Casting A Wider Net...

[+The Golem]

I've reached the stage where I've covered all the easier caches within about 10 miles of home, to bag any more caches will involve a round trip of around 25 miles...

So, do I string multiple caches together in a big, one day caching frenzy or should I keep slowly plugging away ticking off 2 or 3 at a time?

 

This one's aimed more at the veteran cachers....

[+sTeamTraen]

Right now I have just one cache unfound within 60km of my house, so I generally try to get several with one trip...

[+Sue and Bernie]

Save 'em for better weather, get a holder for your GPS then start cycling...

 

...and when you clear out those in straight cycling distance, start dumping the car in handy supermarket carparks to extend your range.

[+Travers]

I'll swap you a dozen micros for a couple of caches involving longish hikes.

 

Actually, we had loads of fun logging some last-chance locationless caches a couple of days ago, so if you go out before the end of the year, I'd recommend that. It takes a bit of time to go through the list, but it was worth it before they disappear.

 

It may cause some 'discussions' such as 'there's a Victorian house'...'no, it's not'...'yes, it is'.

 

It may also cause some slamming on of brakes and swerving across the road as in the case of the barber's pole (plus more interesting conversations with the householders next door when taking photos of said barber's pole...no, there has not been a burglary, no it's nothing to do with insurance, no we are not spying on your house we just need a photo for a treasure hunt type thing). Other passing strangers just stared and pointed (well, maybe not pointed but you know they wanted to) at the crazy people taking photos of nothing particularly interesting.

 

It was great and you don't even have to pretend you are doing something else because there is no box to plunder.

[+Moote]

Just take 24 hrs out of your life and travel the country!

[nobby.nobbs]

all mine involve 50 mile round trip so normally plan atleast 4 or 5 to make it worthwhile and a fun day out.

[+Stuey]

Apart from a dozen or so which are either new or ones I've just not quite got round to yet, all of mine involve an 80 mile round trip. In the past I would cram as many as I could in a long day out, leaving before dawn and getting back after dusk. It was hard work, and I probably wasn't getting what the cache setter intended I got out of the cache as an "experience".

 

Post 1000-finds, I have decided to slow down a bit, enjoy the caches more by taking the time to explore the areas more, and also be more of a social cacher, which means caching with other cachers more and also with my wife... who still thinks that caching spoils a good walk!

[+McDeHack]

Some time ago when I was realy keen, I and two other nutters did a 150 mile round trip for I think it was for 12 caches.

Now, I only will do any that are close to where I might be traveling.

[+Sue and Bernie]

...and I probably wasn't getting what the cache setter intended I got out of the cache as an "experience".

 

...I have decided to slow down a bit, enjoy the caches more by taking the time to explore the areas more, and also be more of a social cacher, ...with my wife

That's the way we started - and continue still. It's always been the trip, walk and being out in the countryside for us, preferably by bike.

 

We've taken particular pleasure in introducing our friends and family to the great outdoors in their own neighbourhoods and local areas. It's a nice to witness their suprise too at the nearby treasures and beauty spots of which they had been totally oblivious, just like we were too before geo-geeking.

[markandlynn]

We plot our unfound caches on autoroute (CSV download from GUK) and look for a nearby cluster.

We then head in that direction to the first cache and work our way onwards from there.

As said above dont get obsessed by doing 5,6,7,8,9 caches enjoy the ones you do. We sometimes go out and get two or three other times we get 6 or 7. Its always important to look up and arround otherwise whats the point of going out ?

Oooh nearly forgot we also have to plan as many traditional sized boxes as possible 2 micros with the kids is about the limit of their tollerance.

[+Haggis Hunter]

I try to go for my nearest cache, and then plan a round trip from there. I tend to put somewhere between 50 to 100 miles on the clock with a trip, hence why I have slowed down, only go out about once a month now. Unless they pop up in Edinburgh then I get them as soon as I m free, which is usually within a week.

[+Mr'D]

So, do I string multiple caches together in a big, one day caching frenzy or should I keep slowly plugging away ticking off 2 or 3 at a time?

Big question!

 

Gone are the days when I could do 20+ on a Saturday and get back home in daylight.

 

I am now picking a few local ones off at a time, with the occasional expedition further afield to get into double figures.

 

My caching rate has slowed right up now, nearest caches being around 15 miles away.

 

It is starting to get expensive!

 

On the plus side - Mrs.D prefers to let me go caching on my own these days

 

[+Chaotica_UK]

Most of the caches I do involve a round trip of 30 miles or so, therefore usually I go caching with a mate and we make a day of it and try to clear 6-10 all at once. When hes not about Ive got a few DNF straglers that pop up or become re-enabled in the local area to keep me busy.

 

Mark

[+The Golem]

My caching rate has slowed right up now, nearest caches being around 15 miles away.

 

It is starting to get expensive!

 

This is something I'm very aware of, the hobby itself is fairly self sustaining once you have your basic kit sorted - it's the cost of petrol which seems to be the biggest expense, batteries and replacing swaps are fairly minor compared to that...

[+Simply Paul]

I agree, the cost of petrol becomes the limiting factor as you clear your local caches. You can either go out with double-figures on your mind to make a longer drive worth while (combine with an event?), or you can pick them up on the way to other places or around the country if you work away from a regular location. The third option is to join up with some other higher-number locals and share petrol costs (often by taking turns to be the taxi driver) when heading out to fresh areas. This way you can half, or third the 'price per cache'

[+dino-irl]

Try living in the NW of Ireland. On Tuesday I took a caching trip towards Dublin and back. A total of over 400+ miles and 15 hours. All that for 12 caches and 1 DNF (on a virtual of all things!!!!!)

 

Always makes me laugh when I see people complaining about the lack of caches in their area or the amount of fuel spent going caching....not that I'm bitter or anything

[+Gralorn]

We do the odd one now and again to keep local caches to a minimum, usually if a new one crops up in the localish area now we tend to go and get it, some however involve steep hill climbs around the local area so those are left till lighter evenings and warmer days for us to conquer. If we go away anywhere else other than local we always try to claim one or two at least.

[+Mr'D]

Try living in the NW of Ireland.

I think I would have taken up another sport!

 

[+Cryptik Souls Crew]

I suppose it depends what you want from caching. I would rather drive a 50 mile round trip to a cache which is good than do a boring one on my doorstep.

 

In our early days this was very much the case, now Im not quite so picky, but theres still a quagmire of a good few pages within 10 miles from home that if I'm honest I am never going to visit... quality not quantity!

[+Team Incredible]

I agree with Cryptik Souls Crew, we'd rather drive for an hour or so and do a good walk with a cache at the end rather then run around some of the local quicker caches. Although we have a list of local shorter ones saved for those cold and rainy days when you still want to go out and do something.

 

Carol

x

[Leoness]

Join the Army! That way, you get to move location every couple of years. By the time you've just about cleared up your local area, you have a whole new area to search!!!

[+Haggis Hunter]

Join the Army!    That way, you get to move location every couple of years.  By the time you've just about cleared up your local area, you have a whole new area to search!!!       

Now that is funny, for the two years that you are in one location, you will be lucky if you are actually there for 6 or 8 months of it, all the rest of the time will be spent on courses, tours, exercises or training for any of them. (Yes you do, do training for exercises, ironic I know "Let's go and do an exercise for the exercise" ).

 

So if your lucky you can look for the caches hidden on military land, but you will have to do it at night, but torches are not allowed, or if you find yourself in Iraq or Afghanistan, just hope the hider hasn't placed it in a minefield?

[Leoness]

OK then... maybe what I should have said was "marry the Army!"

[+Haggis Hunter]

Sorry Leoness, in general you are correct, it would be good for a person to be in the forces and cache, but not good for placing them though. To many short notice things happen.

 

Manning is so bad in the army at the moment that they are asking for reservists (who don't have a choice but to be a reservist) to volunteer to go to Iraq next year. I had a long think about it and said no thanks!! Been there done that, ta!!

I don't think it will be too long before people like myself are being told to go.

[Leoness]

It works for me, HH!

 

I have placed a few caches... two in N Yorks (one of which is now maintained by a friend of mine, the other I archived when we moved) and a couple locally in Wiltshire. I am able to maintain the local caches for the two years we are in the area and then I will either archive them or put them up for adoption so that they can live on.

 

When we were in Catterick I was able to spend most of my time out caching and found every cache in the county. Since we moved south, I have been working and haven't been out caching nearly as much. Our next move may be to London where I can clear up all the urban micros!

 

My point being, that whilst I don't hide very many caches, my local search area will change and so will never be exhausted!

[+Haggis Hunter]

It works for me, HH!

As I can see from your profile, does your hubby cache too?

 

I must admit, I wish I had found out about this whilst I was still in. There are a lot of caches in Oxfordshire I would have enjoyed getting whilst I was there.

[Leoness]

Hubby comes out caching with me from time to time but it's my hobby rather than his. Sometimes I ask him to accompany me if I don't feel the area is safe, for example. Sometimes, he just fancies the walk!

 

He has done a couple of caches on his own in Kuwait and Canada whilst away on exercise.