Yes, I'll admit it. I want to get there first. I want an unspoiled cache, a clean log, a “fresh bowl�? as they used to say on “Ally McBeal.�? There is something quite special about being first to find, getting to a new cache before anyone else. Does that mean arriving second or third or even fourteenth is somehow less fun? Not really, I still love geocaching and truly value the entire experience. That said, there are a number of specific strategies that I use to bag FTFs.
First and foremost, know your area. While this may sound like an obvious statement, there are subtle differences between certain routes. In my neck of the woods, there are roughly four major arteries that I can use to travel west. All things equal, I try to use the street with the highest speed limit and fewest lights. Drive safely, of course, but know that each street is unique.
Be ready to zoom out the door. Don't print out cache pages or quickly hook up the GPS cable. Time's a-wasting, friend. Just write down the coords (and possibly the hint) on a piece of blank paper, and then take off! Make sure your cache bag is zipped up, ready to go; ideally, it's already waiting for you in the car. If you need to run around gathering your gear or shutting down your computer, you're probably burning up valuable time.
If you really want more FTFs, realize that you'll need to go caching at almost any time of day. Late at night or early in the morning, get used to the fact that geocaches don't sleep. I once found five FTFs in a row along a bike trail, having started out just after 5:00 a.m. Another cacher was 30 minutes behind me at each stop along the way. “Second place is the first loser,�? as they say on t-shirts.
Form an FTF group. If you can't beat ‘em, join ‘em, as the old saying goes. If you're constantly playing second fiddle to a faster, quicker geocacher, offer to team up. Your invitation may be rebuffed, but it's worth a shot.
So what's the big deal? A minute here, a few minutes there, you're confident you can be out the door quickly. Here's why it matters: every minute, every second counts. I once beat someone to a cache by four minutes. I regularly see logs like “Just missed JJG10101 by ten minutes.�? Time is precious, and no more so than in pursuit of an FTF. Above all, strike fast and strike quick. Kinda like a Veg-O-Matic!
posted by guest blogger, JJG10101
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