To Thine Own Self Be True?

2k · December 13, 2004

It's coming up on my 2 year caching anniversary. So, I'm thinking about the caching goals I set for myself this year. I wanted to have logged 200 finds. I'm sitting at 185. Along the way to this point my style of caching has changed, a lot. I'm spending way more time selecting caches to look for. I really don't care about the numbers, I had to go to my home page to even find out what my find count was. I'm no less enthusiastic about the game I just view it a little differently. More time devising good hides, more time picking quality hides.

So the question I have to answer for myself is "Do I hit the 15 easiest caches just to make my goal, or remain true to my new philosophy?".

How has your game changed since you started?

3.1k · December 13, 2004

These days I simply try to be cost efficient. I used to chase down single caches 50 miles away.

Now I want them close to home, the more caches per gallon the better.

December 13, 2004

I've slowed down my pace quite a bit. I'll spend more time in the park after finding the cache, and if I don't find a cache this week it doesn't bother me at all. Geocaching is just one of the things that I do and I discovered that I was missing out on the enjoyment of other hobbies while focusing on the numbers of finds.

2k · December 13, 2004

I've slowed down my pace quite a bit. I'll spend more time in the park after finding the cache, and if I don't find a cache this week it doesn't bother me at all. Geocaching is just one of the things that I do and I discovered that I was missing out on the enjoyment of other hobbies while focusing on the numbers of finds.

I never got to wild about numbers. I tend to do only caches that mesh with other activities now. My wife enjoys photography so I look for caches that will get us places where she can take a few pictures. Or I look for caches along OHV trails that I can do while Fourwheeling. There's a micro by the dog park where I take Jake at lunch so I'll look for that today. I gave away an ammo can cache to one of the GBESgeocachers members so I hid that by a birdwatching area this weekend.

I guess part of it is about the gas. If I can do more different activities on the same number of gallons that's good.

December 13, 2004

So the question I have to answer for myself is "Do I hit the 15 easiest caches just to make my goal, or remain true to my new philosophy?".

Isn't the real question: "What difference does it make as long as I'm having fun"?

December 13, 2004

Variety is the spice... I can't see any reason to have long term goals in this game. It changes too fast and would probably be unrecognizable if we could see ahead five years.

The first year I cached the goal was to get and keep the city limits of Seattle completely clear of unfound active caches. I'm close but will never achieve that goal unless certain caches that I don't care to hunt get archived. :grin:

After the beginning of 2003 the short term goals were to get five hundred finds, and then one thousand by the end of the summer. Made it on Labor day and the goal changed to getting my fiftieth FTF (First To Find) by the end of the year (and to do something besides geocaching once in a while :grin: ). A spurt of new hides in the area allowed me to reach that goal on 2 November.

There are always short term and daily goals that come up, such as personal record of finds in one day (twenty seven I think), or getting defined areas clean of unfound active caches (Whidbey Island for instance). On most hunts, personal goals are to get to the cache with the least amount possible of foot mileage and to find it with the minimum amount of searching. :grin:

What's for next year? Who knows; maybe another numbers binge at some point. There is always something interesting in the world and the game will continue to be fun as long as I ignore those who think my goals should be the same as theirs.

2.6k · December 13, 2004

So the question I have to answer for myself is "Do I hit the 15 easiest caches just to make my goal, or remain true to my new philosophy?".

I adopted your philosophy when I hit 100 this Fall, and I've become a fierce proponent of it. My favorite cache now is one long, lovely hike for one smiley.

But -- what the hey -- if you snuck out and did a quick fifteen to hit the landmark, that would have its own appeal. :grin:

24.7k · December 13, 2004

In the days of old I'd hide caches that were all over the board for lame or cool. Now I still like to hide caches but don't get the urge as often and they have moved up the scale a bit.

As for seeking, I'm more likley to combine it with other things, but I also still have cache days where it's all about the numbers, or cache days where it's all about hiking down into the canyon for a day that might mean one cache. All variations are fun still.

1.5k · December 13, 2004

It's always easier to "amend" goals than to admit failure... :grin:

2k · December 13, 2004

It's always easier to "amend" goals than to admit failure...

I haven't officialy failed until 12/25/04. Maybe I'm admiting failure now. But 15 caches in 13 days is very doable around here for me any way, I've been passing on a lot of caches lately. I could wait until the last minute and still make my goal.

I took Jake to look for a micro at lunch. I looked for about 15min but Jake wanted to explore. So did I. we had fun so it was all good for us.

38.2k · December 13, 2004

My only goals from the beginning were to enjoy myself and discover interesting new places. I was never a numbers person. I'd rather spend 4 hours hiking to one cache, than find 4 caches in an hour. To be honest I do notice as I approach a milestone number, but I make no special effort to get there.

I think the only change in my philosophy is in my hides. At one time I hid every kind of cache, including purposefully lame ones, simply because a lot of people like them. Then I decided that the world has enough micros stuck to guardrails, so I try to make sure all my caches are nice hikes, or at least in an interesting area.

December 13, 2004

We started out geocaching January 3, 2004 and after getting a couple of hundred decided that we wanted to find 1000 in the first year. While on a four day trip to Nashville over the holiday we expected to fulfill that goal but I broke my ankle just 14 short of our mark. Back home now we are slowly getting those last few although the locals are complaining because there is an obnoxious kind of geocachers trail that strangely looks like someone has been shuffling to caches on their knees. and I've been blamed. Seriously, we comprise three types of cachers in one team, me that likes to push myself for numbers and harder caches, Ms horsegeeks that loves the longer hikes and "heady" caches and Jason that just wants to cache anything that moves as long as he is with us. I doubt that our philosophies will change, unless my ankle doesn't heal or my knees (oops) wear out first.

1.6k · December 13, 2004

I've only had one goal in my caching career and I fulfilled it, it was to finally find 100 caches and do it before my birthday.

20.7k · December 14, 2004

Do the first 14 caches you see. Get these done by 12/23. On 12/24, go hunt down one really cool cache.

2.6k · December 14, 2004

Do the first 14 caches you see. Get these done by 12/23. On 12/24, go hunt down one really cool cache.

Yes!

December 14, 2004

Rusty, are you doing it for the sake of the goal ... or doing it for the sake of the fun?

Go power-caching for the numbers if the goal is important. Or not, if it ain't. But if we're out there for the fun, I say, go visit the fun ones and to heck with the numbers.

9.5k · December 14, 2004

It's always easier to "amend" goals than to admit failure...

Read my tag line. That's been my goal since I started and only "relatively" recently put into words.

December 14, 2004

Then I decided that the world has enough micros stuck to guardrails,

Havae you made any other decisions we should know about? Any pertaining to Mid-east Oil?

2k · December 14, 2004

I attempted three caches at lunch today. All urban micros. The first was cool imiganitive hide, a lot of work went into the container. Can't say much about the location but I know the owner is partial to a well known brand of "to go coffee" so I'm not suprised it was in their parking lot.

The second, well Jake sniffed it out in a couple of seconds. If you know what I mean.

The third was in a goose poop park. We get a lot of geese wintering around here and the parks get shall we say well fertalized. I looked for a few minutes, decided I wasen't having fun and went back to work.

So I consider the excursion a wash. One nice find two not so nice experiences. AT this point the good find was enough to keep me looking for an occasional urban Micro.

I plan to go back to the one I tried yesterday tomorrow. A nice walking path, the logs make it sound like it's a nice hide once you find it.

2.3k · December 15, 2004

A while ago, I only cached if one was "on the way" to wherever I was going. I wasn't that motivated to go on numbers runs.

Now, I am getting more pumped up about going caching again. I may hit some of the power trails out in Cali, where you can snag 125+ in a day of caching. My new goal is to break into the 1000+ club, and then I will cool my heels.

3.9k · December 15, 2004

I have not yet changed my goals, and that is to get away from the TV and enjoy the world. Some days it's 15 or so caches in a day, some days it a single pleasant hike (ok, the last one was torturous, but it was still fun). Since the only goal is to enjoy life, I don't think I will be changing that one very soon.

So, I would say, do what feels right in the long run.

3.9k · December 15, 2004

<snip>I may hit some of the power trails out in Cali, where you can snag 125+ in a day of caching. <snip>

Team360, we talked about that a couple months ago. I guess it's time to get the planning board out?

2k · December 15, 2004

<snip>I may hit some of the power trails out in Cali, where you can snag 125+ in a day of caching. <snip>

Team360, we talked about that a couple months ago. I guess it's time to get the planning board out?

Planning what? Coming up for the Fallon Navigational Rally in May?

To subtle?

I hope to see both of you there.

2.2k · December 15, 2004

they're your rules and your plans so if you want to change them go ahead or just grab a quick 15.

what matters is that you enjoy it. so what will you enjoy more hitting the target or slowly getting 15 "worthwhile " caches?

petrol prices even more applicable over in uk. i try to cache economically ie do the caches in the area that i'm visiting that day. petrol at 83pence per litre at the moment!

it's not numbers for me it's the fun of new places and new things. whatever floats your boat.

enjoy

1.8k · December 15, 2004

My new goal is to break into the 1000+ club, and then I will cool my heels.

That's exactly what I promised myself I'd do after I hit the kilo mark.

Now I'm caching more than ever before. Dang. :rolleyes:

3.9k · December 15, 2004

<snip>I may hit some of the power trails out in Cali, where you can snag 125+ in a day of caching. <snip>

Team360, we talked about that a couple months ago. I guess it's time to get the planning board out?

Planning what? Coming up for the Fallon Navigational Rally in May?

To subtle?

I hope to see both of you there.

I need to use my favorite phrase twice... "Road Trip!, Road Trip!"

Fallon, NV in May

California early in the year(?)

And perhaps a trip to Oregon.

2.3k · December 15, 2004

My new goal is to break into the 1000+ club, and then I will cool my heels.

That's exactly what I promised myself I'd do after I hit the kilo mark.

Now I'm caching more than ever before. Dang.

Yea, well, out in Cali, you can hit 1000 caches in a week...

2k · December 15, 2004

My new goal is to break into the 1000+ club, and then I will cool my heels.

That's exactly what I promised myself I'd do after I hit the kilo mark.

Now I'm caching more than ever before. Dang.

Yea, well, out in Cali, you can hit 1000 caches in a week...

Down in Vegas I could hit 1000 before the end of the year. You can't toss a dead AA without hitting a cache down there.

2k · December 16, 2004

Errands to run at lunch today only time to attempt one cache. I found one that was on my route. Another magnetic micro at a goose poop park. This time the cache hider wanted to make you jump through hoops "Take 17 steps turn 407 degrees clockwise, take 12 steps turn 35 degrees anticlockwise, point one hand due north and sight along the other held at 15 degrees to your chest......"

Between the 1" deep layer of goose turds everywhere and the complicated destructions this was not an appropriate cache to attempt on a short lunch break. Had to eat at my desk because I needed to wash my hands before I touched my sandwich (did I mention the goose poop?)

3.9k · December 17, 2004

My new goal is to break into the 1000+ club, and then I will cool my heels.

That's exactly what I promised myself I'd do after I hit the kilo mark.

Now I'm caching more than ever before. Dang.

Yea, well, out in Cali, you can hit 1000 caches in a week...

Down in Vegas I could hit 1000 before the end of the year. You can't toss a dead AA without hitting a cache down there.

Hey Rusty!

I think the count would be closer to 600 in a year if you never left the Las Vegas Basin and immediate area. In Las Vegas, the 500 cache circle is about 35.5 miles radius. That far out, you get a lot of level 3's and 4's from the hills and mountains.

The 500 cache circle in San Jose is a 10.2 mile radius. Hardly anything that's above a true 2.5.

In Palms Springs area, they line up caches. I'm thinking ROAD TRIP!

Edited December 17, 2004 by Moose Mob

2k · December 17, 2004

I'm getting a message.... wait the voices are getting louder. Ahhhh

"Moose Mob likes road trips."

If last year set a precedent Fallon should have a fair number of new cachesby May. I really hope you make the event.

I'm thinking I'll start leaning on Mrs. Rusty about the Tri State event soon. We should be sick of cold by mid Feb. a little warmth will do us good. Plus it would be nice to put faces to names. Last year at the rally I just saw a bunch of faces wizzing by in cars.

I have thought about suggesting a "Christmas shopping" trip to Sacramento to Mrs Rusty. I could log twenty caches without getting further off the interstate that a rest stop. Problem is for once we did our shopping early. :lol: Lots of ways to boost my cache count.

3.9k · December 17, 2004

Fallon sounds like a blast. I do plan on making it up this year.

Did you send christmas present to the NGA folks yet? That could give you an excuse to go to sacramento and snag the rest stop caches. As much as I enjoy a good hike in the woods, some of them micro/small caches are pretty clever.

PS: I have a road trip to Carson City on the 27th (ish)

Edited December 17, 2004 by Moose Mob

3.5k · December 17, 2004

When I started in February of 2002, my only goal was to try to do about one cache a week. Back then that was a fairly lofty goal around here. But a nasty case of the flu shortly after starting caching knocked me out of that.

However, as the year progressed a lot more caches were hidden around here. So my goal became to do 100 caches by the end of the year. I fell short by about 20, I think. I changed my goal and did my 100th on my 1 year anniversary (cachiversary?).

After that my goal was to hit 200 by my 1.5 anniversary, I managed to do that. After that it was 300 at 1.75...I'm pretty sure I did that. Since then my goal has been more of just a "go have fun" kind of thing.

I'm coming up on my 3rd year anniversary in about 2 months, though. I'm sitting very close to 800 caches at present and it would be cool to hit 1000 on my three-year mark. I don't think I could do it without a trip to one of the numbers hubs, though (and a warm numbers hub at that).

My more day-to-day/week-to-week goals have to do with the amount of walking I can get in while cache hunting. How much can I make my legs ache when I finish the day? If I come home achy, tired and just plain wore out, I'm very satisfied. :lol:

Bret

Edited December 17, 2004 by CYBret

December 17, 2004

I'm at almost the same point as Rusty. 200 is a cool number, but 200 what? I'm looking for interesting finds rather than quick ones. I'm much more selective, and in fact, have turned down caching simply for caching's sake.

At first, every cache was interesting. Now, purposeful caching is more interesting.

2k · December 20, 2004

Fallon sounds like a blast. I do plan on making it up this year.

Did you send christmas present to the NGA folks yet? That could give you an excuse to go to sacramento and snag the rest stop caches. As much as I enjoy a good hike in the woods, some of them micro/small caches are pretty clever.

PS: I have a road trip to Carson City on the 27th (ish)

I thought we weren't exchanging gifts this year? <_<

2k · December 20, 2004

When I started in February of 2002, my only goal was to try to do about one cache a week. Back then that was a fairly lofty goal around here. But a nasty case of the flu shortly after starting caching knocked me out of that.

However, as the year progressed a lot more caches were hidden around here. So my goal became to do 100 caches by the end of the year. I fell short by about 20, I think. I changed my goal and did my 100th on my 1 year anniversary (cachiversary?).

After that my goal was to hit 200 by my 1.5 anniversary, I managed to do that. After that it was 300 at 1.75...I'm pretty sure I did that. Since then my goal has been more of just a "go have fun" kind of thing.

I'm coming up on my 3rd year anniversary in about 2 months, though. I'm sitting very close to 800 caches at present and it would be cool to hit 1000 on my three-year mark. I don't think I could do it without a trip to one of the numbers hubs, though (and a warm numbers hub at that).

My more day-to-day/week-to-week goals have to do with the amount of walking I can get in while cache hunting. How much can I make my legs ache when I finish the day? If I come home achy, tired and just plain wore out, I'm very satisfied.

Bret

Palm Springs?

This has been a good experience for me. I talk with Mrs Rusty today from now on it's all about fun. Having said that I did a few caches we really enjoyed, including one micro, a breath strip can no less. It was in a great spot with a nice historic plaque (Although the cache owner never mentions it. <_< ).

I may still try for 200 before Dec 25, but the decision has been made for me, it really isn't about the numbers.

December 20, 2004

All I want to know is how long do you guys have off for lunch?

2k · December 20, 2004

All I want to know is how long do you guys have off for lunch?

I get an hour lunch. If I don't run errands or take Jake to the dog park I hunt caches. I usually eat at my desk while I work.

2.3k · December 20, 2004

<snip> I talk with Mrs Rusty today from now on it's all about fun.

Thats all it should ever be about.

<snip>
I'm coming up on my 3rd year anniversary in about 2 months, though. I'm sitting very close to 800 caches at present and it would be cool to hit 1000 on my three-year mark. I don't think I could do it without a trip to one of the numbers hubs, though (and a warm numbers hub at that).

Bret

There are a couple of series up here in Chicago that could help you out if need be. And they can be done in any type of weather...

My 'goals' are in constant flux. My last big one was to get my average up to 1/day. That being done, my new one is to get my find count at or above my post count. No special reason, just something to strive towards. It has been making me really think about whether or not ot post in a few instances. Thankfully, posts in the OT forum don't count...hehe.

December 22, 2004

Go ahead and get those 15 and complete your goal. Your New Years resolution can be to relax and look for the quality cache on the weekend. Maybe 50 next year?

:blink:

December 25, 2004

We recently went to a cache event and spoke with a cacher who was wistful. He said that he hardly enjoyed the find, because he was concentrating on the numbers. We take the opposite tack, enjoy the time spent on the trail, and with each other. We like quality finds; history, view, cool container, or event, rather than numbers.

To Thine Own Self Be True?

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