How many in a day? 5? 10? more?

[Q]

We did an after school run yesterday and would have gone for #4 had a visit to the little boys room and a mile plus walk come into play. How many sites are normally found in a good hunting day?

[Gaddiel]

According to the Cache Stats program, our best day was 15. We aren't power-cachers, by any stretch, but I remember that day we didn't have our 4-year-old with us, so it was a little easier to keep moving...

[flannelman]

Well sometimes I do pretty good and get 10 or so a day but most of the time it is in the 4-6 range. I go after a lot of remote caches so it takes more time.

[CaptainB]

I think it would depend upon how many caches are in the area, and how far you have to walk to get to them. Seems to me there is two ways to go for caches. The scenic ones, which you may have to walk for a mile or farther to get too. But those are the ones that I really enjoy. I like to take in every thing around me and just savor it, because I will probable never pass this way again. Then you have others that are just quick and easy finds. The ones that are close together, you don't have to walk far to get. Seems like those are the ones that just adds up your number of finds. We have done as many as 22 in one day. That was when Captain B and Tech Guy was competing to see who could get to #200 finds first and then again at #300 finds. During those cache hunts, we ate after going through the drive through at McDonalds, you sign the log book without looking at anything around you, and don't even think about more than one bathroom break. But you know, I also enjoy finding just one or two in a day. I guess it is just different strokes for different folks. :idea: Queen

[mountainborn]

The "CACHEMATES" and the "MOUNTAINBORNs" teamed up one hot day this summer to go to Fort Chaffee near Ft. Smith.
I had done a pocket query centered on ARKANSAS STICKER DUDE's, "ALMOST THE CENTER" cache. My thinking was that it would be almost in the center of Fort Chaffee, he, he, . Well, that devious rascal Sticker Dude had put a spin on the caches name, and it made for a most intresting hunt !
We found 40 that day, but if you divide the total by the number of cachers involved, we still only averaged about 10 caches each.
A great day in the outdoors with friends. We met for breakfast over 50 miles away from home, before daylight and by 0800 hours had found over ten caches.
Stopping for lunch and to absorb all the "store bought air" we could hold, slowed things down a bit.
The bottom line is we went at a pace that we were comfortable with so that it did not diminish our fun time.
You will hear much talk about numbers, but this sport is about fun. Numbers will just be a byproduct of having fun.
Please remember to have fun, let the numbers just happen as they may. :wink:

[arkansas_stickerdude]

When I go out I try to average 40 a say on a power run. I have done 73 in a day before.

[Q]

Wow! No. I wuz jes curious. Our next runs are gonna be out in the woods so I doubt we will be doing bunches a day, but I have noticed they are clumped together pretty well. Cleveland, Jerusalem area and Richland Creek neighbor hood.

Fun is most definitely the main objective. My 8 year old, Q, does most of the gps-ing. He wants to, so there ya go. He is learning and we are playing together. Like the beer commercials used to say...it don't get no better than this!

[Ltfightr]

I think our most was 13 in one day. Now if we go over a day of caching we will get about 7ish. It all depends on where and what type we are doing.

[OldRiverRunner]

Our next runs are gonna be out in the woods so I doubt we will be doing bunches a day, but I have noticed they are clumped together pretty well. Cleveland, Jerusalem area and Richland Creek neighbor hood.

If you cache in that area, I would plan on 1 cache per hour. Although the caches seem to be clumped together, driving between them on forest roads takes a while. Also, sometimes the roads meander a while and seem to take forever to get you to the cache area.

Regarding how many finds in a typical day, it all depends on whether you are hunting in an urban or rural area. I think my all time high was 32 in a day, but that was all in an urban area. Also, I was hunting solo, which is my preferred MO, but which also limits my finds in a day because there is only one pair of eyes looking for the cache. In a rural area, I usually try to go to an area and find all in that vicinity, to make my trip worth while. But last weekend, I found 6 on Saturday and they were all in backcountry areas of the Ozark NF. 3 of the 6 involved a hike that ended up being about 4 miles long roundtrip. My numbers weren't great for that day, but I was VERY satisfied with my day. Also, this past Friday, I only found 3. But again, they were in the backwoods of the Ozark NF. Although no significant hiking was involved, it still took a while to drive there.

My point is this. Don't get hung up on how many you can find in a day. Instead, just pick a target area, figure out how much time you want to allow for the day's hunt, and go out and enjoy yourself! -- ORR

[mbell72901]

I think my best power run was 53 and have had several 40+ runs. My best solo hunt was 20. Starting to work on some of the rural places lately.
What fun!!!

[idratherbehiking]

My best day was 52 in just over 7 hours. I was pretty tired by the time I got home.

[topkitty98]

No matter how many or how few you get at Richland Creek Wilderness Area, do NOT miss Fuzzybutt Falls cache, Six Finger Falls cache, or Falling Water Falls Cache! Awesome waterfalls! Worth the roads, the short hikes, whatever! Oh, and for Fuzzy, once you cross the creek at Six Finger, there is a trail that cuts through over to Fuzzy. That is easier to cross at Six Finger than right in front of Fuzzy. (We've gone both ways!) I'll be waiting to hear about your adventure, and to know how much water is flowing right now. HAVE FUN

Oh yeah, we did 43 I think at Clarksville on the day of the last Event. It was so incredible! Good company, stopped for good fellowship at the event, two good meals, good times! Clarksville is never less than an adventure! >^..^<

Our typical weekend is about 3, geo-j takes photos, which takes a lot of time at each site. But if it weren't for geocaching, we wouldn't have found some of the cool stuff he has photographed! He usually leaves me at the cache spot, he goes on and sets up at whatever he wants to take pictures of, I get the cache found long before he finishes. (Yes, I am slow too, believe me!) I catch up to him, pull out my water and a book or just drink in the scenery. Sometimes, I go back to the car to wait. I'll bet my school kid's papers are graded in some of the best spots in Arkansas! [/u]

[Q]

Well kity8, we only got 3 today. Spent a couple of hours trying to not turn around. The hiway was as close as 1/4 mile in front of us but our roads kept becoming non Xterra friendly. We were in the Illinois Bayou watershed. Not exactly equipped with the 4 of us for overland hikes we had to pass on Buzzard bluff, Martin wash, blue hole. But we had a good day. Saw some of those unique areas. Sweeden hollow and East Fork were more in line, just a short distance from the road.

I think my top count was 16 in a day. It was a day where caching was all I did for the day and I spent it in a pretty cache-rich enviroment (Searcy) that was close to home.

A "normal" cache day usually yeilds about 5, but then my normal cache day is usually spent enroute to some other activity.

AR_kayaker

[nonnipoppy]

The answer to your question IMHO depends on many things. The paramount thing I recommend is to do what is fun for you, to heck with what others do. That is unless you want to compete with them. I have a bit of competition going with my brother in law and that often drives me to cache a bit later in the day or earlier in the morning.

Lots of other factors make it an unlevel playing field trying to do as others do. As an example our children are grown and we are able to spend most of our discretionary time caching. If you have small children it makes it difficult to compare our "accomplishments". Children fail to see the "fun" in a manicial caching run.

The wonderful thing about this game/hobby/addiction is the opportunity to play it as you desire. We hope that you enjoy it as much as we do.....poppy

[Rhone]

My personal best was 84 found in the Fort Smith area on my birthday last year.

[Gaddiel]

According to CacheStats, our best was 15, on April 22, 2006. Not much to brag about, I suppose...:)

Wayne

[flannelman]

My best thus far has been 19. I hit that at the Winding Stair Expedition last weekend. It was a full day of caching thats for sure!! The round trip hike to Winding Stair was a little over 3 hours and we got 2 caches on that hike. There are a lot of caches around lake Greeson that we got to go after that really brought my total up. I think just the hike for the two was more than worth the trip so numbers aren't always my main goal. I figure that I'll keep on going after caches that I'm interested in and the numbers will take care of themselves.

[Q]

I asked this question originally after we got 3 in a couple of hours and could have done 4. We have settled into a routine of 1 or 2 but usually hike before and after. In other woids, we don't just go caching, it is kind of the added bonus. We have also done a few in town which are good for something different but not really our thing. It is all about what the boys wanna do!

[HikerRon]

I dont usually worry about number of finds, but two or three times a year i team up with some one and go after a 'big day'. it can be fun in the right
company. biggest day i've ever had was 36.
i'm in Colorado now, but will be moving Cabot in about 3 months. looking forward to all those new cache to find:)

[icetoad]

I could get more then the sad 2 a day I get now. I've never been about the numbers. My interest in caching is more the ability to get off the leash for a while :wink:

I've also beat myself up over the years, so I don't have the ability to walk as far or as fast as I could before smoking and eating caught up with me. About 8 years ago I weighed 165 pounds, played ice hockey 3 nights a week, and rollerbladed through the summer. Now, I weigh 250, watch ice hockey on tv, and have trouble rolling off the couch.

[Geezer_Veazey]

Now, I weigh 250, watch ice hockey on tv, and have trouble rolling off the couch.
There's still hope. Contact www.FormerIceHockeyPlayersWithdrawalAnonymous.org (http://www.FormerIceHockeyPlayersWithdrawalAnonymous.org)

Maybe we can get together sometime - Perhaps at the Former Ice Hockey Players and Bowlers 250+ Bar and Sauna

Geezer

[nonnipoppy]

To get this discussion back on topic we will tell a tale of woe about this subject.

In a time almost 10 months ago two cachers from Arkansas were invited to join a team of 6 others to attempt to break the worlds record for caches found in a 24 hour period. The attempt was to be in conjunction with the Mega-Event GeoWoodstock IV in Dallas on Memorial Day weekend.

The team consisted of the two Arkansans, four Germans, a Floridian, and a nice guy from Alabama.

Some decisions were made that, in retrospect, were not all that well thought out. The biggest of these being the decision to sign the outside of the cache containers, using a Sharpie marker with DRR, the team name, meaning Dallas Record Run.

The team actually signed 312 caches and logged 40+ DNFs in 24 hours. The previous record of 263 caches found in 24 hours was set at Geowoodstock III. Two of these record holders were counted among the DRR team.

Do this group intend to attempt it again at GeoWoodstock V in Raleigh? Although it was discussed, I think not. Some of them do not have thick enough skin to withstand the attacks leveled against them from last year.

Was it satisfying regardless? You darn tootin!

Did anyone actually log these 312 caches? Not the Arkansans.

Do some of the team plan to seek and find 1000 logable caches in a one week period while travelling to GeoWoodstock V this year? Yup.

This manic approach to caching takes loads of planning and execution. The mutual respect, friendship, and camaraderie that came from the attempt was by far the most enduring part of this effort.

Does this mean anything to anyone else? Probably not! It does however get back on topic. If you so desire learn from their mistakes and enjoy caching in whatever style you choose to do. Who really cares about the numbers if you are having a good time.

[icetoad]

How does one set up for a caching "marathon" in order to maximize the chance for picking up the most possible finds? Do you map locations and bring all the clues you can get your hands on? Is there a planned route to minimize travel time between caches? How about researching each cache you plan on working to make sure the last log wasn't a DNF? I'm looking for help here folks. These are the kind of things I've learned from my early exploratory attempts at this activity. But I'm sure those of you with more experience could adjust my learning curve a bit and get me up to speed.

I've got a weeks vacation coming up in March, and part of it is going to be spent in Missouri. I don't mix well with my in-laws, so I plan on spending a lot of time looking for caches and fine tuning my caching style. Once I get back, I would really like to spend a couple of days marathon caching. Anyone got any tips for me? I would like to use 1 day to see just how many I can pick up.

(My self image is really suffering when I look at you folks stats, then look at my meager 5 pickups.) :wink:

[chibongo]

How does one set up for a caching "marathon" in order to maximize the chance for picking up the most possible finds? Do you map locations and bring all the clues you can get your hands on? Is there a planned route to minimize travel time between caches? How about researching each cache you plan on working to make sure the last log wasn't a DNF? I'm looking for help here folks. These are the kind of things I've learned from my early exploratory attempts at this activity. But I'm sure those of you with more experience could adjust my learning curve a bit and get me up to speed.

I've got a weeks vacation coming up in March, and part of it is going to be spent in Missouri. I don't mix well with my in-laws, so I plan on spending a lot of time looking for caches and fine tuning my caching style. Once I get back, I would really like to spend a couple of days marathon caching. Anyone got any tips for me? I would like to use 1 day to see just how many I can pick up.

(My self image is really suffering when I look at you folks stats, then look at my meager 5 pickups.) :wink:

My team does plan out our trips. We actually have one very obsessive cacher who is a tech. specialist at our school and she plots out the order. We still don't usually do more than twenty something on a good day. More than that is not very fun for us.

The most I have done in a day has been 52. I can honestly say that I don't remember most of those caches. It was fun but not something I would want to do very often. :)

[topkitty98]

Okay, I must now reply to this one - at last year's Clarksville Event (which incidentally, has yet to be submitted for this year - s'up with that, Max?) geo-j and I, topkitty98 along with our ever present in spirit while he laughs at us markrocksinheavennow, started the day of the event looking for the Poker run caches and the pocket caches. Having never attended such an event quite like this before, we kinda didn't do our very best that morning, but ahhhhh, we teamed up with Cacher Extraordinaire, Cache King, All Hail Mr. Woodwalker9 for the pm. Yes, folks, we had a good good time, stopped for dinner with everybody from the event, then kept going in the dark til Midnight.

Grand total: 43, I think
Nights at the Best Westie: typical geo price
Registration at the event: donations of food, etc.
Gas: who knows?
Glasses which I broke on Sunday when we found Twin Falls Richland
Creek? Don't remember but they ain't cheap
Pride when I finally made it back to the car after the aforementioned
broken glasses? Hopelessly ruined oh well price we pay for good
caching
Amount of laughter when out running after dark: immeasureable
Amount of laughter that markrocksinheavennow probably had at our
expense: immeasureable and priceless

Would we do it again? In a heartbeat
When? Hopefully at this year's event in Clarksville
Does it really matter how many? No, but it is FUN to sometimes rack up some numbers along the way. We usually get about 2 on weekends when out with the photography master, geo-j. But, would I do it anyway regardless of those numbers? Yup, almost every weekend.

Clarksville: Fourth Time's a Fantasy? Fourth Time's a Frenzy?

If you want to go for numbers, hit Fort Chaffee area of Fort Smith, Searcy for lots of caches with lots of head scratching how'd he do that fun, or of course, Clarksville.

But . . . heading to Jonesboro tomorrow, may have more to add to the story . . .

[nonnipoppy]

How does one set up for a caching "marathon" in order to maximize the chance for picking up the most possible finds? Do you map locations and bring all the clues you can get your hands on? Is there a planned route to minimize travel time between caches? How about researching each cache you plan on working to make sure the last log wasn't a DNF? I'm looking for help here folks. These are the kind of things I've learned from my early exploratory attempts at this activity. But I'm sure those of you with more experience could adjust my learning curve a bit and get me up to speed.

I've got a weeks vacation coming up in March, and part of it is going to be spent in Missouri. I don't mix well with my in-laws, so I plan on spending a lot of time looking for caches and fine tuning my caching style. Once I get back, I would really like to spend a couple of days marathon caching. Anyone got any tips for me? I would like to use 1 day to see just how many I can pick up.

(My self image is really suffering when I look at you folks stats, then look at my meager 5 pickups.) :wink:


First of all I suggest that you geocache in a way that makes you happy and disregard what others think or do unless you want to try doing the game that way. Somehow I think your self image is alive and well.

This is how it is done in an extreme case such as DRR, your mileage may vary, all rebates go to the dealer, and no animals were harmed in the drafting of this answer.

Now to answer your question:

These next two items are required.

You need to be a premium member of Geocaching.com to allow you to get pocket queries(herafter called PQ/PQs). If you don't know what that is you are not the first to feel that way. Everyone has to start somewhere. $30 per year.

After getting a PQ you need to go have a registered copy of GSAK (GeocachingSwissArmyKnife). A wonderful program available at GSAK.net. $25 registration fee.

You can look at a major metropolitan areas to see cache density. After seeing something you like download a PQ. We limit our query to traditional caches with the terrain to 2.5 or less and difficulty to 2.5 or less.

After opening the .gpx file of the PQ with GSAK it is easy to see all the caches that were DNFed in the last 4 logs. Each cache with a DNF is looked at individually and some are deleted if the appear to be missing. In the instance of DRR there were email sent to the cache owners asking if they objected to their caches being included, telling the date of the run, and asking for a check on the cache prior to the run. Edit the GSAK database as necessary.

Export the remaining caches to Microsoft Streets and Trips and determing the correct routing to maximize your travel time. After determining the route we go back to GSAK. You can add a column "UserData" . We then number the cache order in this column as 010, 020, 030, etc. Sorting by this column gives you the caches in the order of the route.

This is printed and placed in a binder for later use by the"boss".

There was a Garmin GPSMap 60 CSs or 60 CSX in the hand of each cacher plus the driver had an additional Street Pilot 2610.
The drive used the 2610 for routing purposes and a 60CS set on off road to get as close to the cache as possible.

When the van stopped 2,3, or 4 cachers would start searching for the cache. One cacher, the "boss" announced to the driver the next cache number to the driver and kept time. The driver changed the goto on both his GRSrs to the next cache on the route. 2 minutes after the cachers departed the van the "boss" informed the driver and the horn was honked. All hunting cachers immediately moved back to the van and the cache was DNFed.




Okay, I must now reply to this one - at last year's Clarksville Event (which incidentally, has yet to be submitted for this year - s'up with that, Max?

Issues with the Armory building availability have the brain trust considering their options. All answers not yet gathered. More info ASAP. I think that April 21 will still be the date but nonni has not yet told me my formal opinion :D .

[icetoad]

already had the payed account at geocaching, been getting pocket queries that didn't have much stuff in em cause i hadn't read the manual. (A good technician throws the manual away, but a great techician remembers where he threw it.)

anyway, i downloaded the swiss army knife. wow, what a tool, thanks so much for that suggestion, i couldn't wait to give em my 25 bucks. I played with it till about 2 in the morning. So now I have that, which sends the waypoints with more usable names to my garmin, 3 different mapping software packages to print out small maps to help me get close when I'm driving. (I'd hate to rear end somebody cause I was watching my garmin instead of their rear end.)

I've got a 3 day weekend coming up, 1 day is guaranteed as a fishing day. (weather could play a part.) 1 day doing all the stuff I'm supposed to do around the house. and 1 day hunting caches.

I'm aiming for a personal high. (yeah I know, all I need is 3, don't rub it in.)

but back on topic, great suggestions, thank you.

[Q]

Jes member rule # 1, Toad. HAVE FUN :!: :wink:

[nonnipoppy]

Icetoad you might get something from this discussion:

http://www.arkgeocaching.org/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=8255&highlight=&sid=bb2393f463e64675a8df9c4e1e72efd0#8255


......poppy

[cajunbat]

if its Sunday give me a shout n I come up n cache with ya!