wildlifeupclose

Yes, you are definitely missing the point of geocaching, which is to enjoy the outdoors without obsessing about others. Where in my post did I say I was obsessing over them? My post was simple at that. I was not judging them or saying they were wrong. I am not worrying about what others. My point, and question, was to ask if our assumption that this is a leisure activity or do we need to start working harder to get more finds or FTFs. Some who have read this and replied think I am slamming those who have made it a competition for themselves. I am not. Sad how it goes from a simple question to me worrying about others and obsessing about how they play this.

No need to get upset. I'm sorry if my post inflamed you. I was just trying to help. I knew I shouldn't have put the 'changed my tone' part in there. I posted it, and re-read it. I noticed it was a little 'toney' with the "what were you hoping to find here" line. Then I noticed your join date was this month and I felt even worse...so I changed it. The point of my post remains though and I'd just suggest you go out and do it and not worry about how others play. If you see them getting FTF's and think to yourself, "I'd like to get some of those" then great! Go do it if that's important to you. Obviously it's important to them and that's why they do it. That's all. Again, sorry if I incited you in some way. My point of the post was to see how others see this issue as well as to see how others like to go about geocaching. We are not interested in being FTF. It's not why we joined and do this. I just do not understand the race to be FTF and get the most finds. We have spent our first month getting the idea and working on what to look for. Our goal is to begin to go and look for the difficult ones in the middle of nowhere. It's the challenge we are looking for. As for your original reply, forget it. We'll move on.

To GeotaggedBloger Well, that's awfully kind of you to change your tone with me because I am "very new". My point is being proven more and more. FTF means nothing to us. That was not my point. But then again, it doesn't matter. It's all a game and someone has to win. Let it be the other guy if that is what he lives for. I was looking for feedback, not sarcasm or insults. I read your first reply before you edited. Nice attitude.

Response to bolded bit: And they do it for FTF. So what? People do things for different reasons on this blue marble in space. Turns out people are individuales with different motivations. If FTF is important to you then rush out like they did. If not then don't. I see you're very new so I'll change my tone. It's just a game. People play it different ways. If you see a way that looks better to you then do that. If not then keep doing what you're doing. Most of all, have fun. That's the point.

Am I missing the point of geocaching? Over the last few weeks I began to notice (but I am sure it has been this way) some geocachers only motive is to be FTF and have the most finds. I noticed a series of caches placed near me which were placed by one cacher. I liked the subject of the series and we decided to spend this week and next finding them. as I went through the different caches on the website, I noticed one cacher had gone out, almsot immediately, and began grabbing all the "goods" and making sure he/she was FTF on almost all of them. They grabbed 10 caches and was FTF on all of them. They even commented on one log that they were exhausted and couldn't do any more that day. Their plan was to be FTF on all the caches in the series. I don't know about everyone else here, but we do this for the fun and adventure and exercise. do we need to change our plans and begin rushing out and racing to be FTF and get all the "goods" before anyone else? Did we not see this to be a competition before we joined? Is there a prize for having the most finds? What are we missing? Just some thoughts. Anyone????

John & Kathy here. Lurking, but not hiding. Definitely enjoying geocaching and look forward to many years of it.

I'm with you Frito! Why can't we all just Go Caching? ENJOY IT, don't whine about it.

I was going to share my thoughts, but after reading some of the replies to this thread, and how some have replied to others comments, I felt it better to just move on. JUST BE SMART FELLOW CACHERS! NO CACHE IS WORTH THE RISK FROM INEXPERIENCE OR STUPIDITY! JUST BE SMART ABOUT IT!