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How to tell someone its NOT about the numbers

akkatracker

By akkatracker
in General geocaching topics

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Dame Deco

+Dame Deco

Posted
Posted

Don't try. If it makes that person happy, just smile and let him be. One thing I love about caching is all the ways others cache--I can cache by myself or join a numbers person for numbers run, or a puzzle solver for a puzzle run, etc. Different caching styles means different caching buddies and lots of fun days.

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briansnat

+briansnat

Posted
Posted (edited)

If somebody is in it for the numbers that's his beeswax. Personally I think that if all a person gets out of geocaching is +1, he is missing out on the best parts of geocaching, but to each his own.

 

Play the game the way you prefer and let him play his. If he goads you, brags or tries to knock you just tell him that you aren't playing the same game as he's playing.

Edited by briansnat
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Narcosynthesis

Narcosynthesis

Posted
Posted

If he is all about the numbers, leave him to it and have fun geocaching yourself.

 

Some people are just competitive in everything they do - they can't play a video game 'just for the fun of it', go hiking without going that bit further or having the heavier pack, and they will always be trying to make sure they have just a couple more caches than you do so they can one up you there.

 

My solution is to just leave them to it and get on with playing the game however I want. Half the time they will get bored without someone trying to compete against them, so will give up or get bored with it anyway.

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lamoracke

+lamoracke

Posted
Posted

just because people like some numbers, does not mean they are trying to win a competition. I know some folks want higher #s and be #1 in their state or in a time period....but for me, I wanted 100 of every reasonable cache type and I would talk to others about it who want the same. If they get their first do I feel I lost? No, its about the numbers, but in a friendly way. Am sure Albert Pujols does not mean if he is not the only player who hits 30 home runs and 100 RBIs a year.

 

Have fun with them, as long as its not a competition that takes away the fun!

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wildchld97

+wildchld97

Posted
Posted

My Friend has recently started caching and he's always trying to "beat" me and find more than me. He needs to realise that it's not about the numbers. How?

 

Well..if it's not really about the numbers, then there's no real reason to log our finds. We'll just geocache for the experience alone. B)

 

In all seriousness though, some people are just naturally competitive. Just tell your friend that you're not in competition and that you'd rather focus on the challenge and the adventure.

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Roman!

+Roman!

Posted
Posted (edited)

Let's just ask them to remove the find count from our profiles then. Hmmmmm, how would that go over. The numbers are a part of the game, how much or how little they mean depends on the person and you wanting to change his view is exactly the same as him wanting to change yours.

Edited by [Roman]
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Walts Hunting

+Walts Hunting

Posted
Posted

Take him on a hunt for a couple of my caches. After about 12 miles he may just give up and go back to his numbers or change his ways.

 

There is no right or wrong between you two. Let him play the game he wants too. If you dont like number runs dont go on them with him. Although if you invite him to a day of caching your way you should be prepared to go with him on one of his.

 

Taking him on a long hike to force him to change his ways is probably the dumbest most myopic comment I have ever heard on this forum.

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uxorious

+uxorious

Posted
Posted

My Friend has recently started caching and he's always trying to "beat" me and find more than me. He needs to realise that it's not about the numbers. How?

 

Well..if it's not really about the numbers, then there's no real reason to log our finds. We'll just geocache for the experience alone. B)

 

I don't log my finds to get the numbers. I log them to share my fun with others, and to thank the cache owner.

 

I would still log my finds if TPTB were to remove the number count from the log page. It is fun to share my experiences, and to read about others experiences. For me that is part of the game. :)

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S&SLaird

+S&SLaird

Posted
Posted

My Friend has recently started caching and he's always trying to "beat" me and find more than me. He needs to realise that it's not about the numbers. How?

 

I enjoy the statistics and they just don't work without some numbers. Everyone gets something different from caching. Some might like moving trackables and some might like collecting them. Some like the numbers and others don't care. Each cache is a different experience to each person even though it was the same thing everyone else found in the same location it will have different meaning.

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kunarion

+kunarion

Posted
Posted

Well..if it's not really about the numbers, then there's no real reason to log our finds. We'll just geocache for the experience alone. B)

 

That is sage advice. :D

I'd prefer you log online anyway, even if it's simply a "note". People say "my finds don't affect anybody", but they can. I may be trying to track down a TB, and knowing who's been to which cache is very helpful.

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wildchld97

+wildchld97

Posted
Posted

Well..if it's not really about the numbers, then there's no real reason to log our finds. We'll just geocache for the experience alone. B)

 

That is sage advice. :D

I'd prefer you log online anyway, even if it's simply a "note". People say "my finds don't affect anybody", but they can. I may be trying to track down a TB, and knowing who's been to which cache is very helpful.

 

:lol: I DO log my finds...I was just being mildly sarcastic. My point was that part of the game really IS about the numbers..but to me it's a personal issue and not something that I feel that I need to throw around in conversation. :)

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kunarion

+kunarion

Posted
Posted

Well..if it's not really about the numbers, then there's no real reason to log our finds. We'll just geocache for the experience alone. B)

 

That is sage advice. :D

I'd prefer you log online anyway, even if it's simply a "note". People say "my finds don't affect anybody", but they can. I may be trying to track down a TB, and knowing who's been to which cache is very helpful.

 

:lol: I DO log my finds...I was just being mildly sarcastic. My point was that part of the game really IS about the numbers..but to me it's a personal issue and not something that I feel that I need to throw around in conversation. :)

Yes. I don't maintain my own personal database, so I rely on the site to count caches. I place a nice surprise in my Milestone caches.

 

I try to be informative to cache owners. Lots of people won't make online logs which let Cache Owners know they've disturbed the cache, "because it doesn't affect anybody". Most of the issues I've had with cachers were when no online log was made (physical log was signed), and a Trackable vanished that day. You can ignore the numbers, or you can make logs in a way that doesn't increase numbers, whatever. But some people deliberately "play in a way that doesn't affect anybody", and make huge problems for everybody.

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GeoBain

+GeoBain

Posted
Posted

Well..if it's not really about the numbers, then there's no real reason to log our finds. We'll just geocache for the experience alone. B)

 

That is sage advice. :D

I'd prefer you log online anyway, even if it's simply a "note". People say "my finds don't affect anybody", but they can. I may be trying to track down a TB, and knowing who's been to which cache is very helpful.

 

Something like this?

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=26ae5857-42fb-405d-a366-14407983817a

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=3ab8ccb5-f576-4738-ba40-16f3e19a2fa6

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=cb799f7c-0d43-44cc-a0c4-524f4ac5cc44

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=868c2c21-bb8a-4dc5-af58-52851432b81e

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=899179d3-7476-4fa6-888b-d7c9a5be2ed0

etc., etc., etc...

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kunarion

+kunarion

Posted
Posted (edited)

Well..if it's not really about the numbers, then there's no real reason to log our finds. We'll just geocache for the experience alone. B)

 

That is sage advice. :D

I'd prefer you log online anyway, even if it's simply a "note". People say "my finds don't affect anybody", but they can. I may be trying to track down a TB, and knowing who's been to which cache is very helpful.

 

Something like this?

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=26ae5857-42fb-405d-a366-14407983817a

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=3ab8ccb5-f576-4738-ba40-16f3e19a2fa6

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=cb799f7c-0d43-44cc-a0c4-524f4ac5cc44

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=868c2c21-bb8a-4dc5-af58-52851432b81e

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=899179d3-7476-4fa6-888b-d7c9a5be2ed0

etc., etc., etc...

Yes. When I said people should at least make some kind of log, I wasn't talking about anyone in particular. :ph34r:

 

Fair warning, if you log online at all, it's possible for someone to do a count. And then it's all about the numbers again. :anicute:

Edited by kunarion
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GeoBain

+GeoBain

Posted
Posted

Well..if it's not really about the numbers, then there's no real reason to log our finds. We'll just geocache for the experience alone. B)

 

That is sage advice. :D

I'd prefer you log online anyway, even if it's simply a "note". People say "my finds don't affect anybody", but they can. I may be trying to track down a TB, and knowing who's been to which cache is very helpful.

 

Something like this?

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=26ae5857-42fb-405d-a366-14407983817a

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=3ab8ccb5-f576-4738-ba40-16f3e19a2fa6

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=cb799f7c-0d43-44cc-a0c4-524f4ac5cc44

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=868c2c21-bb8a-4dc5-af58-52851432b81e

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=899179d3-7476-4fa6-888b-d7c9a5be2ed0

etc., etc., etc...

Yes. When I said people should at least make some kind of log, I wasn't talking about anyone in particular. :ph34r:

 

Fair warning, if you log online at all, it's possible for someone to do a count. And then it's all about the numbers again. :anicute:

 

Meh. If someone wants to go through that much trouble to count my caches then God help them. It's not that interesting, frankly.

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BlueDeuce

+BlueDeuce

Posted
Posted

My Friend has recently started caching and he's always trying to "beat" me and find more than me. He needs to realise that it's not about the numbers. How?

 

Personally I'd rather teach him the lesson that I don't care. Say this, "As much as I enjoy caching I'm not in it for the numbers." And when he said "Yeah right". I'd say "Maybe you should go watch those power-cachers who find 300+ caches in a day.

 

repeat as often as necessary.

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NYPaddleCacher

+NYPaddleCacher

Posted
Posted

My Friend has recently started caching and he's always trying to "beat" me and find more than me. He needs to realise that it's not about the numbers. How?

 

Well..if it's not really about the numbers, then there's no real reason to log our finds. We'll just geocache for the experience alone. B)

 

I disagree. Posting an online found it log when you've found a cache tells the cache owner and others that may which to look for that cache that it has been found. Cache owners may plan maintenance activities on their caches and other caches may plan their day based on recent logs. Sure, you could post a note instead but not not use the type of log which accurately reflects what you've done?

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BlueDeuce

+BlueDeuce

Posted
Posted (edited)

My Friend has recently started caching and he's always trying to "beat" me and find more than me. He needs to realise that it's not about the numbers. How?

If it's not about the numbers, why do we keep score?

 

I'm not sure how to take that, you are a cacher who doesn't keep score or a score'r who doesn't cache? Apparently there's nothing in between.

 

bd

Edited by BlueDeuce
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wildchld97

+wildchld97

Posted
Posted

My Friend has recently started caching and he's always trying to "beat" me and find more than me. He needs to realise that it's not about the numbers. How?

 

Well..if it's not really about the numbers, then there's no real reason to log our finds. We'll just geocache for the experience alone. B)

 

I disagree. Posting an online found it log when you've found a cache tells the cache owner and others that may which to look for that cache that it has been found. Cache owners may plan maintenance activities on their caches and other caches may plan their day based on recent logs. Sure, you could post a note instead but not not use the type of log which accurately reflects what you've done?

 

LOL. I agree. See post #24

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Harry Dolphin

+Harry Dolphin

Posted
Posted

Oh, and if you do a Pocket Query of caches you haven't found, and you don't log them online, then you're sunk.

 

One could import them into a 'Caches I've logged a note on' file. And then delete them using GSAK. Put them on the Ignore List at the same time, and they won't be input into the GPX file.

 

I have a geocaching friend that I run into every so often. He started a few months before I did, and is somewhat concerned that I've found a thousand more caches than he has. A) I'm over twenty years older than he is, and don't have two kids to raise. B) Geocaching gets me out of the house on weekends, and that's important to me. Obviously not as important to him. I've even managed to section hike half the AT! It's important for me to get out and hike. Okay, finding geocaches also works for that...

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AZcachemeister

AZcachemeister

Posted
Posted

But, indeed it IS all about the numbers.

 

N 33° 22.835 W 111° 55.996

 

If you can't make sense of those numbers, you are so screwed. :lol:

 

As for the find count numbers...each cacher must decide for themselves how important that is.

 

No matter how impressive YOUR numbers are, there will always be someone whose numbers can be shown to be even more impressive somehow.

 

As already has been posed: If it's not also about the numbers to the OP, then where is the issue?

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fizzymagic

+fizzymagic

Posted
Posted
just because people like some numbers, does not mean they are trying to win a competition. I know some folks want higher #s and be #1 in their state or in a time period....but for me, I wanted 100 of every reasonable cache type and I would talk to others about it who want the same.

 

The CO is describing a person who wants to be "ahead." That's competition.

 

I like numbers, but I do it for myself, not for other people.

 

I do not like the practice of groups awarding people prizes for reaching milestones, because I believe that encourages competition based on raw find counts. But I really don't care much about that, even.

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NYPaddleCacher

+NYPaddleCacher

Posted
Posted
just because people like some numbers, does not mean they are trying to win a competition. I know some folks want higher #s and be #1 in their state or in a time period....but for me, I wanted 100 of every reasonable cache type and I would talk to others about it who want the same.

 

The CO is describing a person who wants to be "ahead." That's competition.

 

I like numbers, but I do it for myself, not for other people.

 

I do not like the practice of groups awarding people prizes for reaching milestones, because I believe that encourages competition based on raw find counts. But I really don't care much about that, even.

 

The 1000 finds golden ammo can practice is done in my area but I wouldn't characterize it as an "award". At least in my area, it feels more like a recognition for achieving a goal. I've found numerous golden ammo cans placed for others and all of them are for geocachers whose name has been established in the local community for their hides, participation in events, mentoring of new cachers, etc. In a relatively sparse geocaching environment like my area, getting to 1000 finds takes quite a bit of time an effort. We don't have any power trails nearby or very dense areas where one can rack up a lot of finds. The recognition is not for how fast one can get to 1000 finds and I doubt someone would place a golden ammo can for someone that joined the game, went out to the ET trail and got 1000+ finds in a day and came back and said, "where's my golden ammo can".

The 1000 finds ammo can *really* doesn't feel like a competition in my area. I got my 1000 finds golden ammo can cache a year an a half ago and have only found 60 caches since.

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GeoBlank

+GeoBlank

Posted
Posted

I like the competition between caching buddies as long as we are close.... when someone pulls ahead then I don't care any longer :) My cache find is at my pace.

 

To the OP I say just remember if you don't care about the numbers.... then don't worry about what your friend does. Sounds like you may also be competetive but think you won't keep pace so therefore you need to bring up the thread. If you truly do not care... then don't.

 

If you stay consistent your friend eventually will quit talking about his numbers.

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