FTF Chickens

[+ShaunEM]

I have no desire to FTF, I have had two in total but the second had been un-found for almost a whole day.

 

Personally, I like to find caches that have been "Confirmed to be there". If you are the first ever to find this thing, it is possible it was logged wrong, in the wrong place, etc..

 

I'll wait.. and let the people who really want firsts.. to be first.

 

Shaun

[+wmpastor]

I found the first stage and was getting into my car when another vehicle pulled in behind me. I figured it was another cacher (it was somewhere around 4 a.m.) and hightailed it to the final.

...

On the drive home, I started thinking about what had happened. Nothing outrageous...just your typical FTF race. But, I was thinking that it just wasn't how I enjoy caching. I don't mind meeting other cachers but the feeling of trying to outrace someone to the find...it just went against what I found so appealing about geocaching.

Maybe it's just my area, but every cacher I know would have joined up with the other cacher and found the cache together as a team instead of racing against each other. In fact, often a cacher will wait around for a few minutes at a trailhead when they're going for an FTF just in case someone else shows up to join them. To me, the best thing about trying for an FTF is the fact that it greatly increases the odds of running into another cacher.

 

Not to dis you or anything, but around here your behavior of dashing off might have even been perceived as rude and subjected you to some lighthearted ribbing in the STF's log. But I must admit, new caches pop up all the time around here. I'm sure FTFs are viewed quite differently when they're so rare.

 

(Just for the record: I never wear a bra when geocaching.)

[+wmpastor]

Maybe the driveaway at 4:00 am was because a car pulling up behind the cacher's parked car raised security concerns! It's different at 4:00 pm when you see they've got a gps & papers.

[+Crow-T-Robot]

I found the first stage and was getting into my car when another vehicle pulled in behind me. I figured it was another cacher (it was somewhere around 4 a.m.) and hightailed it to the final.

...

On the drive home, I started thinking about what had happened. Nothing outrageous...just your typical FTF race. But, I was thinking that it just wasn't how I enjoy caching. I don't mind meeting other cachers but the feeling of trying to outrace someone to the find...it just went against what I found so appealing about geocaching.

Maybe it's just my area, but every cacher I know would have joined up with the other cacher and found the cache together as a team instead of racing against each other. In fact, often a cacher will wait around for a few minutes at a trailhead when they're going for an FTF just in case someone else shows up to join them. To me, the best thing about trying for an FTF is the fact that it greatly increases the odds of running into another cacher.

 

Not to dis you or anything, but around here your behavior of dashing off might have even been perceived as rude and subjected you to some lighthearted ribbing in the STF's log. But I must admit, new caches pop up all the time around here. I'm sure FTFs are viewed quite differently when they're so rare.

 

(Just for the record: I never wear a bra when geocaching.)

 

Point taken and that is what caused me to rethink my FTF hunts in the future.

 

I also want to clarify a few things that I wrote that don't really set the scene correctly.

 

The first is that I wrote that the other cacher pulled in behind me. Reading it over again, I can see how that would give you the mental image of the other car pulling up to my bumper as I was getting into my car, which isn't the case. The landing parking lot has a long driveway leading in from the highway. When I was getting into my car, the STF had just turned onto the driveway and all I saw were headlights. So, in this instance, pulling in behind me just means he was headed to the same parking lot that I was in.

 

The second is that I used the word "hightail" which probably makes you think I peeled out and was gunning it all the way to the final. That was the wrong word to use as I just drove normally. In fact, the STF and I had a good laugh about it at the final. As he got out of his car he was joking that he had hoped I was just a fisherman but he had really hammered the throttle getting to the final in case I was a cacher. He knew the CO and how tricky his hides could be, so he was hoping that if I were a cacher, I might have a little trouble locating the cache and he could catch up to me and help search.

[+dprovan]

I also want to clarify a few things that I wrote that don't really set the scene correctly.

OK, so allow me to clarify also: when I said "rude", I meant in the sense that the STF might give you a bad time, not in the sense that they'd think you're a bad person or anything.

 

Personally, at 4am, I would have to have recognized them by sight before I would have gone out my way to talk to them at the first stage. As wmpastor points out, there are good reasons not to risk discovering that they aren't cachers after all. It sounds like you were both laughing about it at stage 2 because then you were both sure you were following the same trail, and that's just what I'd expect. How can you be down on it when it led to such a memorable experience?

[+AutisticMajor]

Generally, because it's not withing walking distance. Sometimes I check and find about a new one at an inconvenient hour. This cache, GC44M3X is inside a building and I would have had to break in to be FTF. I was still second.

[7rxc]

Generally, because it's not withing walking distance. Sometimes I check and find about a new one at an inconvenient hour. This cache, GC44M3X is inside a building and I would have had to break in to be FTF. I was still second.

 

Your link has and extra http: etc on the end... messes it up. The one in the quote above should work!

 

Doug 7rxc

Edited January 31, 2013 by 7rxc

[JayTheZenLunatic]

I just got the mental image of drop-kicking another cacher into a snow bank at 3am to sign the log first.

[+The_Incredibles_]

I just got the mental image of drop-kicking another cacher into a snow bank at 3am to sign the log first.

 

Ok now I have a great idea for a level 5 difficulty cache. Nano in a snow bank.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I just got the mental image of drop-kicking another cacher into a snow bank at 3am to sign the log first.

 

Ok now I have a great idea for a level 5 difficulty cache. Nano in a snow bank.

 

A few years ago someone managed to get a cache published that was on top (at least when it was hidden) a large mountain of snow that was created by snow plows in a large parking lot. I don't recall how long it actually lasted but some years winters can last a long time here and that mountain of snow could be there for many months.

[+CanadianRockies]

A few years ago someone managed to get a cache published that was on top (at least when it was hidden) a large mountain of snow that was created by snow plows in a large parking lot. I don't recall how long it actually lasted but some years winters can last a long time here and that mountain of snow could be there for many months.

Up in these parts, we have mounds of snow/ice that last for many years. They're called glaciers.

[+AutisticMajor]

Generally, because it's not withing walking distance. Sometimes I check and find about a new one at an inconvenient hour. This cache, GC44M3X is inside a building and I would have had to break in to be FTF. I was still second.

 

Your link has and extra http: etc on the end... messes it up. The one in the quote above should work!

 

Doug 7rxc

 

Thanks. Not sure how that happened

[AZcachemeister]

I'm in my pajamas (doesn't stop me

 

Aren't pajamas expected? Our first FTF I had just gotten out of the shower. My hair was wet and I'm pretty sure I didn't have a bra on. Added to the excitement!

 

Incidentally, there was one cache here that encouraged people to search for it with their pajamas on and to post photos of themselves.

 

For ALL my FTFs I have been bra-less...and no underpants neither!

[7rxc]

Generally, because it's not withing walking distance. Sometimes I check and find about a new one at an inconvenient hour. This cache, GC44M3X is inside a building and I would have had to break in to be FTF. I was still second.

 

Your link has and extra http: etc on the end... messes it up. The one in the quote above should work!

 

Doug 7rxc

 

Thanks. Not sure how that happened

 

Not a problem... things happen. I just noticed I picked up a D on 'an' for and. This is a cheap laptop and when typing sometimes I drag over the touchpad with odd results... like putting half of a word somwhere else on the page. This D was probably just cramped big hands on a small keyboard and rushing.

 

Doug 7rxc

[4wheelin_fool]

I'm in my pajamas (doesn't stop me

 

Aren't pajamas expected? Our first FTF I had just gotten out of the shower. My hair was wet and I'm pretty sure I didn't have a bra on. Added to the excitement!

 

Incidentally, there was one cache here that encouraged people to search for it with their pajamas on and to post photos of themselves.

 

For ALL my FTFs I have been bra-less...and no underpants neither!

 

And you came in here looking for support?

[4wheelin_fool]

A small powertrail just published, but with all the snow it would be a mess looking for most of them, so ill pass.

[+baloo&bd]

You know who you are. You get the notification and hesitate to run out. Has this ever happened to you, and why?

 

Guess we're classified as chickens. While I have FTFs, I don't really see much difference between first to find and last to find. Having a job, family and friends I would think would also put us at a disadvantage.

[+The_Incredibles_]

Having a job, family and friends I would think would also put us at a disadvantage.

 

Yeah. ALL the FTF hounds I know are unemployed loners.

[+Roman!]

You know who you are. You get the notification and hesitate to run out. Has this ever happened to you, and why?

 

Guess we're classified as chickens. While I have FTFs, I don't really see much difference between first to find and last to find. Having a job, family and friends I would think would also put us at a disadvantage.

 

Well if you're last to find the CO usually thinks you screwed up his cache. I have a job, I have a family and I have friends, I have gotten an FTF while on the job, I have gotten an FTF while with my family, I have gotten an FTF while with friends but then again I guess my life is not so awesome as yours.

[+Fridge01]

go out for one cache? I just wait and let them pile up until there's a nice cache route in one area. unless it's real close or I'm driving by it anyway.

[+DonB]

You know who you are. You get the notification and hesitate to run out. Has this ever happened to you, and why?

Because I'm not obsessed with FTFs, if I get one during a day of planned caching I'll take it but I'm not crazy enough to go out in the middle of the night in any type of weather to find a bison tube or a pill bottle just to get a FTF.

[+Annawashere]

You know who you are. You get the notification and hesitate to run out. Has this ever happened to you, and why?

 

There was a cache published a couple of months ago, claiming to be an easy cache. But upon further investigation it showed that the cache had been placed over a year ago, although the date it was published was recently. And the CO had only had 1 find. I decided not to bother, but put it on my watchlist. Turns out I was right, as over 3 cachers for it with no luck and now it's disabled.

[+ByronForestPreserve]

I dunno that I'd say "chicken" but I usually look at the location, and if it's toward the larger city nearby, I know someone will beat me to it. I DNF'd one that had sat for a couple days--total FTF fail--and the CO ended up raising the difficulty rating after a few more DNFs. I did log it, which is exactly the one reason to skip out on the FTF hunt...being the first to log, and it's a frowny face.

[+jellis]

I wish I could say I was Chicken. I was more like a horse at the gates at the track. Stuck at work and seeing two unfound caches just sitting there with no log on the cache page. I get there almost 8 hours later to find newbies have found it 6 hours before but never logged them on line.

[team tisri]

You know who you are. You get the notification and hesitate to run out. Has this ever happened to you, and why?

 

Most of the time it's a case of malignant apathy for me. I used to dash out to have a shot at FTF on anything within about 7-8 miles of home, then decided to save a few to help fill in my caching calendar, and now the calendar is long since filled in I got out of the habit of going for FTFs. Basically it's just a case of CBA.

[team tisri]

I wish I could say I was Chicken. I was more like a horse at the gates at the track. Stuck at work and seeing two unfound caches just sitting there with no log on the cache page. I get there almost 8 hours later to find newbies have found it 6 hours before but never logged them on line.

 

Sometimes I'd sign a cache and not log it for a few hours just to see if any other local FTF hounds would come looking for it. There were a couple of times when I was seriously tempted to just sit back on a bench with the cache in my pocket waiting for the FTF hounds to come by.

[+Off Grid]

You know who you are. You get the notification and hesitate to run out. Has this ever happened to you, and why?

Not chicken just don't want to meet anybody at ground zero and I don't like the caching parties they have at some of them where they hang around I guess to see who else finds it idk.a nano well to me there's no point in rushing to a nano so I'll do that in a few months.

We debate on going out if its a tupperware container. we look at the time and figure out if there is going to be tons of people going there if its say 6 at night we dont bother but if its 11am we might go. Just don't see the point rather wait for someone to confirm its there so I don't waste my time. Like a volunteer reviewer that maybe goes and checks first.

[+cheech gang]

[rather wait for someone to confirm its there so I don't waste my time. Like a volunteer reviewer that maybe goes and checks first.

 

Could be a long wait.

[+Off Grid]

[rather wait for someone to confirm its there so I don't waste my time. Like a volunteer reviewer that maybe goes and checks first.

 

Could be a long wait.

well I'm young I can wait

[+NYPaddleCacher]

[rather wait for someone to confirm its there so I don't waste my time. Like a volunteer reviewer that maybe goes and checks first.

 

Could be a long wait.

well I'm young I can wait

 

I've found caches in Malaysia and in Africa that had the same reviewer. That reviewer also reviews caches in some of the Caribbean island and lots of other places around the world that don't have a local reviewer. I have no idea where that reviewer lives but, as a volunteer, they're not going to travel all over the world to confirm every cache that they review before it's published. Even for a reviewer only covered a small area, I suspect that if they had to confirm the placement of every cache, it would decimate the number of experienced and qualified reviewers we're lucky to have.

 

 

[+redants]

I also dislike nosy COs who stick around to spy on those who are first to come looking for the cache.

Whoops. I placed a cache 20 metres from my home, and had to fix the camo 10 minutes after publishing. Met the FTFer. NOTE- Low temp glue in COMPLETE CRAP for camo

[+DragonsWest]

You know who you are. You get the notification and hesitate to run out. Has this ever happened to you, and why?

 

Yeah. It was probably a bison in a bush and I didn't feel like aborting my plans just to claim the FTF on it. FTF is only a tool I use to annoy FTF hounds. It matters not to me. I only like the finding bit.

[+agltbialik]

You know who you are. You get the notification and hesitate to run out. Has this ever happened to you, and why?

 

Yeah. It was probably a bison in a bush and I didn't feel like aborting my plans just to claim the FTF on it. FTF is only a tool I use to annoy FTF hounds. It matters not to me. I only like the finding bit.

 

Hear Hear. I've only gone after an FTF twice and gotten it once, but only because they were very close to my location and I got the notification at a good time. In my area, there are a handful of people who always get the FTF (at the oddest hours in the morning to boot), so I don't bother.

[team tisri]

You know who you are. You get the notification and hesitate to run out. Has this ever happened to you, and why?

 

Frequently.

 

I don't cache by car because I hate driving in town. If I've been cycling through an area and get home only to find a cache got published I usually can't be bothered to go back out to find a cache. If a cache is within a short walk of home (which has happened a couple of times) I've been known to get FTF within minutes of it being published.

 

In days gone by when I rode the mountain bike more I was more inclined to jump on the bike and go out for an FTF. Now my focus is more on cycling (with a more road-friendly bike) than geocaching, so finding caches is a bonus to a ride rather than the reason to ride. As such it's quite rare that I'll change my cycling plans to accommodate a box.

 

Even if I do feel inclined to go out and cache if I've just got out of the shower when I get the email that a new cache has gone live 8 miles from home I'm not going to dry off only to get on the bike and get all hot and sweaty with a round trip that's likely to be 20 miles or so.

 

ETA: Just realised I already posted. Oh well...

Edited July 29, 2013 by team tisri