"Reserved" First to Find

[+stipman]

In a nutshell:

 

A Local cacher recently hit the 3000 milestone (The cacher did it VERY quickly)

Several other cachers got together and placed caches in honor of this great feat and posted "Please let so and so be the FTF"

 

It is truly a great feat and the cacher has hidden oodles and oodles of caches. Not only do they find them, they hide them.

 

The question I have is... Should the caches that were placed been "reserved FTF" for the cacher meeting the milestone? They were just that... (requested in the cache posting). I think that if they wanted to place caches for one particular person to find they should have done it privately.

 

And once again.. the cacher being honored deserves it.. but it still seems incorrect...

 

Thoughts?

Edited May 30, 2008 by stipman

[+Castle Mischief]

That seems kind of silly. Sure let's honor the achievement of the cacher, but not in a way that imposes limitations on the finds of other cachers.

 

Some will say that it's the hider’s prerogative to delete any log on their cache, so...

 

I’m not that hung up on grabbing FTF, so while I don’t have an emotional investment in the issue, I don’t like the idea of favoritism of one cacher over another.

[+sbell111]

They didn't say that they were going to delete logs of anyone who beat the person to the cache, they merely requested that people kindly allow the person to be FTF. I don't see how this cache would violate the guidelines.

 

That being said, I suspect that you would quickly become an unpopular cacher in your area if you logged it first.

[+Photographer Jim]

Personally, I don't have a problem with this. Given that there is no official "reward" for being FTF (Its more just a bragging rights thing) I see nothing wrong with a cache owner requesting that an esteemed local cacher be given the opportunity and honor of being FTF.

 

Sidenote: Our local caching group gets together once a month. We often have a small raffle of donated items, etc. One raffle prize has been a FTF in the form of being given the coordinates to a new cache before it has been published. The winner gets to go hunt for it first before the rest of the group, and other local cachers can see it online. Similar in some ways I think.

[+stipman]

I like that idea... give the cacher a "heads up" before the cache is posted. It's amazing how fast caches get found after they are posted... many time within hours... I have to say, if you post a cache listing it should be avaiable to everyone (or if desired Premium Members only). There is nothing wrong with giving a cacher the heads up before its posted.

[+briansnat]

Thoughts?

 

I think it's silly but it doesn't bother me.

 

But what if the honoree doesn't get around to finding the thing for a few months? Does the cache just sit there waiting for him? Just part of why the whole thingt seems silly to me.

[Dosido]

There have been two caches put out for me to be the 'ceremonial' FTF. Both times it was requested that people wait until I find the cache before they hunt it.

 

Both times, while I was away, my daughter went out with a good friend and placed a cache. I then went to find the cache with the kids in tow, so they could have fun watching me find 'their' cache. I appreciated the gesture, and the cache, but there is a little bit of pressure to get out and find the cache quickly, so that others could go find it without feeling that they were doing something wrong.

 

We found both caches within a couple of days, and both times, others had logged them before us, so while the request was put out to allow a 'reserved' FTF, others had already been there. In no way, to me, did that reduce the fun I had finding the cache with the kids.

 

All that said, I think it'd be better if the 'reserved' FTF caches were simply written up on gc.com, printed out, and given to the honoree, and only published after the ceremonial FTF thus eliminating any possibility of bad feelings on either side of the isle.

[+Isonzo Karst]

"Please let so and so be the FTF"

 

When you're "let" be FTF, it takes all the joy out the accomplishment. A competition with nobody.

Had this been done on a cache placed for me, I'd feel let down.... I'd rather have an honest second to find, (or third) then a bogus FTF.

[+blb9556]

No I personally think reserving a FTF is bad and is unfair to other cachers. If I was the reviewer I would have made the owner removing the reserved FTF part.

[+hukilaulau]

In a nutshell:

 

A Local cacher recently hit the 3000 milestone (The cacher did it VERY quickly)

Several other cachers got together and placed caches in honor of this great feat and posted "Please let so and so be the FTF"

 

It is truly a great feat and the cacher has hidden oodles and oodles of caches. Not only do they find them, they hide them.

 

The question I have is... Should the caches that were placed been "reserved FTF" for the cacher meeting the milestone? They were just that... (requested in the cache posting). I think that if they wanted to place caches for one particular person to find they should have done it privately.

 

And once again.. the cacher being honored deserves it.. but it still seems incorrect...

 

Thoughts?

it has become quite common around here. most of us respect the requests (This is at least the third time in the past year). As someone else said, your logs won't be deleted if you decide to ignore the request, but it is considered pretty boorish behavior. There is some irony here, which I won't reveal but you can easily deduce if you care to look at the current honoree's hides. Here in Long Island we have a great group of cachers who are cooperative and collaborative and generally respect each other. if you go after the new hides before the 3k honoree you might get some sharp comments directed your way but nobody is going take it any further than that. We're having too much fun caching to spend much time bickering.

[+hukilaulau]

Thoughts?

 

I think it's silly but it doesn't bother me.

 

But what if the honoree doesn't get around to finding the thing for a few months? Does the cache just sit there waiting for him? Just part of why the whole thingt seems silly to me.

Actually, this happened awhile back and I went out and got the FTF after a few weeks. The honoree logged it a bit later. Nobody even commented. Really, people, this is just something the locals here have developed as a way of celebrating an event. it's not that big a deal. If someone wants to rush here from elsehwere and grab the FTF, we'd congratulate you! (Yeah, right! We'd think you were some kind of nut)

Edited May 30, 2008 by hukilaulau

[+Kealia]

Seems silly to me, too.

 

Send them the coords offline and let them go get it before it's published. If it's to have a FTF for their milestone cache it seems to me that it would take away the fun by it being served up on a platter.

[CoyoteRed]

I dunno. Put out a cache dedicated to someone and a third party gets to it first? Kinda feels like someone blowing out someone else's birthday candles. It feels tacky.

 

It could be the request was made because previous dedication caches had been FTFed by third parties.

[+GCalum]

Milestone caches are quite common in NE Illinois. Around here (others will correct me if I'm wrong), I believe the person to be honored is given the coords before publication and they can log the find immediately upon publication. I don't have a problem with it, and I'm guessing that most in our area don't either.

[+TwoCat]

We were away on vacation once and were FTF on a cache named "In honor of (a specific cacher's name was here)". Nothing indicated they wanted the specific cacher to be FTF on it. We found it 2 days after it was published. We were looking at the cache sometime months later and noticed that the specific cacher logged it on Geocaching 1 day earilier than we did. Now our log for FTF looks stupid.

 

Two things come to mind:

 

1.) Had they put they wanted this specific cacher to be FTF, we might not have looked for it.

2.) Perhaps if someone wants a specific cacher to be FTF, give them the tudes before it get's published.

 

Just our two cents....everyone is entitled to their opinion.

[+PJPeters]

A cache came out recently called 2000 - not just another number. Being a pretty devout FTF hound (at least at the time), I was out the door in a shot, without really reading the cache page. When I got there and started hunting, another cacher pulled up. We started hunting and chatting. Turns out, he was the honoree. Maybe if I'd read the page a bit better, I would have known, and not been so anxious.

I've also gotten e-mails 'requesting' that I not go chase after a FTF on a cache, because it was a milestone/celebratory cache for another cacher. We all waited until the honoree got it before we went out after it.

I have also seen FTFs given away for people to get before publishing. I really think this should be the way to go, though it makes sense in some cases to be a surprise for the honoree.

[+Zop]

Personally, if I had been the hider of this 'honorary' cache, I would have coordinated with the local reviewers to not have the cache published until I could be certain that the honoree could make the FTF. This happens all the time for events and the like. Just place the publishing on hold until the unpublished coordinates are handed to the honoree.

 

As for the placers note, I've been called a FTF hound but I would certainly respect their wish.

[+Dryphter]

Seems silly to me. I'd make it a point to go for FTF just out of spite. :-)

 

I could care less if I were unpopular with the locals. I don't hang out with any of them anyway and 99% of the time cache alone.

 

Now, if it really is that big of a deal, give the person the coords ahead of time and they can go look just before its published.

[+hukilaulau]

Seems silly to me. I'd make it a point to go for FTF just out of spite. :-)

 

And you're calling US silly?!? Dude! We would encourage you to get professional help but that's about it.

[Clan Riffster]

this is just something the locals here have developed as a way of celebrating an event. it's not that big a deal

That was my thought. Kinda quirky, but then, so is hunting Tupperware in the woods. I would take the cache page request as just that; a polite request. I tend to honor polite requests far better than I honor obnoxious orders. I would have no problem waiting a "reasonable" amount of time to give the honoree time to make the find. If (s)he didn't grab it in a couple days, I'm loading the coords in my 60 and goin' hunting.

[+hukilaulau]

 

When you're "let" be FTF, it takes all the joy out the accomplishment. A competition with nobody.

For some of us around here FTF is not really a "competition" or an "accomplishment." What's been described is an excuse for us to have a geocaching party. We give someone presents which they get to open and then we all get to play with them. Usually the way it works is this: Anyone who wants to participate hides caches which will all be activated on the same day. (The local reviewer is a great help in coordinating this.) I can't remember the numbers but I think we've had 20+ caches by 7 or 8 different players released at the same time. We give the honoree a couple of days to be the first to "open the presents." Then the rest of us go out and have fun. There HAVE been discussions about whether this is "appropriate or not. So far most of the locals think it's fun. That's about all there is to it...

[+Photographer Jim]

 

When you're "let" be FTF, it takes all the joy out the accomplishment. A competition with nobody.

For some of us around here FTF is not really a "competition" or an "accomplishment." What's been described is an excuse for us to have a geocaching party. We give someone presents which they get to open and then we all get to play with them. Usually the way it works is this: Anyone who wants to participate hides caches which will all be activated on the same day. (The local reviewer is a great help in coordinating this.) I can't remember the numbers but I think we've had 20+ caches by 7 or 8 different players released at the same time. We give the honoree a couple of days to be the first to "open the presents." Then the rest of us go out and have fun. There HAVE been discussions about whether this is "appropriate or not. So far most of the locals think it's fun. That's about all there is to it...

 

I very much like this "presents" analogy - its fits exactly with how I view this practice. I also don't see "letting someone be FTF" as somehow deminishing the joy of the find for the honoree. Nor do I think it would be less fun because it is a "competition with nobody". Personally, being given an atta-boy from fellow cachers has got to feel pretty good - I doubt I'd feel disappointed because I didn't have to compete and win the honor. I think I'd take it for what it is - a thoughtful and nice gesture from my fellow caching friends.

[+CurmudgeonlyGal]

I dunno. Put out a cache dedicated to someone and a third party gets to it first? Kinda feels like someone blowing out someone else's birthday candles. It feels tacky.

...

 

Been there.

 

Somehow we all managed to live through the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day and went on to become the more well-rounded cachers we are today.

 

I think it would be in better taste, if you want to give someone a guaranteed FTF, to just hand them the coordinates before you list the darn thing. Once it's listed, it's fair game.

 

 

michelle

[+hukilaulau]

I am placing this cache to commemorate "xxxxx" finding 3000 caches. It would be nice if we could let her get the First to Find on this.

 

This the the wording from the cache page of one of the caches in the series. They are not all exactly alike and I don't know if this is the one the OP was referring to. The sad thing about this for me is, I'm stuck at work in Manhattan for the weekend and can't go find any of them 'til later in the week!

[+gof1]

Wow, I can't believe this is such a big deal. Let 'em have their fun. Is it that big a deal? Is the FTF that important?

[+stipman]

Yup we're talking about the same listing.... It was a polite request not to find it. To be totally honest, I've never been FTF and when one popped up close by (I mean REALLY close by) I figured I had a shot at it even though I know it would be a race to get there before the other local cachers. I notice that the caches that were flagged politely have not been logged as found and I know that there are lots of people out there who would have been out with flashlights, bloodhounds, night goggles, and Geiger counters trying to find them... I guess to me, it's like a cache I had seen in Utah... It was something along the lines of Cache-aholics Anonymous. And it encouraged people NOT to find it!

 

Still IMHO... something done privately would have been more appropriate if they wanted to target a cacher for FTF.

 

And to anyone who reads this.. postings can be totally misread... I am VERY happy for the cacher and I love the fact that a new cache is so close. Gotta love this thing called Geocaching

[+gof1]

Believe me when I say that if the honoree had been given a heads up before the cache was published it wold have had way more people up in arms around here. The usual suspects would be quoting each other endlessly for page after endless page.

[+ArtieD]

I care less if they "want" someone to get FTF on a cache or not...if the cache is published, it's fair game for anyone. I wouldn't care less if it'd make me "unpopular" for finding it before the honoree because I rarely see anyone in the field at all and frankly if they are that wrapped up into it, they need to get their heads examined.

 

If they want someone to get FTF that bad they can give them the coordinates before it is published. It's that simple.

 

I remember a while back there was a series of caches placed for an event and I got FTF on all but one of them and that was a DNF on the one I didn't get. Did I feel bad? Nope. The caches were published and were fair game. I'm sure they probably wanted event attendees to get the FTF, but oh well...I had fun.

 

Isn't that the point?

[+WRASTRO]

I care less if they "want" someone to get FTF on a cache or not...if the cache is published, it's fair game for anyone. I wouldn't care less if it'd make me "unpopular" for finding it before the honoree because I rarely see anyone in the field at all and frankly if they are that wrapped up into it, they need to get their heads examined.

 

If they want someone to get FTF that bad they can give them the coordinates before it is published. It's that simple.

 

I remember a while back there was a series of caches placed for an event and I got FTF on all but one of them and that was a DNF on the one I didn't get. Did I feel bad? Nope. The caches were published and were fair game. I'm sure they probably wanted event attendees to get the FTF, but oh well...I had fun.

 

Isn't that the point?

Yep. It is all about you having fun. I think most folks could have managed to contain themselves and not zip out for all of the FTF hunts. I know I would have been able to resist the urge. Still, if they post them then they are fair game, so have at it.

[+gof1]

Basically the hiders are damned if they do and damned if they don't. They wanted to have their own fun and be up front about it from the start, but that isn't good enough as it may cut back on someone else's entitlement. Had they given the coords to the honoree ahead of time he or she would have been lambasted for having an unfair advantage.

[+BlueDeuce]

Word of warning. If anyone places a cache in my honor for my 3000th find and says please give BD time to find this cache first, I will beat you to death with my walker.

 

If I can't get there without the pity plan then I don't want to go.

[+El Diablo]

I set up a cache like this back in 2002 and 2003 to celebrate the feats of 4 cachers that were about to hit the 100 mark. I know 100 dosen't sound like much now, but back then it was quite a feat. It ususally meant you had cached in sevral states and went on long hikes.

 

The cache we set up was well known to the 2 cachers in advance and arrangemnets for them to hunt it on a certain day. The original was a very long grueling multi cache that they had to work together from 2 different states to find. One was a cacher from VA, the other from NC. Each had to find the same amount of stages, and the coordinates in those stages were for their counterpart in the other state. Neither could advance until the other had found their stage. They both traveled over 200 miles in the day and met at a location where they combined coordinates to find the final cache.

 

It was a day of fun that involved a lot of cachers from different states. Of course back then we could list caches using false coordinates, so there was no worry of anyone else finding it first. Later the final was moved to a new location and listed as a traditional and then the correct coordinates given.

 

So the bottom line is that I support the idea. To me anyone that attempted to log it first would be like a guest at a birthday party cutting the cake before the candles were blown out.

 

If you are that intent on being the FTF on caches, you need to seek help.

 

El Diablo

[+BlueDeuce]

To me anyone that attempted to log it first would be like a guest at a birthday party cutting the cake before the candles were blown out.

 

Sounds like an ALR cache to me.

[+El Diablo]

To me anyone that attempted to log it first would be like a guest at a birthday party cutting the cake before the candles were blown out.

 

Sounds like an ALR cache to me.

 

I don't get out much, so you'll have to explain ALR to me.

 

El Diablo

[+BlueDeuce]

To me anyone that attempted to log it first would be like a guest at a birthday party cutting the cake before the candles were blown out.

 

Sounds like an ALR cache to me.

 

I don't get out much, so you'll have to explain ALR to me.

 

El Diablo

 

The honor of having a cache placed in my name would mean more to me than getting to log it first. Far more.

 

I know people like to be part of the community and share the excitement of milestones. That's fine. Asking people to allow the honored person to log it first is fine too. Telling people they are selfish for not playing along, nah, that's a bit too much.

Edited May 31, 2008 by BlueDeuce

[+WRASTRO]

To me anyone that attempted to log it first would be like a guest at a birthday party cutting the cake before the candles were blown out.

 

Sounds like an ALR cache to me.

 

I don't get out much, so you'll have to explain ALR to me.

 

El Diablo

Additional Logging Requirement(s)

[+El Diablo]

To me anyone that attempted to log it first would be like a guest at a birthday party cutting the cake before the candles were blown out.

 

Sounds like an ALR cache to me.

 

I don't get out much, so you'll have to explain ALR to me.

 

El Diablo

 

The honor of having a cache placed in my name would mean more to me than getting to log it first. Far more.

 

I know people like to be part of the community and share the excitement of milestones. That's fine. Asking people to allow the honored person to log it first is fine too. Telling people they are selfish for not playing along, nah, that's a bit too much.

 

We will have to agree to disagree. To me it would be selfish to spoil the fun just because you wanted to be FTF.

 

El Diablo

[+BlueDeuce]

We will have to agree to disagree. To me it would be selfish to spoil the fun just because you wanted to be FTF.

 

El Diablo

 

I'm not trying to spoil anyone's fun.

 

You stick your birthday cake out in the middle of a park and advertise it on a public site that is designed to notify people that it is available to be found, and you expect compliance on who can log it first. That's all this is.

[+ArtieD]

To me anyone that attempted to log it first would be like a guest at a birthday party cutting the cake before the candles were blown out.

 

Sounds like an ALR cache to me.

 

I don't get out much, so you'll have to explain ALR to me.

 

El Diablo

 

The honor of having a cache placed in my name would mean more to me than getting to log it first. Far more.

 

I know people like to be part of the community and share the excitement of milestones. That's fine. Asking people to allow the honored person to log it first is fine too. Telling people they are selfish for not playing along, nah, that's a bit too much.

 

We will have to agree to disagree. To me it would be selfish to spoil the fun just because you wanted to be FTF.

 

El Diablo

 

Why is it selfish if other people do not want to play along in your specific game?

 

A published cache is fair game, period. I published my home cache a while back a few days before the CinemaBoxers came down to visit. Now, it would have been really neat for them to get FTF (an out-of-state one at that) but is someone beat them to it, then so be it. They indeed got it out of pure luck, but would I have the right to get bent out of shape had they not? No.

 

That's the price you pay for having a cache published. It is not "selfish" to find a cache and get a FTF, even if others are having their little fun.

[+flask]

i think it's cheesy.

 

if you want to honor me (not that you would) by placing a cache, that's all that's necessary. i'd feel stupid getting a FTF that was only open to me. that's no honor. it's like getting a literary prize for completing a mad-lib.

 

it's like it's just being the winner in a fixed contest. where's the honor or pride in that?

 

i wouldn't go in and FTF it, though, that's be rude. if people want to give a grownup a chance to win a race in the baby pool, not only would i let them, but i'd put the cache on my ignore list.

[Clan Riffster]

To me it would be selfish to spoil the fun just because you wanted to be FTF.

Agreed. I will almost always respect a courteously worded request. It would cost me nothing, and would bring another pleasure. Sounds like good Karma to me. Would I get upset if someone wanted to be boorish and deny that pleasure to their fellow cacher? Naw. As stated, a published cache is fair game. You can't teach manners to someone over 10.

[+sbell111]

We will have to agree to disagree. To me it would be selfish to spoil the fun just because you wanted to be FTF.

 

El Diablo

I'm not trying to spoil anyone's fun.

 

You stick your birthday cake out in the middle of a park and advertise it on a public site that is designed to notify people that it is available to be found, and you expect compliance on who can log it first. That's all this is.

Good analogy.

 

When I was a kid, everyone was welcome to have a slice of the birthday cake, but it was rude to have a piece before the birthday boy or girl.

Edited May 31, 2008 by sbell111

[+Harry Dolphin]

Silly? Yup. But sweet as well. I will certainly respect such requests. But, I'm a sweet and nice dolphin!

We did one with the request that only a newby with uder 50 finds be able to log the FTF in the first tendays. We signed spots 3 and 4, behind another cacher. As far as I know, the first slot is still open, a year later. We all logged the cache on the eleventh day.

I saw a series of 12 caches to honor someone's 3000th find. People did log them first. I found that to be rude, and ungracious. Oh, well.

[+ArtieD]

When I was a kid, everyone was welcome to have a slice of the birthday cake, but it was rude to have a piece before the birthday boy or girl.

 

I do think it unfair to call a cacher "rude" because they logged a cache that has been published.

 

If people want to honor someone and "let" them get FTF...do it before it's published. Otherwise, no one has a right to complain that another has found it before the intended target.

[+BlueDeuce]

We will have to agree to disagree. To me it would be selfish to spoil the fun just because you wanted to be FTF.

 

El Diablo

I'm not trying to spoil anyone's fun.

 

You stick your birthday cake out in the middle of a park and advertise it on a public site that is designed to notify people that it is available to be found, and you expect compliance on who can log it first. That's all this is.

Good analogy.

 

When I was a kid, everyone was welcome to have a slice of the birthday cake, but it was rude to have a piece before the birthday boy or girl.

 

Even more rude if it's a wedding cake.

 

If you ask me it's a pretty weird way to honor people for an caching accomplishment. Hey! you did so well we're going to hand you a freebie while restricting everyone else's efforts. Enjoy, you deserve it!

 

[the3gmen]

One of the reasons I became a Premium Member was so that I could get the new cache postings sent to my cellphone so that I would have a chance to get a FTF once in a while.

 

If someone wants to celebrate a milestone for another cacher, I would suggest creating a travel bug or geocoin in their honor.

[+Glenn]

In a nutshell:

 

A Local cacher recently hit the 3000 milestone (The cacher did it VERY quickly)

Several other cachers got together and placed caches in honor of this great feat and posted "Please let so and so be the FTF"

 

It is truly a great feat and the cacher has hidden oodles and oodles of caches. Not only do they find them, they hide them.

 

The question I have is... Should the caches that were placed been "reserved FTF" for the cacher meeting the milestone? They were just that... (requested in the cache posting). I think that if they wanted to place caches for one particular person to find they should have done it privately.

 

And once again.. the cacher being honored deserves it.. but it still seems incorrect...

 

Thoughts?

 

I already claimed FTF for every new cache back in 2002. Sorry he is just going to have to wait until I log my FTF. Since all this armchair cache log writing tires out my finders it may take me a couple of days to get around to logging the caches in your area. Please be patience. Thanks.

[+sbell111]

We will have to agree to disagree. To me it would be selfish to spoil the fun just because you wanted to be FTF.

 

El Diablo

I'm not trying to spoil anyone's fun.

 

You stick your birthday cake out in the middle of a park and advertise it on a public site that is designed to notify people that it is available to be found, and you expect compliance on who can log it first. That's all this is.

Good analogy.

 

When I was a kid, everyone was welcome to have a slice of the birthday cake, but it was rude to have a piece before the birthday boy or girl.

 

Even more rude if it's a wedding cake.

 

If you ask me it's a pretty weird way to honor people for an caching accomplishment. Hey! you did so well we're going to hand you a freebie while restricting everyone else's efforts. Enjoy, you deserve it!

 

The honoree isn't getting a freebie. He (she?) has to go out and find the cache, just like anybody else. Also, no one is being restricted. They can also find the cache. The cache owners are simply, politely, asking them to let the honoree find the cache first.

 

If you ask me, the rude people are those who can't wait a day or two to find a cache. It's not like the cache owners were paid to hide the caches. Instead, they are giving the community a gift. They are merely asking people to pause a brief moment and let the honoree find it first.

[+ArtieD]

You say this...

 

The honoree isn't getting a freebie. He (she?) has to go out and find the cache, just like anybody else. Also, no one is being restricted. They can also find the cache. The cache owners are simply, politely, asking them to let the honoree find the cache first.

 

Then you say this...

 

If you ask me, the rude people are those who can't wait a day or two to find a cache. It's not like the cache owners were paid to hide the caches. Instead, they are giving the community a gift. They are merely asking people to pause a brief moment and let the honoree find it first.

 

Asking people to hold off their game while you play yours seems restrictive to me.

[+stipman]

Still seems odd that he people who get out there the second a cache is posted would put caches out that are "temporarily not available" to others... yes I know it was politely asked, it wasn't demanded or anything even close to that...and I will politely respect the request. If anything the cache should be targeted at NEW cachers, cachers with just a few finds to encourage them that someday they could reach an important milestone of their own. My two cents...

 

Now lets move on to the topics of religion and politics... they're less volatile!!!