During my geocaching existence, I never really cared about numbers, but I did strive for those 'milestones', such as the 100th find. I wanted to make that a special one, because it is an accomplishment to say I've gone 'that far' in geocaching, and I've managed to stick with the sport. It was never about a competition, but merely a stepping stone in the sport. I chose to go for a cache that had been my nemesis for over a year prior. It was about the accomplishment. Sure, the numbers are involved in the picture, but I feel it is more of a friendly competition than to say you are better than someone. I know that I have a long way to go before I could ever come close to someone like Team SandDollar, Team CHUMP, RTW or Wyle E, and therefore I am not going to alter my existence for the sole purpose of catching up with their numbers.

Lately, I've become more interested in the rural caches, or ones that require some hiking, and my 'numbers' don't climb that rapidly. It's more about the accomplishment and the challenge of finding it after the beating of a hike that I enjoy. Urban caches are still fun when I don't have the time to go out for a day of hiking, and present a unique challenge all their own. These days, the numbers game is a personal one. I allocate a certain amount of time, and give myself a list of caches to go find. If I can get them all, it is a testament to myself about how much my skill may have improved. If not, oh well. I enjoy myself just the same, whether I get 3 or 30 in a day.