Advice on dropping a Travel bug.

[+ratchet69]

Hi. I'm new to geo caching. I need some advice on dropping a bug. I have a bug that wants to travel on a certain type of transport. But also wants to meet this particular type of transport in other countries. I have looked at my local bug motels and they don't seem to be very muggle proof. Do bugs go 'missing' a lot.? WHERE is a good place to drop a bug,so it can complete its mission and move forward. Can I write here where I am at and where I want this bug to go,so I can find a good cache location to drop it. Any advice would be appreciated.

[+on4bam]

Hi. I'm new to geo caching. I need some advice on dropping a bug. I have a bug that wants to travel on a certain type of transport. But also wants to meet this particular type of transport in other countries. I have looked at my local bug motels and they don't seem to be very muggle proof. Do bugs go 'missing' a lot.? WHERE is a good place to drop a bug,so it can complete its mission and move forward. Can I write here where I am at and where I want this bug to go,so I can find a good cache location to drop it. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Yes TB's go missing a lot. Once you release a TB, consider it lost. I avoid placing TBs in traditionals but placing it in a multi or mystery is no guarantee it won't go missing.

[+Scratch Ankle]

I'm not sure what to suggest as to where to drop one other than think about likelihood of it being retrieved -- don't pick a cache at the top of a mountain requiring a 10 mile hike which gets only two visits a year. If you're looking for traveling on a certain type of transport I'd suggest a cache near that certain kind of transport. A tractor trailer transport would be good at a rest stop -- some of the drivers do play the game. Near an airport or near a train station.

 

As to whether they get lost, yes they do. Some are kids finding the trackable interesting and want to keep it and the parents won't say no. Some folks do actually "collect" them and keep them -- some folks call that stealing. Some get lost after being picked up -- they fall between seats (like one I retrieved and took a month to find), get left in a pocket in a jacket, just get dropped on the ground at some point, someone loses interest in the game, whatever. It is the nature of the game and if you are going to do trackables you are going to lose them. But then again some will show back up. I have my first one that disappeared out of a cache noted by another cacher and confirmed by the cache owner. Several months later it reappeared in that same cache. It got picked up and dropped off and picked up by someone who kept it for about 8 months while actively caching -- no idea why. She finally dropped it and I tried to retrieve thinking I would move it someplace so it would maybe travel like I wanted instead of randomly going places. Two days before I tried the trees the cache was placed in were severely trimmed and the cache is no more as far as we can tell. Maybe it will be resurrected again. Who knows.

[Pup Patrol]

Hi. I'm new to geo caching. I need some advice on dropping a bug. I have a bug that wants to travel on a certain type of transport. But also wants to meet this particular type of transport in other countries. I have looked at my local bug motels and they don't seem to be very muggle proof. Do bugs go 'missing' a lot.? WHERE is a good place to drop a bug,so it can complete its mission and move forward. Can I write here where I am at and where I want this bug to go,so I can find a good cache location to drop it. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Yes, trackables go missing a lot. Usually it's the pretty, shiny geocoins that "disappear" one way or another.

 

A cache you recently found, Grimm's Travel Bug Motel http://coord.info/GC4GA57 is a good example of a BAD place to drop trackables.

 

The first clue is in the caches description: "The old one went missing so we've built a new one."

 

That cache "went missing" and so did the trackables that were in it.

 

It's a good idea to read all the previous logs. Let all the logs load on the page, and read them to see how often people mention "no trackables in the cache". That's a sign that that is a bad location.

 

Caches are often placed in areas where young folks congregate. Bad place for trackables.

 

I used to think that the more remote locations were good places to drop trackables. But that isn't always true.

 

You can only do your best to try and find a "safe" cache. But what happens after you've dropped it is out of your hands. Someone could come along and take the trackable and you have no control over whether they are going to treat trackables correctly or not.

 

Don't fret too much. There's not much you can do.

 

Two things that you can do:

 

1.) in your logs, make mention of whether there are trackables in the cache. If you can, mention the trackables by name when you "discover", "retrieve" or "drop" trackables. It makes it easier to see what has gone on when logs say something like "took the yellow train trackable" or "didn't see Bill's Dragon Geocoin", for example.

 

2.) with trackables you retrieve, post photos and logs about the travels the trackable has been on.

 

endless pages of "visited" logs with no stories, no photos, is boring for the trackable owner. Make their day by posting something on the trackable page.

 

B.

[+chasclifton]

The oldest Travel Bug that I ever found was "Mrs. R's Class of 2008."It is just a wooden letter R plus the tag. It is ugly enough that no one ever wanted to keep it for themselves, so as of May 2015, it had more than 300 records and was still circulating.

[+ratchet69]

Thanx everyone for the advice. I will keep everything in mind when I drop this bug. Yes I did look at grimms and decided it wasn't a safe place. I noticed a lot of micros about and a lot of the bigger caches seem to be a bit harder for me to do. I haven't worked out how to do the puzzles. I don't know where to look to help me work them out. I don't want anyone to TELL me the answer. I just need to find where I can go that explains how they can be solved. The blurry square things and the letters together that just don't make any sense to me. I'd like to meet other cachers in my area, so they can maybe help me cause I don't have enough xp. I'm really enjoying this game. Thanx for the help everyone.

[+Mike in FN20hc]

I'd like to meet other cachers in my area, so they can maybe help me cause I don't have enough xp. I'm really enjoying this game. Thanx for the help everyone.

 

The best way to meet other cachers is to attend events. If you sign up for the weekly newsletter, it lists upcoming events near you, and includes a link to a more extensive list. As a premium member, you can set up a notification to find out about events up to 50 miles from your location when they are published.

[+sheudo]

So why does anyone place travel bugs or coin, if they are going to be stolen. Sad, was looking forward to placing one, but if it's most likely going to be stolen, then why bother.

[+cerberus1]

So why does anyone place travel bugs or coin, if they are going to be stolen. Sad, was looking forward to placing one, but if it's most likely going to be stolen, then why bother.

Have to worry about the hoarders too.

One just recently, "around 20" were lost on their way to wherever they decided was a "safe bet" for other people's property.

- Yet they believe they're somehow doing something proper.

Weird...

 

Kinda makes me feel a bit better when it's simply a brand-new, clueless kid with a free app taking one as reward, part of the treasure in this, "Real World Treasure Hunt" he's playing this week.

[Devan The Great]

Thanks for the help. Find lots of caches on the app that says there is a track able but there isn't!!! Crazy!