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Ok, It Is June. Where's The Jeeps?


bushwackin' schmo

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Um, this may be some sort of flamebait, but what's the big deal about the Jeep TBs? I was surprised to see two people log visits to a cache near me saying they were just trying to get the White Jeep that had shown up in it. I only take good-looking or unique TBs, and the Jeeps definitely look good. Am I missing something? What's so hot about these Jeeps besides looking good?

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Just a note to say I appreciate all the hard work that goes into the jeep TB contest. It's cool that jeep would lend its name and ad money to support our hobby, and all the volunteer effort is carried out very efficiently. I think they improved alot on the contest after last year I especially like that you don't need a jeep physically in your hands to enter the contest. I'm a long time jeep advocate and a short time geocaching advocate.

None of the included parties NEED to continue this contest at all, so we should all be grateful it's underway again this year. SO NO MORE WHINING. and hopefully it will be back again next year with even more improvements. :lol:

 

My two pennies.

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It's not my contest. Go complain to Groundspeak, Rodale and Jeep rather than impugning the personal integrity of those who gave willingly of their time to assist in the contest so that others (not you) can have fun with it.

 

Still waiting to see your contest photo entry. You *DO* know that you can enter the photo contest even though you were unsuccessful in your effort to find one of the jeeps dropped previously in your area? There is no excuse for not having your entry ready by the end of the month. Perhaps you could post it here. I like looking at nice pictures.

They wouldn't be giving away prizes if this contest was for fun alone and I don't need the maker of an ugly, outdated car to help me have fun.

 

I'll complain here all I want.

 

I've planned all along on continuing to try and find a jeep by the end of the month...out of the, oh, say, ONE that is currently available in an area inhabited by millions in the ONE weekend left. I will put my photo in regardless now that I know I can...

 

head hung in shame...

 

but I am clever enough to know that in a judged contest there will be little room for entries without a TB in the photo. The legal bases have been covered even if not to my liking.

 

As to your intergrity, consider it impuned. If more voluteers were needed to put the bugs out faster it should have been advertised along with the contest on the main page which has been there for months now.

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Lighten up Francis.

 

In my area , they gave out the WJTBs at a raffle at two events . I got one and held on to it for a week. I won it on a Saturday. On Sunday, the caches I found were not big enough for it. The next weekend I put it in the finale of an 8 cache series (had to find the seven to find the finale). It lasted 2.5 hrs in the cache before the next finder grabbed it.

 

And I didn't even enter the contest!

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Cowboy,

A quick search of the 89 pages of MA caches brings up the following caches with White jeeps in them:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...f6-b79179df51c7

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...f4-d2a84d449a42

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...88-a5b292b29535

Lots more showed yellow jeeps, travel bugs and geocoins.

Sure, it's not many, but the event was only two days ago for crying out loud! Then the new work week began and people had to get back to living life. Perhaps next weekend those cachers will get out and be able to release the jeeps. Maybe they'll get out again in two weeks, who knows? A lot of them haven't even been logged out of the event yet. Patience is a good thing. I suggest you back away from the computer, get out your GPS and get outside. You won't find them sitting in front of a monitor. Furthermore, you're beginning to step over the line in your treatment of others in here, and I'll have to ask you to please read the forum guidelines regarding use of these forums. If I may make a suggestion, I would put a watch on the jeeps that are left in the event, and when they are placed you will get an email notification and you can run right out and grab one. You might have to hurry to get to it first, but there's the fun in it. It's a game. Relax, enjoy it.

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Good for you.

 

Unfortunately, the bugs in Massachusetts and Rhode Island have been distributed slowly and poorly.

 

I can do better.

As mentioned in the New England Forums:

 

I would love to hear how you would have managed to get 72 Jeep TB's evenly distributed over all of Massachusetts in a single day.

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First of all, I absolutely love some of the pictures people have posted here! Now for the serious stuff...

 

As one of the Groundspeak team responsible for distribution of the White Jeep Travel Bugs I'd like to chime in with some thoughts on the personal attacks on volunteers in this discussion.

 

For anyone concerned about even distribution of the WJTBs it might be helpful to remember there are 48 contiguous states in the United States, all of which have been alotted a set number of WJTBs by population and cache density. Large shipments of WJTBs were sent to various regions around the country, and each of these WJTBs are to be individually placed in around 3000 caches. Logistically, this is a monumental and time consuming task and requires help from those who are especially familiar with each geocaching community around the country. It's only natural that some TBs will be concentrated in certain areas and spread out from there.

 

Enter the volunteers...

 

There are a group of folks who have proven to Groundspeak that they are trustworthy and dedicated to the sport. Many of these good people have been gracious enough to offer their time and efforts in tagging and distributing the TBs. Some have driven over a 1000 miles to make sure others get a chance to log one and enter the contest. They have volunteered not only their time but also money, and have done so happily for the chance to bring a little joy into the lives of other geocachers.

 

Personal attacks against these folks are personally offensive to me.

 

If you have suggestions for better distribution next year, or would like to volunteer when the time comes, please email us or post your constructive suggestions here. Please tell us what you would do differently because we would love to improve upon the current system.

 

This is going to be a really fun contest, and I cannot wait to see what imaginative entries we receive! I wish everyone the best of luck, and happy geocaching.

 

Nate

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Cowboy,

A quick search of the 89 pages of MA caches brings up the following caches with White jeeps in them:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...f6-b79179df51c7

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...f4-d2a84d449a42

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...88-a5b292b29535

Lots more showed yellow jeeps, travel bugs and geocoins.

Sure, it's not many, but the event was only two days ago for crying out loud! Then the new work week began and people had to get back to living life. Perhaps next weekend those cachers will get out and be able to release the jeeps. Maybe they'll get out again in two weeks, who knows? A lot of them haven't even been logged out of the event yet. Patience is a good thing. I suggest you back away from the computer, get out your GPS and get outside. You won't find them sitting in front of a monitor. Furthermore, you're beginning to step over the line in your treatment of others in here, and I'll have to ask you to please read the forum guidelines regarding use of these forums. If I may make a suggestion, I would put a watch on the jeeps that are left in the event, and when they are placed you will get an email notification and you can run right out and grab one. You might have to hurry to get to it first, but there's the fun in it. It's a game. Relax, enjoy it.

Hello, I'm sorry that I don't know anyof you and you are taking my criticisms as a personal attack. They are not.

 

I am also one of four cachers in New England frustrated with what is going on, your posting of the available bugs in all of Massachusetts proves my point. Try doing Rhode Island too, you'll find the same thing.

 

I am not downing the volunteers efforts. But if the previous poster is daring me I can tell you that I could surley distribute 72 bugs in less than a week. (Was that 72 for the whole state or 36 for eastern MA. Not to brag, but 36 in a day...no problemo.

 

The contest is under time constraints. Do you disagree with me that the bugs should have been put out as quickly as possible?

 

Knowing that people tend to hang on to them for a week or so?

 

What is this event two days ago you mention? The contest started on the 6th...now we find out that some were released in May. I've been watching before since the 6th, wasting my time, while people are holding onto these or drop-logging them and passing them onto their friends and fmaily.

 

I spent two days this weekend caching and setting up caches...climbed three trees only to find out the WJTB had been dropped-logged-taken.

 

I wish more people had the guts I do to complain.

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I've noticed in my three years as a geocacher that events tend to receive better attendance if they are publicized in advance. Also, weekend events typically allow a greater number of geocachers to attend than, say, something scheduled for all day Tuesday.

 

This is why the guidelines for event caches say that two weeks' notice is required. I know that the reviewer made a special and justified exception for WH's event, which he scheduled immediately upon learning that he would be distributing jeeps.

 

There were *lots* of WJTB distribution events last weekend. I enjoyed reading all the stories of the great fun that was had by many groups across the country. WH's event was unique in that he traveled to a number of places, in order to make things more convenient for a greater number of participants.

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But why wait until the 19th?

First:

 

Like many others, I work so that distributing them during the week was out. Even if I had taken a day off, many who did attend would have been unable too due to their own work schedules.

 

Second:

 

It would have been unreasonable to hold a distribution event with only 3 days notice because thats far too little notice for interested parties to make plans to attend. Another issue was event posting guidelines which say events should be listed a minimum 2 weeks prior. I had to ask for an exception to this guideline to hold the event as soon as I did.

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I have to work overtime this weekend. That is the last weekend this month I have to cache before the first deadline (I know about the other way to enter). My only chance is to catch one after work...slim but possible.

 

Being that this is a timed contest, having some pieces in play while others are still in the starting gate is simply not fair.

 

Having so-called "distributors" holding onto the pieces AND, simultaneously, being eligable for prizes, is....just....I don't want to say aanything because they might think I am accusing them...which I'm not. (I'm really just worried about the way this looks).

 

The volunteer profiles I've looked at show very experienced geocachers. I'll never have that many, but I know how travel bugs work, and how people can have a tendency to hold onto them---not against the rules which I believe "suggests" two weeks.

 

WH - why not put them in caches?

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WH - why not put them in caches?

Unlike you, it probably would have taken me more than a month to personally place all 36 Jeeps into caches across all of western MA.

 

This method was far more efficient. and, according to the logs of the event, far more enjoyable to alot of people.

Edited by WH
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But why wait until the 19th?

Would you rather that the event was listed only the day before? What about the day of? Then would you complain about lack of notice? Somehow I bet you would. :lol: Complaining in what I would think most would view to be an embarrassing fashion seems to be your strong point. It isn't a very strong point BTW...

 

Oh and I thank Nate for his thoughtful post.

 

Now I am off on an angst free vacation..... Something that maybe you should consider.....

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Wow! Did I just flame someone???? :lol: Not sure it was a good attempt since it is foriegn territory for me! I only try once a year or so in well deserved situations! I kind of hope I succeeded! :lol:

 

Mods, feel free to ban my posting privileges for a few days if I was bad! :mad::lol:

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Would you rather that the event was listed only the day before?

I'd rather the pieces be in play when the contest begins, or as close as possible.

 

I realize I am complaining, but this is the first this associated with geocaching I have found to be sketchy at best.

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To me, the implication of your post was that you'd need to go to New York to find a White Jeep, since they weren't showing up in Pennsylvania. That is very demoralizing to read when one is working very hard to distribute them in Pennsylvania. They don't just parachute themselves into the geocaches.

Ditto. We put out our first jeep in our area, and within a few days a cacher drove across the cascades for 3 hours just to grab it and take it back to their area. I understand that these jeeps are fair game, and need to travel, but when we are first putting them out in regions, it's nice to let the people in that region get a fair shot for a bit.

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What about those people who receive an e-mail notifying them that "A white jeep TB has been dropped in a cache in your area!" Then they look at the cache page and see that the SAME cacher that dropped the TB in the cache also took it out - meaning the TB was never in there to begin with. The people doing this think they are entering the contest this way - and they arent. :lol:

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Would you rather that the event was listed only the day before?

I'd rather the pieces be in play when the contest begins, or as close as possible.

 

I realize I am complaining, but this is the first this associated with geocaching I have found to be sketchy at best.

 

I don't think you're getting it. The jeeps JUST got sent out, had to be assembled, and HAVE been distributed as soon as possible, the contest goes to the end of the year, you get weekly e-mails from Groundspeak announcing events and new caches and the contest, and it only takes a small amount of time to search caches for jeep tb's because of the handy dandy jeep icon. But you just want to keep complaining, which really narrows down your chances for being chosen for distrbution next year, by the wa, instead of getting out and actually going to find one. Which to me seems like a bigger waste of time than a drive across the beautiful state of Massachusetts to get to one of the caches that holds a jeep. If you could just have patience and wait at least one week for the people who did pick up jeeps to get back out ON THEIR DAYS OFF WORK to drop them off you will find more placed. What's the hurry? Or are you of the 'I want it and I want it now, give it to me' mindset?

 

Since you don't know me, let me introduce myself. Hi, I'm Eartha I am the Groundspeak volunteer travel bug forum moderator. Pleased to meet you.

 

(edit: closed topic at cowboyX's request, but it wasn't cowboyX's thread so it's reopened)

Edited by Eartha
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I will galdly join caleenp in forum jail since my distribution methods seem to have been poor at best. :lol: .

I am the person who chose WH to participate in the white Jeep distribution based on the promptness of his offer, his creative distribution strategy, and previous favorable interactions. IMO he did a fine job, for which he has my thanks.

 

-gpsfun

geocaching.com volunteer reviewer

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I only requested this thread be closed beacuse everyone seemed to think I was off-base and didn't really seem to care. I can understand this...you all already got yours.

 

I have stated before that everything done by the distributors looks to have been according to the rules. Knowing how people act with bugs and the fact that this month's deadline is short, I (and my friends) are simply upset that the bugs haven't been put into play fast enough.

 

If they are just for fun and so meaningless, then why not get them out there so everyone can have a chance instead of having them in the back of your car?

 

Today, again, I tried for the one near me. No luck, and I met another cacher from Maine looking for the same thing.

 

Yes, yes, yes, I know of the alternate way of entering, but I didn't waste my time taking a photo of my GPS in an empty wood knowing full-well that such a photo has no chance in a judged contest. (I submit that no prize will be won, not even a t-shirt, with a photo not containing a WJTB)

 

Again, today, I see an event in New Mexico where more of the bugs are being set loose. That's another 10 or so that could have been found by others.

 

 

I do not want the Jeep, I want a clear shot at the GPS units.

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I don't think you're getting it.  The jeeps JUST got sent out, had to be assembled, and HAVE been distributed as soon as possible

 

I disagree.  The contest has been advertised for a long time as beginning on the 6th.  We have been waiting and watching all month.  They should have been distributed as quiclky as possible...within a few days...instead of travelling around through the "reviewers and their friends" clique.

 

But you just want to keep complaining, which really narrows down your chances for being chosen for distrbution next year, by the wa, instead of getting out and actually going to find one. 

 

I, quite frankly, don't need to be chosen.  You could use me.

 

If you could just have patience and wait at least one week for the people who did pick up jeeps to get back out ON THEIR DAYS OFF WORK to drop them off you will find more placed.  What's the hurry?  Or are you of the 'I want it and I want it now, give it to me' mindset?

 

You're a moderator? If there's no hurry, then maybe the first deadline should be extended.

Edited by CowboyX
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Today, again, I tried for the one near me.  No luck, and I met another cacher from Maine looking for the same thing.

If you're too slow, you're too slow. However, you can still enter the contest if you take a picture of your GPS at the location where the Jeep was found if you were too slow to get there first and it was already taken.

Edited by Jeremy
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If you're too slow, you're too slow. However, you can still enter the contest if you take a picture of your GPS at the location where the Jeep was found if you were too slow to get there first and it was already taken.

 

 

Thanks for playing Missing the Point Entirely.

 

If this contest were a sweepstakes drawing, I wouldn't have any problem with that.

 

However, the photos are being judged.

Edited by CowboyX
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If you're too slow, you're too slow. However, you can still enter the contest if you take a picture of your GPS at the location where the Jeep was found if you were too slow to get there first and it was already taken.

 

 

Thanks for playing Missing the Point Entirely.

 

If this contest were a sweepstakes drawing, I wouldn't have any problem with that.

 

However, the photos are being judged.

I'm not sure if you are the one missing the point? Even if every single white jeep were out, you still might not be able to grab a jeep. And I know, I know...you would have a higher chance at getting it...but still. :D

 

I think the whole point is if you had simply started this whole discussion in a nice way, letting TPTB know that you were dissapointed, and maybe volunteer yourself for next year, the whole thing might have been recieved better. Instead, you've attacked a whole bunch of people that you don't even know, involved with something you don't personally know all the details of, and then pointedly said that you knew better than them. I don't know about you, but I would assume that would mean that they will not listen to any of your opinions.

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Oh, I don't know about that... I would be willing to bet that "Add CowboyX to the group of volunteer Jeep contest distributors" occupies a place on the Groundspeak "to do list." It's probably right below "Add a comprehensive statistics function to facilitate competitive geocaching." :D

Edited by The Leprechauns
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If you're too slow, you're too slow. However, you can still enter the contest if you take a picture of your GPS at the location where the Jeep was found if you were too slow to get there first and it was already taken.

 

 

Thanks for playing Missing the Point Entirely.

 

If this contest were a sweepstakes drawing, I wouldn't have any problem with that.

 

However, the photos are being judged.

Maybe you should consider not short-selling your own creativity.

 

As I recall, last year's photo contest winners put creative efforts in their entries, and ALL the submitted photos were available for viewing by those interested. Volunteer approvers and people responsible for distributing them were not in the names of winners - someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I thought fairness was a concern for the sweepstakes, where the process is as random as possible for that purpose?

 

The photo contest is definitely subjective, like the exhibits in the Louvre and any other forms of creative expression. However, if the winners are chosen in a way similar as last year's contest, then the non-judges will have the opportunity to judge the judges, so I doubt there will be unreasonable bias as you suspect there might be.

 

I'll even give you a little tip for your contest entry. You can take a photo of a full-size Jeep on your way to a cache, and call it "Ugly, Obsolete, but Functional" and simultaneously express your dislike for the vehicle and appease to the sponsor of the contest. (Bonus points if the Jeep is Yellow, near a construction site, or a point of origin) :D

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I spent two days this weekend caching and setting up caches...climbed three trees only to find out the WJTB had been dropped-logged-taken. 

The way that this is worded makes it sound like a single person dropped it, logged it, and took it back out, but it doesn't look like that was the case. Reading the logs, it appears that someone dropped it, someone else saw it show up in the cache listing, and raced out to get it.

 

Interestingly enough, though, while you were climbing the trees in "Up There?" on June 19, there was another WJTB ("Lacyann") in a cache just a couple of miles away ("Feeling Impaired?"), which had been there since the 18th. I was watching that bug, and it sat there untouched for four whole days... I finally went and picked it up this morning, but it was up for grabs for quite a while.

 

It'll be dropped in another cache tomorrow.

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CowboyX,

You have commandeered two threads now with your complaints about how the contest is run. WH and all of the volunteers have done a fine job. And you are still sitting at your computer wishing you had a Jeep TB. I hope you do not really expect to be called next year to help with distribution if indeed there is another contest. You have way too much angst going on here. Your wish to win a GPS for your friend is admirable, but your incessant complaining and saying you could do better is a bit irritating. WH did just fine with his distribution of WJTB's in MA. So go get one. You could have had one by now. If you say you can drop of 72 in one day, then you certainly could go pick up just one. Now I think we have all heard all you have to say on the subject and I'm sure no one will shoot me for closing this thread for real this time.

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