Optimist on the run

The peak was actually some time in the beginning of November 2005 - the figures are for the end of each month (with the exception of this month). If anyone wants the exact figures, I'll be happy to email them the spreadsheet if they contact me.

I've used PGC to get a list of all webcams, archived or otherwise - there are a total of 1007 of them. Extracting the data into a spreadsheet, and doing a bit of analysis gives the following statistics, on a monthly basis: Sep 2001: 0; Oct 2001: 10; Nov 2001: 19; Dec 2001: 19; Jan 2002: 24; Feb 2002: 27; Mar 2002: 36; Apr 2002: 54; May 2002: 63; Jun 2002: 76; Jul 2002: 86; Aug 2002: 91; Sep 2002: 103; Oct 2002: 110; Nov 2002: 113; Dec 2002: 127; Jan 2003: 148; Feb 2003: 155; Mar 2003: 161; Apr 2003: 169; May 2003: 180; Jun 2003: 193; Jul 2003: 201; Aug 2003: 223; Sep 2003: 242; Oct 2003: 258; Nov 2003: 273; Dec 2003: 283; Jan 2004: 311; Feb 2004: 320; Mar 2004: 336; Apr 2004: 354; May 2004: 378; Jun 2004: 405; Jul 2004: 420; Aug 2004: 433; Sep 2004: 445; Oct 2004: 458; Nov 2004: 473; Dec 2004: 493; Jan 2005: 528; Feb 2005: 566; Mar 2005: 601; Apr 2005: 636; May 2005: 668; Jun 2005: 706; Jul 2005: 757; Aug 2005: 785; Sep 2005: 814; Oct 2005: 834; Nov 2005: 824; Dec 2005: 816; Jan 2006: 806; Feb 2006: 793; Mar 2006: 786; Apr 2006: 771; May 2006: 763; Jun 2006: 760; Jul 2006: 754; Aug 2006: 746; Sep 2006: 742; Oct 2006: 735; Nov 2006: 732; Dec 2006: 726; Jan 2007: 718; Feb 2007: 711; Mar 2007: 697; Apr 2007: 692; May 2007: 689; Jun 2007: 684; Jul 2007: 681; Aug 2007: 674; Sep 2007: 668; Oct 2007: 663; Nov 2007: 654; Dec 2007: 652; Jan 2008: 646; Feb 2008: 639; Mar 2008: 628; Apr 2008: 625; May 2008: 623; Jun 2008: 620; Jul 2008: 619; Aug 2008: 616; Sep 2008: 612; Oct 2008: 604; Nov 2008: 600; Dec 2008: 594; Jan 2009: 586; Feb 2009: 583; Mar 2009: 578; Apr 2009: 575; May 2009: 571; Jun 2009: 566; Jul 2009: 563; Aug 2009: 559; Sep 2009: 553; Oct 2009: 549; Nov 2009: 546; Dec 2009: 542; Jan 2010: 538; Feb 2010: 536; Mar 2010: 531; Apr 2010: 530; May 2010: 527; Jun 2010: 521; Jul 2010: 516; Aug 2010: 510; Sep 2010: 504; Oct 2010: 502; Nov 2010: 499; Dec 2010: 496; Jan 2011: 489; Feb 2011: 486; Mar 2011: 485; Apr 2011: 481; May 2011: 476; Jun 2011: 476; Jul 2011: 470; Aug 2011: 467; Sep 2011: 465; Oct 2011: 463; Nov 2011: 461; Dec 2011: 460; Jan 2012: 453; Feb 2012: 453; Mar 2012: 450; Apr 2012: 449; May 2012: 445; Jun 2012: 441; Jul 2012: 438; Aug 2012: 436; Sep 2012: 435; Oct 2012: 434; Nov 2012: 432; Dec 2012: 426; Jan 2013: 422; Feb 2013: 421; Mar 2013: 421; Apr 2013: 421; May 2013: 414; Jun 2013: 414; Jul 2013: 410; Aug 2013: 408; Sep 2013: 401; Oct 2013: 398; Nov 2013: 398; Dec 2013: 397; Jan 2014: 397; Feb 2014: 397; Mar 2014: 393; Apr 2014: 389; May 2014: 387; Jun 2014: 383; Jul 2014: 379; Aug 2014: 377; Sep 2014: 373; Oct 2014: 371; Nov 2014: 371; Dec 2014: 368; Jan 2015: 368; Feb 2015: 364; Mar 2015: 362; Apr 2015: 361; May 2015: 358; Jun 2015: 357; Jul 2015: 350; Aug 2015: 347; Sep 2015: 344; Oct 2015: 343; Nov 2015: 343; Dec 2015: 343; Jan 2016: 341; Feb 2016: 340; Mar 2016: 335; Apr 2016: 332; May 2016: 328; Jun 2016: 326; Jul 2016: 322; Aug 2016: 321; Sep 2016: 320; Oct 2016: 316; Nov 2016: 313; Dec 2016: 312; Jan 2017: 312; Feb 2017: 311; Mar 2017: 309; Apr 2017: 304; May 2017: 301; Jun 2017: 300; Jul 2017: 294; Figures correct for the end of each month. In some cases, archived dates are not available, so I've used the last logged date instead. I've attached a graph of the figures - it shows a steady decline since a peak in November 2005 (when presumably the type was grandfathered), but no obvious sign that the decay is increasing.

Using ProjectGC's Map Compare tool lists all 294 webcam caches (including disabled) - so far I've got 5 of them.

If I'm attending an event, I will usually drop any TBs in advance (by posting a note saying "TB drop" ). This means the logs don't get screwed up if someone else picks up the TB before I log an attended and dropped. I don't know if this is technically within the rules, but most events I attend have similar logs. In the case of tomorrow's event, if I didn't get there, the TB would show up in the inventory of the cache, but it would still be physically in my posession so I could log it as a pick-up.

It's just occurred to me that all I need to do to get the week 2 souvenir is to log a TB drop at the event I'm planning to attend tomorrow, and that will give me the 10 coins I need for the souvenir. And if for any reason I don't attend, I can pick it up again for another 5 coins. I can do that, quite legitimately, without leaving home. I really don't think Groundspeak have thought this one through properly.

Thanks - I hadn't read that part of the FAQ. I've now deleted and resubmitted the log, and my loot is correct.

It wasn't common knowledge to me. I changed a DNF to found for an earthcache (with full permission from the CO), and didn't get the coins. I emailed Groundspeak about this, but so far they haven't fixed it. Fortunately I've got more than the required number of coins anyway, so it isn't an issue, but I can see it being a problem for some.

Yellow dot disappeared on second opening of app, after checking souvenirs the first time. Thanks for fixing this.

I'm getting the same. The yellow dot seems to be telling me that I've got a new souvenir, and clears when I view them. Next time I use the app, the dot returns.

I'm getting the same problem trying to log a "Will attend" for a forthcoming CITO. Could a lackey comment on this please?

July 15 or 16, 2017 Attend any geocaching event (including Mega, Giga, and CITO events) to earn the ‘Ahoy Me Hearties’ souvenir. I was refering to the souvenir for collecting 30 coins between 17th and 23rd July. I recall there was a lot of confusion about this for one of last year's souvenirs, which is why I asked for it to be clarified.

For the purposes of gaining "coins", does a CITO count as an event?

Ignore all advice!

That's close enough for a ding - it was spelt Bayko as the original pieces were made of Bakelite.

Thanks. Another construction toy, pre-dating Lego but discontinued from the 1960s, was invented by Charles Plimpton in the 1930s, and involved creating buildings with plastic bricks, doors, windows etc, held in place by vertical metal rods. What was it called?

Lego!

Ding and toot toot to Sharpeset - they're the numbers Flying Scotsman has carried at various times.

Ok, what connects the following numbers:- 103, 502, 1472, 4472, 60103

Shirt numbers of the English goal scorers in the 1966 world cup final?

On several occasions, I've received a found log on one of my caches along the lines of "love this cache - FP awarded", but when I check the stats, I find that for some reason they haven't. I suspect the usual reason is that they've forgotten to tick the box when logging the cache. I'm sure it's usually not deliberate, and I'm not casting blame as I've probably done it myself. The question is, would it be considered rude to contact them and politely ask them to award the FP? I don't want to be seen as fishing for points, but I don't want to miss out either.

Another ding to Beach hut.

Ok, here's one that came up in a discussion today: In what county is the Prime Minister's retreat, Chequers?

I don't know the reason for any specific user, but the best reason I've heard for people getting very high numbers in one day is that they split from a previously joint account, and relogged all their previous finds on the same day.

The year is the square of the age of the person at that time.

This site has a list of all souvenirs, past, present and future.