FTF Fails

[+Spunkie92]

Morning..

 

So in my typical style, I checked my email this morning and there were two new caches posted at the park up the hill from my house. Needless to say I dressed as if the house were on fire, loaded up the GPS and ran out. As the genius I am, I figured the park was connected to the bigger park across the street (via a bridge). I was wrong. I drove around for 10 minutes looking for the entrance to this trail. And when I gave up and looked online for the coordinates for parking I saw that not one, but two people had logged it.

 

So I'm thinking if I really want to get a FTF, I need to be up at the crack of dawn, everything waiting for that one cache and then go from there.. Right?

 

I'm not mad, I'm kinda disappointed though.

[Andronicus]

Morning..

 

So in my typical style, I checked my email this morning and there were two new caches posted at the park up the hill from my house. Needless to say I dressed as if the house were on fire, loaded up the GPS and ran out. As the genius I am, I figured the park was connected to the bigger park across the street (via a bridge). I was wrong. I drove around for 10 minutes looking for the entrance to this trail. And when I gave up and looked online for the coordinates for parking I saw that not one, but two people had logged it.

 

So I'm thinking if I really want to get a FTF, I need to be up at the crack of dawn, everything waiting for that one cache and then go from there.. Right?

 

I'm not mad, I'm kinda disappointed though.

You are doing it wrong. Checking your e-mail is a non-starter. You need immediate email notification. Here are some tips

 

Here are some helpfull hints for the OP

 

1. Get push e-mail on your phone. POP3 can cost you valuable minutes.

1a. If you don't have a smart phone, have geocaching.com send notifications to your phone's text message email address (something like {10 diget phone number}@text.att.net, google it for your service provider)

2. Have your geocaching supplies ready to go, perferably in the car.

3. Learn your reviewers habbits. My reviewer usualy publishes cacher aroung 0730h or 2200h. Be ready to go at those times (not mine, yours), and have your phone handy.

4. Don't drive like a maniac. You definatly will not get FTF if you are stopped for speeding/running red light, or crash.

Edited March 12, 2013 by Andronicus

[Pup Patrol]

Spunkie92, log out of the forums and back in again, as you're not showing as a Premium Member.

 

Instant Notifications are a PM benefit:

 

Help Center → Premium Membership → Benefits

1.5. Instant Notifications

 

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=184

 

 

B.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

One word: Perseverance.

 

If you don't have that, you ain't gonna get any.

Right now, you have six finds total. You just may be expecting too much.

 

We obtained a fair number of FTF logs, before going Premium EXACTLY in the manner you described. But then, we are not in a densely populated area, either.

We have pretty much disregarded the "FTF chase" for some time now.

One opportunity sprung up whilst we were visiting some 800 miles from home, and grabbed it -- it was pure happenstance.

 

Good luck.

[Andronicus]

One word: Perseverance.

 

If you don't have that, you ain't gonna get any.

Right now, you have six finds total. You just may be expecting too much.

 

We obtained a fair number of FTF logs, before going Premium EXACTLY in the manner you described. But then, we are not in a densely populated area, either.

We have pretty much disregarded the "FTF chase" for some time now.

One opportunity sprung up whilst we were visiting some 800 miles from home, and grabbed it -- it was pure happenstance.

 

Good luck.

I have 2 or 3 FTF before I was a PM too. However, you really do need Perserverance for that! Most nights around 10:00PM, a usual publish time for my reviewer, I would start scrolling through the newst caches in my state. A lot of work!

[+StarBrand]

I once set out (around 2006) about 10pm when 18 new caches were published within 30-40 miles of my house and all off to the north northwest in a fairly rural area. Late fall and a bit of drizzle. By 3 am, I was FTF on 5, DNF on 10 and STF on 2 and third to find on 1. That was the last time I put much effort into being FTF. All in all a fun night lookling back but I was wet cold and more than a bit disappointed by the time I got home.

[+Spunkie92]

Thanks guys. I figured this morning it was a good opportunity to try it out. But I think in reality I will probably wait until my other half is with me instead of trying it all on my own..

 

I have a tendency to bite of a little more than I can chew..

[+cerberus1]

Like you, that's how we started.

Checking on your PC every half hour or so...hitting the refresh key...

Luckily, with CJ in IT/IS, all I really had to do was wait for that call.

We became premium when we found it was available for her blackberry ('04 I think), just for notifications.

- and I've regretted it ever since.

[+CanadianRockies]

So I'm thinking if I really want to get a FTF, I need to be up at the crack of dawn, everything waiting for that one cache and then go from there.. Right?

It depends on a number of factors, including the region where the caches are located. When we visited Scotland, for example, there didn't seem to be many FTF hounds, so we were able to collect several FTFs -- some over two weeks old.

 

We've also found plenty of FTFs in more remote locations or places that involve longer hikes. Are you a good puzzle solver? Harder puzzles can be good FTF opportunities.

[Clan Riffster]

How many tries did it take to get your first?

If memory serves, it took me one try.

Early on in my caching career, I saw some hubbub about FTF, and how important it was. Gotta get their first! Gotta win! Go! Go! Go!. So I kept an eye on local publishings and headed out once there was one within a reasonable distance from my house. I got there first, signed the log, then scratched my head wondering what all the drama was about. I just didn't get it.

 

As I got back to my car, there was a self proclaimed FTF hunter whipping into the parking lot. He asked if I found the new cache. I dissembled, claiming I didn't know there was a new listing. I tried engaging him in conversation, but his need for competition outweighed his need for civil conversation, and he stormed off into the shrubbery. I spent the rest of the day out & about, hunting a few caches that appealed to me, and logged my finds when I got home, only to discover a host of scathing comments by the FTF hunter and his peers for my unseemly behavior, claiming they had 'wasted' a trip.

 

I suppose, for those who place importance in this aspect of the game, any find which is not an FTF is a waste?

 

Color me confused...

 

I did happen upon a FTF yesterday, and used the log to poke a bit of fun at the owner for accidentally leaving some personal notes in the log book, claiming some dude named "Traction Control Server" had beat me, but in reality, my hunt was for the cache, not the imagined honors of the FTF.

[+Spunkie92]

How many tries did it take to get your first?

If memory serves, it took me one try.

Early on in my caching career, I saw some hubbub about FTF, and how important it was. Gotta get their first! Gotta win! Go! Go! Go!. So I kept an eye on local publishings and headed out once there was one within a reasonable distance from my house. I got there first, signed the log, then scratched my head wondering what all the drama was about. I just didn't get it.

 

As I got back to my car, there was a self proclaimed FTF hunter whipping into the parking lot. He asked if I found the new cache. I dissembled, claiming I didn't know there was a new listing. I tried engaging him in conversation, but his need for competition outweighed his need for civil conversation, and he stormed off into the shrubbery. I spent the rest of the day out & about, hunting a few caches that appealed to me, and logged my finds when I got home, only to discover a host of scathing comments by the FTF hunter and his peers for my unseemly behavior, claiming they had 'wasted' a trip.

 

I suppose, for those who place importance in this aspect of the game, any find which is not an FTF is a waste?

 

Color me confused...

 

I did happen upon a FTF yesterday, and used the log to poke a bit of fun at the owner for accidentally leaving some personal notes in the log book, claiming some dude named "Traction Control Server" had beat me, but in reality, my hunt was for the cache, not the imagined honors of the FTF.

 

I honestly don't think I will be one to specifically hunt down FTFs. But I would like to find one. I ended up actually not even hitting the trail this morning because there are 5 out there and I wanted to spend an afternoon with my partner in crime finding them all.. The way I see it, so long as you are enjoying the hunt, exercise and outdoors, the tupperware and logbook are icing on the cake. I did get a little trigger happy with the FTF this morning though.

[+dprovan]

I don't consider it a failure as long as I find the cache. FTF is special, sure, and I'll decide to go look for a cache if it's time for me to go caching and the cache hasn't been logged found yet. But I'm still going because I want to look for the cache, not because I want to be FTF. Most of my FTFs were found during lunch on caches that, for whatever reason, no one else got around to looking for yet. That explains why my first FTF was a multi -- the first FTF I would say I "tried for" -- and half of them are puzzle caches.

 

If what you describe is what happens every time, the FTF competition is pretty severe. If you want to join them, have at, but I've found that FTFing goes in waves: a few people being very excited for a while, then they calm down after they've snagged a few. So some weeks there's a lull, and no one runs out to grab every cache as soon as it pops up. If you're lucky, that will happen in your area from time to time.

[+CanadianRockies]

I don't consider it a failure as long as I find the cache.

Heck, I don't consider it a failure even if I don't find the cache. I've gone on plenty of great hikes where I DNFed the cache.

[AZcachemeister]

My first FTF, was the first cache I thought I might get FTF on.

This was 4/29/2003 and years before PQs, instant notifications, .gpx downloads and even GSAK!

In those days it was copy/paste into Easy GPS, or print out the cache page.

I knew the cache was out there (placed three days earlier) but hadn't expected to be in the area so I had to 'phone-a-friend' to get the co-ordinates...good times, and a very good day because I placed my first cache the same day.

[+ByronForestPreserve]

Heh, my only one wasn't really on purpose. I did take off on my lunch hour, but it had been published the day before. Figured someone had found it but not logged it, but nope. Funny thing was, the people who found it within a half hour after me all sounded like they were gunning for the FTF (but were good-natured about seeing my name already on the log sheet!).

 

*points to name* I saw four new caches pop up within 1/2 mile from my office a few months ago, but they were for a local event I couldn't attend, so I let them be. Pretty sure I could have gotten them, though!

[Clan Riffster]

Almost forgot one classic FTF attempt that bombed on me.

I had hidden a series of caches in some of the nastiest, bushwhackiest swamp imaginable, and one of the seekers hid a cache out there whilst hunting mine. I was working nights, so being up and about at some ungodly hour was not unusual. I punched in the coords manually, knowing from looking at the map that it was about 3/4 of a mile in from the parking area. I got there about 2:00am, figuring I'd get back to my truck by sunrise, (Yes, it takes several hours to cover 1.5 miles round trip back there), fired up the old 60CSx and see that the waypoint I entered was about 6 miles away. Obviously, I fumble fingered one of the digits, and at the time, I wasn't conversant enough in GPS coordinates to figure out which one. Instead of hunting that one, I dug around in my truck for an ammo can and hid it out there.

[+geodarts]

It's hard to remember the first. It might have involved a little hiking, which can make things easier. I don't go out of my way for them, don't stop what I am doing, and don't use the three initials. For awhile, though,I was signing blank logs hoping that I would be second in order to complete a couple of consolation challenge caches. Being first is happenstance (time, geography, personal circumstances). Being second is an art.

[+briansnat]

Morning..

 

So in my typical style, I checked my email this morning and there were two new caches posted at the park up the hill from my house. Needless to say I dressed as if the house were on fire, loaded up the GPS and ran out. As the genius I am, I figured the park was connected to the bigger park across the street (via a bridge). I was wrong. I drove around for 10 minutes looking for the entrance to this trail. And when I gave up and looked online for the coordinates for parking I saw that not one, but two people had logged it.

 

So I'm thinking if I really want to get a FTF, I need to be up at the crack of dawn, everything waiting for that one cache and then go from there.. Right?

 

I'm not mad, I'm kinda disappointed though.

 

If you really want a FTF look for the caches that are slightly more difficult. I had a cache published last Sunday at 11 am. It was half a mile walk to the cache from a major roadway. The FTF was over 24 hours after it was published.

 

I've hidden caches where the FTF didn't occur for three or four days. This is in northern NJ where there are about a dozen serious FTF hounds working the area. They generally go after the quickies.

Edited March 14, 2013 by briansnat

[+StarBrand]

I was just looking around the local area and spotted this one about 14 miles from home - published in Oct 2012 and still no FTF - looks to be right off of a highway and fairly easy too........ see you guys later.......

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=GC40DPW

[+Chief301]

Kinda depends where you live....our caching community around here is not large and not super active, for the most part. Most of my FTF's sat out there, published, for two or three days before I happened to be in the area. A week is not unusual, as was the case with the last three caches I hid. I stumbled across a whole series a while back that had already been out two or three weeks when I got the FTF on them. It depends.

[+TheWeatherWarrior]

I think it was more harder at the beginning when caches were few and far between. I actually never really attempted it (I suspect I did, failed, then put the misery out of my memory). It was 2009, seven years since I joined geocaching before I had my first FTF.

[Martymarquette]

What is so special about a FTF ?

I have found a couple - but I do not go searching for them - so I am just wondering why? I notice that certain people do make an extreme attempt to be FTF. Why ? Why?

[+redsox_mark]

I believe the first one I really tried to be FTF was This one. It was a tricky puzzle. I wanted the satisfaction of solving it... and while I generally don't see geocaching as a competitive activity, I must admit I wanted to be the first to do it. But I wasn't; 3 weeks after publication it was found. I was a distant second, 2 months later. Still I was pleased to finally solve and find it!

 

The next near miss I remember was this one. At this point I'd been caching for nearly a year and not had a FTF. This one I found 4 days after publication and missed the FTF by 2 hours.

 

As it would turn out, 2 weeks later I got my first FTF. It was on traditional cache close to home. I got the notification at work, and found it on my way home.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

What is so special about a FTF ?

I have found a couple - but I do not go searching for them - so I am just wondering why? I notice that certain people do make an extreme attempt to be FTF. Why ? Why?

He (or she) who gets the most, earns a special place in Heaven. Didn't you know that?

 

It probably comes down to one thing -- braggin' rights. If you ain't a braggart, you most likely won't care about it.

Many who try to "get 'em all", usually come to the conclusion that it just isn't worth the chase. The others who maintain the chase just possess an overwhelming competitive streak -- whether they admit it or not.

 

1500 FTF's and a dime won't even get you a McD's coffee.

[+Condorito]

I got my first one yesterday, and i've been wanting one, but i dont think i really tried for any caches... There are a few FTF hounds around here, so it is kind of hard to get FTF, on matter when or where the cache is

[+TheWeatherWarrior]

What is so special about a FTF ?

I have found a couple - but I do not go searching for them - so I am just wondering why? I notice that certain people do make an extreme attempt to be FTF. Why ? Why?

In it self....nothing.

 

But you have to think in terms of those that are going for them and the game as a whole. Geocaching is goal oriented and FTF can be yet another goal and statistic to track.

 

Also think of it in terms of the salt flats speed record holders. Once they have the one record, you likely are going to see them aim for additional records.