FTF obsessed?

[+WHO-DEY]

OK..this is as much a rant as it is a suggestion. I am getting a bit worn out on trying to get my FIRST FTF. I, like many, have a family. My son and I Cache when we can...but make it an activity we like to do often. Now, am fortunate to live in an area where Caches pop up regularly. I have even dropped a few, and will do some more today, actually. Now, there are a handful of Cacehrs in the area that have hundreds, and many have thousands of found caches. They all also have many FTF's. Every time I see a new cache posted that is emailed by the time I open it, one of the local FTF HOG's have found it. It gets old. I know that is part of the thrill of being the FTF, but it is the same, extremely experienced and they also have 1000+ found caches. Even this morning, a new MICRO was published..by 7:30 am ET, two of these guys logged a find...it was 2 miles from me, and i was 7:30. The FTF cacher has 2400+ funds, the next guy, 1300+ finds. I know they are nice guys...so nothing that personal...just gets old.

 

The first two caches I lauched, were both foundby the same guy, within 1 hour of the publishing. I would love to see a kid and his dad mom find a FTF...but that will likely never happen, due to the FTF freaks.

 

As am off the cuff idea to get idea's rolling...I suggest this: if you have over 500 caches or 5 FTF's..you must wait 24 hours from publish date/time before finding any new UNFOUND cache.

 

I know this will not fly....but I am throwing it out there

 

<RANT COMPLETE!>

 

WHO-DEY!

Edited September 27, 2008 by WHO-DEY

[+m.austin]

If I had a couple of guys who were going to FTF caches within an hour, I am competitive enough I'd want to find that cache in 59 minutes! But that's just me. I don't have many (5 FTF), but most of those just kind of happened - they were nearby, timing was right, etc. FTF is a fun addition to the game, but I have other "goals" - clear up those first two pages from my home coordinates and getting all the counties in my state are two of my biggies.

[+Kit Fox]

Every once in awhile the Affirmative Action FTF thread is posted again. So are you saying you want to stop the other, faster cachers from looking for the cache first? If it was me, I would never have the deck stacked in my favor. How sporting is it, if you have to resort to stopping others, so you can be first?

 

On a side note, I have many FTFs, and I've skipped the chance on hundreds, because I didn't feel like wasting gas to find a new micro. My advice to you is skip the FTF chase, it is a made up game that some take way too seriously. Have fun finding caches, not dwelling on FTF.

 

Try hiding five new caches, everyday. That way the FTF hunters will be busy looking for your new caches, and you might get a chance at finding another, just published cache.

[+bubo bubo!]

Just because you aren't fast enough surely it shouldn't mean others should have a rule on them to wait for you. If they have a lot of finds, they probably are really dedicated, and an FTF might mean alot to them just as it appears to do to you. It's part of the game that every one can play, and if you don't think it's fair or ruins your experience, try harder or don't get upset when people get there before you do. Personally, I enjoy knowing that others are equally eager to get the first find.

[Motorcycle_Mama]

Now that you got that rant off your chest, hopefully you feel better.

 

My suggestion would be to forget about the who FTF race. Instead, why not try find find the cache(s) that bring you to the most incredible places that you never knew about?

 

Or maybe brings back to a place that haven't been to since you were a kid? And then you can share THAT experience with your son which IMHO is much, much more meaningful than FTF on a MICRO in some random place.

 

Just my two cents.

[+WHO-DEY]

Every once in awhile the Affirmative Action FTF thread is posted again. So are you saying you want to stop the other, faster cachers from looking for the cache first? If it was me, I would never have the deck stacked in my favor. How sporting is it, if you have to resort to stopping others, so you can be first?

 

On a side note, I have many FTFs, and I've skipped the chance on hundreds, because I didn't feel like wasting gas to find a new micro. My advice to you is skip the FTF chase, it is a made up game that some take way too seriously. Have fun finding caches, not dwelling on FTF.

 

Try hiding five new caches, everyday. That way the FTF hunters will be busy looking for your new caches, and you might get a chance at finding another, just published cache.

valid. good point. like I said,more venting than anything else. THX!

[+WHO-DEY]

Now that you got that rant off your chest, hopefully you feel better.

 

My suggestion would be to forget about the who FTF race. Instead, why not try find find the cache(s) that bring you to the most incredible places that you never knew about?

 

Or maybe brings back to a place that haven't been to since you were a kid? And then you can share THAT experience with your son which IMHO is much, much more meaningful than FTF on a MICRO in some random place.

 

Just my two cents.

 

Well stated. Thanks. I will continue to enjoy the walks and the parks.

[+wimseyguy]

I hope you feel better now. There is an official Complaint Department thread in here you might find useful the next time you just want to rant.

 

If you want to play the FTF game, you will just have to play it the way the existing gang of hounds do. Set up the Insta-Notify, and make getting there first a high priority in your happiness of life quotient. Asking for additional rules, or handicapping those who are already part of that gang just isn't sporting, and would ultimately cheapen your experience.

[+KBI]

Have you tried contacting the local FTF-ers who keeps shutting you out, and politely asking them to back off and let you and your son have the next few?

 

It might actually work.

 

However: If it makes you feel weird (or needy, or whiny, or presumptuous, or demanding) to ask such a thing, just keep in mind that that’s exactly what you’re asking the owners of this website to do for you via your proposed new rule. If such a request feels wrong when made informally one person to another, then wouldn’t it be even more wrong to restrict ALL cachers by codifying it as an official rule?

[+hikerT]

Go buy a smartphone with email, data plan, and geocache navigator. Work from home, or work outside of the office, or be able to sneak out of the office at a moment's notice. You'll at least be able to compete with them then.

[+fizzymagic]

I don't really understand the whole FTF thing. I did it for maybe a month or so back when I was relatively new, as a little competition between friends, but soon tired of it. Some people seem obsessed by FTF for years, though.

 

To my mind, there is nothing particularly noteworthy in getting FTF on a 1/1 LPC. You just happened to be the first to go find an easy cache.

 

On the other hand, FTF might be valuable if the cache has been sitting unfound for a long time. Perhaps it is a particularly evil hide with multiple DNFs. Perhaps it is a puzzle that has been unsolved for more than a week or so. Or perhaps it is a particularly strenuous cache to reach and has been sitting unfound for over a month. Those caches I might consider worthy of crowing about being FTF.

 

But the local urban micros that are easily found within hours of posting? Not so much.

 

And FTF hounds who rush after each easy urban hide and then post their FTFs in a public bookmark list? Just pitiful, really.

Edited September 27, 2008 by fizzymagic

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

I don't really understand the whole FTF thing. I did it for maybe a month or so back when I was relatively new, as a little competition between friends, but soon tired of it. Some people seem obsessed by FTF for years, though.

 

To my mind, there is nothing particularly noteworthy in getting FTF on a 1/1 LPC. You just happened to be the first to go find an easy cache.

 

On the other hand, FTF might be valuable if the cache has been sitting unfound for a long time. Perhaps it is a particularly evil hide with multiple DNFs. Perhaps it is a puzzle that has been unsolved for more than a week or so. Or perhaps it is a particularly strenuous cache to reach and has been sitting unfound for over a month. Those caches I might consider worthy of crowing about being FTF.

 

But the local urban micros that are easily found within hours of posting? Not so much.

Exactly! I agree almost verbatim on all points with this here fizzy-whats-his-name guy! And, as other posters have pointed out to the OP, if bing FTF is REALLY that important to you, then you will temporarily reorder your priorities in life and make some plans to be more alert for notice of newly published caches, and you will get your butt out the door faster once notice arrives, and then you will score a few FTFs! It is that simple! Of course, I would never bother gong to such an extent myself for an FTF, and Sue seems to be just about as relaxed and nonchalant about the matter as am I!

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Go buy a smartphone with email, data plan, and geocache navigator. Work from home, or work outside of the office, or be able to sneak out of the office at a moment's notice. You'll at least be able to compete with them then.

 

The recommendation of getting a phone with a dataplan to receive email is a good one. I have a gmail account that I read with my Blackberry and it's amazing how quick one can receive email from Groundspeak. The other day I published a new cache. When I first submitted my Blackberry email alarm went off indicating that I'd received the submission acknowledgment email before the website rendered the next page.

 

Most people, however, don't have the luxury of changing the work schedule (from home, outside the office, or leaving work at a moments notice) to accommodate a hobby.

 

Awhile back I was in a meeting when my email notification went off. I was back at my desk about 5 minutes later and discovered that a new cache had been posted that was about a 5 minute walk from my office (and, as it turned out about 100' from where my car and GPS was located). I made to cache (which I found without the use of my GPS) within 15 minutes of it being published and was *still* second to find.

 

That was the 3rd or 4th second to find in a row and I pretty much gave up the FTF race after that. Recently there as a new cache posted about 10 miles from home which I *could* have gone after the day after it was published but went to a different area instead. That one didn't get a FTF until almost a week later. For awhile about a year ago there were a few people that worked at getting FTF on new cache but now it seems that it's not a big deal.

[+PJPeters]

As a cacher in the same area, and a bit of a FTF hound myself, I don't even go after FTFs in his area. It's not possible. There's a couple teams that seem to get them all. Heck, even in my FTF 'territory,' it's difficult to get them.

That said, the best First to Find I got was last weekend. We were just caching, when I stumbled upon a cache that hadn't been found yet. After three weeks. So of course, we're going to have to go after it. And it was the neatest spot. On the lake, near a lighthouse, and a beautiful day.

For some people it's about the numbers. For some, it's about the FTFs. For me, it's all about fun. When I stop having fun, I'll stop caching (at least for a little while, that is!). Just keep caching, doing it your way.

[Clan Riffster]

Since the Riffster Clan is a team, us individuals are not always in agreement regarding what to hunt and when to hunt it. Viv enjoys dashing out the door to nab a FTF far more than I do. The age old axiom, "If Momma ain't happy, nobody's happy" proves to be an accurate one, so I'll accommodate her when she gets the FTF bug. Sometimes our efforts are rewarded with a virginal logbook, other times they are not. Either way, she has fun trying.

 

My preference is hunting caches which haven't been found in a long time, in gator infested swamps, at night.

She won't join me on these hunts...

Life is just so unfair!

[+TexasGringo]

In 2 years of Geocaching, I have 4 FTF's...and that was probably by accident that I got there first.

[+Wild Thing 73]

As a PM, you should be on the "notify list" when a new cache is published.....then it is up to you...all I can add is relax and enjoy this great game...If you want to be obsessed with the FTF bug, OK, just know that you are obsessed. I have friends/friend that is obsessed and I can't understand why....at this stage of Geocaching you can't set any records, because you are hundreds may thousands behind the leaders....I know it is a personal challenge....That is why we cache....there are no rewards, such as; cash, certificate for a job well done, well maybe a pat on the back by a well known geocacher in your area....we just love the personal challenge....Happy Trail and good luck.

[+MtnRubi]

We aren't really FTF obsessed, but we ARE on the computer for various reasons almost around the clock. (24/7 support duties can do that to you..)

 

Plus, the big MAC at my desk beeps loudly whenever a new email comes in, and thinking it may be support related, I check it within just a few minutes.

 

This leads to quite a few new cache notifications, that on weekends we'll see just a few minutes after it gets published.

 

If it's close, and we need a break from whatever we're doing, we'll just zip on out and see what was placed.

 

Sometimes, we leave some new ones alone, just to give other cachers a chance.. But only sometimes..

[Mr.Yuck]

I don't really understand the whole FTF thing. I did it for maybe a month or so back when I was relatively new, as a little competition between friends, but soon tired of it. Some people seem obsessed by FTF for years, though.

 

To my mind, there is nothing particularly noteworthy in getting FTF on a 1/1 LPC. You just happened to be the first to go find an easy cache.

 

On the other hand, FTF might be valuable if the cache has been sitting unfound for a long time. Perhaps it is a particularly evil hide with multiple DNFs. Perhaps it is a puzzle that has been unsolved for more than a week or so. Or perhaps it is a particularly strenuous cache to reach and has been sitting unfound for over a month. Those caches I might consider worthy of crowing about being FTF.

 

But the local urban micros that are easily found within hours of posting? Not so much.

 

And FTF hounds who rush after each easy urban hide and then post their FTFs in a public bookmark list? Just pitiful, really.

 

I agree 100% with Fizzy. Except I got mildly caught up in the FTF thing for a good 2 years, rather than a month, like he did. Now I think it's the silliest, most obnoxious thing that ever evolved out of the hobby of geocaching.

 

I was actually the first to sign a logbook 3-4 times in the past year of so, strictly by accident, with no intention of being FTF. You want some of them? You can have them.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

...That is why we cache....there are no rewards, such as; cash, certificate for a job well done, well maybe a pat on the back by a well known geocacher in your area....we just love the personal challenge....

Actually, that statement about "no material rewards" is not quite true! For several of our more extreme Psycho caches, the FTF prize was $20 or more, plus an imprinted Psycho Urban Cache t-shirt, and, for our infamous Psycho Urban Cache #13 - Impossible! Give Up Now!, the FTF prize was $160 cash plus an imprinted Psycho t-shirt plus an unregistered geo-coin, and the 2TF prize and 3TF prizes were $20 plus the t-shirt and a coin. And, I have heard tales of some of the more extreme wilderness caches out in the Rockies where the FTF prize was a cash prize even far higher than the paltry $160 which we distributed to the FTF for PUC 13, or where the FTF prize was a pair of gift certificates for a famed nearby (expensive) restaurant! Usually such extreme FTF or 2TF prizes are placed in geocaches where the finders must go to insane levels of effort, and often devote from 10 to 40 hours to the task of accomplishing the find.

[+TotemLake]

>>>should there be a guideline for FTF?

 

No. We don't need to add guidelines for things like this. Existing guidelines and local laws already are in place.

Edited September 28, 2008 by TotemLake

[AZcachemeister]

You might get some cool FTF prize, but usually all the FTF will get you is bragging rights.

If that's all you (they) have to brag about, then I pity you (them).

[+TrailGators]

I don't really understand the whole FTF thing. I did it for maybe a month or so back when I was relatively new, as a little competition between friends, but soon tired of it. Some people seem obsessed by FTF for years, though.

 

To my mind, there is nothing particularly noteworthy in getting FTF on a 1/1 LPC. You just happened to be the first to go find an easy cache.

 

On the other hand, FTF might be valuable if the cache has been sitting unfound for a long time. Perhaps it is a particularly evil hide with multiple DNFs. Perhaps it is a puzzle that has been unsolved for more than a week or so. Or perhaps it is a particularly strenuous cache to reach and has been sitting unfound for over a month. Those caches I might consider worthy of crowing about being FTF.

 

But the local urban micros that are easily found within hours of posting? Not so much.

 

And FTF hounds who rush after each easy urban hide and then post their FTFs in a public bookmark list? Just pitiful, really.

I also agree with you Fizzy. If the cache isn't a challenge then what's the point? I did find a few FTFs in my early days and they were fun, but the thrill wore off. If the OP really wants an FTF, I would forget about urbans unless they are puzzles. If the OP can't do puzzles then they could team up with someone that can and get the FTF together.

[+rstefano52]

It seems to me that those cachers who find the FTF's are either retired or work at jobs that allow them to hunt either while working or on off hours. As for the "instant" notification suggestion, yes that helps a little and I'm sure that the "FTF Hounds" use this technique but not everyone can afford that - it does get quite expensive. I'm not much of an FTF hunter myself and the few that I got were just dumb luck and my first one required some extra help from the CO. It was a good feeling but I don't expect it to happen that often.

 

I want to offer one other opinion though and I know that I'm going to open a "can of worms" but I almost wonder if some of these hounds have "inside information". As suggested, it almost seems humanly impossible for some of these caches to be found as quickly as they are. I just wonder! I'm not accusing anyone but curiosity is sometimes overwhelming!

 

I found something out recently that is very interesting using my Blackberry phone but I'm keeping that under wraps for now and it IS something where you have to have "inside information". No, I'm not going to use it to my benefit because it involves having some special "connections" which I do not have so it's a mute point. I just wonder if others might be using that somehow.

[+Marcas_Found]

Its all about the game and what you enjoy about it. We are admitted FTF hounds but its not neccesarily about the numbers. Southern New Jersey has a very active geocaching organization and we personally know the majority of the active cachers in the area. They are all great people. When a new cache comes out, we know exactly who lives/works in the area and who is most likely to go after it as soon as its published. It is a friendly competition among the group. The FTF is a bonus, beating a friend to a cache in their "back yard" is a load of fun! Especially when its a difficult 17 stage multi or complex puzzle.

 

Southern Jersey is a lot more rural than what most people would think. We live 8 miles north of the Wharton Forest, the largest, undisturbed forest on the east coast. So, when a new cache comes out it could be 15 miles as the crow flies but an hour away to drive to. Once in a blue moon 5 to 10 caches will pop up all at once on a Friday or Saturday and we almost always end up as a large gaggle rambling through the woods to seek out the new caches. These FTF experiences with friends are the ones we love and remember the most. We've seen quite a few "I'm not worried about the FTFs" types get excited in the group frenzy of an FTF hunt.

 

I completely understand the point that us FTF hounds are hogging all the caches and we have pulled back at times from going after a cache for this reason. But do you want an FTF handed to you or do you want to earn it? (I'm sure that'll get some comments). We've read logs of newer cachers before that state "I cant believe we beat Galap or so-n-so to the cache" I'm betting they were much prouder of beating out the local FTF crowd to a cache Its kind of like the first time one of your kids beats you at a board game and is grinning from ear to ear. They're much prouder of their accomplishments.

 

For the record, my wife and I are a team. We will go after just about any cache anywhere just as long as we're out there having fun; puzzles, micros on main street, regulars burried deep in the forest, it doesn't matter. FTFs are just part of the game. Having fun, that's what its about right?

 

-galaP-

[+Guinness70]

when you got that many finds i guess the thrill of the find wears off and FTF is the next best thing.

 

i went after an FTF once, 9 hours after it got published i figured : if nobody wants the FTF ill get it myself. i got there 30mintues too late for FTF and felt bit guilty about riding out for just one traditional micro at a chapel ... so continued for a second find in the area just to justify the trip and fuel cost a bit more.

havent "rushed" out since.

 

dont talk or get all excited about FTF while yer kids are around and they wont give a hoot. one good thing about FTF : the cache owner gets confirmation the cache is findable.

Edited September 28, 2008 by Guinness70

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

...I want to offer one other opinion though and I know that I'm going to open a "can of worms" but I almost wonder if some of these hounds have "inside information". As suggested, it almost seems humanly impossible for some of these caches to be found as quickly as they are. I just wonder! I'm not accusing anyone but curiosity is sometimes overwhelming!...

It definitely happens that at times some cachers have "inside" information on the impending publication of a cache, and it is also happens at times that some of these cachers use that inside information to score an FTF even before the cache has been published on geocaching.com. And, in those cases, so what? In fact, there are plenty of cachers who, via their local geocaching organizations, or via information sent to a small circle of geo-friends, announce caches that they have been placed prior to publication on geocaching.com. In fact, in some areas, this is standard practice, and again, there is nothing wrong with it. Geocaching.com is simply a cache listing organization, and is not a central authority which dictates that all FTFs must come through geocaching.com channels! BTW, this particular issue has been discussed ad nauseam many times before in earlier threads which you will find in the forum archives.

[+climbstuff]

OK..this is as much a rant as it is a suggestion. I am getting a bit worn out on trying to get my FIRST FTF. I, like many, have a family. My son and I Cache when we can...but make it an activity we like to do often. Now, am fortunate to live in an area where Caches pop up regularly. I have even dropped a few, and will do some more today, actually. Now, there are a handful of Cacehrs in the area that have hundreds, and many have thousands of found caches. They all also have many FTF's. Every time I see a new cache posted that is emailed by the time I open it, one of the local FTF HOG's have found it. It gets old. I know that is part of the thrill of being the FTF, but it is the same, extremely experienced and they also have 1000+ found caches. Even this morning, a new MICRO was published..by 7:30 am ET, two of these guys logged a find...it was 2 miles from me, and i was 7:30. The FTF cacher has 2400+ funds, the next guy, 1300+ finds. I know they are nice guys...so nothing that personal...just gets old.

 

The first two caches I lauched, were both foundby the same guy, within 1 hour of the publishing. I would love to see a kid and his dad mom find a FTF...but that will likely never happen, due to the FTF freaks.

 

As am off the cuff idea to get idea's rolling...I suggest this: if you have over 500 caches or 5 FTF's..you must wait 24 hours from publish date/time before finding any new UNFOUND cache.

 

I know this will not fly....but I am throwing it out there

 

<RANT COMPLETE!>

 

WHO-DEY!

 

Here is an unfound cache in your neighborhood. It was placed yesterday... Why didn't you go find it last night?

 

Otherwise, step up your game and find this one.

[+Renegade Knight]

....

The first two caches I lauched, were both foundby the same guy, within 1 hour of the publishing. I would love to see a kid and his dad mom find a FTF...but that will likely never happen, due to the FTF freaks....

 

FTF rules are pretty stringent. Be First To Find. Only one per cache.

 

If you want someone else to be FTF you need to stack the deck. Email the mom and kid the coords and ask them to test run the cache. While it's cheezy it's within your right as a cache owner to spread the FTF's around. You lose the control AFTER your cache is listed and it's open to all comers.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

OK..this is as much a rant as it is a suggestion. I am getting a bit worn out on trying to get my FIRST FTF. I, like many, have a family. My son and I Cache when we can...but make it an activity we like to do often. Now, am fortunate to live in an area where Caches pop up regularly. I have even dropped a few, and will do some more today, actually. Now, there are a handful of Cacehrs in the area that have hundreds, and many have thousands of found caches. They all also have many FTF's. Every time I see a new cache posted that is emailed by the time I open it, one of the local FTF HOG's have found it. It gets old. I know that is part of the thrill of being the FTF, but it is the same, extremely experienced and they also have 1000+ found caches. Even this morning, a new MICRO was published..by 7:30 am ET, two of these guys logged a find...it was 2 miles from me, and i was 7:30. The FTF cacher has 2400+ funds, the next guy, 1300+ finds. I know they are nice guys...so nothing that personal...just gets old.

 

The first two caches I lauched, were both foundby the same guy, within 1 hour of the publishing. I would love to see a kid and his dad mom find a FTF...but that will likely never happen, due to the FTF freaks.

 

As am off the cuff idea to get idea's rolling...I suggest this: if you have over 500 caches or 5 FTF's..you must wait 24 hours from publish date/time before finding any new UNFOUND cache.

 

I know this will not fly....but I am throwing it out there

 

<RANT COMPLETE!>

 

WHO-DEY!

 

Here is an unfound cache in your neighborhood. It was placed yesterday... Why didn't you go find it last night?

 

Otherwise, step up your game and find this one.

Thank you for this breath of fresh air and a voice of sanity! I was gonna write a similar post, but I felt rather lazy about doing so, and you beat me to it, and you did it very well! Thanks! You have made some excellent points that help to put this silliness into perspective!

[+Mudfrog]

....

The first two caches I lauched, were both foundby the same guy, within 1 hour of the publishing. I would love to see a kid and his dad mom find a FTF...but that will likely never happen, due to the FTF freaks....

 

FTF rules are pretty stringent. Be First To Find. Only one per cache.

 

If you want someone else to be FTF you need to stack the deck. Email the mom and kid the coords and ask them to test run the cache. While it's cheezy it's within your right as a cache owner to spread the FTF's around. You lose the control AFTER your cache is listed and it's open to all comers.

 

There's no doubt that there would be a few takers on this but i would NOT hesitate to tell that good cache owner samaritan that i didn't want a ftf that way. I can't imagine anyone ever having that "i feel good cause i got it first" feeling if a ftf was given to them.

 

What i don't understand is why cachers, the OP in this instance, bring up cache experience when complaining about other ftf'ers. Experience may play a part in actually locating a cache quickly once the person is actively searching, but imo, getting the ftf mainly requires that the person just be quick out the door!

[+KBI]

I don’t make the effort to chase FTFs as a habit, but when an opportunity falls into my lap via the Notifications, it’s sometimes fun to try – even if it’s just a simple parking lot drive-up.

 

I once had a conversation with a reviewer friend who described a party he attended. Most of the partygoers were also fanatical geocachers. He had his laptop with him, and at one point while the party was in full swing he found a quiet corner of the room and checked his emails. A fresh cache submission happened to be in the queue. A very nearby cache. He worked his reviewer magic, and within a moment he had published the new listing.

 

After thinking for a moment, and realizing what was about to happen next, he looked up just in time, as the suddenly noisy room filled with beeps, to see most of the people in the room abruptly scrambling and fumbling with their PDAs and such, and reading the notifications that were all coming across simultaneously. They looked at their messages, then at each other ... then over at HIM, and his wry grin ... and then, after a very brief moment of pure silence ... they all proceeded to stampede out the door.

 

Does that sound like fun, or what?

[+michigansnorkelers]

First of all, there is no such thing as a FTF. So, there are no rules to FTF, as far as geocaching.com is concerned (correct me if I'm wrong). It is just something that people have made up to add to their interest in the game.

 

I've had a number of FTFs, and a greater number of near misses.

 

Like you, I am a premium member. I have instant notifications sent to my cheap cell phone with no web capability. I have my instant notifications set to a 10 mile limit, but seldom go after a FTF more than 5 miles from home, because some other FTF hound will probably live closer to the cache!

 

I have free google GMAIL.

 

As soon as the cell phone rings with an alert, I go to the web page and look up the cache. I immediately decide if it's worth going after. I'm no longer in any shape to climb trees, for instance. I look at the google map and the satellite image to determine the best approach.

 

I am out the door running within 2 or 3 minutes, cache bag and GPSr in hand.

 

And,

 

I often find a signed log.

 

BUT NOT THIS MORNING ... FTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[+Flip flops]

 

Here is an unfound cache in your neighborhood. It was placed yesterday... Why didn't you go find it last night?

 

Otherwise, step up your game and find this one.

 

My two new ones that published this weekend at seperate times lasted more than 7 hours without a FTF, which is a long time in our area. I live about 45 minutes away. I wish they would have came after my new ones.

[+Polarbz]

We have a guy in our area who is a FTF champion! I like to see if we can get them before he does - and I time our FTFs to try and beat our own time. Our quickest so far is 21 minutes from Published to Found.

[+Viajero Perdido]

FTFs are a limited resource.

 

I think it's selfish to try to claim too many. Other people might want 'em.

 

Usually I avoid FTFs, unless some time has passed and clearly nobody else is going for it. (I FTF'd one today that sat for 4 weeks.)

[+traildad]

You could try looking at listings for a different area. Maybe there are some that are not too far away that aren't hounded quite so much. I wanted a FTF and when a notice came in my email I was out the door at 11:30 at night. At least I got one.

[+Team GeoBlast]

I don’t make the effort to chase FTFs as a habit, but when an opportunity falls into my lap via the Notifications, it’s sometimes fun to try – even if it’s just a simple parking lot drive-up.

 

I once had a conversation with a reviewer friend who described a party he attended. Most of the partygoers were also fanatical geocachers. He had his laptop with him, and at one point while the party was in full swing he found a quiet corner of the room and checked his emails. A fresh cache submission happened to be in the queue. A very nearby cache. He worked his reviewer magic, and within a moment he had published the new listing.

 

After thinking for a moment, and realizing what was about to happen next, he looked up just in time, as the suddenly noisy room filled with beeps, to see most of the people in the room abruptly scrambling and fumbling with their PDAs and such, and reading the notifications that were all coming across simultaneously. They looked at their messages, then at each other ... then over at HIM, and his wry grin ... and then, after a very brief moment of pure silence ... they all proceeded to stampede out the door.

 

Does that sound like fun, or what?

 

Wow.. must have been a great party.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

OK..this is as much a rant as it is a suggestion. I am getting a bit worn out on trying to get my FIRST FTF. I, like many, have a family. My son and I Cache when we can...but make it an activity we like to do often. Now, am fortunate to live in an area where Caches pop up regularly. I have even dropped a few, and will do some more today, actually. Now, there are a handful of Cacehrs in the area that have hundreds, and many have thousands of found caches. They all also have many FTF's. Every time I see a new cache posted that is emailed by the time I open it, one of the local FTF HOG's have found it. It gets old. I know that is part of the thrill of being the FTF, but it is the same, extremely experienced and they also have 1000+ found caches. Even this morning, a new MICRO was published..by 7:30 am ET, two of these guys logged a find...it was 2 miles from me, and i was 7:30. The FTF cacher has 2400+ funds, the next guy, 1300+ finds. I know they are nice guys...so nothing that personal...just gets old.

 

The first two caches I lauched, were both foundby the same guy, within 1 hour of the publishing. I would love to see a kid and his dad mom find a FTF...but that will likely never happen, due to the FTF freaks.

 

As am off the cuff idea to get idea's rolling...I suggest this: if you have over 500 caches or 5 FTF's..you must wait 24 hours from publish date/time before finding any new UNFOUND cache.

 

I know this will not fly....but I am throwing it out there

 

<RANT COMPLETE!>

 

WHO-DEY!

 

Here's a thought. Put out a puzzle cache, multi-stage cache or a cache that involves real effort to find. They're commonly followed by a long period (ftf-race wise anyway) before a find. Locally, the latest puzzle cache took 3 days to be found.

[+NOBODY IMPORTANT]

It took a little over 3 months to nail my first FTF. I have only been caching for 1 year, 4 months and 2 days. I've only found 276 caches, of which 25 are FTF. Am I a hound? Bet your sweet a** I am! Does anyone care how many i've found? Just me, baby....just me......I will eventually tire of it, in fact I passed up 3 of 5 today due to distance, gas and time and still came in second on those 2. I get the auto-notify and I sometimes don't even put socks on.....i'm out that door, and I mean N-O-W. if it were a sunken pirate ship full of gold would you still ask someone to "stay away"? FTF is my booty, and i'm out for as much loot as possible. I did my "time" being pissy over the "FTF HOUNDS". Get over it, I did. Now I have 25 under my belt. As you find more and ALSO learn each "hiders" modus operandi, you will get more FTF. Until then, keep the car gassed, the velcro shoes nearby and fresh batteries at all times! And if you are ever in southwest Wyoming, keep your eyes peeled for a little red Mazda 4-wheel drive flying the "Jolly Roger! AAARRRRRGH MATEY!

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

I don’t make the effort to chase FTFs as a habit, but when an opportunity falls into my lap via the Notifications, it’s sometimes fun to try – even if it’s just a simple parking lot drive-up.

 

I once had a conversation with a reviewer friend who described a party he attended. Most of the partygoers were also fanatical geocachers. He had his laptop with him, and at one point while the party was in full swing he found a quiet corner of the room and checked his emails. A fresh cache submission happened to be in the queue. A very nearby cache. He worked his reviewer magic, and within a moment he had published the new listing.

 

After thinking for a moment, and realizing what was about to happen next, he looked up just in time, as the suddenly noisy room filled with beeps, to see most of the people in the room abruptly scrambling and fumbling with their PDAs and such, and reading the notifications that were all coming across simultaneously. They looked at their messages, then at each other ... then over at HIM, and his wry grin ... and then, after a very brief moment of pure silence ... they all proceeded to stampede out the door.

 

Does that sound like fun, or what?

It sure does!

 

We have a lot of events and it is common to ask our Reviewer to publish a cache during the event for just this purpose.

 

She gets it done for many of our events. Cell phones go to beeping, folks check the mail, sly calculating looks are exchanged and it's on!

 

It's not cut-throat; those who got the Instant Notification announce that a new cache has been listed and give out the coordinates. Anyone interested plugs them into their GPS and most often a group will leave together.

 

In an hour or so these folks return laughing with great stories. Even the most mundane film can in a stop sign post can generate some wonderful experiences when this happens... it's not about the cache, it's about friends having fun!

 

Around here you have to be quick... a cache really has to be remote to last 2 hours unfound, and that includes traditional hides on a mountain in a state park or micros in the city.

 

I find a few, nowhere near what I used to, mainly due to the gas hog that I drive, but I don't keep track of them... in fact I don't know how those who do record them go about it; to my knowledge none of the regular FTFers in my area keep track of them.

 

We're fortunate to have a friendly group here, where most people know and like one another, so the competition for FTF is strictly a fun thing that no one takes seriously.

 

As a norm in this area (central Alabama) the FTF doesn't take any FTF prize that there might be. I used to invest $80 to $100 in every cache, including a nice FTF prize ~$30 value (a fishing reel or nice headlamp), and was gratified to see the FTF crowd would usually leave it for the STF or a kid to take.

 

As to the "I can't compete because..." I am the only retired FTF chaser in this area! Betaman, OldBoyHiker, Ohail and the several others who delight in the FTF game all have jobs, families, etc.

 

It's really a pretty level playing field, with opportunities directly related to determination.

 

As a handi-cacher (lost a leg, broke my neck, cache on crutches) I don't want cachers to give me special consideration when they hide a cache, so I can't imagine wanting a rule designed to give me an edge on FTFs!

Edited September 29, 2008 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+Kohavis]

It took a little over 3 months to nail my first FTF. I have only been caching for 1 year, 4 months and 2 days. I've only found 276 caches, of which 25 are FTF. Am I a hound? Bet your sweet a** I am! Does anyone care how many i've found? Just me, baby....just me......I will eventually tire of it, in fact I passed up 3 of 5 today due to distance, gas and time and still came in second on those 2. I get the auto-notify and I sometimes don't even put socks on.....i'm out that door, and I mean N-O-W. if it were a sunken pirate ship full of gold would you still ask someone to "stay away"? FTF is my booty, and i'm out for as much loot as possible. I did my "time" being pissy over the "FTF HOUNDS". Get over it, I did. Now I have 25 under my belt. As you find more and ALSO learn each "hiders" modus operandi, you will get more FTF. Until then, keep the car gassed, the velcro shoes nearby and fresh batteries at all times! And if you are ever in southwest Wyoming, keep your eyes peeled for a little red Mazda 4-wheel drive flying the "Jolly Roger! AAARRRRRGH MATEY!

More power to you. We all have our own reasons for geocaching. Some are in it for the FTFs. Others are in it for a nice walk with a little reward at the end.

 

I personally don't give a flying fig if I ever get a FTF. That's not why I do it. I do it for the exercise and fresh air - and to explore new and interesting places I've never been to. But I don't hold anything against FTF hounds. We're all in the same game for whatever reason, and we should enjoy the cameraderie

[+WHO-DEY]

I really posted this thread as a lead question...kind of.."food for thought". Trust me, I know there will not be any added rules. I do not do this for the FTF's, obviously. If you have ever found a coin or a cache I launched...you know that. But, I do try and include a FTF prize in each cache launched. Not always.

For me, it is about time with my friends and son. Simply, I just think that some cachers that have tallied finds into the thousands may want to consider opening the FTF fun up for the newbies...and perhaps this thread would allow some considrations in that direction. Cachers are good people, very good people. I have yet to be proved wrong on that. I hope you don't think I am a dork for the thread...but, this is a forum...so why not?

[+WHO-DEY]

Now that I have talked about it, and read many useful comments...I honestly will adopt this as a mind set...

 

"But do you want an FTF handed to you or do you want to earn it?"

 

That is fair. I just need to vent...I am good now.

 

Thanks all..

 

WHO-DEY

[Mr.Yuck]

I really posted this thread as a lead question...kind of.."food for thought". Trust me, I know there will not be any added rules. I do not do this for the FTF's, obviously. If you have ever found a coin or a cache I launched...you know that. But, I do try and include a FTF prize in each cache launched. Not always.

For me, it is about time with my friends and son. Simply, I just think that some cachers that have tallied finds into the thousands may want to consider opening the FTF fun up for the newbies...and perhaps this thread would allow some considrations in that direction. Cachers are good people, very good people. I have yet to be proved wrong on that. I hope you don't think I am a dork for the thread...but, this is a forum...so why not?

 

Naw, no one thinks you're a dork. I'm a dork though, sometimes I wonder about totally useless things. When do you suppose the "game within a game" of FTF originated? When and where did this become a big deal, and become a "race"? And become pretty much universal everywhere? It certainly was in existence my area in 2003, we went for FTF's, and claimed such. We didn't have instant notifications, and find caches within 8 minutes of publishing though. But I looked at some of the oldest caches in my area, 2001 type placements, and no one "claimed FTF". Any real old-timers want to tackle this question?

[+LEGO]

Shortly after I first started reading this thread, last Saturday evening, I received an email notification for a new cache published in the area. It was nearing 10 PM, so I wasn't going to head out and try to get it right away. I decided that I would try to get up early Sunday morning and seek my fortune. I loaded the coordinates into my GPS'er, studied the google map, and formulated my quickest route. I was able to wake up on time, roust my 12 year old son out of bed, and head out by 6:22 AM while it was still dark. To make a long story short, we got the FTF, beating the STF by less than 30 minutes, and it was a thrill for both of us. Two weeks ago, we had tried the same thing and missed FTF by the same 30 minutes, but we still had fun, and that was what mattered. My advice is to just keep trying. In three months of caching, with 73 finds, I have managed to get 6 FTFs by taking advantage of little opportunities like this.

[+softball29]

This is why I like my area. It's not that competitive for it. Most of the FTFs I have have been out there for like 2-3+ days before I even got there.

 

A FTF is fine. It's neat. But to tell people they can't go find something because someone else wants it, or you should wait 24+ hours because someone else wants one is ridiculous.

[+emmett]

.

 

Most will agree the quest for an FTF is more fun than a later search but you cannot restrict who is eligble.

 

However, there is a simple solution - release all new caches (or at least some) once a week at the same time, presumably on Saturday. This will surely give more people a chance to participate and I see no downside, but I'd guess it will never happen, at least not on this web site.

 

.

[+emmett]

.

 

Most will agree the quest for an FTF is more fun than a later search but you cannot restrict who is eligble.

 

However, there is a simple solution - release all new caches (or at least some) once a week at the same time, presumably on Saturday. This will surely give more people a chance to participate and I see no downside, but I'd guess it will never happen, at least not on this web site.

 

.

[+markandsandy]

.

 

Most will agree the quest for an FTF is more fun than a later search but you cannot restrict who is eligble.

 

.

 

.

 

I don't agree.

 

My one and only FTF so far was 13 days after the cache was published, and I didn't even know that it had yet to be found.

 

It wouldn't have been any more fun if I HAD known I was looking for an FTF.