Numbers or Experience

[Haffy]

I wouldn't have seen probably any of this magnificent state of ours if it weren't for geocaching. Numbers,hmmmm well I like to be FTF but don't think I'll ever get the numbers of those that YOP has...lol.

The friends that I have made is an incredible number,meeting on the trail,enjoying the comraderie in the forums and chat and the many that I have made and met at the numerous events over these last couple of years. Wow ,it's only been 2 years since I first started caching,where does the time go?

Incredible places are hidden all over this state of ours and I am hoping to find many more and to make friends with many more people as well. What's that saying? "Geocaching Maine ,The way caching should be"

[parmachenee]

In Maine...where it's "the way caching should be" the numbers just indicate how many great experiences you have had. Sure, certain plateaus are nice to reach but there is so much more as many of you have stated...the previously unknown places, beautiful views, events, making new friends, meeting for lunch, dinner or just a social drink. And it's something we can do year-round and can turn what might have been a boring day into an adventure. Our natural curiosity and competitive spirit to accept the challenge of finding a new cache will keep the numbers growing so it's hard to separate them.

[becket]

for me, it's both numbers and experience it's the time spent with friends and my family, time getting much needed exercise (mental as well as physical) and just the fun of geocaching i have wanted to be a treasure hunter since i was a child and feel that i am finally getting my chance! it's amazing that i find anything at all because i can't read a compass, maps are a challenge and i don't know left from right the numbers are important to me, only in that they show me that i am making an effort, doing stuff i wouldn't do otherwise, and getting out there seeing places i never, ever would go to otherwise i am in competition only with myself - i want my numbers to keep going up, to show myself that i can do this and can have so much fun at it it also proves my youngest son wrong - he was always saying that i couldn't have fun if i tried well, yeah - i can!

[jeannebee]

Numbers are fun -- sort of like accruing Girl Scout badges or any other tangible, but in the end, experiences are the only things really WORTH collecting.

[Mainepod]

Numbers are nice for milestones, but the best part is the great places we've seen around the country, and within 25 miles of our home.

[we3beans]

The only reason I watch numbers is to make sure I stay ahead of my brother. (just kidding, sort of)

We enjoy getting out for excersize and seeing new things. I've always been a tourist no matter where I go, even my hometown. It sometimes makes the John crazy, but I'm that person that would stop to see the giant walnut anyway.

We do a great deal of our caching on the way to or from someplace. My family all lives out of state and John's is all over the state, so we're always going someplace.

[brdad]

It's definitely not about the numbers!
Of my 499 Experiences, which consisted of 399 Traditional Caches, 37 Multi-Caches, 49 Virtual Caches, 3 Letterbox Hybrids, 7 Event Caches, 3 Unknown Caches, and 1 Cache In Trash Out Event, it's never been about the numbers. It doesn't matter that I rank 1838th in the world, 1581st in the US, or 3rd in Maine, or that 28 of them were micros, 8 were small, 384 were regular, 15 were other, 42 were virtual, and 22 were not specified. So what if my average find is a 1.8/1.9 difficulty/terrain?

My experiences have taken me as close as .18 mi from my home, or as far as 595 mi, and an average of 94.5 miles, but not once has it been about the numbers. It's all the experience.

[Tink]

hehehehe...numbers does anyone know what mine are anyway?....I have to say I just love the hunt.....well that could be because I am not really sure how you ppl use those dang GPS LOL

[Beach Comber]

Donna - I have always just assumed that the finds were all yours and that Rick was tagging along - hehehehe