Snoogans' Tb Longevity Clinic

8.4k · February 13, 2004

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #1. Drill a great big friggin hole in it to eliminate any collectable qualities of your TB.

OK. I only have a few TBs of my 108 in circulation, but I have captured enough to know what works and what doesn't.

Let's objectively discuss what works and what doesn't. I have made many observations regarding this subject. I wonder how many of yours match mine.

Sn gans

If this thread starts to turn into a Whine-O-Rama, I will lock it.

8.4k · February 13, 2004

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #2. Drop test it! If you don't, someone else surely will. If you're not willing to drop it then it probably shouldn't travel by cache express.

I learned this lesson the easy way...with someone else's bug. Super Glue did the trick on that one, but on closer inspection, I wasn't the first.

Edited February 13, 2004 by Snoogans

8.4k · February 13, 2004

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #3 Size matters! (If they say it doesn't they're lying.) Do I really need to go into detail here?

OK. Big bug = slow mover, teeny tiny bug w/improvised tag = lost, if you can close your hand around it = just about perfect.

Edited February 13, 2004 by Snoogans

8.4k · February 13, 2004

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #4. Just the tag, in most cases, is not enough. TB goal sheets, the TB page, or a TB Passport, really let it be known that the item in question is in fact private property that has been left in public trust.

8.4k · February 13, 2004

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #5. If you must email a TB holder to do anything other than thank them, DO NOT give an order, or be even the slightest bit negative. Sugar coat every word. Do not transfer your standards and expectations to another person. Unless you are related, you do not really KNOW their situation.

These kinds of stories get talked about at events. Things like I'm gonna (X-Y-Z) that bug if I ever run across it again get said over a few beers. Makes ya think....

1.8k · February 13, 2004

Snoogans,

I think this should be "pinned".......you are right on target here.

One important thing that was not mentioned yet (I know, your getting to it) is: Don't take pictures showing the TB's Serial Number....and then post them up to your bug's page......DUMB, real DUMB.

4.1k · February 13, 2004

Don't take pictures showing the TB's Serial Number....and then post them up to your bug's page.

Why not to.

4.1k · February 13, 2004

These kinds of stories get talked about at events. Things like I'm gonna (X-Y-Z) that bug if I ever run across it again get said over a few beers.

I would love to have been a fly (bug?) on that wall.

4.1k · February 13, 2004

Longevity Strategy #18:

(I didn't feel like going in order)

Watch the cache in which your travel bug currently resides, at least for as long as the TB is there. If a bunch/horde/throng/couple of cachers come and visit and no one takes or even mentions your TB, then you may need to do some gentle investigating. Is it still there? Did a recent cache visitor just not know how to log it? Etc. Watching a cache allows for some timely action on your part (as opposed to waiting for someone to report the possibly-missing TB to you).

8.4k · February 13, 2004

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #6. Make it a total b1tch to remove the tag. (or be prepared to see a picture of something you didn't send out calling itself your bug. Sadly, this happens. )

I have seen some pretty nifty examples of this. The best one that I have seen so far used garage door cable. I have yet to be able to reproduce that concept and THAT is the main reason that I have released so few of my bugs.

8.4k · February 13, 2004

These kinds of stories get talked about at events. Things like I'm gonna (X-Y-Z) that bug if I ever run across it again get said over a few beers.

I would love to have been a fly (bug?) on that wall.

Let's just say that there were a half dozen of us all comparing notes on the same person. It started with 2 then 3 then 5 and so on. We all told nearly the same story. General consensus: WTF is wrong with that guy?

8.4k · February 13, 2004

Longevity Strategy #18:
(I didn't feel like going in order)

Watch the cache in which your travel bug currently resides, at least for as long as the TB is there. If a bunch/horde/throng/couple of cachers come and visit and no one takes or even mentions your TB, then you may need to do some gentle investigating. Is it still there? Did a recent cache visitor just not know how to log it? Etc. Watching a cache allows for some timely action on your part (as opposed to waiting for someone to report the possibly-missing TB to you).

Excellent! Miss Jenn takes #7 (I do that too.)

1.8k · February 13, 2004

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #6. Make it a total b1tch to remove the tag. (or be prepared to see a picture of something you didn't send out calling itself your bug. Sadly, this happens. )

I have seen some pretty nifty examples of this. The best one that I have seen so far used garage door cable. I have yet to be able to reproduce that concept and THAT is the main reason that I have released so few of my bugs.

THis COULD be a whole other sub-thread by itself.......

"Ways to foil the removal of the Tag from it's HitchKiker.....Do you know how to say acetylene torch?"

Edited February 13, 2004 by jbhooker3

8.4k · February 13, 2004

Don't take pictures showing the TB's Serial Number....and then post them up to your bug's page.

Why not to.

O.K. Jbhooker gets #8. I wasn't thinking that was actually a longevity issue, but I see that it could be now.

1.8k · February 13, 2004

Another Longevity Strategy I've been posting lately: "If you want your bug to survive, make it UGLY.........Don't send those cutie plush bears and bunnies out there.......attach your bug to a chunk of rock, or a scrap of wood, etc. It'll probably go farther than you expected"

JayBee

EDIT: Again, this could turn into another sub-thread "Dumb things to expect of your Travel Bug..........Do you want it to travel?, or just wait forever for a ride to DisneyLand?"

Edited February 13, 2004 by jbhooker3

8.4k · February 13, 2004

Another Longevity Strategy I've been posting lately: "If you want your bug to survive, make it UGLY.........Don't send those cutie plush bears and bunnies out there.......attach your bug to a chunk of rock, or a scrap of wood, etc. It'll probably go farther than you expected"

JayBee

That's a little bit more to the point of what I started this thread with. A cute thing with a big friggen hole drilled in it, is still cute and likely to get more pictures. It's however, less apt to be added to someone's collection of nifty things. Same goes for an ugly bug.

8.4k · February 13, 2004

Again, this could turn into another sub-thread "Dumb things to expect of your Travel Bug..........Do you want it to travel?, or just wait forever for a ride to DisneyLand?"

I think we can handle that here. I was going to start a thread on TB owner mindset, but since we have already established that mindset can affect longevity, then we are not going OT.

Edited February 13, 2004 by Snoogans

24.7k · February 13, 2004

Survival Tip for when it turns south.

It's just a dadgum bug. If it goes missing, its par for the course. It might turn up a year from now, or that might of been it and you will never really know. You will still need to go to work, eat, sleep, and otherwise get through life somehow. Your dog will still love you and birds will still drop presents on your car.

If when you realise your bug is gone you must go through a grieving process. Make it into a event cache and call it a wake. Serve lots of beer. It helps. If you are single and throw a wake you just might find a travel bug widow or widower that needs some consolation.

8.4k · February 13, 2004

TB Owner Mindset Strategy:

Great wisdom from a master TB finder:

"It's a web of life, in my opinion, and absolutely any movement is the next step in reaching it's goal. That weird side trip to Florida, may be the next step to Canada. And a side trip may have saved it from going MIA by pilferage in Pennsylvania."

bthomas on the subject of TB movement 10/27/2003

"Everyone plays their own game. There is no sense in trying to police another's mindset as long as it falls within the general parameters of the game." Me (quoting myself from the poll that I posted on 10/23/03.)

If your preconceived notion is that everyone will obey your every tb order/goal; your expectations are unrealistic.

1.8k · February 13, 2004

Survival Tip for when it turns south.

It's just a dadgum bug. If it goes missing, its par for the course. It might turn up a year from now, or that might of been it and you will never really know. You will still need to go to work, eat, sleep, and otherwise get through life somehow. Your dog will still love you and birds will still drop presents on your car.

If when you realise your bug is gone you must go through a grieving process. Make it into a event cache and call it a wake. Serve lots of beer. It helps. If you are single and throw a wake you just might find a travel bug widow or widower that needs some consolation.

Yeah.....Another Sub-Thread Idea:

"The Official Travel Bug Obituary.........Do your whining here"

(with a direct link to the "TravelBug Graveyard".....HERE

JayBee

Edited February 14, 2004 by jbhooker3

8.4k · February 13, 2004

Survival Tip for when it turns south.

It's just a dadgum bug. If it goes missing, its par for the course. It might turn up a year from now, or that might of been it and you will never really know. You will still need to go to work, eat, sleep, and otherwise get through life somehow. Your dog will still love you and birds will still drop presents on your car.

If when you realise your bug is gone you must go through a grieving process. Make it into a event cache and call it a wake. Serve lots of beer. It helps. If you are single and throw a wake you just might find a travel bug widow or widower that needs some consolation.

Yeah.....Another Sub-Thread Idea:

"The Officical Travel Bug Obituary.........Do your whining here"

(with a direct link to the "TravelBug Graveyard".....HERE

JayBee

DO IT! Its time has come.

February 13, 2004

It might help to keep your TB simple. We had a recent encounter with a TB that was re-tracing the path of a historical figure. The concept was good, and the TB itself was a good size, but it also had about four full-size pages of tattered information attached to it, and required it's own sizeable ziploc to keep everything together. The TB itself was lost in the midst of its paper entourage. Sorting through the info was a hassle, and all it really did was duplicate info from the TB webpage (mostly historical info, not travel plans). We were slow to move it along. Not out of malice, but just because we didn't really bond with it as being a TB.

Edited February 13, 2004 by Karma Hunter

8.4k · February 13, 2004

It might help to keep your TB simple. We had a recent encounter with a TB that was re-tracing the path of a historical figure. The concept was good, and the TB itself was a good size, but it also had about four full-size pages of tattered information attached to it, and required it's own sizeable ziploc to keep everything together. The TB itself was lost in the midst of its paper entourage. Sorting through the info was a hassle, and all it really did was duplicate info from the TB webpage (mostly historical info, not travel plans). We were slow to move it along. Not out of malice, but just because we didn't really bond with it as being a TB.

Yep. Size matters. Case in point.

That said, I will be placing some very large tbs. Their goals will not be to travel quickly.

4.1k · February 14, 2004

Do you know how to say acetylene torch?

No. But I do know how to say "plasma cutter" ...

1.1k · February 14, 2004

Do you know how to say acetylene torch?

No. But I do know how to say "plasma cutter" ...

I used the welded idea for one if my bugs. Instead of the chain it comes with, I put the items on a piece of heavy guage wire and welded it shut.

State Quarters Part 1

Dave (dhenning25)

February 15, 2004

Excellent pinned subject for TB's.

I'll just amplify: a.) not too cute; b.) make it less desirable for pilferage by writing your name on the back, add a drill hole or carve some scratches or chicken scratch with black Sharpie; c.) have a mission tag with K.I.S.S. text and glue the chain connection (or use something more permanent); d.) thank finders for playing the travelling game.

Too cute:

Versions twice went MIA:

Went MIA week #1:

Edited February 15, 2004 by bthomas

February 15, 2004

delete duplicate

Edited February 15, 2004 by bthomas

February 16, 2004

Speaking of mission / instruction tags. There are a number of old threads about the subject, one more recent one that shows some tags:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=25784

because a number of people have Illustrator, Word, etc files that they use as well as others that are available online, like the ones bons has posted:

Web pages to assist you in making your bug's own personal info sheet:

http://www.texasgeocaching.com/cache_docs.asp

http://www.9key.com/cache_docs.asp

http://www.xsnrg.com/geocachingwa/asp/travelbugsheet1.asp

http://www.hotsigns.com/sth/store.shtml

Edited to add JeeperMTJ's sheet: http://www.martin-sommer.com/geocaching/TBSheetBlank.doc

There is also the GC one if you want to use that one, but it's too big if printed directly from a web browser, so do a screen shot of it and print it smaller after pasting it into a Word doc, a graphics editing program (PaintShopPro / Photoshop), etc.

... and old/MIA bugs don't have to go to the graveyard anymore, they can (and should) go to the unknown location which is now an option for the owner, on the bug's page.

... and listen to bthomas.

Edited February 17, 2004 by brad.32

February 18, 2004

I have two travel bugs I am ready to release (I am really new to this). Should I tack the TB tag directly to the object via rivets or does it make more sense to use a chain/cable type attachment?

8.4k · February 18, 2004

I have two travel bugs I am ready to release (I am really new to this). Should I tack the TB tag directly to the object via rivets or does it make more sense to use a chain/cable type attachment?

I.M.O. Which ever way is less awkward, but would still be really hard to remove. I am partial to cable. I have never seen one that was riveted yet.

March 10, 2004

Im new to the whole caching thing...in fact, Ive only been in for about 4 days...

My first car (a s***ty volvo wagon) was originally from Midland...but I picked it up from Austin and lived in Houston. By incredible coincidence, I found this out after I started going to college in Odessa (20 miles from Midland). Ive gotten rid of the car, and to commemorate what an incredibly badass (ugly/slow) car it was, Im going to start the keychain I got with the car in Odessa and see if I can get it back to Houston.

Since I know so little about this, what do you rate the odds of its return?

It is a keychain, so is it ok to put the tag on the part where you would put the keys?

How long do you think it would take to make it back?

Is a stainless steel volvo keychain desirable enough for me to scratch the hell out of to prevent its being stolen?

Anyway, any suggestions or random anything would be great...

March 10, 2004

Hey Snoogans,

Did you find that travel bug you lost?

8.4k · March 11, 2004

Hey Snoogans,
Did you find that travel bug you lost?

I lost 2. I found one and it's back on the road. I don't know what happened to the other one....? :lol: I lost the cache that I was going to put it out in. I still hope it's just misplaced, but I may have left that new cache on top of my car and drove off.

Sn :lol: :lol: gans

BTW- Thank's for frontin' me out there ol buddy. :unsure:

8.4k · March 11, 2004

Hey Snoogans,
Did you find that travel bug you lost?

I lost 2. I found one and it's back on the road. I don't know what happened to the other one....? I lost the cache that I was going to put it out in. I still hope it's just misplaced, but I may have left that new cache on top of my car and drove off.

Sn gans

BTW- Thank's for frontin' me out there ol buddy.

This actually brings up a good point.

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #9: When holding tbs (especially more than one) keep them in a central location. Say, a tb pouch or knapsack.

When tbs become separated, or do not have a place to call their own where you will ALWAYS look for them them, they tend to get misplaced, or GAWD FORBID, LOST. Case in point.

March 18, 2004

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #6. Make it a total b1tch to remove the tag. (or be prepared to see a picture of something you didn't send out calling itself your bug. Sadly, this happens. )

I have seen some pretty nifty examples of this. The best one that I have seen so far used garage door cable. I have yet to be able to reproduce that concept and THAT is the main reason that I have released so few of my bugs.

Here is good way to reproduce the garage cable idea. Go to your local home store, in the hardware dept ( garage door repair section) get 1 foot lengths of cable ( smaller if you want ), or buy a length in bulk and cut to size, with heavy duty wire cutters, get a couple of the ferrel fasteners ( usually in two pack ). Cut the cabl to desired length, insert thru tag and item. Insert the ends thru the ferrels, keeping the cable ends just inside the ferrle.Use a hammer, set the ferrel (crimp), crushing the ferrel locks the cable in place. I'll attach a how pic soon. Sf1

March 18, 2004

I have two travel bugs I am ready to release (I am really new to this). Should I tack the TB tag directly to the object via rivets or does it make more sense to use a chain/cable type attachment?

***Sas32 *** rivets are another good idea, for fastening. I haven't seen it on any tb's but, the should hold up. Note: make sure that the snap pin is filed down as not to have sharp points or edges. Sometimes, they snap off out beyond the rivet head. SF1

1.2k · April 4, 2004

Here's my modest contribution of an instant TB tag for bugs. Hope it's useful.

It's an electronically fillable pdf form. You have 3 choices for size, including one for micro-TBs.

Just click in the blank places onscreen to fill it out. Then just print it out and laminate as you wish.

(Requires at least the free Acrobat Reader from www.adobe.com to see it, if you don't that program already.)

May 31, 2004

After reading lots of reply to this topic, I will from now on use zip-ties rather than the chain/latch contraption the bugs come with. I will make sure not to leave any room for scissors, knife, etc......to cut through. Thanx Snoogans.

Shannicat

June 19, 2004

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #6. Make it a total b1tch to remove the tag. (or be prepared to see a picture of something you didn't send out calling itself your bug. Sadly, this happens. )

I find the chain adequate. I cut it to length, snap it, then put a drop of epoxy in the clasp so that it can't come loose.

July 7, 2004

All very good ideas! I have only released one so far, but have 4 more en route, as well as a couple coins......

Will be much more creative and careful with the next ones!

Thanks for the ideas~!

July 8, 2004

Each of our 3 children are going to have their own TB's to put out. They are a block of wood with "Jen's Very Own TB" Burned into it....each one having their own name. The block of wood is about 3" by 3/4" by 3/4" and has a hole drilled through the end to attach the tag. I think this will work :-)

2.5k · July 9, 2004

There was one at GeoWoodstock that was rivited together.. It looked like it would hold up. Too bad I don't know which bug it was or we could check it to see how far it went.

August 6, 2004

So what kind of precentage are we looking at for missing TBs? I've just started launching a few and perhaps am making them a bit too desirable? Why would people steal a bug? Darn rude!!

I will certainly be re-thinking some of my bug ideas to make them a bit harder to mess with. Here I was just worried about the weather durability of them!!

P3

2.5k · August 11, 2004

My longevity tip - don't post in the forums that you're excited that a bug made it farther/quicker/closer/etc than you thought it would. I posted about a bug that was 60 miles from it's goal with 3/4 of it's goal time left, and then lo and behold, it went from one event with a cahcer to another event with the same cacher, and then it was never logged from the event.

August 23, 2004

I have a TB that I did not log for 19 days. I was using geocaching as a distraction from some unpleasant family business. To be perfectly honest, I misplaced the poor thing and now its owner has sent it to the "TB Graveyard". Does this make me a murderer? I think not! I have e-mailed the TB owner and await the response, but what would you do?

8.4k · August 24, 2004

I have a TB that I did not log for 19 days. I was using geocaching as a distraction from some unpleasant family business. To be perfectly honest, I misplaced the poor thing and now its owner has sent it to the "TB Graveyard". Does this make me a murderer? I think not! I have e-mailed the TB owner and await the response, but what would you do?

Did you find it? When you do, log it. That will remove it from the tb graveyard effectively making it undead. <_<

August 25, 2004

My Dicky is appears to be MIA

September 6, 2004

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #6. Make it a total b1tch to remove the tag. (or be prepared to see a picture of something you didn't send out calling itself your bug. Sadly, this happens. )

I have seen some pretty nifty examples of this. The best one that I have seen so far used garage door cable. I have yet to be able to reproduce that concept and THAT is the main reason that I have released so few of my bugs.

I went to the neighborhood "hardware" store, and purchased small-diameter aircraft cable and ferrules to match. I checked at Home Depot, and while they have the aircraft cable, they don't have the ferrules, so the small Mom-and-Pop stores are probably the way to go. You need to have a cable cutting tool to get through the steel cable -- ordinary pliers or wire cutters just won't do the trick.

Here's what the finished product looks like: Duty days

September 6, 2004

Is a stainless steel volvo keychain desirable enough for me to scratch the hell out of to prevent its being stolen?

Looks like your bug is having quite a time...maybe the scratches helped! :blink:

September 13, 2004

Do not include instructions about where you want the bug to go -- this will only guarantee it does not get there. I have a bug released a year ago aiming for Amsterdam, where I was going to pick it up. I made it to Amsterdam / the cache is in Alaska. Well they do both start with A. Another example is a cache aiming for Niagara Falls -- it quickly went to California where I think it was taken by aliens and probed on their spacecraft. Just say you want it to travel in random directions and it will be more likely to arrive where you want it to.

Snoogans' Tb Longevity Clinic

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