Geocaching Australia

FTF certainly is special. I was thinking that FDF sounds good but then last night when out chasing down a FTF at 1130pm in my jammies, after minor surgery on my arm that day, I realised that no FDF would have gotten me out in that situation. Now a FTF is another story compeletly....
<br><br><br>
Part of the fun of getting a FTF, particularly in areas where it is hard to get them ( I live near to Pirate 63 with his many FTP), is watching to see who gets STF and is dissapointed over STF. <br><br>

Thankfully I managed to snare the FTF last night. Sorry Svn07 that you missed it today.

delta_foxtrot2 wrote:....if people want to race why don't they do orienteering or something of that sort?

Some probably do and some even race for a cache when in a group just to beat the others (who would I be thinking of there I wonder )

In the end it's all fun and you have to play the game as you like it. If people start to grumble about the compulsive FTF'ers, then to me it means that they are secretly an FTF addict themselves that just haven't got the time, opportunity or means.

As a non FTF claimant, I'm more interested in the places geocaching takes me, rather than the FTF prize. Not that I haven't tried, and the chase has been fun when I've done it, but for some (and probably more than less), caching isn't just the statistics but the places you go.

Will I still try for a FTF from time to time - sure, but I won't feel any worse for a 2ndTF, FDF or any other name that it's called. If cachers want to count their FDF's or any other statistic sounds ok to me, but the only ones that need be recorded are:

Found It
Did Not Find It
and FTF.

I have to say the one FTF I got was fun on the pure adrelalin scale. I was so hyped up that I ran up the hill just to get to the cache. Even if I was second, it still wouldn't have taken away that thrill of the chase. But I wouldn't be as excited afterwards. But I am not so hyped up about FTFs as some others I know =P

FDF just seems strange.

I dont mind finding caches a fair while after they have been hidden, especially as I know it will usually bring a smile to the face of the hider if its gotten to the stage where the cache isn't getting found so much cause all the locals have already found it in the initial rush.

delta_foxtrot2 wrote:

mtrax wrote:perhaps think of it this way in most Olympic sports there 1st,2nd 3rd but with geocaching there is 1st and.... not first.

Assuming people are playing the game that way, I really don't care for numbers as much as other criteria and if people want to race why don't they do orienteering or something of that sort?

If people really want to race why can't they incorporate that into caching as well? Just because people are FTF chasers doesn't mean they're "all about the numbers" or they don't appreciate the journey, the location, or all of the other aspects of caching.

Just because someone doesn't have the same criteria as you doesn't mean they are a lesser cacher. One of the great things about caching is it can be exactly what you want it to be.

And why don't they do orienteering or something of that sort? A lot of us do too. And many of us were orienteering long before we became cachers.

Team Wibble wrote:
If people really want to race why can't they incorporate that into caching as well? Just because people are FTF chasers doesn't mean they're "all about the numbers" or they don't appreciate the journey, the location, or all of the other aspects of caching.

Just because someone doesn't have the same criteria as you doesn't mean they are a lesser cacher. One of the great things about caching is it can be exactly what you want it to be.

And why don't they do orienteering or something of that sort? A lot of us do too. And many of us were orienteering long before we became cachers.

Stand up Team Wibble fine words, this once was a game played by anonymous people,all different, playing their own game, Where has that gone again Team wibble well said

Team Wibble wrote:If people really want to race why can't they incorporate that into caching as well? Just because people are FTF chasers doesn't mean they're "all about the numbers" or they don't appreciate the journey, the location, or all of the other aspects of caching.

Erm how much journey do they see at 11pm at night exactly?

delta_foxtrot2 wrote: Erm how much journey do they see at 11pm at night exactly?

None, the only view needed to be seen is the virgin log book aaahhhh Drool puddling, it is an addiction

delta_foxtrot2 wrote:
Erm how much journey do they see at 11pm at night exactly?

Some of the best journeys we've had have been on FTF hunts late at night.

We've walked up Black Hill (conservation park) in the dark experiencing the quiet serenity of the bush at night, found the cache (failed in the FTF by about 10 seconds BTW), then sat on a rock and had hot tea from a thermos with the whole of Adelaide's lights laid out below us.

We've walked up a hill to find again, the magic of a city at night laid out before us, heard foxes calling distantly and observed nocturnal animals moving about (possums and koalas) that we likely would have missed during the daytime.

We've charged up a hill in the dark in pursuit of an FTF, enjoying the cool night air and realising a tiny, hillside goat track on a steep hill is much less scary at night because you can't see the sharp drop off....
and found the cache (got the FTF this time), and started heading back down the hill only to bump into a fellow cacher and his dog.

We've driven through quiet city streets at night, looking at the places lit up, and challenged any lingering fear of the dark to get the FTF on a cache based on the "Blair Witch Project", an experience definitely made better by doing it in the dark, in line with the feel of the movie.

We have challenged ourselves, seen familiar areas in a new light (or dark, as it would be) and seen some wonderful sights, all because we are

"numbers-hungry FTF hunters who wouldn't see or appreciate any of the journey just because it's dark"[/i]

http://geocaching.com.au/my/hotlist/firstdayfinds/
Here you go peeps, your list of FDF's for your statistical enjoyment.

Whoo hooo 303 bargain

angermanagement wrote:Thankfully I managed to snare the FTF last night. Sorry Svn07 that you missed it today.

<br><br>
Hey, we weren't even TRYING!!!! (but we were secretly hoping for a mass alien abduction of certain Redlands cachers )<br><br><p>
FTF are a bit of a buzz...FDF are just as good as SDF, TDF, HDF etc etc (and we wouldn't especially count them)<br><br>
BTW Well done angermanagement, who better to beat us!?

Thanks C@W for the FDF Stats! Interestingly almost all of mine were either events or at events.

I am clearly not a FTF chaser but I believe that I understand the thrill involved for those who do. And risks - is there a category for FTFDOBM? First To Find Despite Owner's Bad Mistake? (Guilty)

I also understand the idea behind FDF, and like others think that if you want to go for that do it! I have also seen and used 2TF, 3TF, FTFNL*, FTFNY*, and others, 'cause they took my fancy at the time and its all part of the fun.

* New Log, New Year

If people like it enough they will use it - like the rather overused TNLNSL TFTC.

That's why I liked the cache Everyone's a winner in Canberra (GC16BJ5), where everyone gets a FTF

I guess the support of FDF is a mind-set and if it was promoted as a worthy goal I think people would "get into it".
unlike the FTF I think a FDF would be easy to establish and reward.
I know its very difficult to push a culture change like this, but in the long run I think it would be a worthwhile thing to support.