This is a summary of the presentation given by Mertat at the February 2008 GGA Meeting. You can also download it below.

Travel Bugs (TBs)

The basic goal of a Travel Bug (TB) is to travel from cache to cache. When you retrieve a TB and would like to help it on its journey, go ahead and take it. TBs are not considered trade items. Make sure you RETRIEVE the TB from the cache so it moves from the cache’s inventory to your inventory. Do this from the TB’s personal page under “Found It? Log It”.

Dropping off a travel bug is even easier. When you log the cache find for the cache you put the bug in, you can simply pick the bug from the inventory listing shown underneath the log entry box. If you write your log and you forget to drop off the bug, just write a Note log for the cache and drop it off in the note.

If you pick up a TB only to find it hasn’t been logged in the cache, you’ll need to GRAB it into your inventory. Then Drop the TB into the cache you found it in (using a note) and then Retrieve it back into your inventory. That way the history and mileage are preserved.

You can create your own TB using TB tags you purchase from Groundspeak. You’ll need to activate the tag before you send out your travel bug. Don’t use anything you have an emotional attachment to – the chances of a TB going missing are fairly high. Attach a mission statement – this can simply be a printout of the TB page which you can easily get by going to “Print Info Sheet” option in the top right corner of the TBs home page.

Remember:
· Trading for a TB isn’t necessary
· Try not to take a TB unless you feel you can move it to a new cache within a couple of weeks – a month at the most
· Don’t show the TB# in pictures / don’t put the TB# in your cache/TB log
· Don’t strand it in a remote or 5-star cache unless that’s its goal.

If a travel bug goes missing but is still logged into a cache, the cache owner can remove the TB from the cache inventory by moving the TB to an unknown location.

Trackable coins are similar to travel bugs – they want to travel from cache to cache. However, trackable coins don’t need a TB tag – the coin has the trackable number etched on the coin. Not all coins are trackable – some are signature items. If a coin doesn’t say “Trackable at www.geocaching.com” then it’s probably a signature item and should be treated as a trade item. Activate, retrieve and drop coins the same way you do travel bugs.

Travel_Bugs.pdf (22 Kb, 35 downloads) Travel Bug Guidelines