Followers of my other blog,
EmCache Race will be aware of my enthusiasm for Travel Bug races! That particular race has a set finishing date, but has run into various problems due to a lack of foresight regarding the rules prior the start.
I'm starting a race organised by myself, with the following rules;
1. Only Travel Bug Dog Tags with hitchhikers attached allowed. Reason: Each entry will be equally attractive to viewers of the cache page, and anyone retrieving the TB would receive the same icon. This would stop someone entering an unusual GeoCoin which would attract the attention of icon-hunters.
2. No-one with an entry in the race would be able to move any entry, including their own. Reason: No-one would be able to help their own entry of hinder anyone else's. This would not stop anyone creating one or more sockpuppet-type GC accounts in order to move their own TB along, but hopefully cachers will play the game fairly.
3. Only the first move by a cacher will count. Reason: This will not stop "dippers" from doing their thing, but it does mean that only their first dip counts.
4. All Travel Bugs must have a picture on their page. Reason: So that a "badge" can be made so that the race positions can be easily checked. Help will be given to any cacher unable to upload a picture of their TB.
5. A stolen/lost/muggled TB can be replaced, but the new Bug would start from 0 miles unless the original Dog Tag is found. Reason: Muggling are unfortunately part of geocaching.
6. One TB per caching i.d. only. Reason: No-one wants the race to go on forever, or for the same cacher to end up racing against themself!
7. In the event of two or more TBs ending a month with equal milage, a Golden Move rule will come into play, meaning that the next one to move goes through.
8. Late logging of TB moves by cachers will only be taken into account if that TB is still in the race. Reason: Some cachers take TB's from caches and then months later post logs reading "Found in the bottom of my caching bag" or similar. If this happens to a TB that has already been eliminated from the race, it is unfortunate, but one of those thing that can happen in geocaching.
Basically my idea is that the race would be a knock-out with the bug with the shortest distance travelled each (period to be determined) would be elimated until only one remains. How this would work is that if 10 Bugs were entered for the race and the race started November 1st, and the time period was determined as 1 month, then the Bug that had travelled the least distance by December 1st would be out, then the least travelled of the 9 remaining Bugs on January 1st would be eliminated until just 1, the winner, remained.
So, what can be attached to your Travel Bug Dog Tag? Anything! I've posted pictures of a few of my TBs to give you an example of what can be attached, but the only limit is your imagination, although I would suggest that something small enough to fit in a small container may have an advantage.
