Kidnapped Tbs

[+Pengy&Tigger]

We're after some advice from everyone. 2 of our TBs were picked up by someone at the start of July, but haven't been placed in a cache yet. I have emailed the cacher a couple of weeks ago, but have had no response. They have found caches since, so I can't understand why they are not moving them or at least replying to our email. The thing that really irks me is that one of them is in a race and has now fallen way behind.

 

What do we do now?

 

T

[+Haggis Hunter]

Not that I would want a name and shame excercise, but if you post the name of the cacher someone may know them and be able to get in touch and find out what is happening. I have had similar problems which all turned out to be innocent, and both TB's are back in circulation.

[+wildlifewriter]

2 of our TBs were picked up by someone at the start of July, but haven't been placed in a cache yet.

<after looking at various logs>... it seems as if this cacher does not like to drop off a TB unless he/she/they/it are able to move that TB for a considerable distance. This (of course) is an error, but they/it/she/he may not realise it.

 

There are no postings from that userid in these forums, so 'naming and shaming' might not do any good.

[+Team Ullium]

There can be various reason why cachers haven't dropped off a particular TB...and no doubt most of them could be very understandable....what upsets me is those who don't log their TB activity within a reasonable time period ... as this can cause all kinds of confusion ... and this malpractice seems to be very common.

 

Lifting TB's without logging it can lead one to suspect it has gone missing and dropping it off without logging it can lead those who pick it up in a tizzy to know what to do as they can't reasonably log their picking it up!

 

I personally have only held onto one TB for any length of time and that was because I was seeking the approval of the owner to couple it's mission with a TB of my own....a simple and reasonable request one would have thought but in the end permission was denied unfortunaltely

 

So much for cachers helping each other out eh ??

 

Ullium.

Edited September 1, 2004 by Ullium

[+Dallan72]

A good example is P&Ts USA Geocoin #1, still shown in Carrock Fell cache in the Lake District, but I know it was picked up from there the middle of last week (25th if I remember correctly) from a log in the cache and it wasn't there when I visited on Saturday.

 

But whoever picked it up (sorry I can't remember who they were) still hasn't logged the cache or Geocoin at least a week since they found both...

 

Perhaps its just a case of being patient if someone is on holiday and can't get on t'internet, but it's a pain all the same!

[+Dallan72]

And Bishops Rock cache also still shows a Geocoin in it, but it had also gone when I visited at the weekend.

[+Haggis Hunter]

There are no postings from that userid in these forums, so 'naming and shaming' might not do any good.

My point wasn't to name and shame but, if someone knew them personally they could let them know, even more important if they don't frequent the forums as they obviously don't realise.

[+wildlifewriter]

if someone knew them personally they could let them know, even more important if they don't frequent the forums as they obviously don't realise.

Abso-cachein-lutely. That's what forums are for. (Aren't they?)

So... anybody have a contact for this lot ?

[+wildlifewriter]

Since posting the last, I have also discovered that this same person or persons is responsible for the duff holiday cache GCJWQY in Ireland.

 

Clearly clueless in more ways than one.

[+MarkGPX]

Since posting the last, I have also discovered that this same person or persons is responsible for the duff holiday cache GCJWQY in Ireland.

As they clearly state in the description that they placed the cache while on holiday, how did it ever get past the reviewers?

[SlytherinAlex]

It does appear that many of the caches in that part of Ireland are vacation caches.

 

Maybe Klaus could go and track this one down.

[+wildlifewriter]

Right off topic now, this is. My fault.

 

Time for a new thread, methinks...

[Big Black Bunny]

"There are often a lot of threads that mention that people do not receive or reply to email requests. Spam filters may be to blame, but I have noticed that email's from Groundspeak/Geochaching sometimes have an odd set of characters at the begining of the subject line and others do not. See below two watch list notification I received today.

 

<noreply@geocaching.com> [LOG] Watchlist: Boneychest & Catsuey retrieved Lubber Grasshopper (Travel Bug Dog Tag) from Enigma: Mission 2 - All the King's men

 

<noreply@geocaching.com> =?iso-8859-1?Q?=5BLOG=5D_Watchlist:_CAPAR_found_Hey_Dude_Where's_My_Car?= =?iso-8859-1?Q?_=28Keys=29_=28Traditional_Cache=29?=

 

as you can see the second email would appear at first glance to be spam but is in fact a legitimate watchlist email.

 

The odd characters do not show up when the email is read in outlook express but they are there on the mail server and may cause a spam filter to block the message. It seems to happen more with older caches and members with older accounts.

Maybe those with greater know how can explain this and perhaps change things so that this stops happening. "

 

I have posted this before but it still seems that many forum posts mention that their emails do not seem to get through or of course they could just be ignoring you

[+roolku]

but I have noticed that email's from Groundspeak/Geochaching sometimes have an odd set of characters at the begining of the subject line and others do not.

These odd characters are in fact subject lines encoded according to rfc1342 (http://www.cse.ohio-state.edu/cgi-bin/rfc/rfc1342.html). This encoding is required if the text contains special characters (e.g. umlauts) which are not in the us-ascii charset. "Proper" email clients will correctly interpret them so they should be invisble to the ordinary user. They should not be associated with spam, as that could potentially discard any email from e.g. Germany.

 

Roolku

Edited September 3, 2004 by roolku

[Big Black Bunny]

Thanks for the explanation Roolku that does make sense. (a bit more bedtime reading to do)

 

Maybe members email addresses should be re-verified every 3-6 months before they are allowed to log any more finds. This would keep contact details up to date. Premium members could be excused as another perk for those who pay.

 

This would mean yet more work for the sys/admins but if it helps to prevent things going awry it could be worth it.

[+DomHeknows]

Abso-cachein-lutely. That's what forums are for. (Aren't they?)

hey - nowt to do with me!

[markandlynn]

if someone knew them personally they could let them know, even more important if they don't frequent the forums as they obviously don't realise.

Abso-cachein-lutely. That's what forums are for. (Aren't they?)

So... anybody have a contact for this lot ?

Yes i do at present have thier email adress, i also have an email from them.

[+Pengy&Tigger]

Yes i do at present have thier email adress, i also have an email from them.

Is there any way you could give them a nudge for us? I have emailed them a couple of times via their profile, but as they don't reply I have no idea if the emails are getting through via that email address.

 

T

[markandlynn]

email me directly please shall pass on details see irish cache post for details etc ta

[+harrogate hunters]

As one of the TB's is in a race, as instigator of the race, and its within the rules, I have already communicated with P&T as to an outcome if the TB does not appear...

 

At least that is one solution.... not the best, we never live TB's disappearing , but at least one answer.

 

Harrogate Hunters

[+minstrelcat]

A thought - they seem to be keeping an eye on the logs for their cache, so if the -email doesn't bear fruit you could post a note on the cache page.

 

Lisa

[SlytherinAlex]

email me directly please shall pass on details see irish cache post for details etc ta

After the trouble you went to in order to find the cache I'm amazed at the addition to the cache description that has been added to the cache page recently.

 

"I WILL REPEAT THIS- IT IS ON THE DINGLE WAY, THERE IS NO NEED TO STRAY INTO FIELDS TO FIND THIS SOME PREVIOUS CACHERS HAVEN'T DONE THIS AND THEREFORE HAVEN'T FOUND IT"

 

So the previous "not finds" were because people went off the Dingle Way. Nothing at all to do with the fact that the coordinates are out by 0.33 miles.

[markandlynn]

A thought - they seem to be keeping an eye on the logs for their cache, so if the -email doesn't bear fruit you could post a note on the cache page.

 

Lisa

Yes they must be keeping an eye on the cache as the sent me an email about my log it did not say thank you it was not niceat all.

The caretaker who was also unable to find (he was next to field on a path 0.33 miles away i believe ) has emailed and thanked me. He also read all my other logs and passed comment on his caches i had visited. Really nice touch

[+wildlifewriter]

And, (of course) the co-ords at the top of the cache page are STILL wrong.

 

"Clueless in uno, clueless in omibus" - as you'll often hear folks saying in Co. Kerry...

[+MarcB]

Pengy and Tigger seem to be jinxed They placed a travel bug in Gold then it disappeared completely!

MarcB

[+Pengy&Tigger]

Pengy and Tigger seem to be jinxed

I'll say. Our geocoin has gone walkabout as well

 

T

[+harrogate hunters]

Dear Pengy&Tigger

 

Any joy yet on your Race TB. I did pop you an e-mail, but wondered if you got it. I did not get a responce, hence this post.

[markandlynn]

I have also emailed you did you get my email?

[+Pengy&Tigger]

Got the emails will answer them when Becky (Tigger) gets home from work.

 

Pengy (Joanne)

[+Queeny]

My TB Alice Cooper is currently stuck with someone Been inactive ALL SUMMER so I have emailed and posted a note AND even offered to pay postage to get him back here!!! Hopefully the person holding him will read this and see how much I want him moving again; I really miss him Fingers crossed its just being looked after but this is the only TB I want

 

Queeny

[+Mad H@ter]

but I have noticed that email's from Groundspeak/Geochaching sometimes have an odd set of characters at the begining of the subject line and others do not.

These odd characters are in fact subject lines encoded according to rfc1342 (http://www.cse.ohio-state.edu/cgi-bin/rfc/rfc1342.html). This encoding is required if the text contains special characters (e.g. umlauts) which are not in the us-ascii charset. "Proper" email clients will correctly interpret them so they should be invisble to the ordinary user. They should not be associated with spam, as that could potentially discard any email from e.g. Germany.

 

Roolku

Don't know about special characters, but I can confirm that HotMail treats Pocket Query emails from Groundspeak as spam. Easily corrected but a bit puzzling at first until I checked my junk mail folder.

[+Pengy&Tigger]

Look like the pestering and naming and shaming worked. The 2 TBs have now been placed in caches. Now to find out who has our geocoin, Grrr!

 

T

[+lathama]

I own 9 tb's at the moment (only released 5), of these 5 2 are definatly in caches, 1 is listed in a cache but last visiter "cudnt see it so placed his own in there" and 2 have been lost to TB hoarders this year. 1 in the UK and 1 in belgium.

I am now realy wary of realsing any more because the system doesnt seem to work anymore.

for instance whats the point of becoming a premium member if you haord tb's???

I WISH I KNEW!

[+wildlifewriter]

Pengy and Tigger seem to be jinxed  They placed a travel bug in Gold then it disappeared completely!

J&B ... looking at the GCHJN4 logs, it's not hard to guess who took the TB. Have you tried e-mailing him/them to get it moved on?

[markandlynn]

I own 9 tb's at the moment (only released 5), of these 5 2 are definatly in caches, 1 is listed in a cache but last visiter "cudnt see it so placed his own in there" and 2 have been lost to TB hoarders this year. 1 in the UK and 1 in belgium.

I am now realy wary of realsing any more because the system doesnt seem to work anymore.

for instance whats the point of becoming a premium member if you haord tb's???

I WISH I KNEW!

Its not unheard of to have several TB's with the same tracking number, messes up the mileage but improves your chances. The TB survival guide in the main forums may help as well. Having said that we followed these guidelines and one of ours got nowhere. Another thing here is that people do have accidents and may be physically unable to move bugs on as happened to one of ours for a while. I have got into the habit of checking if they are still logging into the website or if they have placed caches as a note on the cache pages has been known to help.

Pengy and tigger glad your TB's got moved on.

[SlytherinAlex]

I own 9 tb's at the moment (only released 5), of these 5 2 are definatly in caches, 1 is listed in a cache but last visiter "cudnt see it so placed his own in there" and 2 have been lost to TB hoarders this year. 1 in the UK and 1 in belgium.

I am now realy wary of realsing any more because the system doesnt seem to work anymore.

for instance whats the point of becoming a premium member if you haord tb's???

I WISH I KNEW!

Talking of TB's that get stuck, could you see if you can get your mate Heskey to send you the Manhunt UK bug in the post or something and let's try to get it moving.

 

Having brought it over from the States, it's making me look bad having given it to someone who is sitting on it.

 

a.

[+lathama]

heskey???

[SlytherinAlex]

heskey???

The bug is in the hands of Heskey I thought that it was a friend of yours who took it at the Harrogate Meet.

 

It seems now that he didn't and left it at the pub. I will contact Harrogate Hunters and see what he knows.

 

I won't be trading TBs at Cache Meets any more.

[+lathama]

when my mate came to the pub he was not a member, i had met him for the day (as i knew him from uni, but he has subsiquently failed his re-sits and wont be back next year).

He was going to rejister with the name HALO, but it would appear that this changed to heskey. i have emailed him from the location here and will see if anyting happens, you have to remember though that i am in Birmingham (lincoln in a week) and he is in Harrogate - possibly further away as he is looking for work teaching kayaking

[+harrogate hunters]

It seems now that he didn't and left it at the pub. I will contact Harrogate Hunters and see what he knows.

 

As far as I was aware nothing was left at the pub... I had a check around the marquee and also inside after people left....

 

I will contact the owners to see if anything was left, but I have been up a number of times and nothing was mentioned.

 

and he is in Harrogate - possibly further away as he is looking for work teaching kayaking

 

If I can do anything e.g. visit his house please let me know.

 

Robin (Harrogate Hunters)

[+Pharisee]

Pengy and Tigger seem to be jinxed They placed a travel bug in Gold then it disappeared completely!

MarcB

That's what you get for playing with alchemy.... things tend to get 'transmuted'. It's probably still there.... looking like a lump of lead.

[+harold1066]

I won't be trading TBs at Cache Meets any more.

 

I sent a bug to an event and the person who picked it up still has it 2 weeks now.

 

I know that sometimes people don`t get out every week (I know I don`t) but they have done 11 caches since the event, as its in a race its frustrating to see it in someones hand when they`re out caching and could drop it off.

 

Geo

[+JUSTHEJOB]

Its is annoying i have had a TB in the USA that hasn't moved for months, I've emailed the owner of the cache as it is i a national park and had to be removed. Message back undelivered !!!