View Full Version : FTF-A-Thon Updates



Hiram357
03-18-2006, 09:10 AM
And so it begins!!!
At 8:00
Future Home of Firefighter Jake has just been published
GCTWR9

Keep your eyes open for more!! :D:D:D

Starzz
03-18-2006, 09:33 AM
I wonder how many people stayed up all night waiting??? hehehehe

Hope everyone thats out looking for a FTF gets a least 1 or 2!! GOOD LUCK!

coolclay
03-18-2006, 10:00 AM
I found it, I found it first! Thanks Hiram for such a great idea, Snagged my first FTF. :)

firefighterjake
03-18-2006, 10:15 AM
I found it, I found it first! Thanks Hiram for such a great idea, Snagged my first FTF. :)

This is what I was hoping to see . . . at least one person get their very first FTF and be able to experience that thrill at least once.

It was good to meet you Clay and talk with you.

Kaching Karen
03-18-2006, 10:18 AM
Okay, one of mine has been out for at least 10 minutes and you guys haven't found it yet! What's wrong with all you potential FTFers?

Hiram357
03-18-2006, 10:34 AM
HAHAHAH TRF GOT PUT DOWN BY COOL CLAY!!! heh, I Got a 3rd time find! But I only went because Jake said he was going to be there (which he wasnt :mad: ) But that is a very good hiding spot! Congratulations CoolClay for your first FTF!! :D:D:D

Hiram357
03-18-2006, 10:37 AM
"A great place to launch" By Kaching Karen has been published at 9:00am. We are still waiting to hear about a FTF on this one! :D

firefighterjake
03-18-2006, 11:18 AM
HAHAHAH TRF GOT PUT DOWN BY COOL CLAY!!! heh, I Got a 3rd time find! But I only went because Jake said he was going to be there (which he wasnt :mad: ) But that is a very good hiding spot! Congratulations CoolClay for your first FTF!! :D:D:D

I was there for over half an hour . . . met CoolClay and Steve as well . . . maybe you can try to catch me at my next cache placement.

Hiram357
03-18-2006, 11:21 AM
"Win or Lose" GCTWQY By FireFighter Jake has just been published at 10:12am "Great place to launch" GCTX72 Still has no FTF posting!!

Hiram357
03-18-2006, 12:06 PM
This next cache, is by a good friend of mine, the world famous, geocaching man of mystery... Hiram357 :) "Benedicts Landing Micro Cache" has been published at 11:03am GCTVBG

Beach Comber
03-18-2006, 12:58 PM
It's nearly noon and there is no FTF on Benedict - what's going on up there? lol

coolclay
03-18-2006, 01:16 PM
Snagged another FTF, but I feel bad about this one because in my haste I didn't read the entire page, and drove in instead of parked and walk. So, sorry about that FFJ. But other then my stupidity in not reading directions, great cache one of the better hiding jobs I have seen in awhile.

Hiram357
03-18-2006, 01:27 PM
Sorry, I'm a bit late on this one, "Mumsbee" GCTX4T By Kaching Karen has been published in Augusta, Congrats CoolClay to another FTF.

Hoamdezinahs
03-18-2006, 01:29 PM
It's nearly noon and there is no FTF on Benedict - what's going on up there? lol

logged at 11:15 :) :) :)

Hiram357
03-18-2006, 01:47 PM
Congrats to hoamdezinahs for the FTF on "Benedict's Landing" :D:D:D

Hiram357
03-18-2006, 02:08 PM
"Elijah P. Lovejoy Tribute cache" GCTX7K By T-R-F Has just been published at 1:08pm

Hiram357
03-18-2006, 02:10 PM
"SPLAT" GCTWKZ By Laughing Terry Has Just Been published at 1:08PM

Gob-ler
03-18-2006, 07:49 PM
Just reporting in from Lewiston.

John - Hoamdezinahs and I worked as a team today and did a total of 8 caches.

Five CO First to Finds for our team today (it is the 2nd time this year I have had 5 FTF's in a day):

GCTVBG
GCTX7K
GCTX72
GCTX4X
GCTWN1

John got number 500 at GCTX72. It was also a co FTF.

We did not venture to Laughing Terry Country. Augusta was very good to us today.

Thanks all for the nice hides.

Smitty & Co.
03-18-2006, 08:25 PM
Wow, its certainly been a crazy 24 hours..... :eek: ...but I managed 3 FTF's :D and now we all have a whole bunch of new caches in the central Maine area:D Anyone get picked up for speeding today? I almost caught it on my way to Skowhegan this afternoon but I guess the Trooper had better things to do, lucky for me.:rolleyes:

Hoamdezinahs
03-18-2006, 08:32 PM
Thanks all for a rather good day in Waterville/Augusta area. Good friend and partner in crime, Dick aka Gob-ler and I decided to have a go at your FTF-athon. With a total of 5 FTF's and 2 FPL, and 1 SPL, I'd say we had a fairly good time.
You'll have to join us this summer or early fall when we do an all day Geo-cache rally in the southern Maine area. Thanks again to all who placed caches today. John
No speeding tickets but did get picked up for running a red light, nice cop though, gave me a break. :) :) :) :) :) ;) ;) :o

Beach Comber
03-18-2006, 08:35 PM
Wow - it has been fun to watch this throughout the day. Would have been more fun to have been there, but watching will have to do. A tremendous amount of work by those placing the caches. Thanks! I look forward to traveling to the area again to check them all out!

LaughingTerry
03-18-2006, 10:38 PM
I just want to say that I think this was a great idea and it went of great. Several people got FTFs. I got 2 and wasn't even trying. LOL I went to the Unity area to cache and hit two FTFs on the way back through Waterville Winslow. 150 miles, 8 caches, 2 FTFs, and one heck of a great time.

Thank you Hiram357 and GPSfun for setting this up and to all the other cachers who put up all these great caches.

Cache on

Hiram357
03-18-2006, 11:40 PM
I personally think this was a tremendously brilliant idea on my part, and I have no doubt that I am a genius for thinking it up...l :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: all kidding aside, it seems like everyone enjoyed themselves, and since there is a lack of fresh caches in the Bangor area I was wondering how many people would be in support of me organizing another FTF-A-Thon up that way.... any questions or comments would be greatly appreciated about how today went, negative or positive comments make the next round better to prepare.

And a special thanks goes out to GPSFUN and his comrades for publishing the caches through the day and keeping us all busy!! And also to Firefighter Jake, Laughing Terry, Kaching Karen, and Treasures-R-Fun, thank you all for placing caches (14 total!!!)

:D:D:D

firefighterjake
03-18-2006, 11:51 PM
OK OK Hiram . . . I'm willing to give credit where credit is due . . . it was a good idea and thank you for allowing me to be a small part of this . . . and keep me in mind if you do one in Bangor (I'll just have to spend a week or so driving around so I can figure out where to put some caches . . . that and I need to stock up on some more ammo boxes.)

One suggestion . . . I liked how the caches came out at different times to allow more folks more of an opportunity to get a FTF depending on their location, when they were available, etc. but it might be nice to release more than one (2-3) at one time . . . especially if some are in the nearby area to help keep gas costs down and not drive 20 miles in one direction, 20 miles back and then have to drive 20 more miles or so to return to a spot nearby.


I personally think this was a tremendously brilliant idea on my part, and I have no doubt that I am a genius for thinking it up...l :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: all kidding aside, it seems like everyone enjoyed themselves, and since there is a lack of fresh caches in the Bangor area I was wondering how many people would be in support of me organizing another FTF-A-Thon up that way.... any questions or comments would be greatly appreciated about how today went, negative or positive comments make the next round better to prepare.

And a special thanks goes out to GPSFUN and his comrades for publishing the caches through the day and keeping us all busy!! And also to Firefighter Jake, Laughing Terry, Kaching Karen, and Treasures-R-Fun, thank you all for placing caches (14 total!!!)

:D:D:D

Hiram357
03-19-2006, 12:01 AM
OK OK Hiram . . . I'm willing to give credit where credit is due . . . it was a good idea and thank you for allowing me to be a small part of this . . . and keep me in mind if you do one in Bangor (I'll just have to spend a week or so driving around so I can figure out where to put some caches . . . that and I need to stock up on some more ammo boxes.)

One suggestion . . . I liked how the caches came out at different times to allow more folks more of an opportunity to get a FTF depending on their location, when they were available, etc. but it might be nice to release more than one (2-3) at one time . . . especially if some are in the nearby area to help keep gas costs down and not drive 20 miles in one direction, 20 miles back and then have to drive 20 more miles or so to return to a spot nearby.

Well I was hoping that this was also going to give others a better chance of getting a FTF. For example, Kaching Karen wouldn't drive all the way to Unity for a FTF, which gave CoolClay the chance to get his very first FTF. Likewise, (unless its TRF or LT) someone wouldn't drive all the way to Augusta (if they have any common sense and knowing that there would be more caches in their area) and as for the releasing times, I didn't want to have a pattern of the times being released, because I didn't want anyone catching onto a pattern, That's why at 8am there was only 1 and at 3pm there were 5 (and we did only have 14 caches, I didn't want people sitting in front of their computers all day) and as for the cost of gas, i think we'll have a bake sale at the next FTF to raise money for gas, I'm thinkin on cookie could be $35.... :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: thanks for the input!

becket
03-19-2006, 06:36 AM
i liked the idea of giving more people a chance for ftfs. i would love to have a frf-a-thon in the bangor area. i am not a person who needs to get a ftf and i probably wouldn't even go the first day. i would just like to see more caches in that area. i'm going caching today and will have to drive 2 hours to get to my first cache. (unless i want to climb a bunch of mountains, the caches that are 2 hours away are the closest.) and that's why i am up at 0500 on a sunday morning. geez!

firefighterjake
03-19-2006, 06:57 AM
i liked the idea of giving more people a chance for ftfs. i would love to have a frf-a-thon in the bangor area. i am not a person who needs to get a ftf and i probably wouldn't even go the first day. i would just like to see more caches in that area . . .

I agree . . . these were two of the reasons for me doing this FTF A Thon. 1) I hoped someone new would be able to nab a FTF so they could experience the thrill of being the first to find a cache and 2) The end result even for folks who don't care one iota of being the FTF would be more caches in the area . . . I also "needed" to put out a few caches since I try to put out a cache for every 25 finds and I was "operating" in the red.

WhereRWe?
03-19-2006, 07:20 AM
I personally think this was a tremendously brilliant idea on my part, and I have no doubt that I am a genius for thinking it up...l :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

I also have to say that this was a great idea, Hiram, and agree that another similar event in the Bangor area is a great idea as well.

We would like to have participated, but RULOST2? had to work and I had to clean out another room for the carpenters to start work tomorrow. (Sheesh! One new cache was only 8 miles away!)

But next time... LOL!

WhereRWe?
03-19-2006, 08:08 AM
Can anyone tell me how many new caches were released yesterday?

(Yeah, I know - I can look them up and count on my fingers and toes - but maybe someone else would like to know as well... :p :p )

LaughingTerry
03-19-2006, 09:22 AM
and as for the cost of gas, i think we'll have a bake sale at the next FTF to raise money for gas, I'm thinkin on cookie
I was on my way through Madison when I spotted some Girl Scouts setting up their cookies in a parking lot. They thought I was a crazy man as I screeched into the parking lot, jumped out of the car, grabbed cookies, threw some bills at them, jumped back in the car, and was gone in under 30 seconds. LOL


Can anyone tell me how many new caches were released yesterday?
I think it was 3 Friday night and 14 Saturday.

Trezurs*-R-*Fun
03-19-2006, 09:38 AM
Great fun!!! Got to meet several cachers in the field making it even more fun and while I only got 1 FTF (to add to my growing collection) I did log 11 new finds in my area. 11 great caches!!!! Thanks to everyone who participated and made this so much fun.

A side note here, I think releasing more caches at once would actually give more individuals a chance at FTF. If 5 caches were released then I would only maybe, just possibly get 1 FTF. Of course Murphy's Law would stipulate that everyone would choose the same cache to race too,,,,LOL.
But by having one cache released at a time everyone raced to that one cache, some folks didn't even get a chance to read the cache descriptions. LOL. I saw LaughingTerry at 7 of the Caches yesterday,LOL. Mostly just meetings at one or the other of our own hides but once or twice as a race to the FTF. Great fun!!

Hoamdezinah was talking about a geocaching rally down his way!! Sounds like great fun and it will have a different format than the FTF - A - Thon which sounds very fun also.

Once again Thanks for the fun Hiram.....GREAT JOB putting it all together!!!!

brdad
03-19-2006, 10:36 AM
Can anyone tell me how many new caches were released yesterday?

Too many!


lalalalalalalalalalala (added because "too many" is too short a message)

Smitty & Co.
03-19-2006, 03:20 PM
Great fun!!! Got to meet several cachers in the field making it even more fun and while I only got 1 FTF (to add to my growing collection)


Once again Thanks for the fun Hiram.....GREAT JOB putting it all together!!!!

........and two the day before :rolleyes:

Hiram357
03-19-2006, 07:01 PM
Future Home of FFJ GCTWR9 Cool Clay
A Great Place To Launch GCTX72 hoamdezinahs & Gob-ler
Win or Lose GCTWQY Cool Clay
Benedict's Landing GCTVBG hoamdezinahs & Gob-ler
Mumsbee GCTX4T hoamdezinahs & Gob-ler
SPLAT!! GCTWKZ shewolf7153
Elijah p. Lovejoy Tribute GCTX7K hoamdezinahs & Gob-ler
X Marks the Spot GCTWJG hoamdezinahs & Gob-ler
Winslow Running Trails GCTVBQ LaughingTerry
China Lake Micro GCTX8G LaughingTerry
MESSalonskee Mishap GCTWN1 hoamdezinahs & Gob-ler
The Old Drone GCTX4X hoamdezinahs & Gob-ler
Right In Plain Sight III GCTWKH Smitty & Co.
Mt Eaton Micro GCTWKR Smitty & Co.

firefighterjake
03-19-2006, 07:34 PM
I was on my way through Madison when I spotted some Girl Scouts setting up their cookies in a parking lot. They thought I was a crazy man as I screeched into the parking lot, jumped out of the car, grabbed cookies, threw some bills at them, jumped back in the car, and was gone in under 30 seconds. LOL


I think it was 3 Friday night and 14 Saturday.

Thin mint cookies from the Girl Scouts . . . I think they put something addictive in those darn cookies since I eat a whole sleeve of cookies at one sitting and in a matter of mere days the $329 worth of cookies that I bought are gone and I'm jonesing for some more and I start to wander the streets and stores hoping to find some Girl Scouts selling some "left over" cookies at the Mall, vacant parking lots, etc like a junkie looking for his fix . . . in a pinch I buy some oreos, lick off the frosting and top it with an Andres mint . . . it gets me by, but it's nothing like the real thing. :)

firefighterjake
03-19-2006, 07:35 PM
Too many!


lalalalalalalalalalala (added because "too many" is too short a message)

Can there ever be such a thing as "too many" caches? :)

Hiram357
03-19-2006, 07:47 PM
Can there ever by such a thing as "too many" caches? :)

have you ever looked at a cache map of Nashville??????:(:(:(

firefighterjake
03-19-2006, 07:54 PM
have you ever looked at a cache map of Nashville??????:(:(:(

No. But I've heard the story and forgot about that . . . I therefore should change my statement . . . Can there ever be such a thing as "too many" good caches?

gpsfun
03-19-2006, 08:20 PM
Please note that my fellow reviewer and former neighbor, erik88l-r, helped out with publishing a major number of the caches on Saturday as I was on the road much of day.

It really was an outstanding idea and I'm glad I suggested it to Hiram357...

(Just kidding, Hiram - great work!)

-gpsfun

Haffy
03-19-2006, 08:33 PM
And we all as a Maine community of cachers appreciate all the volunteer work that you guys do and if you ever get any flap from any of them just give Hiram a call and the 357 that is beside his name.......... well you get the picture.....:D :D :D

Trezurs*-R-*Fun
03-19-2006, 10:13 PM
Future Home of FFJ GCTWR9 Cool Clay
A Great Place To Launch GCTX72 hoamdezinahs & Gob-ler
Win or Lose GCTWQY Cool Clay
Benedict's Landing GCTVBG hoamdezinahs & Gob-ler
Mumsbee GCTX4T hoamdezinahs & Gob-ler
SPLAT!! GCTWKZ shewolf7153
Elijah p. Lovejoy Tribute GCTX7K hoamdezinahs & Gob-ler
X Marks the Spot GCTWJG hoamdezinahs & Gob-ler
Winslow Running Trails GCTVBQ LaughingTerry
China Lake Micro GCTX8G LaughingTerry
MESSalonskee Mishap GCTWN1 hoamdezinahs & Gob-ler
The Old Drone GCTX4X hoamdezinahs & Gob-ler
Right In Plain Sight III GCTWKH Smitty & Co.
Mt Eaton Micro GCTWKR Smitty & Co.


HEY!!! I got a FTF and you gave someone else the credit. My feeling are hurt. LOL

Hiram357
03-19-2006, 10:34 PM
which one was it??? i was doing a lot of cutting an pasting so i apologize if i messed it up... i told the computer it shouldn't be drinking while i was doing that... :p

Team2hunt
03-19-2006, 10:34 PM
Just reporting in from Lewiston.

John - Hoamdezinahs and I worked as a team today and did a total of 8 caches.

Five CO First to Finds for our team today (it is the 2nd time this year I have had 5 FTF's in a day):

CO-FTF's? Does that mean I can share all my cache finds with KK. Now I have 669 finds, and 7 caches hidden. :p It's a good thing this sport has no rules.:rolleyes: Congrats to all the cachers who participated, on both sides. Where else but in Maine. :cool:

Gob-ler
03-19-2006, 10:55 PM
Co FTF's is not a rare thing. It happens when folks get together and go caching. John and I teamed for the event. It was actually a lot of fun doing it that way.

We found them together and logged them together as well.

Gob-ler
03-19-2006, 10:58 PM
Hiram John and I did not do the X Marks the Spot cache. I think that is the one TRF is talking about. We had 5 FTF's, not 6.

Now if you really want to give us 6 then . . . . . . . just kidding!:)

Trezurs*-R-*Fun
03-20-2006, 06:54 AM
Hiram I did MESSalonski as FTF,,X marks the spot was first found by.....I can remember.

LaughingTerry
03-20-2006, 09:26 AM
X Marks the Spot was found by loupa.

Hiram357
03-20-2006, 06:59 PM
you're all making this very complicated. :p

I'm sorry if i screwed up the list... I can only be so perfect...

If I got your name wrong on the FTF list then write a post congratulating yourself on your FTF!! :D:D:D

Hoamdezinahs
03-21-2006, 12:29 AM
CO-FTF's? Does that mean I can share all my cache finds with KK. Now I have 669 finds, and 7 caches hidden. :p It's a good thing this sport has no rules.:rolleyes: Congrats to all the cachers who participated, on both sides. Where else but in Maine. :cool:

I think that when two people team up for a day of caching all caches found are finds together, but logged seperately by each person. Heck, I've had people gang hunt some of my caches and all log a find reqardless of who finds it. Should only the finder be able to log it. As far as FTF, when it is an event like this and two people team up, is it any didderent then when I hunt with my wife, (or you with your son). If she finds the cache first can I not log it as a FTF for the team.
We went caching one day with our friends Mommy, Muggly, & Moe on a FTF hunt and both teams agreed that which ever team found it first got the FTF and the other got FPL.
I think that as far as FTF goes, it's whatever the people decide that go out for it.
Just my thoughts John

I'm not addicted to caching, I can quit any time.

Beach Comber
03-21-2006, 07:47 AM
I'm not addicted to caching, I can quit any time.

I see, surrrrrrre you can - lol

Mainiac1957
03-21-2006, 07:49 AM
When I go caching with a group of friends and we get a FTF at a cache. Which by the way MUST be in Bangor or further north to even have a fighting chance. We will claim them as co-FTF's. This is our rule, and it's the way we like to play the game. I guess we just don't take it as serious as some do, but hey that's just us. Nothing wrong with doing it either way as long as everyone is on the same page.

we3beans
03-21-2006, 02:18 PM
When I'm with a group, I don't care WHO finds it as long as SOMEONE does! And if we "catch" someone with the cache when we arrive all that much better! :)

attroll
03-21-2006, 02:30 PM
When I'm with a group, I don't care WHO finds it as long as SOMEONE does! And if we "catch" someone with the cache when we arrive all that much better! :)
I can not agree with this more. I don't sit at my computer waiting to try and get a FTF. In fact I have never gotten one. It is not my goal when caching. I would not mind getting a FTF. But it is just not on my agenda. Maybe someday I will and if I do then so be it.

we3beans
03-21-2006, 02:59 PM
i'm still asleep when most people are getting their ftf...

Hiram357
03-21-2006, 04:59 PM
I think we need to form an inquisition to go around and enforced geocaching laws, and torture people until we find out who really got the first time find... you know bring back the days of the iron maiden, do some draw and quarter kinda stuff, that really makes people talk!! Show people that were not messing around when it comes to geocaching!!!! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

firefighterjake
03-21-2006, 05:24 PM
. . . you know bring back the days of the iron maiden . . .

And Scorpion . . . Def Leopard . . . Poison . . . Guns N' Roses . . . :)

Beach Comber
03-21-2006, 07:39 PM
i'm still asleep when most people are getting their ftf...

Ohhhhhhhh, but soon enough you will be up at all hours of the night - planned and unplanned. All you will have to do is strap Baby Bean in a papoose and set forth. Just think of all the first to finds you will get. But then again, you will be experiencing an entirely different set of firsts once the little one arrives. I can't wait to meet him/her!!

Hiram357
03-21-2006, 07:57 PM
And Scorpion . . . Def Leopard . . . Poison . . . Guns N' Roses . . . :)

*sigh* just keep making ladders Jake, consider your talking privilages revoked until further notice... :p

firefighterjake
03-21-2006, 08:18 PM
*sigh* just keep making ladders Jake, consider your talking privilages revoked until further notice... :p

Sorry Hiram . . . I've been inhaling too much sawdust and paint fumes I guess. :) Incidentally does anyone know how to best remove spray paint from glasses with those plastic lens -- I've got about a bazillion multi-colored spots on them that I didn't notice until I took them off the other day and now they're dried on there in pretty good shape and . . . mmmmmppphhhhhh (Hiram has now applied the duct tape to Firefighterjake's mouth so he can no longer talk.)

Hiram357
03-21-2006, 08:41 PM
Sorry Hiram . . . I've been inhaling too much sawdust and paint fumes I guess. :) Incidentally does anyone know how to best remove spray paint from glasses with those plastic lens -- I've got about a bazillion multi-colored spots on them that I didn't notice until I took them off the other day and now they're dried on there in pretty good shape and . . . mmmmmppphhhhhh (Hiram has now applied the duct tape to Firefighterjake's mouth so he can no longer talk.)

i would try rubbing alcohol and a soft cloth, like a gun cleaning cloth or tissue, i wouldnt use cotton becuase it could be abbrasive to the plastic. And just keep rubbing in the same direction back and forth so that you dont get swirlly spots on your glasses.:D (if the rubbing alcohol doesnt work, i would try mineral spirits)