FTF

[RuideAlmeida]

What is the true meaning of an FTF?

What makes you running for another... or not?

 

Which was your best one? Tell us your thoughts and thrills...

[+va griz]

An FTF and about $3 will get you a fancy cup of coffee.

 

I chase FTFs when I can, but will not drive a long way to go for one if I wasn't headed that way anyway. Not sure why, I guess it's a bit of friendly compitition. I've meet maybe half of the folks who are also chasing them, so it's fun.

[+Buggheart]

I run for them if they're close to home and I've been made aware of it within a reasonable time. FTF competition is fierce in my area so I need to find about it immediately after it's published and go or I know I won't get it.

 

As for my favorite, I've only got about 5 of them and they were all very memorable so I can't pick a favorite. My first was on a rainy day and I was alone trying to find it so it was fun but kind of lonely as there was no one to share with. The next were published about 11pm on a Saturday and I conned my husband into going with me and he actually made the find on one of them (no account though so I took credit for it) so that was memorable.

 

Then on new year's day my mom and I got a few shared FTFs which was tons o'fun. We knew there was going to be a new cache blitz so I had stayed up til about 4am thinking they were going to be published after midnight and then was back up about 7 and over my mom's to wait for them to come rolling in. When nothing popped up at noon we went out caching and then returned home about 3pm to find the blitz had started so we jumped in the car and drove like maniacs and picked up 3 more.

[Abighog]

An FTF and about $3 will get you a fancy cup of coffee.

 

I chase FTFs when I can, but will not drive a long way to go for one if I wasn't headed that way anyway. Not sure why, I guess it's a bit of friendly compitition. I've meet maybe half of the folks who are also chasing them, so it's fun.

I only have one and it was a challenge or so I thought. I found it on my e-mail report and went for it. I was excited to be able to get one because my area seems to have lots of caches and prolific cachers. By the time I see a new one it already has an FTF log. My FTF has gone unanswered and unfound or logged since. (been a couple weeks) That seems to take some of the wind out of my sails. I thought it was a good hide and it took me to a park with trails i never would have gone too even if i knew it was there. I probably will go back to clearing my closest to home search results page. That even has a few new ones on it but there all logged already.

Sometimes on our motorcycle outings i will load a few cachesin my GPSr if i know where we are going and get one while away. The other couple we ride with arent cachers but will help look even tho they seem to veiw this activity as useless. They dont like my GPS knowin where were lost at on our longer trips but are willing to follow me using it to get back home or to Find food or lodging. so if owning a bike makes me a biker my Garmin makes me a cacher..............seems i got a quote sinature thingy goin..........and no more tadpole designation

[+wkmccall]

What is the true meaning of an FTF?

What makes you running for another... or not?

 

Which was your best one? Tell us your thoughts and thrills...

 

Have no desire to have first-to-find honors at all.

If I happen to get to the cache and sign the log first - couldn't care one way or the other. Its not what I do the hobby for.

[+StarBrand]

Its worth an awful lot to some and absolutely nothing to others. All depends on your perspective. An important aspect to Geocaching for many is the "race" aspect involved in a new cache listing. Others don't care to beta test a new listing.

 

I get a FTF sometimes but I rarely actually try for it.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Okay. I've gotten a few FTFs. (I don't know how many, so that probably disqualifies me.) When the opportunity presents itself, and it's convenient, I will go for it. If not, I won't. Example: There's an evil mystery cache about 35 miles east of here. Still not found. Lessee... That about an hour and a half each way... $8 toll on the GWB. Plus the time actually to find the cache... But, I don't drive at night, and I'm not sure that I would want to wander about that park at night anyway. So, it will keep, even with the $50 gift certificate for FTF. Maybe Sunday, if my caching partner has recovered enough. Maybe not. The cache will still be there in two weeks!

[+Walkworthy & Wife]

What is the true meaning of an FTF?

What makes you running for another... or not?

 

Which was your best one? Tell us your thoughts and thrills...

When I learned about FTFs I couldn't wait until I got my first one. I now have three and have pretty much lost interest. I love Geocaching, but the hunt, spending the time with friends and being outdoors is what trips my trigger. Like most things in life, the first one always holds a special place.

[+Cherokee Bill]

About 7-months into the sport and about 160-finds, and only one FTF!

 

The FTF-bug has not interested me as yet! My favorite caches would be in the Mountains

[+briansnat]

A FTF is only meaningful to a small segment of the geocaching community. Most geocachers I know really don't care about them. Personally I'm happy to let the FTF hounds deal with bad coordinates, puzzles that can't be resolved correctly and caches that haven't been placed yet.

[+Clothahump]

Never had one and never really had the urge to run for one.

[+Chrysalides]

What is the true meaning of an FTF?

What makes you running for another... or not?

True meaning? Does it mean anything else than being first to find?

 

I have one FTF, more by luck than anything else (bad luck on the other finder's part, that is). What keeps me from them is laziness and lack of motivation. And lots and lots of more motivated cachers in my area.

 

As for worth - what are 100 finds worth? 1000? Or 30000? Bragging rights, I suppose. Haven't seen anyone eBay finds or FTF rights yet.

[+Isonzo Karst]

I'm fond of FTF, though not as interested in making an effort for it now as I was 2 or more years ago.

 

I got one today, as a matter of fact. After waiting a couple of days to let someone else find the cache first, if they cared to make the effort. Left another in the area unfound, will leave it alone until after the weekend. I suspect the FTF on it will be more of the thrill for some other cacher then myself.

 

My favorite, looking back, was a cache where I was second to DNF. The other DNFing cacher and I exchanged commiserating emails and have since become good friends. One of the great bonuses of geocaching.

Once the cache owner got the coords corrected, he beat me to the FTF. But I figured he was first to DNF, it was only right that he be FTF.

[+DarkZen]

What is the true meaning of an FTF?

 

There is no true meaning. I go for them if they are close. I like the thrill but it's not the main thing.

[+CYBret]

In my first year a full 25% of all my finds were FTF. Of course, there weren't as many cachers or caches around back then. It wasn't so much a race as it was just inevitable that one of the few of us would get it.

 

By the way, 25% of my finds meant 25 caches.

 

Today, 7 years later (TO THE DAY) I've got about 200 FTFs. Very few of them have been ones that I have raced to. FTFs are nice, but ultimately they're just another smiley. You don't get a special icon. I used to see a lot of logs where people would write, "I BEAT CYBRET!" Good for you...I'll get there when I get there.

 

My favorite FTFs would have to be from the "40 on 40 for 40" series. My wife conspired with some of the locals to hide 40 caches on Highway 40 for my 40th birthday (see how that works?). I was truly surprised that I managed to be FTF on all of them. It was about 5 hours worth of caching along a 40 mile or so strip of highway. Surely someone could have beat me to one or two of them, but I guess they were all working and not out celebrating their birthday.

[+Renegade Knight]

...What makes you running for another... or not?...

 

A roman coin as the FTF prize got me moving. Acing a FTF hound is about the only other thing that motivated me for an FTF. Back in the day sometimes the only cache you could hunt was the one just placed.

 

Mostly I don't care. I have more than my share of FTF's.

[RuideAlmeida]

Personally I'm happy to let the FTF hounds deal with... caches that haven't been placed yet.

 

I surely know what you mean

[+Mar-elendili]

We've had a few FTF's and some of them have been rewarding. The one which had us climb that mountain for an over 7+ hours hike, for example. Arriving on top was as much a reward as the FTF in itself, I must say. And the cache has not been logged since our visit. FTF hounds won't do the effort unless there is an FTF to be had, and I'm afraid this cache will remain untouched for quite some more time. I feel sad for these caches.

Other great FTF's we've had are those we logged in Iceland. Good planning, and hunt in awesome places!

 

Other than that, I will go for one if it is not too far from home. If not, I know who will get it. And if I am there before them, I know they will probably not come after. That's sad as well.

It's not that much of a deal to me, I won't get mad if I don't get it.

 

I love old caches

[+BCandMsKitty]

We don't go out of our way to chase FTF, but it is always fun to got one now and then. For me the most memorable one was just a few weeks ago. This cache had been published for over a week and we had no idea that it hadn't been found yet, so imagine our surprise when we found no sigs in the log! And there was a geo trail all around the cache in the snow too! What makes it memorable was that my wife, using her own gps unit decided to take a "shortcut" to the cache. After a while, I looked around to see her floundering around and crawling up out of a deep snowdrift

She always does things the hard way!

 

BC

Edited February 13, 2009 by BC & MsKitty

[+Star*Hopper]

My best FTF story - when I's new & only had 4-5 finds, I's sittin' here at the 'puter early one morning & an e-mail came in, telling me a new cache had been hidden only a couple miles away. I decided to try for my first FTF so threw on some clothes, dove out the door & it was raining.

 

Got to the site quickly & parked about 40' away (according to the GPSr) in full view of the cache's host object, but enroute the bottom had dropped out & it was really pouring, so just sat there in the Blazer maybe 20 minutes or so waitin' for it to slack off a bit. Finally did; I went straight to the cache & found it - checked my watch: 7:21am. Popped the lid; found a perfectly dry log sheet.....that had the FTF space signed .....at 7:17am. By the cache owner's brother. You do the math.

 

Basically broke the charm for me, knowing people would resort to that kinda carp. I've unintentionally gotten 4 since then - haven't logged a single one as such.

~*

[Skippermark]

Maybe I'm weird, but FTFs don't really mean that much to me. If I'm at work or home relaxing or something, I don't want to have to rush out to grab a cache. I'll grab it on my way home or next time I'm in the area.

 

But there are a lot of people that go crazy for them. I have a friend who said he saw some people going for an FTF and when he shoved up, they took off running down the trail. He ended up finding it first, though.

[+The M & Ms]

After 3+ months and 135 finds, I have 5 FTFs. I love em. I got 2 in one night 2 nights ago. If they are within 10 miles, I try for em. If they are more, It doesn't show up in my mail.

 

I ain't got a reason to try for the FTFs, 'cept that they are there. And I know there are cachers around here that have 6k, 7k, 8k+ that put a lot of effort into it. It gives me something to do. Being retired, I've nothing better to do and my 3YO loves to go treasure hunting.

[+TimeTraveler09]

I've been caching for 34 days now and I've got one FTF. I guess it's kind of cool as a cheap thrill because I live in an area where it's really hard to be FTF on anything because of the ratio of cachers to caches. If I see one I can get to, I'll try for it - why not? - and see if I can "beat out" the other few hundred people in the metropolitan area.

 

Strangely, my one FTF came on a cache that had been active for 3 days in a busy area. I thought for sure someone else would have gotten it, but nope.

[Motorcycle_Mama]

How much is it worth?

 

EVERYTHING ..... and NOTHING

 

[Dj Storm]

I'm a FTF hound. 40% of my finds were FTF's (9 out of 22). My fastest FTF was 12 days after publishing, my slowest - 273 days.

 

We've had a few FTF's and some of them have been rewarding. The one which had us climb that mountain for an over 7+ hours hike, for example. Arriving on top was as much a reward as the FTF in itself, I must say. And the cache has not been logged since our visit. FTF hounds won't do the effort unless there is an FTF to be had, and I'm afraid this cache will remain untouched for quite some more time. I feel sad for these caches.

 

I like to go to these out-of-the-mainstream caches. Out of my 9 FTF's, 5 are yet to be STF-ed. I plan to get another couple of FTF's in April, and several more in August (after the snow melts).

[+Juicepig]

There is one sitting in Northern Ontario that has been there since June 2001 without any attempts getting closer then a few hundred kiliometers.

 

We actually looked into renting a helicopter, 6 people at 600$ each. There were 2 takers... but they are still looking for 4 other crazies..

[+DarkZen]

I'm a FTF hound. 40% of my finds were FTF's (9 out of 22). My fastest FTF was 12 days after publishing, my slowest - 273 days.

Am I reading that right? 12 days! A cache in my area usually lasts a few hours.

 

Juicepig, would you provide a link to the cache you refenced?

[+DarkZen]

:::deleted:::

Double post

Edited February 14, 2009 by DarkZen and Beautiful

[+Schatjes van Schouten]

I'v had the honour of getting three FTFs in my short caching career (<100 at the moment). These were only possible because i was in the neighbourhood when i received the notification.

 

It did get my adrenaline going when i jumped into my car to (legally) race to the waypoint a few kilometers from my home and find a virgin log.

 

I find it an ommision of the geocaching.com site that there are no possibilities for the cache-owner to officially record the FTF, STF and TTF. People who do find it nice to go for the prices would get some more recognition for their efforts.

 

I know the dutch spin-off version of geocaching (geocaching,nl) tries to maintain an oficial list of price winners, but it depends largely on who logged the cache first on geocaching.com; everybody knows thats not the full proof way to do this ...

[+Chrysalides]

I find it an ommision of the geocaching.com site that there are no possibilities for the cache-owner to officially record the FTF, STF and TTF. People who do find it nice to go for the prices would get some more recognition for their efforts.

Some cache owners will edit the description to congratulate the FTF. In any case, it is always possible to read the logs and go to the first few entries to see who the FTF is. There's enough competition, rivalry and accusations of cheating that I don't think more official recognition is necessary.

[+joranda]

I'll be the first to say, I love the rush of going for the FTF. With 271 FTFs, I try for one FTF each month. I let a lot of them slide once I have one for the month. It's just a goal that keeps me going. Got luck to get 3 today while I was out. It's just part of the fun.

[+CRA Z 8]

My wife and six children (hence CRA Z 8) have been caching for 2 yrs now. I was always so jealous of those that got the FTFs in our area. I wanted one so badly but always got beat to the cache. This year we have gotten 3 FTFs in the last week and I'm over it. I don't know why I wanted one so bad. Now that we have one I realize that just being in the field with my family is why I like caching. That being said...I am a competitor and the cachers in this area seem to value FTFs rather highly, so I still may sneak one in once in awhile to keep them on their toes. I just don't see it as a priority anymore.

[+WRASTRO]

I had an FTF today. Cache was published at 12:45 pm. I had lunch. Left the house about 2:00 and went to hunt another relatively new cache. Found that cache. Dropped off a contract at a surveyor's office then left some stuff at the Masonic hall for another lodge member. Decided to head on and hunt the cache, arriving at about 3:15 pm. Found the cache at 3:30 and was FTF. Left the $2 FTF prize for someone else. Left a coin and took a travel bug. Discovered another one of each.

 

FTF wasn't worth anything other than having fun caching and enjoying a great afternoon outside.

[+Team Black-Cat]

A First To Find is worth exactly $0.28. To claim the reward, you will need a self addressed, stamped envelope, along with a notarized letter from the cache owner stating that you are, in fact, the first finder of said cache. All entries must be postmarked no later than three days after cache publication. Mail all entries to The FTF Prize Fund c/o Vinny & Sue. One entry per envelope please.

[RuideAlmeida]

A First To Find is worth exactly $0.28. To claim the reward, you will need a self addressed, stamped envelope, along with a notarized letter from the cache owner stating that you are, in fact, the first finder of said cache. All entries must be postmarked no later than three days after cache publication. Mail all entries to The FTF Prize Fund c/o Vinny & Sue. One entry per envelope please.

 

[+FatPants]

I got my first FTF today. I was getting ready for work, happened to log in to geocaching.com and noticed a new cache less than a mile from home. I tossed on some jeans, hopped on the mountain bike and got it! It was pretty exciting for me, I grabbed another cache on the way back. Made my day.

[RuideAlmeida]

I got my first FTF today. I was getting ready for work, happened to log in to geocaching.com and noticed a new cache less than a mile from home. I tossed on some jeans, hopped on the mountain bike and got it! It was pretty exciting for me, I grabbed another cache on the way back. Made my day.

 

Congratulations!!

[+JennM]

Tried for an FTF this morning but were 2 minutes too late

 

My BEST FTF was a couple of years ago when I emailed the cache owner and called him a BRAT for making me late for my evening plans because I had just got the notification and now I "had" to run out for FTF. We had exchanged emails about caching prior to that and had met in person once at an event cache over the previous couple of months.

 

He emailed me back and said he'd buy me dinner if I was the FTF. So upon my triumphant return I emailed back and said, "You owe me dinner then!"

 

A week or so later he made good on his offer, and the rest is history.

 

Now we live together

 

Definitely worth the FTF effort!

 

There's a lot of competition here for FTFs and a handful of cachers who always sign the log first. I've had one FTF in the last week (we were unsuccessful this morning) but that was the first in months.

 

Once I was at home in Canada and the day before I returned to GA, one was published just 2 miles from home. It still hadn't been found by the time I got back - so I FTF'd that!

 

I think I have about 16 FTFs out of 468 finds.

 

Jenn

[+Headhardhat]

This is a great debate and always a hot topic. I personally love FTF's A LOT.

 

It's all personal point of view. Do they actually have value? To me yes but that is because I give them value. If for someone else, not so much. That's what makes geocaching so much fun. It is what you make of it..

 

I know seasoned veterans who in the same sentence state that FTFs are no big deal but did you hear about the time when I drove 60 miles to get mine? It's all relative.

 

I love the chase, the hunt and the exhileration to signing clean sheets.

 

Here is a video showing me getting three one Sunday morning a week or so back.

 

 

-HHH

[+DodgeExplorer]

A FTF chance will get me out of bed with flashlight in hand lol

[AZcachemeister]

About 7-months into the sport and about 160-finds, and only one FTF!

 

The FTF-bug has not interested me as yet! My favorite caches would be in the Mountains

 

Who says you can't be FTF for that new cache hidden 'way up in the mountains'?

[RuideAlmeida]

Tried for an FTF this morning but were 2 minutes too late

 

My BEST FTF was a couple of years ago when I emailed the cache owner and called him a BRAT for making me late for my evening plans because I had just got the notification and now I "had" to run out for FTF. We had exchanged emails about caching prior to that and had met in person once at an event cache over the previous couple of months.

 

He emailed me back and said he'd buy me dinner if I was the FTF. So upon my triumphant return I emailed back and said, "You owe me dinner then!"

 

A week or so later he made good on his offer, and the rest is history.

 

Now we live together

 

Definitely worth the FTF effort!

 

There's a lot of competition here for FTFs and a handful of cachers who always sign the log first. I've had one FTF in the last week (we were unsuccessful this morning) but that was the first in months.

 

Once I was at home in Canada and the day before I returned to GA, one was published just 2 miles from home. It still hadn't been found by the time I got back - so I FTF'd that!

 

I think I have about 16 FTFs out of 468 finds.

 

Jenn

 

Priceless!! Best wishes, Jenn!

[+yawppy]

I love the FTF race. Of course I have several factors to consider, time, distance, and whether or not I am at work or family obligations.

 

So I love em' , but will not go out of the way, unless it seems promising.

 

My most memorable , well 3 stick out, My 1st FTF, was perfect, I had about 50 finds, and seemed to always miss em', then I learned about notification,a, one popped up, and being a rainy day, felt for sure this would be my FTF day. Fangorn Forest, nice muddy, and FTF, got a Dunkin coffe out that one!

 

My second was a moonlit night 4 FTF run, just off work, wife at work, nothing to do, had some new NVG's and head lamp to try out, so off I went, turned out the moon was full, and did not need the NVG's, but tried em' anyways!

 

My next and last was just last night, a "?" cache, actually was not an FTF, but was a night time effort, get to GZ , to see the shadowy figure of the FTF scoundrel skirting away from GZ. LOL, still my first "?" & the ftf guy does usually get all ftf's in our area, so felt good to know my web research has paid off, and soon I may be competition for this guy!

[+wimseyguy]

A First To Find is worth exactly $0.28. To claim the reward, you will need a self addressed, stamped envelope, along with a notarized letter from the cache owner stating that you are, in fact, the first finder of said cache. All entries must be postmarked no later than three days after cache publication. Mail all entries to The FTF Prize Fund c/o Vinny & Sue. One entry per envelope please.

 

What alternative Vinnyverse are you sending mail in?

First Class mail in the USA hasn't been that cheap in 20 years!

And it's about to go up again in May.

 

Back OT- I don't give a rat's fig about FTF, but if it makes some cachers happy-let them race to them.

There are many facets of this sport that are attractive to some of us but not others.

Variety is a good thing.

[+Runaway46]

I have 10 FTF's. Tough for me to have a crack at them as I am a primitive cacher that has to be actually sitting down on my email to get the notification. Lots of FTF addicts in the area that have notifications beamed directly into their brains, must be a small viewing screen on the back of the eyeballs. A lot of group FTF's whatever they are.

[+JennM]

I have 10 FTF's. Tough for me to have a crack at them as I am a primitive cacher that has to be actually sitting down on my email to get the notification. Lots of FTF addicts in the area that have notifications beamed directly into their brains, must be a small viewing screen on the back of the eyeballs. A lot of group FTF's whatever they are.

 

LOL! I'm like you - have to be at the computer to see the notification. I have a smartphone, and I did set it up to send me notifications, but never really used it.

 

I own a business so I work way too many hours - so a lot of FTF chances are lost to me since I'm chained to my store. I tried for one yesterday (arrived as the real FTFer was signing the log) and this morning I ran out early (after making my beloved his morning coffee - so I still have some sense of priority!) and I did the GPS boogie all full of glee because there was nobody else around... once I had the cache in hand I was grinning like a Cheshire cat only to open it up and find that one of my acquaintances had signed it 50 minutes earlier

 

Oh well - that's how it goes. I laughed at it.

 

In the big picture, FTFs are only worth the value that the finder places on them - although this morning's cache had a gift card of some sort in it for a prize, and I never complain about that sort of thing!

 

As I mentioned, around here there is a handful of cachers that usually are out there to race each other for the FTF, and for me, that adds something to the game - a bit of friendly competition. For those who don't care about the FTF Fever, that's OK too.

 

As others have said, this game is what you make of it. It's a very individual sport, and everyone has their notions of how it should be done. I like that.

 

Jenn

[+cameltrekor]

A FTF is only meaningful to a small segment of the geocaching community. ... Personally I'm happy to let the FTF hounds deal with ...

you don't need to tell me about it. But they were all fun.

 

How much is it worth?

 

EVERYTHING ..... and NOTHING

 

I think its: "nothing … and everything."

but I really like: "there can be only one."

[+Chrysalides]

Lots of FTF addicts in the area that have notifications beamed directly into their brains, must be a small viewing screen on the back of the eyeballs.

Is that how they do it? I've always thought it was clairvoyance, and I've been searching eBay for a crystal ball...

 

I have yet to see a notification e-mail, click on the cache, and see no finds on it. My only FTF, ironically, I spotted the cache on the map page, wondered where it came from, solved the puzzle, and found it (the next day), before I read the e-mail.

[+vacacher]

FTF might be something to stay away from. Seems like its one of those things that can lead to Obsessive Compulsive. It is an acheivement without virtue. Had a friend that had the highest number of succesive Kiwanis meetings attended of all Kiwanians in the nation. He said if he ever missed, he would never attend another. He was realizing the OC behavior it had created.

 

FTF is very easy to have all you want if you carry a smartphone with GPS app, or a cell that gets your email alert along with your GPSr. If you live in a densley populated area a total of 100 FTFs should rack up quickly. Whereas if you live in the outback of Wyoming, and have no modern gagetry, I would think you should be proud of 2 FTFs. Its all relative.

 

My suggestion is to keep Geocaching a non-competitive sport. Save the competitive instinct for the work place where it pays back.

[+sullude]

Tried for an FTF this morning but were 2 minutes too late

 

My BEST FTF was a couple of years ago when I emailed the cache owner and called him a BRAT for making me late for my evening plans because I had just got the notification and now I "had" to run out for FTF. We had exchanged emails about caching prior to that and had met in person once at an event cache over the previous couple of months.

 

He emailed me back and said he'd buy me dinner if I was the FTF. So upon my triumphant return I emailed back and said, "You owe me dinner then!"

 

A week or so later he made good on his offer, and the rest is history.

 

Now we live together

 

Definitely worth the FTF effort!

 

There's a lot of competition here for FTFs and a handful of cachers who always sign the log first. I've had one FTF in the last week (we were unsuccessful this morning) but that was the first in months.

 

Once I was at home in Canada and the day before I returned to GA, one was published just 2 miles from home. It still hadn't been found by the time I got back - so I FTF'd that!

 

I think I have about 16 FTFs out of 468 finds.

 

Jenn

 

Now that is funny, People use to give me a ripping about meeting my wife on-line about ten years ago. Well now it's pretty common but back then not so much . Some of the ways that people meet are just amazing and funny.

 

I have one FTF By pure accident, looking for a spot to place a cache and found this one by pure dumb luck, In the same exact tree .