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

[+Team_Spirit]

I think the whole FTF thing adds a dimension of competitiveness to a game that really isn't a competition. Some folks are into that - regardless of the sport. I suppose it does give one a sense of superiority on some level, and we all need that now and then.

 

We've yet to be FTF on any cache, but have only tried to be twice. The first time was an easy cache nearby. We took our time getting to it, and it turned out we were STF. It was still a "Yay!" moment.

 

The second time I must have been in a mood or something. It was dusk when I logged on here and noticed a new cache about 8 miles away (which is the furthest I've ever driven just to find a cache). It had several interesting GC's in it, and a level 4 terrain. And it was dark out. Ah! A real challenge! This sucker is MINE said that wretched voice in my head. The kids and hubby were in bed so there was nothing to stop me from racing out the door.

 

I arrived about 5 minutes later, and there was no sign of anyone else. Woowoo!! It was about to be MINE. Adrenaline wouldn't let me believe otherwise.

Upon arriving at GZ I discovered a ladder. A swinging rope ladder, going way up an old oak tree. So up I went, feeling around in every nook and cranny along the way, until finally my hand touched something un-tree-like. I wrapped myself around a branch to get just the right angle, stretched my arm deep into the crevice, and tugged until it came loose. I swear I almost peed myself at that moment. It really was mine!!!

 

I perched myself precariously on a different limb and carefully opened the container (I was shaking a little, and I would've hated to drop any of it). After taking my sweet time admiring the coins and other contents I went to sign the log. And that's when I discovered I wasn't first. Or second. Or even third. I was the fourth to find.

 

I admit for about a millisecond I wholeheartedly despised those first 3 finders... how dare they beat me to it?? The audacity! And then I looked down, and around, and realized what I'd just accomplished and thought Day-um they're good! I grabbed a coin, SL, replaced it, and climbed back down with a great big grin on my face.

 

This will always be a favorite find of mine. Perhaps because the FTF spirit was in me, perhaps because it was a real challenge, perhaps because I did it by myself in the dark. Probably all of the above.

 

It's really all just a part of the game... and you can't "win" them all. (But I will be FTF some day... soon!! lol!)

 

~Sheila

[+bflentje]

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..........

 

Someone's got to be FTF. I've noticed the cachers in my area that hate FTF hounds are the other FTF hounds that consistently get there second.

 

I am a FTF hound. And when I don't make it on time I have only myself to kick.

[+viking66]

HI. Im viking66, ( crowd in a monotone drone: 'hi viking66...) and I have an FTF problem...

What started as a numbers game, didnt satisfy. I wanted more AND MORE. Oh, 'I could stop anytime I wanted to' Id say; but I cant. If Im at work and an FTF comes up within say 10 miles, Im plotting to get out early.

There is an FTF Hound in my area, just like everywhere else. And I have what amounts to a guilty pleasure of wanting to be a spoiler. All I can say is 'becareful whom you point your finger at, it may just be yourself'. I have fun though. Subsequently, Ive got a good ratio of FTFs to finds for the 250 or so I have, I think I might have around 10 FTF's. Its an addiction I tell 'ya; I cant stop. i need help... or a new cache 5 miles away on the way home from work.

Edited June 7, 2007 by viking66

[+Renegade Knight]

I think the whole FTF thing adds a dimension of competitiveness to a game that really isn't a competition. Some folks are into that - regardless of the sport. I suppose it does give one a sense of superiority on some level, and we all need that now and then. ...

 

Competition isn't about superiority (thought some ego can get involved). It's about the challenge and rising to meet it.

 

I don't normally pay any attention to the FTF folks. But ever now and then I get the urge, and ace them to a cache. Then I rub it in and go back to not really paying attention. To be FTF though there is a challeng that you have to meet. It changes how you look at things and brings other dimensions into the game. "Joe Cacher doesn't work Fridays and I do...so any Friday cache I either have to take the day off...skip out on work..or Joe's got it..." Etc.

[+Thrak]

I was watching a movie last night so I didn't hear my email notification. After the movie I checked my email and discovered that a new cache had been published about 20 minutes prior. I sent the info to my unit and headed out across town. As I arrived at the cache site I saw familiar red jeep parked at the side of the road. It was a local cacher called Jackrat. I asked if he had it in hand and he said nope, he had already put it back. He was pleased to have aced me on the FTF and I was pleased to run into him at the cache site.

 

One of the things I really enjoy about FTF tries is that you sometimes run into other folks at the cache site. I would MUCH rather run into the other cachers and shoot the breeze with them than add another FTF. (Of course I'm not adverse to having both happen........). I get much more pleasure out of the meeting and the conversation than I get from being FTF.

[+Kiwi Nomad]

Well the first one we went for was a micro. I should have known it would be a good hide because of who hid it. Clue was something about not being a native. So don't know my native forna from my introduced ones so clue was waste of time (for me) others have had no problems finding it.

Second we found same hider and boy I still don't know how my husband worked out where it was. It was a puzzle hide I worked out the coordinates and even found gz but if it hadn't been for my only half interested husband that would have been a dnf too.

 

We only have one car which my husband takes to work and we have two preschoolers who are not into getting in and out of the car lots just so Mum can treasure hunt. Have tried doing it and it really doesn't work that well. So here I am loving the idea of ftf and also as there arn't too many geocoins around wanting to rush out and find any cache with a trackable when a whole pile of caches get placed. One was named after a famous author and I'm thinking 10 new caches relatively close to each other someone could pick them all up in one go. Only problem they are 2 hours drive away and there is no way my husband would agree on a drive close on 400km just for ftfs. Any way there is another decent sized town halfway between where I live and where they are hidden with at least 2 ftf hounds so they are sure to get there before me. Not that that matters as I said no way my husband would say yes (yes I did ask). So my point ..... a week and a half later half of them are still not logged and the other half have only just been found. They're just sitting there waiting to be found ....

Yes they have now all been found. I should be happy I have found one ftf.

[+Nuwati]

Someone has to be first, I see no way around that one.

 

Nuwati

[+chuckwagon101]

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..........

 

 

As long as they leave lots of McToys and replace the Big Pile Of Sticks.......HEY..I don't care!

[+FawverFamily]

FTF hound? Oh ya, you know it! After 5,000 plus normal finds, the numbers thing has lost some of it's shine, but we still love to snag the FTF's as often as we can. By the way, who do you know or have heard of that has the most FTF's?

[+Miragee]

Chuy! has 500 FTFs. That number of FTFs has to be near the top of the list, I would think.

[+TotemLake]

Without First Time Finders, you cannot have subsequent finders.

[CoyoteRed]

What do you think?

While there's been a few times where we were pleased to be the first to sign the log and there's times when we've gone out at all hours of the night to be MEFF, not getting it is no skin on my nose what so ever.

 

Now, it used to be when a certain few puzzle makers were more active Sissy would strive to be MEFF on those, but the rest didn't motivate her.