At the risk of getting flamed, i think the OP's question should be answered simply without the ensuing opinion/rant being added.
For some time I have been quiet, but now I will say that the thread should not be hijacked.
It happens way to often here.
I think a new thread should be started for the rant portion and leave the opinion of how Dave thinks Geocaching should be to that thread and that thread alone.
Maybe I am alone in that feeling, but thats how I feel.
Oh yes, a gas saver is a gas saver when you can get one or more caches in a particular place in a single trip. It's not about the numbers at all, it is about caching.
I'd really rather not cache, but I am helpless in the grip of my compulsion!