The Numbers Game

[+Renegade Knight]

"It's not about the numbers." It's a mantra now. The other day a new number came along and it's come up more than a few times since.

 

I was at an event and they had a Moun10bike coin. Now I'd like one of these just becuase it's a Moun10bike coin. But they were passing it around specificly so everyone could count coop and log it. I asked why? "To get the Moun10bike icon in my stats page" was the answer. Later I was out caching in a group and we found a Benchmark near the cache. The cachers jumped all over that took photo's and the like so I asked if they liked benchmarkering. "Not really" Then I had to ask what was special about this one. "It puts the benchmark Icon on our stats page".

 

So there it is, the new rite of passage. How many Icons you have on your stats page. You can only be a cache master if you have all the icons. According to my icons, I am a tadpole.

Edited March 22, 2005 by Renegade Knight

[WH]

It doesnt matter to me. Let them play their game and Ill play mine.

[Stony2008]

jez if your a tadpole than what the heck am I?

[+Gas Guys]

Hmmmm... Never thought to count icons before. Excuse me - I need to run out and grab a benchmark right now to boost my totals...

[SCP-173]

I'd be more impressed by what someone owns.

[+sept1c_tank]

I have the following icons:

 

Traditional Caches

Multi-caches

Virtual Caches

Letterbox Hybrids

Event Caches

Unknown (Mystery) Caches

Locationless (Reverse) Caches

NGS Benchmarks

Travel Bug Dog Tags

Moun10Bike Coins

Jeep 4x4 Travel Bugs

 

I own:

 

Traditional Caches

Multi-caches

Event Caches

Travel Bug Dog Tags

 

But who cares?

[+BigWhiteTruck]

I'd be more impressed by what someone owns.

Like a benchmark?

[CoyoteRed]

That's bit of a cheap find. I was at an event once where a moving cache was being passed around for the same reason. I went ahead and signed the log as at the time I thought it might have been rude not to. I never logged the cache online. I didn't find it in the wild so I figured I didn't deserve the smilie.

 

I tried benchmarking a bit, it's okay, but not something that drives me. We did a few locationlesses, but those didn't turn us on, either. I might try something to give it a whirl, but I would never do it just to add an icon.

 

Quite frankly, I don't see the attraction. But, hey, some people need status symbols and that's fine.

Edited March 22, 2005 by CoyoteRed

[+Gas Guys]

Owning a Benchmark - Good Idea - I'm going out to place one right now...

 

Seriously, I only use the numbers (or icons) for self-evaluation. I could care less about what anyone else has. However, this topic is reminding me that I do need to add some "owns" to my list and give a little back to the caching community. Now that I have some time and finds under my belt, I have a couple ideas for what I hope are good caches.

[+JohnnyVegas]

Myself, I have never given any thoght to collecting icons, I loge my first benchmark, it is very close to one of my caches, after walking past it several times in the past two years I loged just because I had my camera with me

I've never done a web cam cache, to much work.

[+Tharagleb]

I don't care about the icons either. But I *do* want to go and get the Earthcache that is in NH... and I wouldn't mind a Moun10bike coin ... or a Geocoin ...

 

Never mind.

[+New England n00b]

I think it would be cool to collect all the 'types' available, but I don't care about how many of each I find. Rather, I think each type of icon represents a different style or experience of hunting. Personally, I like the "point and click, heres the waypoint, have a nice walk traditionals (and correctly labeled multis)", but to experience other styles of caching would be interesting. If I like them when I do them, I'll do more. If not, "Hey, I tried something new."

 

I kinda think I'd be cheating myself out of a cool experience by logging a Mount10bike in the way RK conveyed. I'd rather get the icon - but because I FOUND it on my own. Kind of a nice suprise. Am I making sense to anyone? i should be sleeping right now.

 

Regardless, that is how I look at it. If someone else wants to play differently, well... that is up to them. As always, I am not impressed by how loudly you expound your (own) numbers. I am more impressed by hearing about your exciting adventures reaching those milestones.

Edited March 22, 2005 by New England n00b

[+sept1c_tank]

Owning a Benchmark - Good Idea - I'm going out to place one right now...

 

Actually, you can own your own benchmark.

[+Greymane]

I plan on doing some building on my "owns" this spring. (Yeah!!! The snow is melting!!) Just got four new TB tags and four new ammo cans. Now, if I can just figure out the NYS Park permit system.

[Stony2008]

How many different icons can you have anyways? who has the most icons?

 

sorry I'm so curious

[+New England n00b]

Would be kinda cool to know what is out there - is there a list of geocaching.com acche-type icons?

[+cache_test_dummies]

As far as I can figure out, these would represent complete icon collections:

 

Found:

 

Own:

 

Edit: added Earthcache (thanks fly46!)

 

Did I miss anything else?

Edited March 22, 2005 by cache_test_dummies

[+sept1c_tank]

But can you own a YJTB?

[+New England n00b]

Is the earthcache one the globe & flag?

[+fly46]

You can't own a Jeep and you forgot the earthcache.

[+cache_test_dummies]

But can you own a YJTB?   

Well, doesn't somebody own the YJTB's?

 

What I don't think you can actually own is BOTH a YJTB and a Moun10bike.

 

Edit: fixed a typo and added a smilie cause I thought I sounded mad and didn't mean to.

Edited March 22, 2005 by cache_test_dummies

[+cache_test_dummies]

You can't own a Jeep and you forgot the earthcache.

Aargh. Earthcache. Hold on, I'll fix the pic.

[WH]

Is the earthcache one the globe & flag?

No, thats a locationless cache.

 

Earthcaches are the globe with a piece cut out of it.

[+AtoZ]

Boy and I got slamed for mentioning numbers once. Icons I thought was funny but then again what ever motivates you. I like locationless it is fun looking for them but it is serandipidious something to keep in the back of you mind while out caching. Other=ise what ever makes it interesting. It seems the new players get cacught up more in this. I never thought of icons and still don't untill a new cacher I know wanted to get a YJTB icon.

'WHAT EVER MOTIVATES YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cheers

[+bigredmed]

It doesnt matter to me. Let them play their game and Ill play mine.

Yeah, it does matter.

 

If a cacher litters, or leaves a gate open, or tromples some garden area, "oh so what, they can play their game and I can play mine."

 

If someone steals a travel bug because their kid thought it was cool for more than a minute, "oh well they can play their game and I will play mine. "

 

If a travel bug gets to an event and fifty people count coup on it, that generated 50 emails to the cache owner and anyone watching that TB. All of them saying "I saw it, touched it, held it in my hand, passed it to so and so at the event". Thanks, but my email gets enough spam without this crap.

 

This avoidance of cache rule enforcement that seems endemic in this sport is part of the problem we face in South Carolina and other states where caching is coming under threat. If we are unwilling to enforce even basic rule observance, why should ANY land manager who has to feed his/her family with the income from the park they are responsible for allow geocaching when they are the ones who catch hell from the media and from their higher ups if the experience goes bad.

 

Time for us all to realize that we need to nut up and stick to the rules of the game and expect the same from other cachers. If we don't enforce our rules, there is no one that will hesitate to enforce theirs on us.

[+StarBrand]

Have seen folks passing around a TB for numbers (just weird to me) but never heard of people doing it to collect icons!!???!!

[+Metaphor]

I want to have a Varsgeld! cache listed on my cache page...

[+cache_test_dummies]

It doesnt matter to me. Let them play their game and Ill play mine.

Yeah, it does matter.

I see the point you are trying to make, but I seriously doubt if WH was suggesting that it is ok to disregard the rules.

 

With respect to the particular situation raised by the OP, I'm not aware of any rule which prohibits the passing of a TB from person to person in order to log it (nor did the OP imply as much). It may not be personally acceptable to some to do it that way, but it doesn't matter to me in the least if others choose to.

[+Renegade Knight]

But can you own a YJTB?   

One account does. Now I wonder if it shows up that way. I'll bet Jeep could sell the ownership of the bugs and create another kind of promotion out of it.

Edited March 22, 2005 by Renegade Knight

[+Haffy]

What's the icon between the YJTB and the coin?

[+cache_test_dummies]

What's the icon between the YJTB and the coin?

Benchmark

[+fishingfools]

hey crash test, is your ape still active? where was it? Thats one I do not have found.

[+Marky]

Owning a Benchmark - Good Idea - I'm going out to place one right now...

 

Actually, you can own your own benchmark.

Oh man, those are freakin' cool! I think I will order a couple.

 

--Marky

[+AMMOMAN]

I look for the new icons for the experience. The more types I have found, the more I can understand when others start talking about them. I can better understand the conversation and maybe provide a little input.

 

This does not make me a better cacher than others. It just shows a was in the right place at the right time.

[Trinity's Crew]

I don't do things for the icon. I do it for the experience of trying or finding something different.

 

Although the YJTB icon does look good on my profile page!

[+Mr. Snazz]

It doesnt matter to me. Let them play their game and Ill play mine.

Yeah, it does matter.

 

Since when are you a thread hijacking troll, bigred?

[+cache_test_dummies]

hey crash test, is your ape still active?  where was it?  Thats one I do not have found.

Boy, if I had a nickel for every time somebody asked me: "hey crash test, is your ape still active?" ....

 

But I think you misunderstood - I haven't collected all of those icons myself, I was just trying to show everybody what all the icons looked like. You know, for reference, and to drool over.

 

Off hand, I don't know if there are still some active Project APE caches around. Maybe somebody else can chime in here.

Edited March 23, 2005 by cache_test_dummies

[+snake1411]

So people want numbers?

 

Here's my NUMB3RS:

 

NUMB3R5 - H1GHL1GH75 1N H1S70RY

 

NUMB3R5 - 57RANG3 R3LA710N5 (considerably easier than the first).

[Trinity's Crew]

Mission 7: Crab Creek in Maryland is an active A.P.E. cache. I plan to do it soon. Cool icon!

 

Edit: Punctuation

Edited March 23, 2005 by Trinity's Crew

[+BeachBuddies]

I love trying to get all the icons. I'm still missing Moun10bike's coin, and I have not found an Earthcache yet, but I think I've got all the rest. I went out of my way to get a Project APE cache. Fun!

[+Chance Encounter]

As far as I can figure out, these would represent complete icon collections:

 

Found:

 

Own:

 

Edit: added Earthcache (thanks fly46!)

 

Did I miss anything else?

Unfortunately, an individual cacher cannot "own" an Earthcache, so you don't get credit for the hide. The actual owner is the Earthcache approver ("Earthcache Master," I believe). Your name is listed as the owner just under the cache title, but when you click on the profile link you are redirected to the Earthcache approver account. So no new cool icon on your Owned Caches page. Bah, humbug!

 

Likewise, the only person who can "own" a Moun10Bike geocoin is Moun10Bike himself. Similar situation on the Yellow Jeep TBs, and of coursde the Benchmarks. So while you can "find" 16 different types of icons, you can only "hide" 12 of them.

Edited March 23, 2005 by Chance Encounter

[+cache_test_dummies]

Unfortunately, an individual cacher cannot "own" an Earthcache, so you don't get credit for the hide.

I guess what I was shooting for was a collection of icons which could, hypothetically, appear in somebody's "List of items owned".

 

Not that it matters, but I'm not sure that what you described about being given ownership credit for an Earthcache is entirely accurate. For the Madison Boulder Earthcache, the owner is listed on the page (with the words "via Earthcache Master") listed next to his name. But if you click on the profile, you get this User page, and the User's stats look to me like the cache owner got credit for the Earthcache.

 

Likewise, the only person who can "own" a Moun10Bike geocoin is Moun10Bike himself.  Similar situation on the Yellow Jeep TBs, and of coursde the Benchmarks.  So while you can "find" 16 different types of icons, you can only "hide" 12 of them.

 

You are right in that we'd never see a user's profile which shows all the icons in the "owned" column. Conceivably, Moun10Bike would be the only user who could max out both columns, at least given the current icon collection.

Edited March 23, 2005 by cache_test_dummies

[+Hemlock]

Actually most of the Earthcaches have now been transferred to the individual owners. But you're right on the other points.

[+cache_test_dummies]

Actually most of the Earthcaches have now been transferred to the individual owners. But you're right on the other points.

Um, yeah. That's what I meant to say.

[Voncachstein]

I believe that by "own", he means that those icons are on his page, not that he actually owns the moun10bike coin, etc., etc.

[+flask]

I don't care about the icons either. But I *do* want to go and get the Earthcache that is in NH... and I wouldn't mind a Moun10bike coin ... or a Geocoin ...

 

Never mind.

you 'n' me, dude. let's go. week after next, maybe?

[+Tidalflame]

Being obsessed with icons isn't really a big deal - not my thing, but to each his own. However, passing around an item so that everyone can log it does seem kind of like cheating. I mean, there's no finding involved...

 

I don't really care, though. It certainly seems like it would take the fun out of the game...

[+Chance Encounter]

Actually most of the Earthcaches have now been transferred to the individual owners. But you're right on the other points.

Yep, now that I go back and check on our local Earthcache, I see that the ownership has been transferred to my friend map&nats. He was kinda bummed last time I talked to him because he didn't get the icon for hiding the Earthcache. He'll be happy to know the issue has been addressed.

[cacheaholik]

However, passing around an item so that everyone can log it does seem kind of like cheating. I mean, there's no finding involved...

I don't think that it would be cheating. I mean I have never done that, but on the travelbug log you have the option of choosing "retrieved from" or "grabbed it" plus if you are at a event cache then you have found the "cache" so to speak. IMO

[+norbu]

It doesnt matter to me. Let them play their game and Ill play mine.

Yeah, it does matter.

 

If a cacher litters, or leaves a gate open, or tromples some garden area, "oh so what, they can play their game and I can play mine."

 

If someone steals a travel bug because their kid thought it was cool for more than a minute, "oh well they can play their game and I will play mine. "

 

If a travel bug gets to an event and fifty people count coup on it, that generated 50 emails to the cache owner and anyone watching that TB. All of them saying "I saw it, touched it, held it in my hand, passed it to so and so at the event". Thanks, but my email gets enough spam without this crap.

 

This avoidance of cache rule enforcement that seems endemic in this sport is part of the problem we face in South Carolina and other states where caching is coming under threat. If we are unwilling to enforce even basic rule observance, why should ANY land manager who has to feed his/her family with the income from the park they are responsible for allow geocaching when they are the ones who catch hell from the media and from their higher ups if the experience goes bad.

 

Time for us all to realize that we need to nut up and stick to the rules of the game and expect the same from other cachers. If we don't enforce our rules, there is no one that will hesitate to enforce theirs on us.

Know what? he is right. If no one cares, then no one will bother. It won't be pretty in the end. seen it happen in many different contexts.

 

Icons, now I don't really know what that is hurting per se, but it is symptomatic of a mindset that is definitely destructive to this sport and community.

 

Numbers can be fun. But the obsessiveness gets tiresome and offensive.

 

anyway, you can't change other people, sometimes you can show them things.