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Why Are Many Geocachers Unable To Log Travel Bugs?


Highpointer

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Why does it appear to me that many geocachers don't know how to properly log travel bugs? Many geocachers don't log their finds when they find them in caches, and they don't log them correctly into caches when they move travel bugs to another cache. Thus, many travel bug visits to caches are not properly recorded.

 

This is not very difficult to do. I am getting frustrated and tired of continually sending explanatory messages to geocachers to explain to them how to do this correctly. How can we educate geocachers on how to properly log the findings and movements of travel bugs?

 

Ken Akerman (a.k.a. Highpointer)

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Many geocachers don't log their finds when they find them in caches, and they don't log them correctly into caches when they move travel bugs to another cache.

I know a lot of times, you drop off a bug in a cache on a day you're doing multiple caches, and log vs. the wrong one by mistake....

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Many geocachers don't log their finds when they find them in caches

You mean they don't correctly log a bug they've taken from a cache? Are you talking about taking the bug and not logging it at all, or choosing the wrong choice of grab from/retrieve from?

 

, and they don't log them correctly into caches when they move travel bugs to another cache.

By this you mean they physically drop the bugs off but don't log the drop, or they log a drop of the wrong bug?

 

Edit: typos

Edited by cache_test_dummies
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Following the OP.

 

I agree, there are a lot of TB's that seem to be listed on a given cache page for months after they have disappeared into the mist.

 

I have a hard time believing that anyone smart enough to get a job that pays enough disposable money to afford a GPS, let alone learn how to play the game, is not smart enough to bloody well log their find.

 

What is it? Once click, one 6 digit number and a second click? You really don't have to leave a comment, its optional.

 

Before we hear again the "Everyone gets to play the game the way they want" bit and before you folks even wind up, its not OK to not log your TB finds and moves.

Period.

 

Some people like TB's and will go out of their way to find them, especially if they are cool in some way. If these folks are planning a trip in a certain area, they may go for a cache only because of the TB.

 

With gas pushing $3 a gallon, and heading towards $4 before too long, its a significant burden to go on cache trips for a lot of us, especially those on fixed incomes.

 

We need to be willing to be more responsible and think of each other when we move these.

 

Note: This doesn't count the folks that steal travel bugs. These are lowlifes that deserve their own rant.

Edited by bigredmed
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I agree with the OP. There are many cachers that pick up bugs and don't log them properly or at all. Then months later the bug turns up somewhere cause someone finally logs it. I don't think it's that complicated either and it frustrates me to no end. I wish people wouldn't take them if they don't plan to do their part.

 

It has happened with bugs I own (ex. Nittany Traveler). I emailed the "teacher" that had it 3 times before they finally answered me 2 weeks ago saying they placed all the bugs they had. Well my bug and 8 others were still showing as in this person's inventory. So they didn't log it into any cache. They just dropped it into one and walked away. Thankfully the next finder "grabbed" it. Now maybe it can get back into its race.

 

This has also occurred with bugs I have found in a cache and see that they've been MIA for months (ex. Bamageek's Geocoin). This bug was gone from April 04 till January 05 when I found it. Now it looks like whoever got it at the meeting a few weeks ago didn't bother to log it out.

Edited by AtlantaGal
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I agree with the OP. There are many cachers that pick up bugs and don't log them properly or at all. Then months later the bug turns up somewhere cause someone finally logs it. I don't think it's that complicated either and it frustrates me to no end. I wish people wouldn't take them if they don't plan to do their part.

 

It has happened with bugs I own (ex. Nittany Traveler). I emailed the "teacher" that had it 3 times before they finally answered me 2 weeks ago saying they placed all the bugs they had. Well my bug and 8 others were still showing as in this person's inventory. So they didn't log it into any cache. They just dropped it into one and walked away. Thankfully the next finder "grabbed" it. Now maybe it can get back into its race.

 

This has also occurred with bugs I have found in a cache and see that they've been MIA for months (ex. Bamageek's Geocoin). This bug was gone from April 04 till January 05 when I found it. Now it looks like whoever got it at the meeting a few weeks ago didn't bother to log it out.

Two weeks ago I picked up a 2003 Geocoin from a cache. It was listed as still in the hands of a person, although her post for the cache said she placed it. Two unanswered emails later, I simply logged the TB that I found as "grabbed it from..." then did a momentary "drop/pickup" from the cache so the TBs visit would be recorded.

 

--Marc

March 23, 2005 @ 10:08 PM

N40° 46.565' W073° 58.756'

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Some people have trouble reading.

Quite.

 

@OP:

Reason #1: GC.com and the TB eplanations are in English only (even if you didn't imagine so before, it is quite common outside English-speaking countries that people have another mother tongue).

Reason #2: TBs get transported to countries where the concept of TBs is not (well) known, as the local cache pages do not allow to log them (e.g. see this page: www.geocaching.hu ).

 

BS/2

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Some people have trouble reading.

Quite.

 

@OP:

Reason #1: GC.com and the TB eplanations are in English only (even if you didn't imagine so before, it is quite common outside English-speaking countries that people have another mother tongue).

Reason #2: TBs get transported to countries where the concept of TBs is not (well) known, as the local cache pages do not allow to log them (e.g. see this page: www.geocaching.hu ).

 

BS/2

Good point,

 

What I was really trying to point out is that even if they can read English some people just have trouble following instructions.

 

Still including myself at times. :tired:

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[@OP:

Reason #1: GC.com and the TB eplanations are in English only (even if you didn't imagine so before, it is quite common outside English-speaking countries that people have another mother tongue).

Reason #2: TBs get transported to countries where the concept of TBs is not (well) known, as the local cache pages do not allow to log them (e.g. see this page: www.geocaching.hu ).

However, this has been occurred primarily with American geocachers, all or most of whom appear to have English as their first language.

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[@OP:

Reason #1: GC.com and the TB eplanations are in English only (even if you didn't imagine so before, it is quite common outside English-speaking countries that people have another mother tongue).

Reason #2: TBs get transported to countries where the concept of TBs is not (well) known, as the local cache pages do not allow to log them (e.g. see this page: www.geocaching.hu ).

However, this has been occurred primarily with American geocachers, all or most of whom appear to have English as their first language.

Yep, it's mainly American cachers that's for sure. The few bugs I have in other countries are some of my oldest and best logged TBs. So that argument doesn't hold water with me.

 

And if not being able to read or follow instructions is a problem, then the person should know their own handicap and leave the bug for someone who CAN read and follow instructions to pick up.

 

I found my first TB when I had only 10 finds. I wasn't sure what exactly to do with it so I ASKED FOR HELP. It's not rocket science, sheesh.

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However, this has been occurred primarily with American geocachers, all or most of whom appear to have English as their first language.

 

It will always be that way. Even if you could make it even easier to log a TB.

 

It's just the way some people are.

 

You can find a great example of people just not reading in a item I have for sale on ebay right now.

 

I have in the shipping description "Available to United States Only".

 

But still three people have asked me if I will ship outside the US.

 

I have even posted the questions and answers on the auction page from the first people that asked.

 

But still people keep on asking if I will ship to Canada, Singapore, etc......

 

Sometime I feel like telling them I only ship to people that can read. :tired:

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I was going to recommend a tb option, "report a missing tb", if a cache owner checks up on a cache that's reported to have tb in it and doesn't he should contact the owner and advise him of the vacancy. At least remove from the cache, I know there is a cache for tb's that are retired.

Can we create a missing in action cache for t.b. that won't add mileage.

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Well that is one of the things these forums are for and I am a good case in point. I found my first two travel bugs this week. Easily figured out how to record that I removed a TB from a cache, but did not immediately figure out where the place to log them IN TO a cache was. Rather than get frustrated or do it incorrectly, I posted a question here and got a prompt response directing me to good instructions on how to do it right.

 

I use forums on other areas of interest also and find them to be the easiest and quickest way to get things right. On one, I have even become a poster that provides lots of useful information to others seeking answers. Wonders just never cease!! B)

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I was going to recommend a tb option, "report a missing tb", if a cache owner checks up on a cache that's reported to have tb in it and doesn't he should contact the owner and advise him of the vacancy. At least remove from the cache, I know there is a cache for tb's that are retired.

Can we create a missing in action cache for t.b. that won't add mileage.

The owner of the TB, the owner of the cache and a friendly volunteer reviewer all have the power to "mark bug missing" which moves it to "Unknown Location" and get's it off the cache listing page without adding mileage.

 

The option is all ready available in the upper right of a Travel Bug page, when TB owner/cache owner/friendly volunteer reviewer (I would assume as I don't have a way of personally verifying this) is logged in.

 

It's an option in the drop down menu.

 

Not a very well documented or accessible option though but it's there.

 

KA Approver/Reviewer comments on the TB option...

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I think everyone who wants to handle TBs ought to have their own "personal TB" to start out with....log them in and out of caches. Learn the mechanism involved. I know that helped me alot in understanding just what has to happen and how to fix mistakes.

 

If you mess-up your own TB...nobody is hurt, except you.

 

Just my 2 pennies worth.

 

GmC

Edited by Go-mad-Cow
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Why does it appear to me that many geocachers don't know how to properly log travel bugs?  Many geocachers don't log their finds when they find them in caches, and they don't log them correctly into caches when they move travel bugs to another cache.  Thus, many travel bug visits to caches are not properly recorded.

 

This is not very difficult to do.  I am getting frustrated and tired of continually sending explanatory messages to geocachers to explain to them how to do this correctly.  How can we educate geocachers on how to properly log the findings and movements of travel bugs?

One thing that I do is send explanatory emails to the cacher when I see that they have forgotten to log a travel bug online or have mis-logged a travel bug. I also send a similar explanatory email on how to "mark travel bugs missing" to cache owners who have a TB listed online as being in the cache even though the TB is long gone.

 

Doing the above is admittedly a bit of a hassle and can become frustrating and tiresome. However, sending such emails really does help educate new geocachers as to how to appropriately log TBs. After having done this a few times for different situations, I now have a set of "form letters" which I send when I see such problems arise. Being the hider of a popular TB hotel here in Southern NH, I get plenty of opportunities to send such explanatory emails! I reckon I send about a half-dozen such emails each month. I consider this a small price to pay for raising the "knowledge level" of TB logging in our area. I've also found that those that receive such friendly "TB logging instructions" are also then likely to similarly assist other cachers in the same way.

 

Happy Caching!

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Why does it appear to me that many geocachers don't know how to properly log travel bugs?  Many geocachers don't log their finds when they find them in caches, and they don't log them correctly into caches when they move travel bugs to another cache.  Thus, many travel bug visits to caches are not properly recorded.

 

This is not very difficult to do.  I am getting frustrated and tired of continually sending explanatory messages to geocachers to explain to them how to do this correctly.  How can we educate geocachers on how to properly log the findings and movements of travel bugs?

One thing that I do is send explanatory emails to the cacher when I see that they have forgotten to log a travel bug online or have mis-logged a travel bug. I also send a similar explanatory email on how to "mark travel bugs missing" to cache owners who have a TB listed online as being in the cache even though the TB is long gone.

 

Doing the above is admittedly a bit of a hassle and can become frustrating and tiresome. However, sending such emails really does help educate new geocachers as to how to appropriately log TBs.

 

....

 

Happy Caching!

 

So far everyone I've contacted from this site has been very helpful and friendly. If someone is logging a find and doesn't log the TB, I'm sure they'd be happy to hear from someone with some additional information to help them.

 

I just started recently and my first local find had 2 TBs... I had no clue what to do with them or why they were there so I TNLNSL'd and came home to research it. then I went back with my son and we took the 2 TBs, went to another cache that had 1, so we did a swap, came home, logged each one in sequence and now have 2 TBs to move on... just as soon as we find a cache big enough! The last two were micros (and one of them was DNF).

 

I think my son is more facinated with the TBs than just geocaching. The Earthcache we found didn't impress him at all.

 

I saw someone had their own TB that they drop and grab in each cache they go to. So I just ordered some tags so we can do that with one of them and my son is working on his own TB story and goal.

 

Great bonding opportunity, for sure.

 

It figures my first find was 2.519 a gallon... and then 3.099 the very next day! Great timing.

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I saw someone had their own TB that they drop and grab in each cache they go to.  So I just ordered some tags so we can do that with one of them and my son is working on his own TB story and goal.

I have a Geocoin that I log into each cache I find and event that I go to. Someday it'll be nice to see the full number of miles that I travel for caching, but it also gives me an easy way to see an overview of where I've been.

 

Here's the link in case you're interested in seeing it, I simply post the next number chronologically.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=145583

 

--Marc

September 15, 2005 @ 5:43 PM

N40° 46.565' W073° 58.756'

Edited by SilverMarc
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One current theory around Wisconsin is that newbies are picking up TBs without knowing what they are, and not logging them, and then wandering off to other activities with the TBs laying around the house somewhere.  So, they are in TB hell.

This also happens in Arizona. I found this example this evening while logging today's cache findings. Here is a geocaching team that found one cache on May 28 of this year, took the travel bug, and never logged their travel bug finding and have yet to find another cache. Their last visit to Geocaching.com was over three months ago.

 

Here is the log entry that I made today for this cache, Big & Easy in Paradise Valley, AZ:

 

Highpointer's log entry

 

Here is the only log entry by this new geocaching team, that took the travel bug Buzz USA and completely dropped out of geocaching shortly afterward:

 

Log entry of short-lived geocaching team (they wrote their names as "Crystal and Mike" in the logbook)

 

What can we do, as experienced geocachers, to encourage new geocachers to practice geocaching responsibly? What can we do to prevent travel bugs from becoming lost in this way?

 

Ken Akerman (a..k.a. Highpointer)

Edited by Highpointer
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Following the OP.

 

I agree, there are  a lot of TB's that seem to be listed on a given cache page for months after they have disappeared into the mist.

 

I have a hard time believing that anyone smart enough to get a job that pays enough disposable money to afford a GPS, let alone learn how to play the game, is not smart enough to bloody well log their find.

 

What is it?  Once click, one 6 digit number and a second click?  You really don't have to leave a comment, its optional.

 

Before we hear again the "Everyone gets to play the game the way they want" bit and before you folks even wind up, its not OK to not log your TB finds and moves.

Period.

 

Some people like TB's and will go out of their way to find them, especially if they are cool in some way.  If these folks are planning a trip in a certain area, they may go for a cache only because of the TB. 

 

With gas pushing $3 a gallon, and heading towards $4 before too long, its a significant burden to go on cache trips for a lot of us, especially those on fixed incomes. 

 

We need to be willing to be more responsible and think of each other when we move these.

Boy can I relate to the above quote. As a cacher that has always found the TB's a real fun thing to chase, and 937 TB's found. This lack of logging is very troublesome.

 

Although through the years I have developed some methods to help preserve the gas. But I agree, how difficult can it be to log TB's.

 

Now before the newbies get upset. I'll give you a free ride. Newbies deserve a free ride for a while. We were all there in the begining, but after a while the free ride ends.

 

Here's a prime example of a free ride ending. Here's a cacher idahowolfpack that built his profile on 22-July-2004 and in his profile proudly announces that they are "Engineers". I would say that takes considerable higher education to reach that point in life. And now they have a registered profile that is nearly fourteen months old. They just picked up their first TB. They proudly logged the fact in the cache log. But never logged the TB into their possession. I see this all the time.

 

It's sad that we live in such a highly educated nation, and have such a tough time playing a simple game.

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We will usually only pick up a TB if we are traveling outside of our area as we see no point in moving a TB just 2 miles. I also like to go back and look at the logs for TBs that we have helped along the way, I like to see if they've reached their goals or what adventures they've had along the way (we don't have any TBs of our own).

 

The other day I saw the log of a TB we helped out and I was very disappointed to see the people who found it right after we placed it typed the TB number in their cache log! I emailed the TB owner to let him know that the TB number is now out for all to see. I hope to see the logs edited soon.

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We will usually only pick up a TB if we are traveling outside of our area as we see no point in moving a TB just 2 miles. 

 

If you see one of ours in a cache, feel free to move it just two miles if you want to... I'd rather have someone move a bug of ours two miles and include an interesting log or pictures, rather than move it 3000 miles with just a "Got it, will move along" note. Pictures are always fun for TB owners (and watchers), regardless of how short or long the distance traveled was.

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Why not put the travel bugs at the top of the page you fill out for logs so cachers will notice them? When filling out a log for a cache site, question number 1 should be, 'Did you pick up one of these travel bugs? Click Here.' Same type of question for dropping off. You would still need the tracking number to pick up. I agree that it isn't that difficult now, but some people need it to be easier.

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Have recently been exchanging emails through geocaching.com with a cacher that has practically perfected the art of travel bugs, his ID is tommytrojan. tommy sends an email to everyone who picks up a travel bug, and he seems to almost always be sitting at his computer!

 

It's been my pleasure to help his bugs travel around Southern California. He attaches laminated tag-like cards to each bug with the bugs exact mission. That way, if you pick one up, you can read it's mission before you leave the cache to determine if you want to follow through with the trade. tommytrojan has over 400 TB's in circulation and his excitement for the variation of this game has encouraged me to pick up several more. Although I don't attach tags like tommy does, I have tried to make my TB missions less specific and more about just having caching fun.

 

The kicker is simply from the beginning of this thread, how do we educate both new and old timers on how to log the TB's? Maybe having an easier pick up when you're logging your find?

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Thank you for the advice. Earlier in the day, I had sent another brief & friendly reminder to RClan, and a few minutes after I posted my last note, they responded to me. I sent them information to explain how to log the travel bugs, and they did that. Thank you to RClan for your reply and for properly logging the travel bugs.

Edited by Highpointer
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Some people just give up geocaching.. computers crash, health's change, floods happen. Who knows. Some people just lose interest, so they probably don't really care what happens to the TBs. Maybe they keep them... and some day they'll show up somewhere.

 

There's one listed as being in a cache locally, I emailed the person who said they dropped it off, never heard back.. what can ya do?

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What do you recommend that I do in order to find the identity of RClan?

Once I tried to email a cacher who had had one of our bugs for six or eight months. Mail bounced back as undeliverable. I decided to look at the very first cache he had ever found -- occasionally a first-timer's log will say "cacher xyz brought us out to introduce us to the game". I was lucky, and there was such an entry, so I was able to contact the cacher's father, who in turn contacted the son.

 

And it looks like you might have similar luck: I looked at RClan's first log, and they, too were taken out by another cacher (a relative) for their first hunt. Try contacting garmini to help you get in touch with RClan.

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What do you recommend that I do in order to find the identity of RClan?

Once I tried to email a cacher who had had one of our bugs for six or eight months. Mail bounced back as undeliverable. I decided to look at the very first cache he had ever found -- occasionally a first-timer's log will say "cacher xyz brought us out to introduce us to the game". I was lucky, and there was such an entry, so I was able to contact the cacher's father, who in turn contacted the son.

 

And it looks like you might have similar luck: I looked at RClan's first log, and they, too were taken out by another cacher (a relative) for their first hunt. Try contacting garmini to help you get in touch with RClan.

Awesome idea!!

Thanks,

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I see many other people are having this problem.

 

So, I decided to check the cache my TB was last in today to see if anyone mentioned it and there's a note saying that someone picked him up today, but they did not log it. They also mentioned that they dropped one off in exchange, but did not log it either. So now the TB they dropped off is still in their inventory and the one they picked up (mine) is still in the cache. Funny thing is that they logged the first TB they picked up correcty but only left a note saying they dropped him off without logging the drop-off. I don't understand the method to their madness. :unsure:

 

How long should I wait before emailing them to see what's the deal? I don't want to seem pushy but it doesn't make sense that they would be waiting to log the TB's after they've already logged the cache find.

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