Travel Bug Abuse

[Team Panda]

TB Etiquette is something I've been wondering about as I'll be vacationing up north in August and if I happen to find some, I'd like to take a few TBs on an extended trip and drop them off in caches (old or purpose created) to put some miles on them for the owners.

For those who didn't catch my introduction post over at GC, I'm brand new to this game, though I've been visiting GC for quite some time and studying up on the whole process, so while I think I have a pretty good grasp of the THEORY, the reality is never quite the same, so this thread alone is a load of good information on how folks feel about their caches and TBs.

Just as an informal survey, does anyone here think that gathering a few TBs (Maybe 3 to 5 at most) for a month to six weeks for the sake of taking it hitchhiking a few states away would be amiss?

[Gaddiel]

First of all, welcome to ArkGeo and to geocaching! Glad to have you here and we hope that you'll post often!

As for the Travel Bugs, if they were mine, I'd probably get a little concerned after two or three weeks. However, if you were to contact us, tell us your intentions, and keep us updated with what's going on, I wouldn't have a problem with it at all.

For us, a lot of things can be overlooked if people are civil and communicate their intentions to us. Just let us know what's going on. As TB owners, we would feel that we were entitled to at least that much. From there, we can work out any problems that arise.

Just our $.02...

By the way, you are doing the right thing by asking before acting. That alone says a lot about your consideration for others.

[Geezer_Veazey]

Welcome, Team Panda. You have discovered a great hobby.

I agree with Gaddiel and others in this thread who have mentioned the importance of keeping the owner informed when anything out of the ordinary is happening. And if you had my TB I would prefer that you placed it somewhere besides in a TB hotel. I know there are others who feel the same way, as well as those who don't care. It seems to me that TB Hotels are usually rather ordinary caches near modes of travel. The really innovative and exciting and scenic caches are very seldom the TB hotels. It shouldn't be any problem to find caches to leave them in and other caches where you can pick up TBs to bring back with you, if you so desire.

Where up north are you going? I vacationed in Maine last year, but sad to say, it was the month before I learned about geocaching. What a missed opportunity.

Geezer.

[rousefam]

We would have to agree with most all points made. We have had issues with new cachers not logging TB's correctly, and thinking our TB was gone when a cache was vandalized, only to have it show up, much to our joy, a few months later.
Now that there are TB pages to attach, explaining how to handle a bug, it should help.
We have been guilty of holding a bug or two for 3 weeks, so we could move it a longer distance, which is what most of us want to see with our TB's. The owner was very appreciative that we moved it, as the bugs had been held by others way too long. I have no problem with a TB being held for a few weeks, as it is not always possible to get out every week, based on schedules.
I do not agree with holding a TB for months, keeping the TB out of circulation, when it could be moving along.
The great thing about geocaching is that most of us have a passion and thoroughly enjoy the game. Our excitement is what brings others to this sport, and it is great we have the freedom to express our opinions and thoughts.
Great comments from all. It is inspiring.
Lefty & Roust-about

[Nyteyes]

You act as if it is impossible to find a travel bug. In reality alot of caches contain them. They have the reuirment to leave a bug because its a HOTEL its is a place for people to pick them up. They EXPECT them to be there and if they are not people are dissappointed. If ervyone that has a TB at any given time is elite im sure like half of us are elite. Just have fun with the game. I have 8 travel bugs in circulation and i could care less if they get moved every day. I dont know why we should get all mad at people for keeping them for a perioid of time. Its just a game. And they are just items. lighten up.

[chili36]

I concur with nyteyes. I haven't had a single problem with any travel bug that couldn't be cleared up with a short note to the owner or person holding it.

[Team Panda]

Thanks for the warm welcome and great advice everybody, sounds like the key is to just remember that the TBs don't get miracled there by the TB Fairy, but belong to real people and as such, a little courtesy goes a long way!

FWIW, the whole "TB Hotel" concept doesn't really appeal to me at all.

Thanks again, now if you'll 'scuse us, we're going CACHING!

[cfd29]

I agree with GEO, don't keep a bug too long, if something happens that you can't take it back out, email the owner, communication is the key :P

[Geezer_Veazey]

Team Panda: Well said!

cfd29: Great avatar.

Geezer.

[BACKPACKNJACK]

They are restricted to the "elite" who already have a Travel bug.

You have made this comment in post and logs before but to the best of my recollection (I sure could be wrong here) you own a theme cache (health and beauty?) yourself. There are Travel bugs stops/hotels/jails, Coin exchanges, Trading card caches, Post card caches, Toy caches, etc.
I don't see the difference and just respect what ever the person who owns it wants in the way of trade or listings or pictures and place it back with the same camo theme plus log no spoilers on it's page. I appreciate the fact that after all, it is their effort, their money, their time, and I just get to have the fun. Whatever your ideal for a cache is I will respect it (I always have right?), whatever your ideals are on caches I will respect them, whatever your post are I will respect them too. I'm just confussed about were you see a difference here????? I just left wet wipes in your health&Beauty cache because as you can tell I've been out of health&beauty for some time now
I'm sure glade we have this site to share our thoughts and ideals and no dictators (yet). Right? (PS. I'm like you and hope LongDogs shows up so I can give him $$ for this site)\
I have a TB that is MIA but found it's name in a post and contacted that person. No reply yet but they took more then just mine and logged none of them. They have many logs before and many logs after so I guess they just didn't know how to correctly log TBs. I hope they remember where they left it so I can continue my rescue mission or my email reminded them to do something with it. Hope to see all you guys on the 21st because I've been tracking cachers but have no ideal what one looks like