New Geocacher took a geocoin. Advice?

[+JadeDR]

Ok so when I was on vacation visiting family I picked up the Geocoin "Willi on tour for Sophie" and brought it home with me (about 350kms). The description for the coin is "I want to travel round the world and to see as many countries as possible ! In the end I should reach my final destination "Scotland"."

 

So anyways, I placed it in a local cache that is found on a regular basis. I was hoping the coin would make it farther east in canada before leaving the country for its next adventure. I have it on my watch list and noticed it was picked up shortly after I dropped it off by a first time cacher. She is new to this and her young child most likely wanted to keep it as a toy. Perhaps she doesnt know its supposed to be passed from cache to cache? Its been around a month and she still hasnt placed it yet.

 

Is there anything we can do?

[+kunarion]

Is there anything we can do?

You did fine. It's now best to leave this situation to the coin's owner to decide what to do.

 

OK... since you asked... I looked at your Drop log, and you might consider including something about how excited you are to be following its progress on its way to see the world by being placed in caches and logged by more cachers, and how you hope it continues its travels to Scotland.

Edited May 1, 2015 by kunarion

[+cerberus1]

Nice you care, but really, the coin's not yours.

If the trackable's owner is curious what's next, they'll send an email, or if after a couple months it still doesn't turn up again, mark it missing.

[+JadeDR]

I know that I am not the owner. But I feel like I failed the owner in my choice of location to put it.

[+cerberus1]

Since it's your first, yeah I can see that.

Most TOs realize the risk when they send 'em out.

Seems like more missing these days. Many of us have theories...

Look at a profile (mine if you'd like), and check out their moved/discovered trackables, and all the "unknowns" of missing trackables.

You did what you were supposed to.

[+irisisleuk]

First of all: thank you very much for taking good care of the trackable!

 

We love to move trackables and always have a lot of fun in trying to fulfill their missions and making photos at special or funny locations. We've seen lots of trackables get lost when they get dropped in easy caches that can be found by cachers who only find one or two caches, peopel who just try the game and then stop geocaching. Often they don't even know it is a trackable they have taken that can be logged and just keep it or even throw it away. So we try to make sure when we drop a trackable it is in a "safe" cache.

 

With the coin you've dropped at least the cacher who found it knows its not a toy but a trackable, otherwise they wouldn't have written a retrieve log. It's been about three weeks since they retrieved the coin and they haven't found a cache after this found. This can mean two things: either they just didn't find the time to go out caching (or the weather was bad etc.), but they intend to go out again in the near future, or they've stopped geocaching.

 

It's very nice of you to want to help this coin and its owner (especially since the owner speaks another language so it might be harder for him to contact the cacher to solve any issues). If I were you I would wait another 2 weeks, and if the cacher is still not going out to find caches and to drop this coin I would send her an e-mail explaining you dropped the coin and you hope it will continue towards its goal. And in case they won't continue geocaching you would love to pick the coin up to drop it in a cache again (assuming they live nearby). You could also suggest to go caching together, we've made several geocaching friends because of trackables like this.

 

Continue having fun moving trackables!

[+wmpastor]

Seems like more missing these days. Many of us have theories...

 

It seems i'm always in the dark about the latest theories.

[+cerberus1]

Seems like more missing these days. Many of us have theories...

 

It seems i'm always in the dark about the latest theories.

True...

[+Scratch Ankle]

A month is not much time. Ideally they move quickly but practically they don't for lots of reasons. One being weather.

 

Another issue is a proper place to put it. Small/micro caches abound at least around me and there often isn't a place for even a geocoin. Another thing is history of the cache -- it may be big enough but gets muggled often. That isn't the best place to put a trackable. One of the few caches locally to me large enough to put something in gets muggled often and gets some awful "swag" -- like a used condom once. I don't recommend that cache to anyone.

 

Another issue is just time -- people have jobs and other responsibilities so that they don't get out caching. My wife is one of these and often with trackables I will have to drive a half hour or so to get one to a location where I feel it's a good idea to leave it. We cache together not singly. I'm retired and could spend a lot of time but it is something we do together unless I need to find a drop for a trackable I've picked up. My son picked up a trackable and took it back with him to the large city he just moved to for a new job that had him chasing his tail. Several months later I realized he still had it so he passed it to me and I dropped it -- after I lost it in the car for another month or so. Sometimes a trackable gets lost and a geocoin is easier to lose than some other trackables.

 

Add in illnesses and other calamities to keep people from doing things they would do otherwise. My back for instance. I am just recovering from a month using a cane and it isn't up to serious walking in rough terrain so our trip Sunday will not be to my first choice to a state park on a rough trail but to a nearby city and mostly park and grabs. Almost none look to be large enough to handle a trackable.

 

So for a month I wouldn't get excited. And as was pointed out you did your job. You moved it and properly logged it. The new person logged retrieving it. Fault (if earned) is on her. You aren't responsible for someone else's actions or inaction.

[+kunarion]

A month is not much time. Ideally they move quickly but practically they don't for lots of reasons. One being weather.

 

Another issue is a proper place to put it. Small/micro caches abound at least around me and there often isn't a place for even a geocoin. Another thing is history of the cache -- it may be big enough but gets muggled often. That isn't the best place to put a trackable. One of the few caches locally to me large enough to put something in gets muggled often and gets some awful "swag" -- like a used condom once. I don't recommend that cache to anyone.

 

Another issue is just time -- people have jobs and other responsibilities so that they don't get out caching. My wife is one of these and often with trackables I will have to drive a half hour or so to get one to a location where I feel it's a good idea to leave it. We cache together not singly. I'm retired and could spend a lot of time but it is something we do together unless I need to find a drop for a trackable I've picked up. My son picked up a trackable and took it back with him to the large city he just moved to for a new job that had him chasing his tail. Several months later I realized he still had it so he passed it to me and I dropped it -- after I lost it in the car for another month or so. Sometimes a trackable gets lost and a geocoin is easier to lose than some other trackables.

 

Add in illnesses and other calamities to keep people from doing things they would do otherwise. My back for instance. I am just recovering from a month using a cane and it isn't up to serious walking in rough terrain so our trip Sunday will not be to my first choice to a state park on a rough trail but to a nearby city and mostly park and grabs. Almost none look to be large enough to handle a trackable.

 

So for a month I wouldn't get excited. And as was pointed out you did your job. You moved it and properly logged it. The new person logged retrieving it. Fault (if earned) is on her. You aren't responsible for someone else's actions or inaction.

+1

[+NanCycle]

I know that I am not the owner. But I feel like I failed the owner in my choice of location to put it.

 

It's not your fault. You can never tell who the next person to visit a cache will be or what they might do with a coin they take. I placed one once where the next "cacher" logged "Cool coin. I think I'll start a collection." I felt bad about that, but left it to the cache owner and/or coin owner to try to educate them. Someone must have told them they're not supposed to keep the coins, because they deleted their log--but the coin has never been seen again.

[+Sagefox]

Is there anything we can do?

 

You can write a NICE note to the newbie cacher and gently explain what trackables are all about and how much fun people have watching to see where they go. And you can suggest that they might want to purchase a trackable to send out in the world and their child can then watch it to see where it goes.

 

Be very careful not to sound accusatory or demanding and remember that they are new and don't know what the game is all about yet.

 

You don't have to write a to them but it might make you feel that you are doing something that might get that coin back on the road again.

 

It doesn't matter whether the coin owner cares about it enough to write to the cacher themselves. You can write to them if you want. I wrote to errant trackable holders a lot for years trying to help get the little guys back in the game. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

 

Good luck.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

I think that you may be misinterpreting what the cache log says:

 

First one my kids and I found!!! So cool what an experience. Can't wait to find more.

 

It appears to be their first cache find. I don't see that this log would mean they are keeping the trackable.

I read it as they "can't wait to find more [caches]"!

[+dprovan]

I know that I am not the owner. But I feel like I failed the owner in my choice of location to put it.

The most important thing in this case is to recognize that things happen to TBs, so you should not feel guilty about it. Sure, if you think you could have found a better cache, learn from it, but it sounds like there was really nothing wrong with your placement, so you're beating yourself up over nothing.

 

Stop worrying about the TB. On the other hand, most newbies would appreciate someone making friends with them and helping them learn the ropes, such as what to do with TBs.

Edited May 3, 2015 by dprovan

[+Roelwin]

I felt bad about that, but left it to the cache owner and/or coin owner to try to educate them.

 

-1, we should all help each other to get the most out of the game.

 

Now back on topic. Great you care! If you are in doubt you can, as others also mentioned, send a nice email to the user and get informed if they intend to continu geocaching in the near future. Keyword is 'be nice', never get frustrated or something close to mad.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Roelwin

[Spurges]

Is there anything we can do?

 

You can write a NICE note to the newbie cacher and gently explain what trackables are all about and how much fun people have watching to see where they go. And you can suggest that they might want to purchase a trackable to send out in the world and their child can then watch it to see where it goes.

 

+1 (from someone who has received such an email)

 

I received an email back in 2011, 6 weeks after retrieving a Travel Bug (http://coord.info/TL1P2088). Personal issues had forced me to drop out of the game, suddenly; and I completely forgot I had taken this Bug. When I received the email, I pulled my backpack out of the closet, and there it was, hanging from the strap. I don't remember the text of the email; but I was not offended by it. I was glad to be reminded; I had no intention or desire to keep it. I made a quick cache run to get it back on it's way.

 

P.S. The author of the email I received was not the CO nor the TO; just another cacher (as far as I can tell).

[+Bear and Ragged]

I think that you may be misinterpreting what the cache log says:

 

First one my kids and I found!!! So cool what an experience. Can't wait to find more.

 

It appears to be their first cache find. I don't see that this log would mean they are keeping the trackable.

I read it as they "can't wait to find more [caches]"!

 

If it's their first cache find, it may be a little while until they look for the next one.

 

Not all cachers like to cache on a weekly/daily basis!

[+fuzziebear3]

I would take a side approach ... Send them a nice email that welcomes them to the game. Offer to help them if they get stuck or have any questions. See if they would like meet you and find a few local ones (even if you have found them before). And maybe briefly mention that you saw they found a trackable too, and it will be great to see its next travels. All of this will encourage them in the game, and give you an opportunity to teach them about caching AND trackables.