MnGCA

HugoBear · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 8:02 pm Post subject: Best places to launch TB's

Any suggestions for the TC metro area? I saw there was a TB Hotel by MSP airport, but was thinking y'all might have a preferred location to launch from.
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-Christopher Columbus
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Pear Head · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 8:22 pm Post subject:

TB Hotels are often not the best place to launch a bug as often bugs can sit there for a period of time, getting passed over for other bugs.

I would pick a cache that is of adequate size, visited regularily, and not in any real danger of being muggled.

Kitch · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 6:48 am Post subject:

I think it really depends on your goal.

Do you want it to travel the city? state?

Do you want it to see a lot of cachers?

Do you want it to get out of the state fast?

etc.
There is no guarantees on anything you can try to do for travel bugs...but you might get lucky to place a travel bug near MOA if you want it to travel a great distance fast.

HugoBear · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 8:13 am Post subject:

I have 4 bugs in the 'TB Wayside Rest' near Hugo that all have different jobs. One could do his job in-state, the rest should be flying about. I only ask as the kids are wondering when their bugs will 'go flying'. I keep telling them to stuff it and get Daddy another beer, but they don't quit. Wink

_________________
Let me not be confused forever.
-Christopher Columbus
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, after a second or so, nothing continued to happen.
-Douglas Adams "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy"

eagleyes · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 3:59 pm Post subject:

I am in the process of writing on my TBUG pages- DO NOT PUT IN A TBUG MOTEL, or any such place where they rest in numbers until picked up- ARGH! I do not like those type of caches at all.
_________________
LIFE IS GOOD;CABIN LIFE IS GREAT

Pear Head · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 4:25 pm Post subject:

Personally I would rather have my bugs dropped ANYWHERE, even in a TB hotel, rather than have someone sit on them for a long time.

I find that if I don't have the time to drop a bug in the near future that I will drop it in my TB hotel because it is quick and easy to get to. This gives the bug a chance to keep moving - better than it would have in my backpack.

HugoBear · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 8:27 pm Post subject:

Your backpack never moves? Wink

I can barely keep up with mine. Just strap it to a 9y/o and let them go.

Is it bad form to hijack your own thread once you get the answer you want?
_________________
Let me not be confused forever.
-Christopher Columbus
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, after a second or so, nothing continued to happen.
-Douglas Adams "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy"

pto · Geocacher Joined: 18 Mar 2004 Posts: 136

fsu*noles · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 7:38 am Post subject:

Er, actually I disagree - I think TB Hotels are a *good* place to launch your bug, and increases the chance of it actually leaving the State...seems like a fair number of bugs get caught in the metro and go 'round and 'round.

Minnesota may be a bit different though, if you poke around it seems like TB Hotels outside of MN are very popular - I know if I travel with large numbers of bugs, I always look for a hotel to swap and hopefully help a few bugs meet their goals as well...and I know other travelers do as well.

For example, check out the Stansted TB hotel at GC7054, near the Stansted airport in London. It has 127 visits, fairly busy for an out-of-the-way cache - but if you search the "nearest" caches, you'll see they have 25 or less visits. Same for the North of London TB Hotel at GCG7BG.

Or for an example closer to home, there's GCH24C "Love's Bug Hotel" in Las Cruces, NM. (I went there specifically to grab a TB that wants to go to Daytona Beach, FL because that's where I'm heading next month.) It too has a higher hit ratio than the nearby caches.

I know in both cases most of the nearby caches are newer, but the TB hotels seem to be the ones the business travelers seek out first, and they seem to last longer, too?

Anyway, maybe I'm biased because I travel quite a bit and I know I look for TB hotels, but it seems strange to hear that TB Hotels don't actually work - after all, isn't that why they were created in the first place, as an easy-on/easy-off way to swap bugs? Just curious, thanks-

-Ken

fsu*noles · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 7:43 am Post subject: LOL

OK, so as I was typing my last post, I got an e-mail from a friend that's coming to town this week. Makes me feel a little better, it's not just me! Wink

---Snippet below---

I am staying at (edited for privacy). However, I will have a car and can meet you at anyplace convenient to you (as long as I can find it on my rental car map). Any food and any type restaurant is fine.

I am also fairly flexible on time. I hope to hit a couple of the TB hotels on Wednesday evening and swap some of the TB's I have. How many Tb's should I hold to swap with you? Where are you headed soon?

Marsha and Silent Bob · Past MnGCA President Joined: 02 Sep 2003 Posts: 6261

eagleyes · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 7:54 am Post subject:

Yes, Silent Bob- we agree with you- we cache not for the numbers or first finds, but to see places locals know off the regular tourist route- my newest cache now up for review will be a surprise to many for a manificent view, so close to a major road.
_________________
LIFE IS GOOD;CABIN LIFE IS GREAT

fsu*noles · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 8:09 am Post subject:

Marsha and Silent Bob · Past MnGCA President Joined: 02 Sep 2003 Posts: 6261

HugoBear · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 9:13 am Post subject: