+5¢ Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 A dead horse, who knows? So it's not about the numbers. Why do threads all over the different forums say way to go, so and so found this many caches, congratulations? If it is not about the numbers as so many want to say, then why does this continue to happen. Yes, I am proud of my pitally numbers. I have averaged one cache a day thus far. (my one year anniversary was today, 366 finds.) Don't want anyone to put a thread up for me. Just want to know, why all the number hating? Is this teeball? If it isn't about the numbers why does no one step up to the plate when threads like this start and quote what is continually said in other topics, it isn't about the numbers. Or is the truth really lay that yeah, we all are proud of our numbers, but it is not proper to brag of ones own numbers? It would be stupid of me to justify that the numbers are not prevelant in this game, I just won't do it. I see it enough to know it is true. I don't act like a braggart and tell everyone what I have done, but that doesn't make me any less proud of what I have accomplished. How are cache approvers chosen? By how many caches they have found in general. It gives them credibility that they know what to approve in general. Leaders of caching clubs, who do you pick, in general, the cacher with the most finds. Let's cut the crap and deal with real life here. The best at a certain thing, deserve notoriety and prestige. We are not in teeball and do realize and envy others. It is a part of human nature. Yes, I do realize that there are some who don't care about numbers. But obviously, there are others who do, or these threads would not be composed. My point to this rant is that maybe we should not be so hard on the ones who are proud of there finds and how many they have. I have yet to see anyone say in a thread of how Bill got his 1,000th find, Thread starter, no one cares. There just seems to be atleast 5 of Bill's friends saying congratulations. Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 It's normaly used as a means to discredit another cacher. "You are a numbers whore" meaning "what would you know about a quality cache since you find all the easy ones. Plus other variations. The only reason to use numbers that way is if somehow someone feels they don't stack up. Quote Link to comment
+carleenp Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 (edited) I personally loathe the phrase "it is not about the numbers." I feel that many use it falsely. Either because they want to sound superior, or feel they need to say it to sound legitimate, or they simply have seen it used so much that it has became a catch phrase (I suspect this is a majority). I am sure plenty mean it, but I suspect that many also do not. I really don't care either way and often it is somewhere in between anyway. Here is my own rant about the topic. The posts there were interesting. In the end I do this for fun. At times it was about the numbers, at times about the hike, at times about the company, and at times just to get out caching regardless of whether I found one or 10 or hundreds. Many times it was a combination. But in the end it is about fun. I am not about to criticize a person for having fun and I don't care what is fun for them. I have fun caching in many different ways. Sometimes it is about the numbers and sometimes it isn't. Either way it is fun. I won't let anyone tell me not to enjoy myself when it happens to be a numbers thing, just as I won't let someone tell me not to enjoy a 12 mile hike for only one cache. I suppose in the end for me it is "not about the numbers" in the sense that it isn't what drives me generally, but if I pick a day, month or year to go for a "number" for fun, I sure am not going to let that phrase make it not fun for me as much as other people might chant it over and over! Edited April 10, 2005 by carleenp Quote Link to comment
+New England n00b Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 <snip>Or is the truth really lay that yeah, we all are proud of our numbers, but it is not proper to brag of ones own numbers? <snip> I don't act like a braggart and tell everyone what I have done, but that doesn't make me any less proud of what I have accomplished. <snip> We are not in teeball and do realize and envy others. It is a part of human nature. Yes, I do realize that there are some who don't care about numbers. But obviously, there are others who do, or these threads would not be composed. My point to this rant is that maybe we should not be so hard on the ones who are proud of there finds and how many they have. I have yet to see anyone say in a thread of how Bill got his 1,000th find, Thread starter, no one cares. There just seems to be atleast 5 of Bill's friends saying congratulations. Snippet 1: I am proud of my numbers - because they are experiences I have had along the way. Some easy, some driving me nuts. I don't want to bradcast my numbers, but I'll happily bore you to tears with my stories of sweat & befuddlement. Snippet 2: This is the important thing, IMO. Snippet 3: I'm not in the slightest bit envious of another cachers numbers - well, maybe for the cache TYPES they have hunted, for the variety of experiences they have had - but not for some number. The number is meaningless to me because I do not know what went into it. Someone who has 1 find (a 14 mile wilderness multi) has more respect for me than someone (equally abled) who scores 2000 walmart micro-caches. But that is just my perspective, being something of a city hater. When someone else makes a post congratting someone else for their finds, I am still respectful, how do I know what they had to go through to get their? On the other hand, I don't care, because I don't know what they had to do to get there. I'm not gonna begrudge someone either way. Now, a Type A jerk self-promoting their awesome selves, that's something else. I get enough of that in the real world. I have no use for it here. So to summarize, I care about your cool stories. So, I suppose I probably annoy Carleenp because I short it to "I don't care about your numbers". I really love the front page photos for this reason. It's really cool to see images from places I'll never be, and read (when I can) logs from people who've seen or done something interesting. Quote Link to comment
+Robespierre Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 the ones who are proud of there finds not sure why what someone else does, thinks, feels about this game is an issue?? Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 Now, a Type A jerk self-promoting their awesome selves, that's something else. I get enough of that in the real world. I have no use for it here. You mean like this blowhard? Quote Link to comment
CoyoteRed Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 Have you ever seen an ex-smoker who has an attitude and strong opinion against smoking? I'm that way about numbers. In fact, right now, I'd have to look it up to know how many we've found. We used to driven by numbers. Then we woke up and realized there was a lot of roses we didn't stop to smell. "It's not about the numbers" is more complicated than many realize. Some folks can have huge numbers, know how many they have, and are not motivated by the numbers. These are the ones that I respect the most. They love the sport, they are driven by the adventure of finding and hiding caches, not the incrementation of an arbitrary number. Their numbers are driven by their love of the hobby, not their hobby driven by their love of the numbers. Their numbers will be large because they are out there a lot of their free time. Then there are those who are driven by their numbers. Apparently, numbers give them stature. That's the way we used to feel. "Oh, we're third in the state and moving up." That drive caused us to miss a lot of things we could have enjoyed if we had stopped to look around. It used to be we'd pay $5 to enter a park just long enough to grab a cache and leave, nothing else interested us. For me, that got old real quick. However, I see it in others--a lot. But, who am I to say what they should enjoy? This is my thing. When I put out a cache I want it to mean something. You solve a puzzle, see a sight, challenge you physically, something. I don't put out caches just so you can increment your find count. IMHO, that reduces the value of the cache to pratically zero. The flip side of this is that some people will put out these little "gifts of a find" simply as a find count increment and nothing more. Sure, they'll try to justify it by some cheap hide trick and call it a good cache, but it's still nothing more than a cheap trick wrapping a cheap find. This wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that the junk is now competing for visitors' attention. It's like spam. Already people are filtering out micros because so many junk caches are micros and will miss out of the well thought-out micros simply be of its size. So, yes, for me, it's not about the numbers. It's about the adventure each cache can give you. Quote Link to comment
+New England n00b Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 Now, a Type A jerk self-promoting their awesome selves, that's something else. I get enough of that in the real world. I have no use for it here. You mean like this blowhard? Oh, that guy is such a schmuck. I dunno why they let him play this game! Quote Link to comment
+Team Tigger International Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 Well in many ways it IS about the numbers ! The numbers help us set goals , the numbers help issue challanges to our caching friends .. The numbers tell us of stories and fun had while finding caches. For some its about the NUMBER of posts they can make on this board , by replying to everything ! It all depends on how you wish to PLAY YOUR GAME .... and not for someone else to tell you how to enjoy YOUR hobby . Star Quote Link to comment
+Team Tigger International Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 So, yes, for me, it's not about the numbers. It's about the adventure each cache can give you. So I take you'll be changing your finds to notes then? Wulf Quote Link to comment
CoyoteRed Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 So, yes, for me, it's not about the numbers. It's about the adventure each cache can give you. So I take you'll be changing your finds to notes then? Wulf No, but I will skip logging a cache that is junk. How's that? IMHO, if the owner didn't put much effort into hiding the cache, why should I put much effort in rewarding him with feedback. If I were honest it wouldn't be appreciated. If I lied and said it was a wonderful cache I'd be doing a disservice to my fellow cachers. In the begining, we logged all of our finds as finds to remove them from the unfound list--didn't want the junk to hang out staring me in the face. Thank you, Jeremy, for the ignore feature so I can now remove those caches from my list. So, no, if the cache is decent, I'll provide the feedback. If not, I won't. My count is off and by how much, not even I know. I could find out if I want to audit my journal, but it's not that important. Quote Link to comment
+The Leprechauns Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 CR, if you don't get too much out of a cache, like if it's on a guardrail 15 feet from a noisy road and 15 feet from a smelly restaurant trash dumpster, enter a llama log. That way, you get your smiley face without saying anything directly bad about the cache. More so on topic, I was initially distressed when the old Dan's Stats Site went away, but then grew to be very happy about not keeping up with my own numbers relative to everyone else's. I found that I was no longer going caching just for the sake of keeping up with the numbers. Now I go caching because I *want* to -- whether it's to find one cache, ten or 240. Lately I've been revisiting classic caches a second, third or even fourth time, just because they're good hikes and I want to show them off to people visiting me. I can go for weeks without a single find, and then find 25 in one day. Or two. It is totally up to me. That is why I can say "It's not about the numbers" even though my numbers are on the high side, and I talk about them quite a bit in the context of saying how much fun I'm having. Quote Link to comment
Find Now, Log Later? Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 CR, if you don't get too much out of a cache, like if it's on a guardrail 15 feet from a noisy road and 15 feet from a smelly restaurant trash dumpster, enter a llama log. ... That's precisely the type of log that deserves to be immediately deleted by the cache owner. If someone doesn't want (or doesn't have the guts) to state whatever it is they really think, they shouldn't waste everybody else's time with their efforts at being "clever" or "cute" ... because almost invariably, they are neither. Quote Link to comment
+The Leprechauns Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 CR, if you don't get too much out of a cache, like if it's on a guardrail 15 feet from a noisy road and 15 feet from a smelly restaurant trash dumpster, enter a llama log. ... That's precisely the type of log that deserves to be immediately deleted by the cache owner. If someone doesn't want (or doesn't have the guts) to state whatever it is they really think, they shouldn't waste everybody else's time with their efforts at being "clever" or "cute" ... because almost invariably, they are neither. The point of my log was not lost on our local caching community, who apparently were better able to divine its true meaning. I received quite a few e-mails commiserating on how lame the cache was, and laughing at how they got addicted to the funny llama song. I suspect the cache owners got the point, too, though I haven't heard from them. You see, I try not to flame a cache too too directly, since I have manners and I try to get along with others in my local community. I hope to meet these newer cachers someday. We had a lot of fun composing the log, screen capping the pictures from the llama video and transcribing the lyrics. My daughter and I managed to take a guardrail cache and find SOMETHING positive about it -- a funny log. On the way home from the cache, "lame" turned to "llama" and the rest is history. Yep, we had fun. Do you remember what it's like to have FUN while geocaching? Nope. Didn't think so. To be on topic: It's not about the numbers, it's about the FUN one has along the way while those numbers are racked up. We find a way to have FUN on every cache hunt. Sometimes, as with this cache, it was quite a challenge. Quote Link to comment
+robert Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 curse you Lep, for that llama song! Quote Link to comment
+flask Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 hello, my name is flask, and i am a numbers whore. i do not give two hoots in a handbasket what your numbers are and i would prefer not to see forum threads about the number of my finds. if it suits me to stop and take pictures or watch ducks instead of rushing off to another cache, i do. since my numbers are for my own amusement only, i own them and can adjust them as i see fit. you are welcome to compete with me, but since i'm not competing back, you get to win. i don't judge you by the number of your finds, but rather how entertaining you are or how good a sandwich you make or how kind you are. i will subvert any number ranking system that includes me, but i'm all for your right to participate in such a ranking system if you choose. people who don't care about numbers really don't care about numbers. i have no evidence at all to support this claim, but i think most of the "woo-hoo" numbers threads are started by people who care about numbers. i think those threads are silly because eveyone who cares about my latest milestone (me and my friends) already knows about it and there's no use involving relative strangers. my thinking this isn't remotely coupled with a resentment that nobody starts these threads for me, and i think the OP's concern sounds like it's more deeply rooted in the thought that nobody starts those threads for HIM. if i want a party for my nearest milestone, i jolly well say so. i don't wait for somebody else to have the idea. when my more modest friends are approaching milestones for which i have foreknowledge, i will ask how they want to celebrate. i think (but am not certain) that my next real milestone will be sometime soon when i am alone and far from home. for my last real milestone i was among friends. for the one beofre that, i asked for (and got) a party. for my first "important" milestone i was alone in a cold drizzle in a remote place. so yes, it's all about numbers. it's also completely not about the numbers and it's not ironic in the least. Quote Link to comment
+El Diablo Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 I wrote an editorial in Today's Cacher about this topic last month. To me it's not about the numbers, but for the majority I'm sure it is. The numbers spark a competitive nature in most people, and that has help this sport/game/hobby grow to where it is today. This site has always discouraged this sport/game/hobby from being competitive, but I think that it's in the human nature to compete. If I had the time, the energy and most importantly the physical ability to compete against some of the major players out there, I promise you my name would command the recognition and respect that BruceS and CCCooper and others bring when you hear them mentioned. Since I can never hope to achieve their accomplishments I have to be happy with the quaility and the enjoyment of my few finds. El Diablo Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Speaking of numbers I did my 3rd Guardrail cache today. Then I drove 50' over and tried to see if the indian spirits would move my car. That was 1 cool cache. Quote Link to comment
+TheAlabamaRambler Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 I never logged all my finds, sometimes going dozens or even hundreds of finds between postings. I altogether quit logging all but the very interesting caches after I passed 1050, it just didn't seem to matter, so I don't have any idea how many I really have. I don't really care about numbers, mine or yours, and would NEVER use them to evaluate or in any way judge a geocacher. I can, however, tell you about some great people, places and events I have experienced geocaching in the last couple of years of geocaching. What I have discovered is that, for me, this game is all about the people; I love the geocaching community, and consequently rarely cache alone anymore. On the topic of numbers, though, one thing is clear - if numbers didn't matter no one would keep count! I LOVE the honesty of GeoWoodstock, where their motto is "Where it's ALL about the numbers!". Neatest thing about geocaching? You MAKE IT YOUR OWN GAME, play it any way you want - as long as you follow a few basic rules about hides, and do nothing to harm others, there are NO rules as to how you have to play. Quote Link to comment
Pinon Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 As per CoyoteRed says....."We used to driven by numbers. Then we woke up and realized there was a lot of roses we didn't stop to smell". Even though I am new to this game..I agree 100%....Life IS too short.... Quote Link to comment
+BigWhiteTruck Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 hello, my name is flask, and i am a numbers whore. Did anyone else see a room full of recovering number whores spontaneously say in unison: "Hi, flask!" Quote Link to comment
+QDman Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 When it comes to caching, the only number that's important to me is the number "one"...as in, "the next one". Quote Link to comment
+caderoux Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 When it comes to caching, the only number that's important to me is the number "one"...as in, "the next one". Exactly - to me it's just 1+1+1+1+1+1+1... And for that reason, I log all my finds and DNFs, lame or not lame - I even log notes if I drive by a cache and think about trying to find it again - I view that as the history of my activity. I keep my GSAK database up to date. I understand CoyoteRed not logging lame caches, but I simply log them and they come off my hitlist (and my unfound filter, too). Since lame caches rarely take a great deal of effort, it doesn't seem to me to be that big of a deal. Perhaps some places have a bunch of lame caches which clutter people's PQs or maps. I've basically cleared out a 25 mile radius (minus 18 caches on my hitlist for various reasons) from my home. Quote Link to comment
+M&DofKJE Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Well, it's not about the numbers, but we sure have loads of fun racking them up. One thing about the approvers said in the original post. Approvers aren't neccesarily the ones with the most. The initial approver in FL has yet to hit 1,000, but he appreciates good caches. The new approver is a number ho, but all within his approving area (the northern half of FL) agree he does very quality hides. (Those who don't think his hides are high quality would probably want to shoot him on sight for what they've been through on his )I personally enjoy our numbers. It shows we've been to a lot of places and done some interesting things. (Very interesting things) We are numbers driven, but not because of the numbers... but because of what we might see next, or just the thrill of the hunt. (It's fun hunting for little plastic easter eggs in the middle of the forest at a kids geocaching event!) Quote Link to comment
+Agent K Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 What's wrong with the Llama song? I like llamas! Everyone should listen to the song. It's funny! I make my dad listen to it a lot! Quote Link to comment
+cudlecub Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 We all play the game as we see fit. I use the numbers to set goals for myself with caching. There's various ways I can work to obtain those goals. It could be lame parking lot micros or hikes on the many beautiful trails in my area. I try to make milestone caches something memorable so I can kick back and enjoy the moment. A local cacher once told me "once you have some experience, you will understand what it's all about." That statement gave me the burning desire to go out and surpass his numbers, but numbers can be decieving. Do the numbers make a person a better cacher? I don't think so, but it's a level of status with many people in the caching community. I remember the first person I met with over 1,000 finds. She was the sweetest lady who shared many of her finds with us with photos from across the world. She was visiting the area from NY and dropped by a local event after seeing it listed. I was in awe at the number of finds she had but her photography of areas she had cached in was even more amazing. I literally had a trip around the world in less than an hour. I feel the numbers are what you make of them. They can bring about arrogance, as I've seen with some cachers or they can bring something positive to the game. It's all up to the individual what they do with the numbers. Quote Link to comment
+carleenp Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 I feel the numbers are what you make of them. They can bring about arrogance, as I've seen with some cachers or they can bring something positive to the game. It's all up to the individual what they do with the numbers. This is basically my view as well. Quote Link to comment
+zcubed Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 I like to see where I have been and occasionally look back to see what has happened since I was there. I am still new, but that is my take and I personally don't care about others numbers. Quote Link to comment
+Divine Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 I just found my 666th cache. (But it's not about numbers. Really.) Quote Link to comment
+AtoZ Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Here iw what I find funny about this and I DO NOT mean to offend anyone, is most the peopel with the high numvers, say 1000+ are not on thie forum. Either they are to busy caching or they do not have the fortune to be able to waste time while at work making post or they just dont care. The second thing I see is the folks that rant about the numbers have very low numbers. I hate to say it but I look at profile and at the types of cache someone has done to validate what they say. Since we have no other way I am sorry but best I can do. Some one said that if it were not for the anuminity of the internet we would not say half the thing we rant on about. So I look to see how many and what kind of caches a person has done, there are other qualifiers but that is more subjective. So congratz to the OP I have the same goal of one cache a day for my first year im with in 50 now and have a month and half to go. But it is the adventure that keeps me going, and the numbers can I do it. cheers Quote Link to comment
+CYBret Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 A dead horse, who knows? So it's not about the numbers. Why do threads all over the different forums say way to go, so and so found this many caches, congratulations?. As always, just my opinion and point of view, but don't you think you've confused "Competition" with "Celebration?" I don't really care about anyone's numbers but my own, but if you've reached a goal you've set for yourself then I can definitely celebrate that with you (I believe I congratulated you the other night when you messaged me about your goal...if not, I'm sorry..I should have). I think the reality is a number/goal like 100 or 500 or 1000 is more noticeable than something like 366. By the way, I still haven't achieved a ratio of 1 cache per day. My point of comparison: a man came to my house the other day, as we were talking he told me that he was a member of Alcoholic's Anonymous and had been dry for 50 days. I congratulated him on his NUMBERS. If I were an alcoholic I would have congratulated him on his numbers...even if I had only been dry 5 days or 500 days. The idea of competition in this game (outside of friendly competition) is ridiculous. There is no level playing field. When I reached my 1 year anniversary there still wasn't 366 caches within 100 miles of my home. I hit the "pitally" number of 100 on my 1 year anniversary (something a friend of mine just did yesterday after 2 months..good job, Bob!). In fact, it was double what my original goal for myself was. Congrats, you hit your goal! Play your game, reach your goals. Celebrate the fact that we're all in this together. Bret (sounding way too much like Dr. Feelgood) Quote Link to comment
Lawcomic Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 I'm a low number cacher....a whopping 6. I like the ability to keep track of my numbers. It's a fun stat. What I don't get are the folks who are somehow upset by what numbers other people post. If people are "cheating", how does it hurt anyone else? Quote Link to comment
+CYBret Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 If people are "cheating", how does it hurt anyone else? Cheating is a completely different issue here. If by cheating you mean logging caches they didn't really find, I've had about 3 instances where I searched for caches (some after long hikes on miserable days) only to find that the cache was gone and the last "finder" had found nothing. Didn't really "hurt" me, just ticked me off. Quote Link to comment
+GRANPA ALEX Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 It may be as CR said earlier . . . once he was a numbers person, now he has different goals - maybe we do change over time, going through stages of 'maturity' in geocaching? Right now, mygoal IS a numbers goal. Once successful, I really think I will slow down - I can already feel a desire to diminish my pace of 12-24 hours days at nearly 60 years old. But, I have another goal that I feel is much more important . . . that of not judging what others choose to seek from the game or choose to give to the game - be it their motives & goals, or their hides & caches. After all, no one has been elected to set standards for everyone else. It seems positive attitudes demonstrate the highest level of maturity for geocachers. Quote Link to comment
+fishingfools Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 I think it is about the fun, not the numbers. Until i get to Jacksonville. Then it is all about the numbers. In all seriousness, It is about whats fun for you. I have been on mad cache runs or over 100 a day, and nice pleasant walks with my wife and dog where we might pick up 2 or 3. Enjoyed then both. I have found cool containers full of swag, and wet moldy logs. Learned how to and how not to hide caches from them. Geocaching has taken me to hunderds of spots I never would have visited before, and I met wonderful people at events and on the trails. I even met some nice people in the forums. Quote Link to comment
+Pork King Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 Well, I like keeping up with the numbers. I like finding quality caches, too. As a matter of fact, I've started to plan well-talked-about caches around my numbers, hitting the really, really good ones at the hundreds marks. as I write this, I'm sitting on 398, waiting for a local fellow geocacher to get a couple of more finds so we can find our #400 together, just as we did #300. I am not a "numbers whore" as some people so delicately put it, but I do like keeping up with 'em. Some days, I visit an 'easy cache' area just to run up my numbers some. I look on keenpeople and say, "Just 3 more caches, and I pass 10 people!" Have I sinned? No. I just play the GAME, I just play the GAME, the GAME The way I want to. Do I log my own hides as found? No. But if I did, that's my perogotive. Its a game, and while there are certains aspects we all need to abide by, dont anyone need to be getting upset about the numbers. To some folks, it IS about the numbers. Quote Link to comment
+Jamie Z Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 If people are "cheating", how does it hurt anyone else? The most pressing concern about people logging finds for a cache which they didn't really find is that it gives the false impression to the cache owner and to subsequent cachers that the cache is ok, when it may actually be missing, or have other problems that need to be checked on. Jamie Quote Link to comment
+Agent K Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 I think it is about the fun, not the numbers. Until i get to Jacksonville. Then it is all about the numbers. In all seriousness, It is about whats fun for you. I have been on mad cache runs or over 100 a day, and nice pleasant walks with my wife and dog where we might pick up 2 or 3. Enjoyed then both. I have found cool containers full of swag, and wet moldy logs. Learned how to and how not to hide caches from them. Geocaching has taken me to hunderds of spots I never would have visited before, and I met wonderful people at events and on the trails. I even met some nice people in the forums. Jacksonville has some nice caches. There was one where we climbed into a ravine for a cache. There was one right on the beach where the log had to be written in haiku. Neat enough, I had just studied that the week before. There was one that was a section of pipe attached to some pipes that belonged there. That one was Stressmaster:new park, because we couldn't find the name either. There are so many good caches there and you can learn a lot. We even stopped by Harriet Beecher Stowe's house in Mandarin. We were there the day the remains of Ivan drifted through. It was in the 60's in summer and made for great caching. Jacksonville is about more than numbers. The caches are great! Quote Link to comment
+Agent K Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 What I don't get are the folks who are somehow upset by what numbers other people post. If people are "cheating", how does it hurt anyone else? The hider doesn't like cheaters, and there is a simple solution. One of my hides is a multi, and the final is at the bottom of our stairs. I just deleted 3 names because they didn't sign the final. Cheaters never win if the hiders maintain their caches. Quote Link to comment
bug and snake Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 Ask any cacher how many they have found and they will tell you. It is about the numbers. Numbers are the handle that lets us keep a hold of the game. There is nothing wrong with it being about numbers. Now, I think the problems start when other people try to influence our opinions about what constitutes a good number or a better number. There is nothing that dictates how we should play this game so why should we have concern for the thoughts of others regarding the numbers? We hear 'play your own game' all the time. Keep your own numbers. If it makes you feel good, then publish them, or not, as you feel led. Quote Link to comment
+flask Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 Ask any cacher how many they have found and they will tell you. It is about the numbers. go ahead and ask me. i don't know how many i've found. i was at an event this weekend where somebody asked me "so how many have you found really?" which was followed up soon thereafter with "you really DON'T know, do you?" that's what i've been saying. an accurate count would be difficult to judge. i can tell you +/- 50, but that's about it. Quote Link to comment
+Mopar Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 Ask any cacher how many they have found and they will tell you. It is about the numbers. go ahead and ask me. i don't know how many i've found. i was at an event this weekend where somebody asked me "so how many have you found really?" which was followed up soon thereafter with "you really DON'T know, do you?" that's what i've been saying. an accurate count would be difficult to judge. i can tell you +/- 50, but that's about it. I'm the same as Flask. I really don't know. I can't even tell you how many my profile says I have, and if you go look I can tell you that number is off by triple digits. I have no clue how many I have, nor do I care. I can tell you all about the great caches I've done, and all the people I've met. I can even tell ya what a fun day caching I had yesterday, but not sure the number of caches I found. Less then 10 I think. Quote Link to comment
+One of the Texas Vikings Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 Set Goals ???? Gee, this is just like work. The last thing I want to do, is set a goal (five done for today, even if I have to miss supper to do it.) No, I print out 4-5 interesting ones and have 3-4 extra ones for the area I will be in. That way, If, I want, I can change or if I get done sooner... The most we have done is 7 in one day, the least None ! I have 4 printed for tomorrow, maybe I will go, maybe not.... I have to start training my new chocolate lab geopuppy... Rick Quote Link to comment
n0wae Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 Lots of opinions here. Some on the left, some on the right, and in the middle too... (nothing changes). I guess if you want to put me "in a box" I'll refer you to Carleep's first post. (Beautiful post!). Kinda liked Granpa Alex's post too except for the maturity thing. Heck, I've got people at my work place that think I'm immature just because I cache period! The OP talks about irony... He's right but wait, there's more... Why do we welcome a new cacher and celebrate with them on their first find only to shun them when they want to celebrate their 100th (or whatever) find? If numbers really don't matter why are we not being friendly and giving "Bill" a congrats post? (And when your daughter proudly brings you a crayon drawing you tell her what?) Quote Link to comment
+New England n00b Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 (And when your daughter proudly brings you a crayon drawing you tell her what?) I usually say something like "I must be trapped in another dimension because I don't have kids! Auuuugghh!" Then I hear Rod Sterlings voice and it becomes all dark. The few times I do post congrats, it usually references their adventures or something. Quote Link to comment
Find Now, Log Later? Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 The point of my log was not lost on our local caching community, who apparently were better able to divine its true meaning. ... I try not to flame a cache too too directly, since I have manners and I try to get along with others in my local community. The point of your log was that you didn't like the cache but were pretending to be too politically correct to state the obvious ... but you were not politically correct enough not to ridicule the cache, and its owner, anyway. So that is an example of "your manners" and how one should endeavor to "get along?" And you wonder why I think so many people involved with geocaching are absolute jerks? Quote Link to comment
+Team Tigger International Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 What I don't get are the folks who are somehow upset by what numbers other people post. If people are "cheating", how does it hurt anyone else? The hider doesn't like cheaters, and there is a simple solution. One of my hides is a multi, and the final is at the bottom of our stairs. I just deleted 3 names because they didn't sign the final. Cheaters never win if the hiders maintain their caches. But really ... in the long run ... Whom are they Cheating ? They are in reality only cheating themselves ... Don't you think ? Quote Link to comment
+TheAlabamaRambler Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 Now, I think the problems start when other people try to influence our opinions about what constitutes a good number or a better number. 5. I like 5. 5 is a good number. I think 5 is the best number. You can divide 100 by 5. Or 20. Your family can have 5 cars. Mine does. 6 is too many. 4 is not enough. Vote for 5. Quote Link to comment
+AtoZ Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 If it is NOT about the numbers why does anyone care. Everytime this comes up in any form there is a raging battle with few or none of the post addressing the OP question or statement. Why do the it's not about the numbers folks fee so threatened is it like the folks that like the numbers are going to take over the world. Again the real irony is the folks that have the numbers are not usually on the forum. cheers Quote Link to comment
+TheAlabamaRambler Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 I have a number. My number is 5. I am on the forums. You are wrong. Again. Vote for 5. Quote Link to comment
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