Discouraged...

[+briansnat]

As far as "old timers", I have been told by one that you aren't a real cacher until you have a thousand finds.

 

Which donkey-tail said that?

 

It was me and I still firmly believe that.

[+BlueDeuce]

[+mvigor]

I say just try not to worry about what other people think. I only found about 20 caches my first year because my desire to cache is apparently only in the fall and early winter. Hopefully I'll find another 20 or so before January or February. It's NOT about the numbers...I'm just having a little fun.

[+wapahani]

Who cares how many finds you have or don't have.

Who cares how long you have been doing this.

 

Its suppose to be fun, right?

 

I've stopped caching by myself and now we only cache as a family. We created a family account and we just do it whenever we can.

Example, yesterday we had to run to a friends house, there are several caches along the way. We didn't have the kids with us, so we will save them for another time.

Simply because we don't care about the numbers!

[Vik&Mäh]

For some it's about the numbers. For some it's about the fun. I guess there are plenty of cachers for whom the numbers are the fun part.

 

I think most people will have differing reasons for starting, enjoying and continuing this activity and no-one has the right to look down on someone else because their reason is different. Live and let live.

 

Next time someone tries to put you down because you've not found as many as they have, smile at them and say 'well, it must be really nice to have your amount of free time! I'd love to be able to cache more often'. There's not much they can say to that.

Edited October 20, 2008 by Vilome

[CoyoteRed]

I am mostly just looking for some support or confirmation...or reasoning behind the behaviour I have described. I feel pretty alone on this and do not want the attitudes of others destroy an activity I love. (I know it is best to ignore those who "ruin your chance of a good time" I am trying not to be affected by it but I am running a little thin at the moment..lol)

 

Any help or input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you to all those who make this sport possible, and thanks to all those people who are out there to have a good time.

Back when we first started in the hobby we would basically go from cache to cache. There was little need to filter caches as most were doable and the stinkers were few enough to not worry about. We thought our prowess was based on our ability to quickly defeat the owner in the his hide and move on to the next cache.

 

However, the pull that I first felt to the hobby was soon lost. The adventure and sense of exploration was diminished. Why? The roses and the smell. We weren't moving slow enough to smell them. Our first year we averaged about 1 cache a day. We were going every week, traveling good distances, keeping our 50 mile radius cleared down to single digit unfounds. It used to be that caches were so few and far between that it was pretty much the thing to do is go find whatever cache popped up. You were a dedicated cacher if you went and found every cache out there. We came in right on the tail of that time.

 

Then a point came where it was not the game we wanted to play. Now, it's all about quality. There are plenty of caches to find, more than any one person can do. Unless you cache full time there are few places in the US where you can find all the caches in one area.

 

Why would you want to? With a growing number of junk caches--trache--there's no desire for us to go from cache to cache. We could waste a whole day on junk. Now, we are very selective. It's not easy. We have to rely on perusing huge lists or word of mouth. This site doesn't make it easy.

 

To tell you the truth, I don't recall the last time I've been asked at an event what our find count was. The last time anyone asked I replied I didn't know, because I don't. INATN says 819. GSAK says 843. There are more that are in neither system because we played the GPStheGame game--add 10 or 20 or so, I don't know. Then there are caches we found and never bothered to log at all. I have a signature in a grandfathered moving cache and I couldn't tell you which one it is--I didn't log it online because I didn't really find it, it was handed to me at an event.

 

Here's the thing, if you answer the query of how many caches you've found with something evasive, folks will probably think you're ashamed of your low number. Answer honestly. If they start giving you advise on how to do more, you could look at them quizzically for a few seconds as they ramble on then ask, "What makes you think the available time I have for geocaching is not already being enjoyed to its fullest?"

 

Then you would be a "cache snob" instead of a "numbers snob." Personally, if I have to be one or the other, I prefer the former.

Edited October 21, 2008 by CoyoteRed

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Hang in there pal, as has been said you're doing just fine. Keep going to the events....as a rule geocachers are great folks. Regarding numbers , I never bring it up and when asked I can only give an approx. as I never know how many I've found.

Early on I set an arbitrary number as a " goal" and became somewhat driven until I got there. After signing the log at this milestone I felt a huge sense of relief and only then realized I'd taken a lot of fun out of our sport. No more goals for me.

What my wife and I have enjoyed most is " out-of-town" caching. Its great not knowing whats around the next bend in the road.

[+FootTracker]

Hey, I do not feel bad, I only got 6, LOL

 

I have not been out for awhile it seems life, other things of interest, and lack of time have stopped me from increasing my "finds".

 

Well, now I getting more time to do things and will be out there looking.

 

I think you need to just realize that it not about the "finds" rather the fun and experience of looking for them. I have decided to take my camera to capture the scenery and such to remeber where I have been.

 

hang in there and just enjoy the thrill of the hunt....

[+traildad]

...but some of the attendees are SO FOCUSED on how many finds I have etc. When I tell them I have less then 40 they become quite pretencious and act as though there must be some kind of problem.

My advice is to reply to someone asking how many finds you have with, "Less than I want to have" or something similar. It's true I'd guess, because most of us wish we'd been able to cache more. But it tells the person that you're not interested in discussing specific numbers.

 

And if they persist with it, just change it around and start asking about their find count and which finds around here are the best ones. These folks generally LOVE to be asked that question because they get to brag a little about finding so many caches that they've identified the good ones, and you get to actually listen to something you care to hear.

 

Either that, or pretend you need to go ask a local reviewer a secret question about a cache you're thinking of placing and excuse yourself.

Good advice.

[+Bad_CRC]

once you have over 400 finds, you shouldn't be allowed to cache anymore.

 

there really is no point, and everyone knows you are just going to clutter the logbook with meaningless "TFTC" logs, and then not bother to put the container back where you found it.

 

 

 

[+traildad]

Here's how I typically answer the 'How many finds' question:

 

"I dunno."

Good answer.

[BlueDamsel]

I have been caching since 2001. I have far fewer finds than most other cachers that started around that same time. I don't care. I cache when I enjoy it, and I stop caching when it no longer gives me the pleasure I expect out of it. My longest non-caching streak was somewhere in the neighborhood of four years! I stopped during these four years for several reasons: other things to do which were at the time more fun for me, an overabundance of the same types of negative attitudes you describe, and an effort by some to take a very freewheeling, unstructured and spontaneous activity and categorize it into little boxes and lists of rules.

 

I got back into caching when I decided to follow my own rules for what I wanted to achieve out of it, and not someone elses... Surprise! It was fun again!

 

I usually cache alone because then I cache how I want to... I take as little or as much time as I feel like and I find the types of caches that I'm interested in. If I want to go for numbers that day, or instead go for more leisurely finds or finds that might take some more involved effort, I have that choice. I rarely if ever attend cache events, simply because I DON'T want to get into numbers discussions with other people. I enjoy FTFs when they happen to drop into my lap, but I don't seek them as an end unto themselves. My favorite FTFs have come from difficult puzzle hides that took some thought and effort to find vs. the quick drive-by FTF which anyone, with nothing better to do, can easily achieve.

 

I keep very accurate and detailed online logs of my caching, not to brag about the numbers to others, but because my logs have become sort of a journal or diary of my personal experiences. I go back and read some of those logs and yes, I remember the time I got stopped by the cops on a cache, or the sprinklers went on all around me, or the deer I saw walk by less than 10 yards away. The day I found 30 caches was the day I took my husband to the airport that morning and then enjoyed a lovely day of completely personal time that I rarely ever get... those 30 logs are the record of that. Sometimes I take a half hour to log one cache because I'm writing a poem about the cache for the cache owner, just because I know they they're sick of seeing the same old "TFTC, SL". So you see, it's not about the stats to me... it's ALL about the experience.

 

So go do your thing. Don't worry about your "measly" 40 caches, because soon not only will there be 40 more, but you will have seen a rabbit in front of you on the trail or a beautiful sunset or you'll meet another solitary cacher by chance at a place you never expected, or you'll be the first to find a cache that sat unfound for 5 months because you took the effort to solve it. From all those things you'll feel a LOT more satisfaction, I guarantee, than the guy who worked his butt off, not seeing the beauty that was around him, to log 5,000 finds solely for the purpose of telling YOU all about it.

 

That's my two cents.

BlueDamsel

[+tozainamboku]

When I started caching there was a local cacher who I looked up to because he has something like 250 finds at the time. His forum signature was

Ever notice how anyone that caches more than you do is a maniac, while anyone that caches less than you do is an idiot?

 

I don't know if calling someone who caches less than you an idiot would be allowed given today's guidelines - but at the time it made me realized that not everybody is in it for the numbers. The amount of time each of us devotes to caching is influenced by many things - job, family, health, and how much time is spent on other interests (like playing World of Warcraft). And these things change as well. Someone who starts out slow and only caches occasionally can end up planning 70 or 80 cache runs each weekend or perhaps become a FTF enthusiast ready to run out for that new cache the minute he gets an instant notify. Others who start out getting high numbers might burn out after a year or two.

Edited October 21, 2008 by tozainamboku

[+4wheelingmirage]

Yup I've been one of the fast movers in the beginning, 2 kids, 1 tour in Iraq, and life in general..I'm lucky if I remember to post my finds within 90 days. Hell I finally posted 8 finds that we did in HI back in freaking April. I think I finally posted the finds in Sept. I'm not in it for the numbers just the hunt.

 

Hopefully now that it's less than 100 degrees we can get out caching a bit more.

[4wheelin_fool]

As far as "old timers", I have been told by one that you aren't a real cacher until you have a thousand finds.

 

Which donkey-tail said that?

 

It was me and I still firmly believe that.

 

I disagree. Anyone who has over a thousand finds (or close to it) is being overly obsessive.

[+Renegade Knight]

... some of the attendees are SO FOCUSED on how many finds I have etc. When I tell them I have less then 40 they become quite pretencious and act as though there must be some kind of problem... ...Any help or input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you to all those who make this sport possible, and thanks to all those people who are out there to have a good time.

Those same folks are the kind that got annoyed when I could have cared less how many finds they had when they were busy trying to "measure up". I love stats, they are a fun angle to this activity. They are not however a replacment for personal worth.

 

Don't sweat it, and go find the group of folks who seem like they are having the same kind of fun you want to have.

 

P.S. Now it's been a few years and those folks who used to want recognition for measuring up have long since passed me and no doubt would look down since now I don't measure up. I still don't care though I do know the game well enough to enjoy toying with them.

 

P.P.S.

I can't say finds have zero value. If 3 of your 40 finds were on my most brutal skunks you would be my hero.

Edited October 21, 2008 by Renegade Knight

[+Renegade Knight]

...To tell you the truth, I don't recall the last time I've been asked at an event what our find count was. ...

 

You have transcended such trivial things. Your caching chi flows from other sources.

[+Crid]

It's really down to whatever floats your boat. There are those who treat geocaching as a sport, and those who do it just as a bit of fun. In the same way that some people are competitive about cycling, whereas others just want to go for a leisurely bike ride once in a while. I'm the latter camp on both issues.

 

Along with geocaching, I also enjoy using my GPS for mapping (openstreetmap.org). Both activities encourage me to go walking in new places, rather than sticking to the same routes all the time. This has helped me to rediscover my love of walking and also helped me shed some weight (about 20 pounds so far).

 

One of the nice things about geocaching (for me, anyway) is that the numbers are only as important as you want them to be. There's no leaderboard showing who has had the most finds this month. I'd never be on it anyway, but for me the fun comes from the activity itself. I'll happily do a multi that takes a couple of hours and yields a single find at the end of it because I get the enjoyment from the walking, the finding and (if I go with a friend) the company. Cachers who are interested in the numbers would probably go after cache-n-dash's and get several finds in the same period of time, because that's how THEY want to play the game.

 

Neither approach is necessarily "right" or "wrong". It's just personal preference.

[+TrailGators]

As far as "old timers", I have been told by one that you aren't a real cacher until you have a thousand finds.

 

Which donkey-tail said that?

 

It was me and I still firmly believe that.

 

I disagree. Anyone who has over a thousand finds (or close to it) is being overly obsessive.

I think the number is 999!

 

Anyhow, we all go through phases. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

[Neos2]

I've found that sometimes the new folks take offense where none was really meant by questions that seem numbers oriented but aren't really (not saying you did).

 

A lot of time people at events aren't really the best "socializers" themselves, but they're trying to be friendly in their own awkward way. They bring up the caches you've found because, well face it, they just met you and the one thing they are pretty sure you both have in common is that you've found some caches.

 

So they ask about the caches you've found hoping you'll have found some of the same one they've found so you can have something in particular to discuss. ("Didn't you just love that cache?" "Was that one hard for you--we looked for half an hour!" "You have done that one yet? Want to go together to try it some time?" etc).

 

Sometimes if someone says "I haven't seen your name on any of my caches yet" they are really trying to figure out if you are avoiding their caches for some reason, or whether they should invite you do go do some of theirs, or if you're one of the people who've looked for their and maybe need a hint to find it, etc.

 

Sometimes folks are just trying to find out if you want a caching partner, or if you want some help getting started. Sometimes they just want to find out if you can help them!

 

I've found that people cache for all kinds of reasons: Exercise, the view, the hike, new places to see, tourism help in strange cities, the find lots of caches, to find challenging caches, companionship, some of the above, all of the above. It's not up to me to judge which of those are "worthwhile" reasons, and I don't care what someone else thinks of my reasons.

 

I've also found that most of the people at events are wonderful, warm, and welcoming. The other few don't usually make many return visits, so I try not to let them annoy me.

[+TrailGators]

I've also found that most of the people at events are wonderful, warm, and welcoming. The other few don't usually make many return visits, so I try not to let them annoy me.

I've found the same thing. It's great when I travel because people are so friendly that I fit right in. So I think the OP ran into some exceptions to the rule. Like any party if you meet a dud just move along and meet some more people.

[+ventura_kids]

Based on the premise that those with the most finds are the smartest, I'm feeling mighty intelligent !

Now I have to post lots of forum posts so I can be the smartest one in here too.

 

well...maybe not.

 

Welcome to our sport.

It scares me to think that a new cacher who is sensitive to other peoples comments is in the forums.

This place is the toughest least sensitive place around.

 

I agree with Toz. Numbers are just that....numbers.

 

You would have a great time if you went powercaching with us. You would have a great time going up a mountain in our jeep for just one cache. You would have a great time hanging out at an event with us. It has nothing to do with the numbers...it's just ALL fun !

 

So get away from those grumpy people, and find some happy people to sit next to at the next event.

[+9Key]

For some geocachers it is only about how many caches you have found and they think it makes them "important" in their community. I've been pleasantly surprised by one particular "numbers" cacher in my area that has not slowed down on finds per day, per se, but seems to have recently taken a look at the locales that geocaching has taken them to and has spent a little more time to log their observations in detail. Thumbs up!

[+webscouter.]

My number changes all the time.

 

My current number is 1. That is the number of states I have left to find a cache in.

 

Sometimes my number is 8. That is the number of Cache across America caches I haven't found.

 

Sometimes my number is 3. That is the number of friend that will fit in my car for a day out caching.

 

Next month my number is going to be 17. That is the number of counties with no finds for the state of Kansas.

 

And occasionally my number is 3225. The number of caches I have found.

 

But it isn't about the numbers, or is it?

 

Each of these numbers is a measure of enjoyment for me. Ask me how many finds I have and I am likely to tell you about just one. The last one.

[+WRASTRO]

Lots of good advice in this thread even if the OP hasn't been back.

[+Soobax]

I can't even begin to describe how greatful I am of all the responses. It is so awesome to hear the perspective of others!! In my original post I appear to be quite oversensitive to the comments of others - I am sensitve to some degree, but I was definately just more interested in what other peoples experiences were in the caching community. I love the hunt and the experience equally and will never give up this wicked sport for anything. Thank you all for the invites, advice, wisdom, and good laughs throughout this post. We sure do have a lot of good people hanging around here.

 

THANK YOU!

[Skippermark]

Have fun and Keep on Caching!

[+whinger]

I don't have a whole lot of finds either - and you know what's great about that? Anywhere I go, there are still adventures to be had, and caches to find. I guess I just like writing my pseudonym on little pieces of paper.

[+chuckwagon101]

As far as "old timers", I have been told by one that you aren't a real cacher until you have a thousand finds.

 

Which donkey-tail said that?

 

It was me and I still firmly believe that.

 

No! It was me.... And I STILL believe in the Big Pile Of Sticks!

 

This is SpartacusWagon...and I approve this message.

[Mag Magician]

How many finds? Who gives a rats azz! I recently co-hosted an event cache where the hostess has no finds and no hides. She is avidly researching the sport, and attempting to acquire a personal GPSr after her campground closes for the season. She's just way too busy now, even though she got her GC alias about 6 months ago. A wonderful woman to talk to, by the way, and very interesting new friend.

 

At this event, the attendees were from as far as 1500 miles away, and most of them had logged at least one, or more find(s) on my hides. I knew the names, but not the people. Now I do know the faces behind the names. Some attendees had 2000 finds, and the newest one had 15 finds, as well as the children of cachers, that have logged only a few, under their own GC aliases.

 

There was no animosity, no accusations, and no judgment at this event. Everybody enjoyed the company of new friends. This is what being part of a global interest is all about! It's not about being denigrated by someone who plainly has a bad attitude.

[+Team Birdaholic]

NUMBERS - What numbers?? Myself and my wife go geo-caching in our own time. We didn't go to an event because all it was, was a big numbers hunt. We just wanted to meet people and discuss tactics. Having been in this country for only a few years I find the general population very arragont and headstrong. Apparantely here there are no rules or regulations. (Florida). If you want to go through a red light thats fine. Speed too you wont get caught. I guess thats why we have few geo-caching friends. Can't find someone that would like to take a pleasant walk around a park or forest. It's all about the numbers. Well I am sorry I just want to enjoy and if I only find 5 for the day then so be it. At least we have enjoyed the day..

[+S.A.R 29]

I have been caching since 2001, and have not made 700 yet. I really enjoy the sport but free time also is a problem for me. Go when you can don't worry about how many others have found.

[+Breaktrack]

 

I am mostly just looking for some support or confirmation...or reasoning behind the behaviour I have described. I feel pretty alone on this and do not want the attitudes of others destroy an activity I love. (I know it is best to ignore those who "ruin your chance of a good time" I am trying not to be affected by it but I am running a little thin at the moment..lol)

 

Any help or input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you to all those who make this sport possible, and thanks to all those people who are out there to have a good time.

 

Here's my view. Cache because YOU like to, not because you have a certain number of caches under your belt. If you peruse my stats you will find I do not have all that many caches, but have been around since the begining of this little game.

 

My concern is for the quality of caching. What I personally get out of it, not what others see. many of my cache finds have been a long way from Texas, and I treasure those mainly because I found them with my kids, not because they add up to some arbitrary number that means NOTHING.

 

If you have 1,000 caches, but 999 of them were crappy, side of the road trash caches, then your numbers do not impress me one iota. But if you have 100 caches that are found in interesting areas and take a little bit of effort to get to and find, then you have much more respect in my book. If you hit a cache and enter TNLNSL and nothing else, then your numbers do not impress me. I love to read logs of people who take the time to list their experience finding the cache, what they thought of the area, what they enjoyed and found pleasurable about the find, and especially the challenges overcome to get there.

 

Numbers and stats have always been a bone of contention around here, since the begining, and it appears it will never change. So cache for YOU, and not for others. Cachs for YOUR enjoyment, numbers be damned. I have a few caches I have placed, and several virtual caches from the pre-virtual kill off. As of today I have had nearly 3,000 log entries to my caches. I take much greater pride in those numbers than of my own finds. Many of my physical caches have gone by the wayside due to hurricanes over the years, just the nature of the beast. But it is indicative of the type of physical cache I place. They were challenging to get to, no question, but also vulnerable to hurricane induced swells. My virtuals are all over the country and take quite an effort to get to every once in a while in order to ensure the information on them is still accurate, but that is something I place greater value on that how many caches I've found.

 

Another aspect that is important in the people you meet while caching . I value those people much more than I value the caches themselves. I have met people I would NEVER have met otherwise through finding caches all over the country. One in Biloxi, Mississippi comes to mind every time I think of the people I've met. You just never know.

 

Forget the numbers, ignore those who dwell on the numbers, cache for you, not for those who look down their nose at you due to a number. Find like minded individuals and cache with them once in a while instead of strictly on your own. You will enjoy Geocaching much more if you're not worried about what other people think.

 

Cache on!!

 

Mac

[+Marty..]

OP- Touché

 

My stats:

Member Since: Thursday, November 28, 2002

# Finds: 162

# DNFs: too many

Posts: Not much

Places I've Cached: Ukraine, Germany, North Dakota, Diego Garcia, Ohio, Spain, North Carolina

Experiences: Priceless

 

I have fun going out when I can, try my best and know that #1 in finds in my house is me

 

bottom line for me - it's not about what anyone thinks about me, I wake up, decide to do a cache and do it. I'm honest about DNFs and at the end of the day I go to bed.

[+AHOLLYS]

I registered on the site in Sept 2001, did not find my first cache untill Dec 2007. Still have less than 400 finds. This sums up my ecperience...It's not about the number of caches you find, but the friends you make along the way.

[+Kohavis]

I registered on the site in Sept 2001, did not find my first cache untill Dec 2007. Still have less than 400 finds. This sums up my ecperience...It's not about the number of caches you find, but the friends you make along the way.

400 finds (or anywhere close to that) in less than a year is nothing to apologize for

[diddypants]

Here's reply #86.

 

I completely understand and sympathize with your plight. Thing is though? Who cares. Those people that come down on you for your numbers or status? F*** them.

 

Really? If you have fun in the hunt? That's all that matters. I would hate to become someone who goes home after not finding a cache and actually seethes because I had counted on it boosting my stats, and being material I could use to brag about.

 

I just posted a forum topic about this concept, but as someone who has cached less than a month with less than 40 finds, I have already discovered what you are talking about and it's ridiculous. If I spend twenty minutes on a "simple" or "quick" find, and leave empty-handed? That's okay. I will find it another day. If I want to. And if I thought I would care if I didn't find something? I wouldn't look in the first place.

 

Also. Those that condescend to you about geocaching? Well... Look at what they're proud of, and rank it YOUR scheme of what is important.

[+KC8JZK]

Remember we all started at Zero!!

[+ventura_kids]

All those cachers with tiny, tiny numbers say that Numbers don't count.

[+Team GeoBlast]

I am of the opinion that numbers should not be displayed unless the cacher chooses for them to be...

So am I.

 

So am I.

 

I feel so strongly about this that at the beginning of the year I started logging my finds as notes when I had something to say and not logging anything when I am not moved to make a comment. I honestly have no idea how many finds I have and I will admit to really enjoying answering "I don't know" when someone asks me how many finds I have.

[+Grigorii Rasputin]

Hey!!!!!

 

Can I tell you something? In every club, endeavor, hobby, pastime, etc., etc., I've found a boat load of people who DON'T work two jobs, who DON'T have a wife / family / girlfriend / commitments / a life / other interests / serious challenges / etc. / etc. These same people tend to define themselves based upon some stupid, trivial achievement of theirs such as, say, cache counts. These are the same people that attend Star Trek conventions and debate which is more powerful: the Enterprise or a Klingon battle cruiser. Meanwhile, people like you and me are trying to scratch out a living, take care of our families, and tend to our other responsibilities.

 

Cache at your own speed, my friend! Caching to me is: getting outside and hiking, getting a little exercise, sunshine and fresh air. Caching to me is about enjoying nature, seeing things you've never seen before, being challenged by a really cool cache, and maybe listening to some great music on an iPod while you're doing all of this!!!!!!!

 

Cache on, pal!!!!!!

Rasputin

[+sunsetmeadowlark]

My number changes all the time.

 

My current number is 1. That is the number of states I have left to find a cache in.

 

Sometimes my number is 8. That is the number of Cache across America caches I haven't found.

 

Sometimes my number is 3. That is the number of friend that will fit in my car for a day out caching.

 

Next month my number is going to be 17. That is the number of counties with no finds for the state of Kansas.

 

And occasionally my number is 3225. The number of caches I have found.

 

But it isn't about the numbers, or is it?

 

Each of these numbers is a measure of enjoyment for me. Ask me how many finds I have and I am likely to tell you about just one. The last one.

 

What a PERFECT reply and it completely sums up all of the reasons my mom and I cache. Today our number was 6287, the elevation we went to to find the cache. Yesterday our number was 250, the round trip mileage we drove to find caches out of our area. Most of the time our number is 2, me plus my mom, together having fun.