Leave Nothing, Take Nothing?

[crios2]

I'm new to geocaching and would like to go find my first cache today. The only problem is that I don't have any small items to trade yet. I'm going to start scrounging around the house to find stuff but as of yet don't really have anything that I think would be "cool." Is it okay if I go out caching, find one, sign the logbook, post it to geocaching.com but leave nothing and take nothing?

I tried searching the forums for this topic but didn't find anything.

 

Thanks

Chris

Edited June 29, 2004 by crios2

[GrandpaCannon]

Some very active cachers are in the sport just for the hunt and rarely if ever trade items. Go for it and have fun.

[+forman]

Hi Chris,

 

If you notice in some posts, TNLN= took nothing, left nothing. Do not worry about it. If you find a T.B. = Travel Bug, there is a number on it and on the left side of the main Geo pager is where you log the number.

 

Go find some caches, Don

[+Team DEMP]

Personally, I think most folks would rather you Took Nothing, Left Nothing, then go scrounging around the house looking for something you don't want to leave in the cache.

 

Most definitely just signing the log is all you really need to do. If you don't want to trade trinkets, consider trading/leaving Where's George dollars in the cache.

 

Might be best to look through a few caches to see what folks in your area leave and then go out and get similar items in case you want to trade in the future. Just remember, the motto is Trade Up or Trade Even which means you should take out an item and replace it with one of your items for the same or higher value.

 

David

[+FarSideX]

I recently stopped trading items. I still do from time to time but most of the time I don't. When I was trading items and found a cache full of junk I would either stock it up a bit or log TNLN if I didn't have anything to add to it. Now I don't even note a TNLN in my logs as many of them on a cache usually means that the cache is in need of decent traders which isn't always why I didn't trade.

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

TNLN is very common, it's what I do.

[crios2]

If you notice in some posts, TNLN= took nothing, left nothing. Do not worry about it. If you find a T.B. = Travel Bug, there is a number on it and on the left side of the main Geo pager is where you log the number.

Does that mean if I find a travel bug then I can take it and don't have to leave anything behind? I understand that if you take a travel bug the next cache you find you leave it in there.

 

I understand the trade up or trade even idea. It sounds to me from reading a lot or other posts that most people do trade "trinkets" or sig. items.

 

Chris

[+Team Perks]

Travel bugs aren't generally considered trade items, so it's acceptable to take one and leave nothing, since you're going to be putting the t.b. back in another cache. Some people still leave items in return, but it's optional.

 

I've never traded. I don't care for much of the stuff in the caches, and I prefer to carry as little as possible while out hunting.

[+bigredmed]

Agree. TB's and geocoins are part of a sub-game involving moving these towards goals. They don't count in terms of trading, so feel free to TNLN and take the bugs.

 

Bug rules:

 

1. If they come with a card or some other description of their goal, read it.

2. If you can advance the bug's goal, take it.

3. If the bug has no goal list, take it if you want.

4. Log the pickup SOON.

5. Put it somewhere that furthers its goal or atleast doesn't disrupt it too much.

6. Log the drop SOON.

 

The logs are really important. Trading TB's is also sometimes done, but is not a necessary part of the game, so do so if you want.

Edited June 29, 2004 by bigredmed

[+tirediron]

Nothing wrong with TNLN. I probably do that 60% of the time. I like to trade if there is something interesting in the 'cache, but otherwise, I am satisified with the find. Note that interesting does not always equal expensive. A hand-made sig item worth fifty cents may be much more interesting that a five dollar "thing". I always keep a couple of spare packs of "AA" batts, blank CD-Rs and other things for emergency small trades, as well as some better stuff (mini-FM radios, travel clocks) for better trades. It's all in how you want to play it!

[crios2]

One other thing that I wanted to know is if I bring somebody along with me do we both sign the logbook, or just one of us? Is it only the person that is going to post on geocaching.com?

 

Chris

[+Nappy10]

Anyone who comes along on the find is welcome to sign the log book. However, to log a find online, the other person must have a geocaching Username.

[+Mastifflover]

If you bring somebody have them sign the logbook. Who knows when they may want to do this on their own and be able to count it as a find.

 

Edit: spelling

Edited June 29, 2004 by Mastifflover

[+Stunod]

Just to add a little more info. If your friend signs the log book and then sometime in the future decides he/she wants to get a Geocaching.com account, they can back-date online logs to the day they found the cache.

[+piper28]

I just started recently myself, and all I've been doing is TNLN. For me, the part I enjoy is the search, and that it gives me a chance to get out of the house. (Although at times, I feel the log should be TNFM (for took nothing, fed mosquitos). And in general, most of the things I've seen in caches so far I just wouldn't have an interest in trading for (if I really wanted it, I'd have bought it by now).

[+Team BigW]

I pretty much only sign logs. If I am with my child then we will trade items because for him it is a treasure hunt.

[SirPoonga]

I trade once and awhile if I have something to trade as that is how the sport got started. But sometimes I don't. I will pick up 5 cent toy bags from garage sales to use for trading.

[+Imajika]

I usually take nothing and leave something. Every once in a while, I see something I want in a cache but what I really enjoy is leaving an item and looking at the logs after mine to see if someone took it. I just like to see that the things I leave are cool to someone besides me.

 

My hubby always takes nothing and leaves nothing. As long as you sign the log book, it's cool.

[+New England n00b]

I forget my stuff regularly, so I TNLNSL a lot. Also, I am getting poorer, so a dollar here, a dollar there... ugh...

[+2Est8Attys]

(Although at times, I feel the log should be TNFM (for took nothing, fed mosquitos).

You must be caching in Houston! With your permission, I'm going to start noting TNLNSLFM!

[+piper28]

The lansing area had 10.5 inches of rain in may, ever since then the mosquitos have taken over the outdoors. I feel like I've donated a couple pints in the last couple weeks.

[+New England n00b]

(Although at times, I feel the log should be TNFM (for took nothing, fed mosquitos).

You must be caching in Houston! With your permission, I'm going to start noting TNLNSLFM!

Hehehehe, gonna use that... definitely describes todays outing...

[+Cache Viking]

I tend to just make the log and enjoy the find. My kids love to see what is to be traded and tend to leave more than take.

[+Niss Feiner]

TNLNSL Took Nothing Left Nothing So Long?

[+Gizmo & Brazin]

TNLNSL Took Nothing Left Nothing So Long?

CLose. Took Nothing, Left Nothing, Signed Log.