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FTF Folks - Love Em? Hate Em? Just Don't Care?


Thrak

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I've seen a few posts where it seems to really annoy the heck out of some people when a cacher is a "FTF hound". Some folks really enjoy being FTF and are willing to go out in the night or early morning or in terrible weather for a FTF. For some reason that really seems to make some folks angry. What do you think? Does it annoy you or do you just not really care or what?

 

Personally, I don't understand why it should upset anybody but..........

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I've seen a few posts where it seems to really annoy the heck out of some people when a cacher is a "FTF hound". Some folks really enjoy being FTF and are willing to go out in the night or early morning or in terrible weather for a FTF. For some reason that really seems to make some folks angry. What do you think? Does it annoy you or do you just not really care or what?

 

 

Personally it doesn't bother me at all. I have never been a FTFer and if people get off on that then let them go. It doesn't bother me at all!

 

Doc ;)

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There was a local guy that was a FTF junkie. I laughed about it. Of course I wasn't competing with him either. If I were, I suppose I would have been pretty discouraged at times. He had a way of getting most everywhere during daylight hours.

 

I really got a kick out of the races he and another guy would make to new caches.

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we definitely have a few FTF hounds in our area - enough so so that when one of them isn't the FTF, you start to worry that they're sick, or something. ;) Occasionally, JAPTKD and I will try for the FTF, but we generally only go for a FTF on a cache that we'd want to find regardless. With the hounds in our area, the chances are that someone else will get there before you. :D

 

Overall, I have no problem with FTF hounds -- I agree that it can be hilarious reading the logs when a FTF race is on. The only time it bothers me is if you read on the cache page something like "do NOT search for this cache after 11 pm..." (or the like), and then you read the FTF log and it says they found it at midnight or 2 am. That's when I think people are getting a bit overboard with the FTF attempts. (Then again, I also get irked at the 50th finder if they say that they found it at midnight or whenver if the cache page said not to).

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I like the FTF hunt. I think it's just another fun part of the game. But to tell the truth, I really don't give a dam one way or the other.

 

If someone wants to knock themselves out for an FTF, oh well. Just don't get anal about. The problem isn't the FTF and FTF hunt per se, it's the gurks that get their panties in wad about one way or the other that are the problem.

 

Just take a chill pill and enjoy.

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I suppose I should have admitted in my original post that I'm a minor FTF hound myself. For some reason I love to see that empty log. My neighbor who caches under the name of Bobolu introduced me to geocaching a year ago (found my first cache 8/8/05) and he's a FTF hound. Maybe that's what got me started. I'm not fanatic but I do like to have fun with it. Here's a log from a recent cache where he beat me to it:

 

;) July 29 by Thrak (620 found)

It was late - dark - no moon - but........

There were as yet no logs on this cache so I headed on out the door hoping for the elusive FTF. I arrived at the parking area and set out into the darkness. Hmmmm.... my flashlight is pretty dim. I changed batteries by the light of my GPSr and a bit of braille (there are 3 batteries and they don't all go the same way) and headed on down the trail. Hey! What's this? The arrow is pointing up the hill into the dried grass and star thistle. Ok, I'll go there. I trudged on up the hill in the darkness - kind of boboluing my way along. I got to where the coordinates pegged out and, sure enough, there was the quarter listed for stage one. (Two things you can count on with the Have Fun caches - they will likely be tough to find and the coordinates will probably be right on the money.)

 

I clipped my tape measure to my bag and stumbled around in the dark looking for the cache. I remembered what type of container it was but I couldn't remember if it said anything about how it was hidden. Sigh..... I guess I'll look everywhere......

 

After a while of blundering around and filling my pants, arms, and (ouch) crotch with star thistle I FOUND IT!!! I was going, "Wahoo!!!" and pretty much doing the FTF Happy Dance. This would be FTF #59 and that made it all worthwhile!!!!!! I opened the cache and unrolled the log and..... there, on the log sheet, in stark black ink, with a time notation, was the dreaded word......... Bobolu. Aaaaaarrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! There was weeping, there was wailing, there was gnashing of teeth, (there might have been tearing of hair but I just couldn't find enough of it to get a grip). Oh, woe is me!!!!

 

I signed the log and replaced the cache. As I trudged back to my truck I thought of rousting Bob out of bed and kicking his butt. Then I remembered the time we were caching together and he smacked me upside the face with his walking stick. Hmmmmmm..... maybe this wasn't a good idea after all. I decided to settle for the satisfaction of having found a Have Fun cache in the dark of a moonless night.

 

TFTC

 

  • Funny 1
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My caching activity has dropped off a bit lately but when the kids were in school and I had the days to myself (work evenings) I remember chasing a couple of folks around to be the first. I've even bumped into folks at a fresh cache at midnight.

 

I never really had a strong desire to be the first but it can be fun when you are in to that type of thing. When I first started I was into finding all the really old and the stale caches (no visits for 6 months). Now it's only when I am in the mood - I favor the old ones, it must be that musty smell.

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It's fun to watch here in Anchorage where there's good camaraderie amongst the cachers. We've got to the point where we can nearly predict who'll be FTF based on when the cache is listed (am/pm) and which end of town it's on... I understand in some 'geo-markets' the FTF competition gets pretty intense... to the point where a few folks go beyond the tenuous boundaries of an obsessive game and become just obsessed.

 

Face it, for some of us, the adrenaline rush with cache-hunting is magnified by the opportunity to score an FTF. It's one of those experiences that gets close to the feeling experienced upon realizing you've won the race to score a 'wild release' Moun10Bike coin, or when someone writes in their log about the same 'love of place' you felt when putting a cache out in a really special location.

 

Sometimes though, it's just more fun to read the other cachers' logs about the race to FTF while sitting at home in the early morning warmth of that first cup of coffee! ;)

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It's fun to watch here in Anchorage where there's good camaraderie amongst the cachers. We've got to the point where we can nearly predict who'll be FTF based on when the cache is listed (am/pm) and which end of town it's on... I understand in some 'geo-markets' the FTF competition gets pretty intense... to the point where a few folks go beyond the tenuous boundaries of an obsessive game and become just obsessed.

 

Face it, for some of us, the adrenaline rush with cache-hunting is magnified by the opportunity to score an FTF. It's one of those experiences that gets close to the feeling experienced upon realizing you've won the race to score a 'wild release' Moun10Bike coin, or when someone writes in their log about the same 'love of place' you felt when putting a cache out in a really special location.

 

Sometimes though, it's just more fun to read the other cachers' logs about the race to FTF while sitting at home in the early morning warmth of that first cup of coffee! ;)

That is so true Wes. There are a lot of things I miss about Alaska, but the caching community there is special. FTF's are fun there. I got my first one there. And what an adventure it was. Like I said before, it's not the hunt that is to blame for all the angst. It's the overreaction of both sides of the issue.

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I imagine the only people who get bent are those who got beat and personally I have no sympathy for sour grapes. I have few FTF's and I admit it is a little on the addictive side. Once I got the first one I was hot to get another and then another. After 3 in a row I checked myself into a rehab clinic for FTF Fever. MY facilitator says I might be allowed to try for another one in a few weeks.

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For me, I've learned that a lot has to do with the type of cache that I might be FTF on. If it's just another roadside micro (picked up about 8 in one day fairly close to home - no big challenge), then I'm in no rush. If, on the other hand, I know there's a new cache out there, hidden by someone I recognize as placing good, and challenging hides, then I'll go for it. I definitely don't cache at night, we live in a very rural area, narrow roads, few lights, sometimes questionable terrain, etc. I'm always happy just to see another new cache in our area!

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If someone wants to get up at 4 a.m. to get a FTF, more power to him. Its not my bag. I don't care if I'm FTF or F(iftieth) TF. The only possible exception is if I see a cache that has gone several months or more without a first find. Something like that might get my attention.

 

Something like Shelter II then. ;) That one was found after about 2 weeks but a LOT of folks spent a LOT of time looking!

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If someone wants to get up at 4 a.m. to get a FTF, more power to him. Its not my bag. I don't care if I'm FTF or F(iftieth) TF. The only possible exception is if I see a cache that has gone several months or more without a first find. Something like that might get my attention.

 

Something like Shelter II then. ;) That one was found after about 2 weeks but a LOT of folks spent a LOT of time looking!

 

Actually something more along the lines of Melvin's Multiple Madness (11 months between listing and FTF).

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I said I don't care one way or the other, but that may not always be true. Once one of my caches is published, I can't wait to see the first log. Around here there just aren't a lot of cachers. I've done a lot too encourage caching in the area. If I see a cacher that just had their first cache published, I'll go out of my way to be the FTF, not so I can get the FTF, but so they can have the joy of that first log. If somebody else gets there first, so much the better, the hider gets two logs quickly.

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Ftf Folks - Love Em? Hate Em? Just Don't Care?

I've seen a few posts where it seems to really annoy the heck out of some people when a cacher is a "FTF hound". Some folks really enjoy being FTF and are willing to go out in the night or early morning or in terrible weather for a FTF. For some reason that really seems to make some folks angry. What do you think? Does it annoy you or do you just not really care or what?

 

Personally, I don't understand why it should upset anybody but..........

Some people are really into being the first and while a few caches thats a big thing, I mostly just don't care. For a lot of the FTF I think it was more about timing then anything. If watch this the site constantly, or have notices sent to a cell phone and are able to go any time of the day or night, then you're bound to get there first. (unless maybe there's multiple night owls in your area :D ) The thing that really cracks me up about some FTF(ers?) is the logs that are like 'oh whats this? another FTF for me? why yes it is! I am so good at caching...', and the cache is some easy 1or2 star thing ;) . Oh well if that makes them happy :D

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In two years, I have had my fair share of FTFs (112), but don't have a fit when someone beats me. The only thing that irks me is when a cacher ignores posted hours (A park with set hours), and breaks the law in order to get FTF. These people boast about finding the cache at midnight, when the park closed at sunset.

 

May the fastest cacher be FTF.

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I wish the FTF fever was a bit stronger around here. That way, hopefully by the time I get around to doing the cache, bad coords, etc would be fixed and I wouldn't have the frustration of dealing with it. ;) I used to try for FTF, and got a few, but I just never really got into it. Anymore I'm likely to wait at least a week after seeing a cache posted before I go hunt for it.

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I wish the FTF fever was a bit stronger around here. That way, hopefully by the time I get around to doing the cache, bad coords, etc would be fixed and I wouldn't have the frustration of dealing with it. :D I used to try for FTF, and got a few, but I just never really got into it. Anymore I'm likely to wait at least a week after seeing a cache posted before I go hunt for it.

 

Sometimes I wait but other times the fever takes over. ;)

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Don't care. I could easily be FTF on almost every cache placed in this area, they go that long waiting to be found. Guess no one else in this area cares either. ;)

 

That's kind of sad actually. It sounds like folks there don't really participate much. We have some fairly active cachers here and I love reading their logs and seeing them at events and, sometimes, meeting them at cache sites.

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I've seen a few posts where it seems to really annoy the heck out of some people when a cacher is a "FTF hound". Some folks really enjoy being FTF and are willing to go out in the night or early morning or in terrible weather for a FTF. For some reason that really seems to make some folks angry. What do you think? Does it annoy you or do you just not really care or what?

 

Personally, I don't understand why it should upset anybody but..........

 

I don't care. Whatever floats their boat! I can see how it could be fun. One night we went after one at midnight, and got it first :D . Another day I went nearly to where one was and said nah.. I don't feel like walking into those weeds! and someone else got it first the next day. ;) I really don't care and it will depend on my mood. However, I can see how the competition could be a hoot, and I could get into that. Maybe. So I can understand others doing it as well.

 

Someone has to be FTF, so I'd think if someone gripes, maybe it's because they aren't? :D

 

Around here seems people don't put out FTF prizes, and maybe good prizes influences the FTF thing?

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I said I don't care one way or the other, but that may not always be true. Once one of my caches is published, I can't wait to see the first log. Around here there just aren't a lot of cachers. I've done a lot too encourage caching in the area. If I see a cacher that just had their first cache published, I'll go out of my way to be the FTF, not so I can get the FTF, but so they can have the joy of that first log. If somebody else gets there first, so much the better, the hider gets two logs quickly.

 

Okay.. I confess.. we once drove 80 miles to be FTF because no one had hit that nice cache in three days!! It was someone's first cache and I thought what a shame, you know they are eagerly waiting.. it was another 12 days before anyone else went to it.

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Myself and another have a friendly competition going, but nothing SERIOUS. I will let a FTF go if I just "don't want to go right now." Most times I try to beat him just to say I did, and he usually does the same. Would you believe I don't even know which caches I was FTF on? That part doesn't really make a differance to me, but the gloat facter with my friend does. ;)

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I think there are the usual FTFers in every area. I've only had one FTF. It doesn't bother me at all. If those people love the sport so much as to be out there in dark or inclimate conditions to be FTF, I say good for them; I think it shows their dedication. It adds something else to the game and thats one of the things that makes it fun for them. A FTF race is always fun, even if you don't come out in the #1 spot.

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We have a few serious FTF hounds around here. Some of them are retired and can go caching anytime, and one fellow has a job that takes him all over town in a vehicle that is wired for geocaching. They are competitive with each other in a friendly way, and it's fun to read their logs. It's also really great when you happen to catch them napping and get the FTF, which we've done a couple of times. It feels like a real accomplishment to know that you can run with the big dogs.

 

Beffums and JAPTKD were in town visiting one day and N1 and I tried to take them to a new cache to try to snag an FTF before the usual suspects got there. We might have made it, too, if we hadn't of had to wait for the police at the cache before that one. As it was, the usual guys beat us there by about a half an hour --and apparently they all got there about the same time. The FTF left a nice larger bison container for the next cacher, and that was me, so that made the failed FTF attempt not sting so badly.

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I can remember going after my first ever FTF and what a thrill it was! With my adrenaline flowing and my heart pumping I was able to beat my fellow geocacher to the cache by just minutes. Going after your first ever FTF really adds a level of excitement to the game. Now that I have accomplished that personal goal I am content with just finding them even if it means that I am second to find ...or third or fourth or fifth. ;)

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I think that FTF hounds have issues similar to smiley hounds. Personally, I don't see what's so gratifying in racking up sheer numbers, FTFs or smileys. I suppose there are those who feel entitled to some sort of bragging rights.

 

As far as I'm concerned, bragging does not lead to favorable peer recognition.

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I suppose I should have admitted in my original post that I'm a minor FTF hound myself.

 

 

Thrak...king of the understatement!! LOL!

 

Shhhhhhhhhh....... I missed TWO just now. Bobolu beat me to one by almost 20 minutes and then Jacrat beat us both to another one. Ah, well. It's 11:30. Time for bed. :anitongue:

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Hmm... FTF opportunity exists! And there are definitely a few FTF folk around here. No, I do not go out at all hours of the night trying for one. Hopefully, I should get to it sometime this afternoon. Maybe we'll FTF it; maybe not. Gotta set the priorities. We've got a BrianSnat-type cache to hide today. First things first.

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I've got 700+ legitimate finds and 18 First To Finds. Most of the FTFs are shared with others, as I often cache with a friend or two. I don't typically engage in the FTF race, but if the opportunity presents itself I might give it a shot, assuming the cache is worthy of the effort. When I was a brand new cacher and had no FTFs it was a big deal, now it's pretty much irrelevant.

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It adds and interesting twist to the activty. Every now and then I get the bug to Ace our local FTF hounds and when I do, it's fun. If I really get the urge to be FTF all I need to do is drive 5 minutes out of town and hike to any cache more than 500' off the beaten path. There seems to be plenty of those. Of course since my fun is acing the FTF hound it's not as much fun if they aren't also gunning for the cache.

 

Anyway, for the most part I really don't sweat it.

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I've seen a few posts where it seems to really annoy the heck out of some people when a cacher is a "FTF hound". Some folks really enjoy being FTF and are willing to go out in the night or early morning or in terrible weather for a FTF. For some reason that really seems to make some folks angry. What do you think? Does it annoy you or do you just not really care or what?

 

Personally, I don't understand why it should upset anybody but..........

 

There is no reason in the world why anyone should get upset. I think the cachers who complain are spoiled and used to getting everything they want. A FTF is something that they'll have to work for and therefore not acceptable to them.

 

If you want the FTF bad enough, then get off your rear and go try for it! :laughing:

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I've seen a few posts where it seems to really annoy the heck out of some people when a cacher is a "FTF hound". Some folks really enjoy being FTF and are willing to go out in the night or early morning or in terrible weather for a FTF. For some reason that really seems to make some folks angry. What do you think? Does it annoy you or do you just not really care or what?

 

Personally, I don't understand why it should upset anybody but..........

 

There is no reason in the world why anyone should get upset. I think the cachers who complain are spoiled and used to getting everything they want. A FTF is something that they'll have to work for and therefore not acceptable to them.

 

If you want the FTF bad enough, then get off your rear and go try for it! :laughing:

What? WORK FOR WHAT YOU WANT? Oh my gosh! Your post has a lot of truth to it. I wonder if some people ever stop to think that even if they got everything they wanted on a silver platter that someone has to carry the platter.

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I dress up in my nija suit, head to the ftf as soon as it comes in to my pager, then hide in the bushes and trip the other cachers as they come looking for it...

 

Ok, Ok, so I don't have a nija suit or a pager and I hate the bushes.

We have a few FTF, two we tried, the other two we got lucky. I am content. If we never get there first again, its ok. If its close and and we are sitting around looking for a reason to go cachin... the whole FTF thing comes in handy. I don't have resentment for the FTF lovers around here. They are good people, active, and one of them is the main supplier of caches in the area so he can't ftf his own!

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I must now cry. We're putting hardwood down in the hallway and we took a 5 minute break so I checked my mail. There are two caches that just got published that are within easy FTF range for me and I can't go for them. Aaaarrrrrggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

 

Ah, well. Back to the flooring. What's that? Yes, dear. I'm coming....... :laughing:

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FTF gives me an excuse to go out and cache. There are so many to choose from (non-virgin) that the chance of a FTF is a natural attention getter. I have a nearby untapped resource of hundreds of caches in Indianapolis and I could easily spend months (years?) (the rest of my life?) getting to them all, so I choose by what's new generally. It cuts way down on the decision time for where to go look.

 

I haven't gotten one since I stopped logging online. That will be an interesting event. Should I post a note so the rest of the FTF hounds will stay home? Or should I just leave a devious note in the log like "HA HA you're #2"? :laughing:

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I've seen a few posts where it seems to really annoy the heck out of some people when a cacher is a "FTF hound". Some folks really enjoy being FTF and are willing to go out in the night or early morning or in terrible weather for a FTF. For some reason that really seems to make some folks angry. What do you think? Does it annoy you or do you just not really care or what?

 

Personally, I don't understand why it should upset anybody but..........

 

I do enjoy a FTF now and again, but only go after them if I am close or they are on my way. I do get a bit annoyed with some FTF hounds, especially when they don't follow posted information about available times, i.e. going for a FTF in the middle of the night when the cache page clearly states that the cache is only available during daylight hours, etc. That's just rude. Aside from that, no worries.

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In two years, I have had my fair share of FTFs (112), but don't have a fit when someone beats me. The only thing that irks me is when a cacher ignores posted hours (A park with set hours), and breaks the law in order to get FTF. These people boast about finding the cache at midnight, when the park closed at sunset.

 

May the fastest cacher be FTF.

 

I totally agree. Breaking the law so you can get a smiley? Way to promote the sport.

 

I am not a FTF hound nor do I really care if someone grabs the majority of the FTF in an area. I would say that they should take breaks in between to allow new people to get a FTF so that they can enjoy the sport and get the thrill of a FTF. I have one FTF by the way. So don't think Its because I want them all for myself.

 

I'm not saying stop hunting for FTF's Im saying let someone else experince the thrill of getting it like you do. Remember when you got your very first FTF how cool that was?

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Everyone else seems to hear about new caches before we do, so we don't often join the FTF race. But last winter we snowshoed for two hours through fresh deep snow to get to a cache that no one had logged. We slogged up and down a steep hill in the forest, poking with our poles under every pile of deadfall. Erratic GPSr readings kept pointing up, then down, then up, and I must have tripped over my snowshoes and done a face-plant at least a dozen times. By the time we finally found the cache we were exhausted and very wet, and I have to admit that if someone else's name had already been in that logbook I would have been disappointed. The cacher who found the cache the next day thanked us for breaking trail ;). However some people take the FTF race a bit too seriously - one cacher here was STF on a cache, and left a very rude log complaining because the FTF, who found the cache the day before, hadn't logged it online yet.

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EveryoneHowever some people take the FTF race a bit too seriously - one cacher here was STF on a cache, and left a very rude log complaining because the FTF, who found the cache the day before, hadn't logged it online yet.

 

I wouldn't post a rude note but, if I traveled 25 miles for a FTF and then discovered it had been found a day or two earlier and hadn't been logged I would certainly be peeved. I log a FTF as soon as I can so others won't rush off trying for it. However, if I get a FTF and then spend the next 4 hours caching before I get home the log simply has to wait. Like I said though, I do log a FTF as soon as I can. I have a friend who got up at 5:00 AM and drove 30 miles to snag a FTF that had been found the night before and not logged. With today's gas prices that can be a spendy FTF hunt.

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I've seen a few posts where it seems to really annoy the heck out of some people when a cacher is a "FTF hound". Some folks really enjoy being FTF and are willing to go out in the night or early morning or in terrible weather for a FTF. For some reason that really seems to make some folks angry. What do you think? Does it annoy you or do you just not really care or what?

 

Personally, I don't understand why it should upset anybody but..........

 

I love em!

 

Like Alaska, we'd like to think that our Geocaching Community in Hawaii is special. Because I get as much (or more) joy from hiding than finding, the FTFers perform a valuable service for me. If for chance my GPSr was having a bad day or one of my clues was not crystal clear, they are always kind enough to help me iron these things out for the next cachers.

 

I do have a friend that caches in another state where the FTF competition is really stiff. There's one particular cacher that goes into a pretty elaborate celebration of self when he wins the FTF honor, posting a pic of himself holding up one finger with photoshopped neon banner in the background stating his claim to FTF, the cache name, date and so forth. I find this behaviour annoying from thousands of miles away!

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