can eliminate the email alerts

 

If you are just making a comment on an observation, why worry, it does not really concern you.

 

To me it is part of the fun.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

I'll try...

 

It mostly depends upon your point-of-view. Each individual may well have a different viewpoint as to why they move or release trackables. As you indicated in the OP, you don't see the object or point of the matter. Others see it differently, very much differently. While you seem focused on the "me" aspect of picking up and dragging a trackable to other caches. We (Gitchee and Gummee) see sending out trackables as a way to take "virtual vacations".

That is, a method of going to places that we (probably) will never have an opportunity to do so. In that concept, we are relying on others to take us on an (unguided) tour of the world. Likewise, we are providing that same opportunity to others by picking up and moving their trackables. We expect, and ask for photos to be uploaded with (or without) logs and we take every opportunity to do the same with the trackables that we move. Sadly, with the addition of things like "Visit" logging (more so, the "automatic"-type of Visit logging), uploading of photos is becoming nearly a lost action by folks moving trackables. Many still add lots of photos but many more do not (some don't even know how to upload photos -- and it seems, frankly don't even care to). It sort of seems they would rather glom onto somebody else' trackable and hold onto it ad infinitum, dragging it from cache-to-cache (as if it is their own personal trackable recording device) failing to add any meaningful log or (heaven forbid) taking time to upload a photo of its travels.

 

Not that it will ever happen... but, it is possible that one of our trackables could make it to the Antarctic, the ISS, Singapore, Cape Horn, Kodiak Island or someplace in Kamchatka. We probably never will, but one of our trackables could. Gee, a photo would be nice!

 

Not that you would necessarily want or desire, but could I show you around the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (a far cry from Detroit)? Maybe take you on a dive to the shipwrecks of Lake Superior, the grandeur of Great Plains (U.S.), the majestic Oxbow Range of the Rocky Mountains, the spectacular Badlands of South Dakota or maybe even the Grand Canyon -- photos included?

 

In our opinion, trackables are not a part of the "me" aspect of geocaching, trackables are about the "community" aspect of geocaching.

We love to see ours move and where they go to, we love to move those of others' and to show where they have been.

[+redsox_mark]

It's a way for the owner of the Trackable to be updated, from time to time, that their trackable is traveling. And not sitting idle somewhere.

 

To apoint, that's fine. But the current trend seems to be holding onto them for weeks and months, and not re-releasing them into the wild.

 

I'm honestly not sure if this is worse now than it used to be or not. The visibility of this has changed since the "visit" log was introduced. Before, if someone held on to a bug for a long time, you would see nothing. Now - if the holder isn't caching you still see nothing. But if they are caching you will likely see visits.

 

Personally I don't see an issue with visits - I log them - but I try to move trackables on quickly; unless I have an upcoming trip which helps the goal. If I am finding a lot of caches in the same area I tend to only to a TB visit to one of them - to show it visited the area, without having pages and pages of logs.

[Cascade Reviewer]

Moving this from Geocaching Topics to the Travel Bug Forum.

[+Shop99er]

I don't see what the problem is, other than some folks don't like it.

 

If you don't like the "visits" then put a not on you traveler saying so.

[+#Tenzin]

I think people use it so that they can show the Traveler is still active, and that they haven't forgotten about it.

 

If you are refering to people who grab a traveler, and then hold on to it for weeks (months) at a time, "dipping" it into all of the caches they find, I am with you. I find it kind of silly, and prevents it from traveling out in the wild (and hopefully) reaching its goal.

 

Yes, the traveler is acquiring miles, but it is not able to reach its goal.

 

I agree with this comment as well.

Some cachers pick up a trackable and hold it for months and "visiting" every cache they find. Some cachers won't have a problem with it, becasue it collects miles. For me personaly, I like that people see my Trackable. And that as many cachers move it along as possible. I don't like it when people hold on to it for months. Also most times the Trackable would "visit" something, but in real life he wouldn't have been there. That is why I have on my Trackables pages:

 

###

Plz. no "visited logs", then the journey of the TB is more clear.

Thank you.

 

But to answer your question:

I think the function is just used for:

A: Let the Trackable owner know the Trackable is still active.

B: For people who have there own Trackable and use it to show the route they took when caching.

[scidawg]

I think people use it so that they can show the Traveler is still active, and that they haven't forgotten about it.

 

If you are refering to people who grab a traveler, and then hold on to it for weeks (months) at a time, "dipping" it into all of the caches they find, I am with you. I find it kind of silly, and prevents it from traveling out in the wild (and hopefully) reaching its goal.

 

Yes, the traveler is acquiring miles, but it is not able to reach its goal.

 

I agree with this comment as well.

Some cachers pick up a trackable and hold it for months and "visiting" every cache they find. Some cachers won't have a problem with it, becasue it collects miles. For me personaly, I like that people see my Trackable. And that as many cachers move it along as possible. I don't like it when people hold on to it for months. Also most times the Trackable would "visit" something, but in real life he wouldn't have been there. That is why I have on my Trackables pages:

 

###

Plz. no "visited logs", then the journey of the TB is more clear.

Thank you.

 

But to answer your question:

I think the function is just used for:

A: Let the Trackable owner know the Trackable is still active.

B: For people who have there own Trackable and use it to show the route they took when caching.

 

Real visits, with a log or note would accomplish the goal of letting the owner know it's active. Autolog visits do nothing. In fact, check out this example, my bugTB2R78R

 

Despite my requests not to have it visited mindlessly on it's page, one user has now had it for about 18 months, visiting it to 200 caches with not a single comment. Do they still have it? Who knows. Are they actually taking it with them? Who knows. This is a perfect example of how these auto visits are meaningless. Every trackable this cacher has in their current inventory gets visited to every cache they find. Probably a setting on the app they are using. For all I know they don't even know it's doing it. I've emailed once and got no response, so I'm just hoping someday they drop it off, but the point is, the logging of visits tells the owner nothing, unless you take the time to post a note or picture or even better, both.

[+Richcachman]

I think people use it so that they can show the Traveler is still active, and that they haven't forgotten about it.

 

If you are refering to people who grab a traveler, and then hold on to it for weeks (months) at a time, "dipping" it into all of the caches they find, I am with you. I find it kind of silly, and prevents it from traveling out in the wild (and hopefully) reaching its goal.

 

Yes, the traveler is acquiring miles, but it is not able to reach its goal.

 

I agree with this comment as well.

Some cachers pick up a trackable and hold it for months and "visiting" every cache they find. Some cachers won't have a problem with it, becasue it collects miles. For me personaly, I like that people see my Trackable. And that as many cachers move it along as possible. I don't like it when people hold on to it for months. Also most times the Trackable would "visit" something, but in real life he wouldn't have been there. That is why I have on my Trackables pages:

 

###

Plz. no "visited logs", then the journey of the TB is more clear.

Thank you.

 

But to answer your question:

I think the function is just used for:

A: Let the Trackable owner know the Trackable is still active.

B: For people who have there own Trackable and use it to show the route they took when caching.

[+Richcachman]

I think people use it so that they can show the Traveler is still active, and that they haven't forgotten about it.

 

If you are refering to people who grab a traveler, and then hold on to it for weeks (months) at a time, "dipping" it into all of the caches they find, I am with you. I find it kind of silly, and prevents it from traveling out in the wild (and hopefully) reaching its goal.

 

Yes, the traveler is acquiring miles, but it is not able to reach its goal.

 

I agree with this comment as well.

Some cachers pick up a trackable and hold it for months and "visiting" every cache they find. Some cachers won't have a problem with it, becasue it collects miles. For me personaly, I like that people see my Trackable. And that as many cachers move it along as possible. I don't like it when people hold on to it for months. Also most times the Trackable would "visit" something, but in real life he wouldn't have been there. That is why I have on my Trackables pages:

 

###

Plz. no "visited logs", then the journey of the TB is more clear.

Thank you.

 

But to answer your question:

I think the function is just used for:

A: Let the Trackable owner know the Trackable is still active.

B: For people who have there own Trackable and use it to show the route they took when caching.

 

Real visits, with a log or note would accomplish the goal of letting the owner know it's active. Autolog visits do nothing. In fact, check out this example, my bugTB2R78R

 

Despite my requests not to have it visited mindlessly on it's page, one user has now had it for about 18 months, visiting it to 200 caches with not a single comment. Do they still have it? Who knows. Are they actually taking it with them? Who knows. This is a perfect example of how these auto visits are meaningless. Every trackable this cacher has in their current inventory gets visited to every cache they find. Probably a setting on the app they are using. For all I know they don't even know it's doing it. I've emailed once and got no response, so I'm just hoping someday they drop it off, but the point is, the logging of visits tells the owner nothing, unless you take the time to post a note or picture or even better, both.

[+Richcachman]

I think people use it so that they can show the Traveler is still active, and that they haven't forgotten about it.

 

If you are refering to people who grab a traveler, and then hold on to it for weeks (months) at a time, "dipping" it into all of the caches they find, I am with you. I find it kind of silly, and prevents it from traveling out in the wild (and hopefully) reaching its goal.

 

Yes, the traveler is acquiring miles, but it is not able to reach its goal.

 

I agree with this comment as well.

Some cachers pick up a trackable and hold it for months and "visiting" every cache they find. Some cachers won't have a problem with it, becasue it collects miles. For me personaly, I like that people see my Trackable. And that as many cachers move it along as possible. I don't like it when people hold on to it for months. Also most times the Trackable would "visit" something, but in real life he wouldn't have been there. That is why I have on my Trackables pages:

 

###

Plz. no "visited logs", then the journey of the TB is more clear.

Thank you.

 

But to answer your question:

I think the function is just used for:

A: Let the Trackable owner know the Trackable is still active.

B: For people who have there own Trackable and use it to show the route they took when caching.

 

Real visits, with a log or note would accomplish the goal of letting the owner know it's active. Autolog visits do nothing. In fact, check out this example, my bugTB2R78R

 

Despite my requests not to have it visited mindlessly on it's page, one user has now had it for about 18 months, visiting it to 200 caches with not a single comment. Do they still have it? Who knows. Are they actually taking it with them? Who knows. This is a perfect example of how these auto visits are meaningless. Every trackable this cacher has in their current inventory gets visited to every cache they find. Probably a setting on the app they are using. For all I know they don't even know it's doing it. I've emailed once and got no response, so I'm just hoping someday they drop it off, but the point is, the logging of visits tells the owner nothing, unless you take the time to post a note or picture or even better, both.

[+Richcachman]

Thanks for all the comments I am a little wiser now, I think "Tenzin" point ( is very valid.

[+#Tenzin]

Real visits, with a log or note would accomplish the goal of letting the owner know it's active. Autolog visits do nothing. In fact, check out this example, my bugTB2R78R

 

Despite my requests not to have it visited mindlessly on it's page, one user has now had it for about 18 months, visiting it to 200 caches with not a single comment. Do they still have it? Who knows. Are they actually taking it with them? Who knows. This is a perfect example of how these auto visits are meaningless. Every trackable this cacher has in their current inventory gets visited to every cache they find. Probably a setting on the app they are using. For all I know they don't even know it's doing it. I've emailed once and got no response, so I'm just hoping someday they drop it off, but the point is, the logging of visits tells the owner nothing, unless you take the time to post a note or picture or even better, both.

 

I also had somebody who holded my bug for months, and logged "visit" every chache they visited. After a while I (by hand) deleated all there "visited" logs. Well.... they got a notification of every log I deleted. There where over 100. I didn't expect them getting a notification, since I also did not got one when they "visit" something. Unfortunatly they weren't too happy about my action. Hopefully they won't be too upsed right now, becasue I just deleted there last "visited" log with a picture becasue the TB number showed.

Edited November 20, 2013 by #Tenzin

[+Richcachman]

Real visits, with a log or note would accomplish the goal of letting the owner know it's active. Autolog visits do nothing. In fact, check out this example, my bugTB2R78R

 

Despite my requests not to have it visited mindlessly on it's page, one user has now had it for about 18 months, visiting it to 200 caches with not a single comment. Do they still have it? Who knows. Are they actually taking it with them? Who knows. This is a perfect example of how these auto visits are meaningless. Every trackable this cacher has in their current inventory gets visited to every cache they find. Probably a setting on the app they are using. For all I know they don't even know it's doing it. I've emailed once and got no response, so I'm just hoping someday they drop it off, but the point is, the logging of visits tells the owner nothing, unless you take the time to post a note or picture or even better, both.

 

I also had somebody who holded my bug for months, and logged "visit" every chache they visited. After a while I (by hand) deleated all there "visited" logs. Well.... they got a notification of every log I deleted. There where over 100. I didn't expect them getting a notification, since I also did not got one when they "visit" something. Unfortunatly they weren't too happy about my action. Hopefully they won't be too upsed right now, becasue I just deleted there last "visited" log with a picture becasue the TB number showed.

[+Ma & Pa]

We love picking up and dropping trackables during our long trips. But I really cant see the point of having the TB's visit every cache, but I think it is being done because it is easy to do. Simply click ALL VISIT when logging a cache.

 

This fall we were on another long caching road trip covering many states and provinces. As usual we brought many trackables with us and dropped a few each day in popular caches or newish caches so that they could get picked up. When we did our logging every night, we had all the trackables that were still with us visit one (and only one) of the caches found that day. All the trackables eventually got dropped and there was a record of the trip they took to that cache. We did the same thing with all the trackables that we picked up during our trip.

Edited November 20, 2013 by Ma & Pa

[+Richcachman]

Hi Tenzin Sorry my last note to you made little sense due to the fact that I put your point 'B" in brackets the result was a face. What I meant was that if a member wished to use his own bug to keep track of his route on a trip this would not spoil the fun of a TB for others. Still at the end of the day what will be, will be. Happy Geocaching to you all, and a happy Xmas with lots of finds in the new year. Richcachman.

[scidawg]

 

This fall we were on another long caching road trip covering many states and provinces. As usual we brought many trackables with us and dropped a few each day in popular caches or newish caches so that they could get picked up. When we did our logging every night, we had all the trackables that were still with us visit one (and only one) of the caches found that day. All the trackables eventually got dropped and there was a record of the trip they took to that cache. We did the same thing with all the trackables that we picked up during our trip.

A very sound, reasonable and fun (for the owners and watchers) approach. Sad that most wont put in the effort to do it your way. Keep up the good work, Ma and Pa!