+Bahamadiver Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 I am new to the sport and have fallen in love with geocache-topia. My wife and I were hit by a drunk driver 2 years ago on our motorcycle and almost killed. I want to place a cache at the scene of the crash (weird little rhyme) and put a travel bug attached to an exact replica of the bike we were on, hoping that it can continue along highways and to events that we can no longer do. Would it be out of line to give details of the accident and ask people to share their horror stories that have turned to success like ours? Thanks for the input. Quote Link to comment
+Milbank Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 Would it be out of line to give details of the accident and ask people to share their horror stories that have turned to success like ours? I don't think it would be out of line. Sounds like a cool idea to me. Quote Link to comment
+AuntieWeasel Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 No, not at all. People get a little stranger with TB's than with other parts of the game, I think, and no one seems to get all that bothered. Glad you made it. Quote Link to comment
HIPS-meister Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 ... ... ... Uh, yeah. Glad you made it! I think it's a good idea and maybe it could help in healing. I have a friend who can no longer travel due to medical reasons; we send her postcards. She tells all of her many friends about the places she's getting postcards from, and plots each location carefully on maps and reads all about them on the web. Perhaps, through the travel-bug, you can do the same. The question of putting a cache at the crash site ... (and it is so-o-o much better than having to put crosses there!) ... would of course be a question of safety. Is this a location that members of the public can safely reach. Would the state DOT have any issues with people stopping there. And so on. If the location clearly "works," then go ahead and do that. Otherwise, the TB idea is definitely a good one. And ... ummm... you two take care of yourselves! Quote Link to comment
+Bahamadiver Posted April 5, 2005 Author Share Posted April 5, 2005 (edited) Thanks for the kind thoughts. I just ordered my first set of 8 tags to get started. The recovery has been a long and hard battle for my wife and I both. She is going in for yet another surgery on her knee and femur tomorrow (this makes three just on this knee). This new found sport has been wonderful and the people I have met and spoken with (such as you guys) have been enlightening. I have riden sport bikes my entire life, even raced for a few years, but the last few years were the worst. I buried 8 friends in 3 years and saw countless others severely injured, so it was time to move on. Below are some shots of what happened and where I want to place the cache. But that also makes the site safe as we were thrown 100 feet over a guardrail then 100 feet down a mountain....so it should be far enough from the road as to be no danger! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/yel.../Crash/0004.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/yel.../Crash/0017.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/yel.../Crash/0013.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/yel.../Crash/0023.jpg Thanks again for the support! Edited April 5, 2005 by Bahamadiver Quote Link to comment
+Birdsong-n-Bud Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 But that also makes the site safe as we were thrown 100 feet over a guardrail then 100 feet down a mountain....so it should be far enough from the road as to be no danger! HOLY moly. It is truly amazing you are still here. I think it is a clever idea for a cache...healing for you, and makes people more aware. Not to mention bringing them to a place that is much nicer than some caches offer. I think there is a lot of meaning to it, and I for one would be interested in seeking out a cache like that in my area. Good luck to you. And enjoy the TB travels. Maybe you could suggest pictures be taken of it with other motorcyclists? Love the ideas. Quote Link to comment
+tls11823 Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 ...it is so-o-o much better than having to put crosses there... I agree. I don't like the practice of placing crosses - sometimes on private property - to mark where somebody left this earth via car crash. I don't diminish the tragic loss of life, nor the grief expressed by those left. But why do we need to see these markers wherever we go? If everybody's death point were to be marked, hospitals would be filled with nothing but crosses. Remember and honor those you lost and get on with life. As to the original poster's question - I think it's a great idea. Anybody that wants to seek out the cache and post their own experiences can do so. But it's an active pursuit as opposed to pushing it down everybody's throat, like the crosses. I now step down and await the flames... Quote Link to comment
+Eartha Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 I also question roadside memorials, but that's beside the point here. I see nothing wrong with your travel bug idea. However, before you go placing a cache at the scene, ask youself these questions: Who owns this land? Is it public, private, open space, fragile area, dangerous, inside a National Park/Wildlife Area? Does it fall within the guidelines for placing a cache? Did you obtain permission from the landowner to place it? There is nothing wrong with the idea itself, but the cache must fit the guidelines. Quote Link to comment
+Milbank Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 Below are some shots of what happened and where I want to place the cache. But that also makes the site safe as we were thrown 100 feet over a guardrail then 100 feet down a mountain....so it should be far enough from the road as to be no danger! Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 I have a friend who can no longer travel due to medical reasons; we send her postcards. She tells all of her many friends about the places she's getting postcards from, and plots each location carefully on maps and reads all about them on the web. Perhaps, through the travel-bug, you can do the same. You ought to set this person up with a travel bug or two. Quote Link to comment
+zcubed Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 I think this would be a fine cache. A monument to you still living! Being an EMT I have seen stuff like this first hand and know the damage that happen. I hope you both recover and can put the surgeries behind you. Quote Link to comment
koz Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 jeez...i was just going to recharge my suzuki's battery and your photos kinda took the wind out of my sails...i've only broken a few ribs on my bike and it didn't look like anything like yours!...glad you came through o.k. and hope troubles are over soon for you both...idea is fine...have you given up riding? Quote Link to comment
+bigredmed Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 I would not hassle someone who found the bug and just moved it. The request would be OK by me as long as that condition was obviously met in the travel bug page. Re: the cache, be sure to put it far enough from the road for kids to be safe. Any drive by cache should be stone cold kid friendly as we all know that kids will be a big part of the cache's audience. Quote Link to comment
+Bahamadiver Posted April 6, 2005 Author Share Posted April 6, 2005 Answer tot he question of "Do you still ride?" No, I had to promise my (then 5 year old) daughter that I would never ride again. I wish I could and I encourage everyone to ride, just don't be stupid like the brand name cruiser riders and wear your protective gear! My wife and I had no external damage from the impacts as we both had full gear on. Bones on the other hand....that's another story! Thanks again for the support and I will get that going as soon as the snow is gone. It is in the forest on public land and far enough away that no one will see what you are doing to visit the site as well as safe for you and your friends. Good hunting to all! Quote Link to comment
+ShadowAce Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 If I can add my piece to the discussion.. I see no problem at all or anything wrong with the TB idea. I have taken more then a good number of 'memorial' TBs and moved them along the way. I love TBs and I like the personalities that can come with them. I would be much more interested in grabbing this TB then the standard McToy with a goal of 'See the world'. Your TB seems to have special meaning and as such it is a special TB. I once moved a TB that was in honor of someone who died before ever getting to make the vacation they had always planned to make. My family and I carried that TB through 6 states and made sure to hit many caches with it to honor the person it was for. Now the scarey part is we never figured out if the powder stuff inside was the person it was for.. Ack@!! As for the cache? Well that is nothing I can comment on because it will depend on the rules and regulations of your local area for the cache placement. If it is in a National Park or Fish & Wildlife area, do not hold your breath on it being listed. Quote Link to comment
+Team Snoopy Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 I have a friend who can no longer travel due to medical reasons; we send her postcards. She tells all of her many friends about the places she's getting postcards from, and plots each location carefully on maps and reads all about them on the web. Perhaps, through the travel-bug, you can do the same. You ought to set this person up with a travel bug or two. That is an awesome idea! Since she has internet access I think it will give her a good kick seeing wher it goes! So BD, maybe some of your good ideas will wear off on me, now that I have your duckie?? Quote Link to comment
+Bahamadiver Posted April 9, 2005 Author Share Posted April 9, 2005 My duckie???? Quote Link to comment
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