Rosemark

SWAG It's been around for a long time, Long before Geocaching.. It stands for Stuff We All Get..

I have ran across a lot of Crapy swag, or no swag where I felt there should have been. I have started carrying a lot of swag with me. Not really nice stuff (I'm a poor man), mostly stuff that kids would like. (Stuff for kids from dollar general) I usually put 3 of 4 items in the caches I find and usually don't take anything for myself (except TB's and Coins). I have a mentally disabled Son and Daughter. He is 23 years old, but in development he is around 8 years old. She is 20 and at a development age of around 8 also. They love Geocaching, They call it "Treasure Hunting" When I take them (which is most the time) we get to GZ then they start the hunt, and are the ones that find the cache (Treasure) They love both large and micros, but when they find a good size container, they expect it to have "Treasure" so I know what it is like to find empty caches. I let them have anything they want, but I replace it with several items from my "Swag Bag", so the cache always hase more in it than it had when we found it. If everyone would put more in than they take, my Son and Daughter would never be disapointed.

FTF and 2 quarters will NOT buy you a can of pop from the local vending machine. It takes FTF and 3 quarters... I guess you can put 2 quarters in and sign the side of the machine, then hope you get to claim the soda pop.

Here's a question for you then. Do you mind being called an FTF hound? Do you find it offensive in any way? I'm almost thinking no one would take offense to FTF hound, but it seems some do to Numbers hound. Nope, doesn't bother me at all, I am a Numbers Hound, and an FTF Hound. Thats one of the aspects of this game that I Love, why would I take offence to it?

Well I'll jump in here! I'm a Numbers Hound, and a FTF Hound! I agree totally with the OP, and I am more basic than that. I don't have a real mind for numbers, and have trouble doing even some simple math in my head, but I play this game for the numbers, I take pride in the number of finds and FTF's I get. I have never found a "Lame" Cache, and in my opinion they don't exist. all caches are good caches, as long as they follow Groundspeak rules. I follow all the rules when hunting caches, except, I have been guilty of entering a city park at night. I have been contacted by the Local Police in the parks at night a few times, and after finding out what I am doing they have no problem with it. As long as you treat them with respect. I find they look at the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law, understanding that the law exist to stop vandels, not people out enjoying their hobby. My numbers are not that great, but I don't have enought time to go as oftin as I want to, but I hope to continue to build my numbers. That is the way I enjoy this game, NUMBERS! If you enjoy another aspect of this game, than more power to you.

I have two caches in the same area! GC19WFQ Crossing the Wilderness, and GC19XAH Geocache Jungle. It is about 2 two mile hike to the 1st and than another 1/2 mile to the 2nd from the 1st. The distance is not the trouble, it's the trek. You will be going through Washes, Thick Bush, briar, Swamp, and other rough terrain. It takes about 2 hours each way, and you will be worn totally out. once there, you get a real nice view of the lake that is not visited by very many people, and it makes the hike worth it!

I posted this to simply because I would like a story about a visit to a cache posted, and not just TFTC. If you find my cache lame, tell me so! I would rather read "Your Cache stunk, I did not enjoy the find, and I think you should put more imagination into your hides" than to read TFTC and be left to wonder how you really felt!

I posted this to simply because I would like a story about a visit to a cache posted, and not just TFTC. If you find my cache lame, tell me so! I would rather read "Your Cache stunk, I did not enjoy the find, and I think you should put more imagination into your hides" than to read TFTC and be left to wonder how you really felt!

I have not looked, and am going by my POOR Memory, but I thought the rules say that caches could not be placed inside buildings! Is that not Groundspeaks rules? But you should ask the CO to see if it is inside or not!

This is the thing. TFTC has come to mean, 'your cache was ho-hum at best'. So when a CO has put out a decent cache, maybe something with a scenic view, a TFTC comes across a little off-putting. But as a CO I realize that not everybody who writes TFTC (and nothing else) actually means 'your cache was ho-hum'....or do they? Addendum: If they really thought that a cache with a scenic view was ho-hum I would rather hear some constructive criticism as to why, rather then just TFTC. I agree with you 100%, and that is exactly what I want it to mean when I only write TFTC. i.e. parking lot lamp skirt with a pill bottle, a log that has been full for months, and the cache description is made of a couple meaningless sentence fragments. The CO clearly doesn't care to make an effort so why would I. Often TFTC is completely appropriate for the lame cache and obvious lack of effort on the part of the CO. Otherwise if it's at least a half way decent cache then I should make the effort to write a couple sentences. I have both! all the way from The "Lame P&G Skirt pill bottle" to the "Very large hard to find, out in the deep bush, long hike, thorns and bush whacking" Caches. They ALL have their purpose in the world of caching. I myself like the "Deep Bush Hard to Find Large Caches with a lot of Swag" But as a CO I know that a lot of cachers like the inner city P&G's so I hide both. You should just search for the ones you like, and understand that caching is for Everyone! and cache types should exist for all cachers. But if it is inner city P&G's that you like you should post something about your expirence, and not just TFTC. The same thing goes for the big caches out in the bush. I have one cache "Crossing the Wilderness" that takes a 2 mile walk through the bush, and about 3 to 4 hours to go get, and I have had cachers post "TNLN TFTC". Now come on, they could have at least posted about the hard trek to and from the cache!

Now see, I would love to read a post like that on one of my Caches, It would tick off my wife, because I would be laughing so loud she would not be able to hear the TV...

Though I have been guilty of it, I hate the term "TFTC" I realize that when you go out and do 50 to 60 caches in a day that it is hard to write somethig when you log them. One of the most enjoyable things about being a Cache Owner is reading the posts when someone finds your caches. It is cool to read a story about the find, or even just a cut and paist covering your day of caching, however when someone finds your cache and only posts "TFTC" it is somewhat disapointing! I have been guilty of it myself, but have resolved as of Jan 1 to not do it anymore. I will try to post a story of my caching day, and on some cool caches, or when something unusual happens while hunting for a cache I will from now on try to post a story! What do you post, and how do you feel about "TFTC"

I as a cache owner LOVE to read the posts by those who have found my Caches(I hate "TFTC"). That is one of the main reasons I placed caches. I don't care when they log the find. I only care that they find it and log it, and I hope they tell the story about the find!

I used a meg for several years, and now use an E-trex, and I go papperless all the time! True paperless is where you have only the cords to the caches you are going to hunt, and no other information. You never know for sure the type or size of cache you are looking for, and you never have hints or discriptions of the cache. only the cords!!! Now that is true Paperless Caching, and it will sharpen your skills alot, when it comes to finding caches. As for my logs, I keep a log of my finds, and expirences, but I keep it on file in my computer, not hard written on paper.

Um, no. Stating an opinion is not trying to impose a view on you. Now, if I were trying to get FTFs banned, and trying to prevent people from playing their private FTF game, you might have a point. But I am not. I am simply giving my opinion that the FTF game is bad for geocaching and that I do not want to see it become an official part of the game. This is a common fallacy on these forums; people who state an opinion are frequently accused of trying to impose that opinion on others. While there are a few examples of that, in the vast majority of cases nobody is trying to force something on anyone else. When you make the claim that expressing any opinion amounts to an attempt to limit other peoples' enjoyment of the game, you are not only engaging in a logical fallacy, but you are also setting yourself up to have that thrown back at you. Like this: By calling my opinion about FTFs "hypocrisy" you are trying to dictate what I can say, and therefore how I enjoy geocaching. See how that works? I posted this to get peoples opinions. and tho I don't agree with Fuzzy, I am glad he posted his opinion. I for one am for FTF's being made an official part of Groundspeak. I wanted to see if a majority of Cachers agreed with me. It seems based on the posts, that they do not! And thats ok! I got my answer and I will live with it! But it is wrong to say anyone is trying to force anything on anyone just by giving thier opinion! There opinion is what I wanted. If there is more of you who like the idea, and just read the fourm and did not post, than they are the ones who are wrong! so I am only left to say Thanks to Fuzzy for his opinion.

I wish more people would log DNF's as it tells you that you may need to check on your cache! as for putting them on the stats, NO!!!! that would only make less people post them

Well! I give in, seems most like the favorites the way they are! However! someone here gave me an idea how I can use my points for my own benifit... No one likes the idea of FTF stats, so I will assign 1 point to each of my FTF's this way I can more easily keep up with my FTF's and keep track of them for my stats! I know! Some (alot) of you will dog me for this, but hey, I don't like the way the points are used, so I will just use mine in a way they will help me! Thanks for your imput on this subject!

All of these questions are solved by allowing the cache owner to assign the FTF, and his say if Final! (EXCEPT) assiging FTF to himself. I do not think a cache owner should be able to claim his own cache as a find, or his own FTF to his own cache...

I understand! I have a bit of the Lazy bone in me too! But I believe that Most Cachers that take the time to Place and Maintain Caches are willing to take the time to assign an FTF to there newly placed cache. It is a one time thing per cache, so it's not that much trouble, and Most cache placers are somewhat excited when there new cache is found. I do realize that FTF is not important to all cachers, but it is one of the many aspects of this game that many cachers do like, and a stat would be something that can be done. We should accept that there are many aspects of this game, and we will enjoy the ones we like, and ignore the ones we don't, but we should not be against others from enjoying the other aspects of the game just because we don't. (Proud to be an "FTF hound")

I would still like a FTF stat kept on the stats page. I know the biggest obstacle to this is the fact that the First to Find is not always the First to Log on Groundspeak, so the FTF stat could go to the wrong cacher, but I think there is a simple fix to this problem. The Fix: Do not automatically issue a FTF Stat based on who logged it first on Groundspeak. Have the Cache owner assign the FTF after confirming who actually found it. In most cases the posts reveal who was the true FTF, so it should be easy for the Cache Owner to figure out who to assign the FTF to. I know that on the rare occasion where the FTF is disputed the Case Owner may have to check the actual log, but that would be rare, and not that big a deal! On the times where a group of cachers get FTF, the cache owner would simply ask of the cachers in the group, Which one of them actually spotted the cache, and that would be who he assigns FTF to. Your IDEAS?

YES! I Learned this thing early on!!! Now I carry lots of Swag with me, and add stuff to every cache I find, but rarely take anything, except TB's and Coins. cuz I like to move them along! But there are a lot of Cachers that only take, and never Give. SWAG is cheep if you buy stuff at the dollar store. and it is best to make it stuff Kids like!

of course I am under no obligation to use all of my Points, but I would Like to!!! I would like to use them on my Favorite caches, but I can't cuz it won't let me assign more than one to a cache

This Favorites feature is one of the beat ideas they have came up with in a long time? HOWEVER They only allow us to assign one point to a cache! I only have 3 to 4 caches that I would classify as "My Favortites" I have assigned them 1 point each, and I have 87 points that I can not use because I don't have 87 favorite caches, so I have no real need to earn more points. Why can't I assigm more than one of my points of a cache? What are your ideas on this!

I can download the caches to my computer and put then on a SD card for my GPS (Magellan explorist 500) they download as a GPX file, but I can't get my GPS to recognize the file? Help Please.

Ok! I am not familuar with this fourm, so please excuse me if I am in the wrong place here. I was just given a Magellan Explorist 500. (it replaces a dino from the 80's) It seems to be a nice GPS, but I was finely going to be able to download caches into my GPS... (I thought) now the geocache site says it only supports Garmin... Is there a way around this. The Magellan was a gift, I would hate to have to change it.