A place for missing Travel Bugs?

[+Scott 45N]

When a Travel Bug goes missing (sadly, apparently, a common occurrence), where is a good place for it to go?

 

The Bug Obituary thread mentions a (now archived and unusable) Travel Bug Graveyard cache. Sounds like a sensible idea, but that cache (after much use) became inactive in 2006 and was archived in 2009.

 

Sending missing bugs to archived caches is somehow appropriate, but not possible if you can't log in archived caches.

 

Has the geo community come up with a solution to this problem? Leaving missing TBs in their last drop cache isn't right, and just makes noise when you want to find caches that really have bugs. The best (and far from ideal) solution I can think of short term is to send missing TBs to some arbitrary nano-cache. Any better ideas?

[+Scott 45N]

More context for my question: slogging thru the "what should new geocachers know about travel bugs" thread (many good questions, but no answers until post #18 many screens later, then some good answers), I get the impression that TB owners can mark or declare their bugs missing. And maybe COs too? (that's not clear).

 

My question is, what can/should a regular cacher do to move a missing TB to a more appropriate resting/logging place?

[+Lieblweb]

More context for my question: slogging thru the "what should new geocachers know about travel bugs" thread (many good questions, but no answers until post #18 many screens later, then some good answers), I get the impression that TB owners can mark or declare their bugs missing. And maybe COs too? (that's not clear).

 

My question is, what can/should a regular cacher do to move a missing TB to a more appropriate resting/logging place?

 

The TB owner is the only person who can MARK AS MISSING. This is part of the TB's webpage/edit capabilities.

 

The only thing a regular cacher can do (and since you don't have the TB code), is 'WRITE NOTE' (or email the owner directly) to inform the TB owner that the TB is not in the cache where it is listed.

 

A TB owner has the responsibility of keeping track of their TB's. Given the appropriate amount of time that a TB isn't logged or appears to be missing, the owner can MARK AS MISSING. You should not log it anywhere else if it doesn't exist there. The rule of thumb is - if a TB is MARK AS MISSING for a year, the owner can re-release it (make a new tag, new traveler, and drop it in a cache).

[+Isonzo Karst]

My question is, what can/should a regular cacher do to move a missing TB to a more appropriate resting/logging place?

 

If it's your own trackable, you'll have the option to Mark Missing on the trackable page. If it's logged into a cache you own, you'll also have the option to Mark Missing on the trackable page, gets it out of the cache's inventory.

 

If you visit a cache, and notice that trackables in inventory are not there, you can go to a trackable page, and using the reference number, post a log "Name of Trackable, not in Cache name, owner, please Mark Missing". Some of the time, this will work. You can tell the cache owner that Name of Trackable is not in cache, please Mark Missing in your log of the cache. Some of the time, this will work.

 

Some of the time, neither the cache owner nor the trackable owner will respond. You can ask a Lackey or reviewer to do it. Cachers email Eartha (this forum's moderator) with trackables that need to be Marked Missing.

 

Here's the Knowledge Book article on this http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=152

 

You could contribute to the suggestion thread on this, to get on the front burner http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=28469

 

Some reviewers (not many) run "trackable sweeps". My other account is a reviewer account. I did for Florida several years ago, when I broke my leg.

I marked missing over 60% of all trackables in the state. I'd guess that at least another 10 - 15% were missing, but there was no definitive log to make that call.

 

It's ungodly tedious to do trackable sweeps. This is why the note to the trackable page is a help. It will often be the log on the top of the logs. Logs about trackables on cache pages are buried, and generally generic - ie "bug not in cache"... which bug?

Edited July 27, 2013 by Isonzo Karst

[+Bear and Ragged]

The TB owner is the only person who can MARK AS MISSING. This is part of the TB's webpage/edit capabilities.

 

A Cache Owner (if the TB is shown as in thier cache) can also mark a TB as Missing.

[+The Blorenges]

When a Travel Bug goes missing (sadly, apparently, a common occurrence), where is a good place for it to go?

 

 

As the others have described, there is a place for them to go - it's the strange, desolate land called "Unknown location".

 

If they manage to escape across its barren frontiers and are subsequently found in a cache somewhere, sometime, then the finder can bring them back into play by using their tracking number. Some manage to re-appear after many, many years of absence.

 

MrsB

[+Walts Hunting]

First welcome to this very addictive hobby. The issue you raised comes up at least once a week and the answer is always the same. Pretty much don't get your knickers in a bunch over this.

[+The Blorenges]

First welcome to this very addictive hobby. The issue you raised comes up at least once a week and the answer is always the same. Pretty much don't get your knickers in a bunch over this.

 

You forgot to mention the alcohol and the ribeye...

 

MrsB

[+Walts Hunting]

Mrs B you are probably on a mobile device that doesn't show my signature. Although tonight it is Chocolate Rouge (a flavorful red wine) in Seaside California where I am enjoying 62 degree temperature while at home it is over 100.

[+Lieblweb]

The TB owner is the only person who can MARK AS MISSING. This is part of the TB's webpage/edit capabilities.

 

A Cache Owner (if the TB is shown as in thier cache) can also mark a TB as Missing.

 

Thanks!! Never had that problem in any of my caches...so I never noticed.

Edited July 28, 2013 by Lieblweb

[+Scott 45N]

Thanks for the replies and pointers. So I gather normal cachers should only post logs or notes to TBOs and/or COs?

 

MrsB, is the "Unknown Location" a place where anyone can move a TB? Or is it the result of a TBO or CO marking a TB as missing? Or is it a tongue in cheek comment?

[+The Blorenges]

Thanks for the replies and pointers. So I gather normal cachers should only post logs or notes to TBOs and/or COs?

 

MrsB, is the "Unknown Location" a place where anyone can move a TB? Or is it the result of a TBO or CO marking a TB as missing? Or is it a tongue in cheek comment?

 

Only the trackable's owner, or the cache owner (if it's showing in their cache's inventory), or a cache reviewer, can mark a trackable item as "missing".

 

Under 'Actions' on the trackable's home page, clicking the option 'Mark item missing' (and confirming it) will remove the item from the cache inventory and it will then show as being "in Unknown Location". As I mentioned above, this will not permanently remove it from the game - it can be brought back to action if it turns up somewhere else... as they often do... sometimes months, or years, later.

 

MrsB

Edited July 29, 2013 by The Blorenges