Geocaching: The Numbers Game
When we started this hobby, it was to get exercise by hiking in remote areas. In order to push us to do it, we set a goal of 100 finds by the end of 2006. That number meant we only had to find a couple of caches a week. Sounds simple but our leather business picks up in sales around the end of August and gets down right crazy by November and December.
We knew we would have to push it during the summer and there were times when we were to busy to go hiking. Our solution was to go for caches that were simple hikes but to target 6 to 12 a day to make up the numbers we needed. We never hit 12 but did get 11 in one day. Our average day of hiking is around 6 miles but we did do 12 miles last month in a single day for only 4 caches.
This weekend we went caching both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday we hiked 6 miles for 4 caches back in the area in this post, Geocaching: The Highs and Lows . On Sunday we had to make up some ground so we went to the town of Victor, NY where there are around 20 or caches pretty close together that don’t require miles of hiking. After finding a few caches on the rails to trails system like this:
We both got pretty bored with the terrain, the scenery, the cinder trail beds and the vegetation. Maybe you get to see a curve in the trail and once we even went over a bridge and a stream. Other than that is just straight trails with few or no points of interest. We have gone to less interesting places while geocaching in order to keep our find count up. With our 100 goal in site, we are now wondering what we will do to keep our interest up for 2007. We do get exercise by going for the easy caches, but none of the places we have been while doing them are inspiring enough to warrant a return visit. I guess we are spoiled by where we live and the trails we have here. Traveling farther to be able to just hunt these types of hides would be tricky because of our limited free time and the price of fuel.
With less than 20 caches to find by the end of the year and so little free time to get them I’m sure we will have to visit another cache dense area for at least one more numbers run. For next year we may drop back on the number of finds we set for our goal but add a number of hides to the list so we can still get our exercise but by placing them and maintenance runs to take care of them. I’ll keep you posted.
August 14th, 2006 at 8:40 pm
It always seems the more you do the more you want to do. You will also find that if you lay off of caching for a while that the density will build back up. Sounds to us as if you might be hooked like the rest of us.
Mike and Barb
At Jestcaching
August 14th, 2006 at 9:03 pm
Oh Ya, I truly enjoy caching. Most of the time that is. I’m surprised at how little thought some people put into their hides and some of the places we have found them.
When you do run into one that has been well planed and in a place that stands out for it’s natural attributes, it makes up for all of the others.
August 16th, 2006 at 2:07 am
Whilst I agree, it smacks a little hypocrytical of someone who has never bothered to place a cache for others.
August 16th, 2006 at 8:47 am
I don’t think it’s hypocritical at all. By the time we had 10 finds we could see the difference between the crappy lamp post micros and a well thought out hide in a unique location.
There are a lot of people that like those simple caches but for the most part, it’s to boost their numbers and not to experience new and exciting locations.
August 18th, 2006 at 7:13 pm
You’re missing the point. We all dislike thoughtless caches, but that’s easy to say. Actions speak loader than words, and the answer is to place good caches - not just leave it up to everyone else.
I too am amazed at how little thought some people put into their hides, but I am also amazed at how many never even bother to place a hide at all.
August 18th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
I may only have 3 hides so far, but I have a few more planned by the end of summer. All of them require a bit of hiking but are worth the trip for more than a cache find.
I feel that taking the time to find the right spot and hiding place far out weighs having a high find count.