Caches in a day? 100 possible?

January 19, 2007

I was thinking today, what is the most caches you could get in one day in a fairly standard city with many caches (but new to you). Is 100 possible?

I did 10 today with virtually no advance preparation in about 3 hours of field caching. I think with some serious planning and prep work, 100 is possible. Anyone tried?

January 19, 2007

I think it's been done. Seems to me the record is 300+ by some team. I could be wrong though.

14.3k · January 19, 2007

I was thinking today, what is the most caches you could get in one day in a fairly standard city with many caches (but new to you). Is 100 possible?

I did 10 today with virtually no advance preparation in about 3 hours of field caching. I think with some serious planning and prep work, 100 is possible. Anyone tried?

I did 100 with two other guys in about 12 hours in Palm Springs. The time included the two hour drive to Palm Springs and stopping for a 10 on the way there. We planned the route in the La Quinta area very carefully. We walked over 10 miles and off-roaded to a bunch of them. It was a lot of fun but none of us want to do it again.

18.9k · January 19, 2007

I recently held an event and 1 group got 80 caches in about 13 hours with 6 DNF. Simple answer is yes you can depending on the area and preperation. I'll leave the "record" comments to others but at least one group got many more than 200 in 24 hours.

Edited January 19, 2007 by StarBrand

9.1k · January 19, 2007

It depends upon the assumptions. 100 in 12 hours is easy if you have a driver and a navigator who are familiar with the area, leaving the finders to concentrate on locating the caches and signing the logs. Been there, done that.

Now, 100 caches SOLO, doing your own driving, and in an unfamiliar area... that would be an achievement. It may have been done in California if I am remembering my old threads correctly.

I may try for that someday if the mood strikes me. On solo numbers runs, I always wind up getting tired of quick finds, seeing a nice big park on the map, and spending the rest of the day hiking to a group of caches in the woods. I finish the day with 40 or so finds, and am very happy.

1.5k · January 19, 2007

....On solo numbers runs, I always wind up getting tired of quick finds, seeing a nice big park on the map, and spending the rest of the day hiking to a group of caches in the woods. I finish the day with 40 or so finds, and am very happy.

That's also been my experience. If you get together a small group (including at least one person who is familiar with the area) 100 or more in a day is very possible. My personal record for a solo day of geocaching is 61, and I didn't even cache for the whole day. I started around 6 AM, found easy shopping mall caches until I got bored to death around noon, then found about 12 more caches in nice city parks before locking the keys in the car at about 2 PM. That set me back about 2 hours, then after the locksmith came out I resumed caching for about 3 more hours before getting sick of it. Caching with others can be a whole different experience, and I probably could have gone well into the night if I'd had someone to keep me company.

So, 100 caches is definitely feasible, especially if you go with a friend or guide.

Edited January 19, 2007 by DavidMac

6.7k · January 19, 2007

I've done 100+ a day a few times, sometimes quite a few more, but in 12 hours or less only a couple of times - once in Nashville with AbbysGrammy and crew after a 4th of July event and once with BackBrakeBilly and friends in east TN.

Most of our 100-cache days exceeded 12 hours.

Not how one wants to cache regularly but one heck of a lot of fun with the right group at the right time.

January 19, 2007

I think you have to define 'find'.

If 'find means that the person who does not get out of the car and only drives gets to log a find then it is not too difficult.

Maybe a distinction between find and log is needed.

However you would be hard pressed to find 50 in 1 month in the Northern Territory of Australia as the distance between them is just too great.

2.2k · January 19, 2007

Here's how you do it....

1) Get a driver who knows the area well, a big van and a bunch of people

2) Map out a circle, drop off person 1, drive to location 2, drop off person 2, drive to location 3, etc.

3) Pick up person 1, 2, 3, etc.

4) Move onto the next set of caches

Also, it speeds things along if you don't bother opening the cache and signing the log. Spray painting your teams initials on the cache container will suffice.

You could probably do 1000's in a 24 hour period if you spread your team throughout the country.

*** This post is not to be taken as real advice ***

Real answer: Many people define 'FINDING' in different ways...

Edited January 19, 2007 by ReadyOrNot

7.3k · January 19, 2007

I found 69 in 6 hours caching with a couple of friends, and a local driver who ferried us from hide to hide. Had we started earlier (we started at 5 pm) 100+ would have been very easy.

I agree with The Leprechauns about the difficulty of doing 100+ solo, although I know a cacher who has done it several times, while traveling out of state. Takes lots of planning and stamina. And the desire to continue, which would be the killer for me.

8.9k · January 19, 2007

BoB's run in Chicago and a find before and after...101 finds in well under 12 hours (not counting the drive...about 4 hrs each way. None of us were familiar with the area, but we did have a group of 7...if I remember correctly! Would have been 102, but we opted not to do the APE cache...which has since been archived...DOH!!

Tod and I found 51 one day while in Toledo OH, not sure how long we spent, but it wasn't 12 hours.

January 19, 2007

I've been the driver on a 85 cache run in roughly 12 hours. Got out and helped look for those that I hadn't. There was a series that we wanted to finish and found a few extras along the way. Many I had been to before and only offered suggestions if the search became prolonged. Cache burn out and just being plain tired got to me towards the end. Not sure I would want to best that with a 100 cache run.

8.4k · January 19, 2007

I believe it was Monkey Brad that told me the Beach Run got something like 108 for the day after GW3. The GW3-4WD group I was in only got 36, but this was mostly in 3-4 star terrain! Ya just gotta love cachin' in Florida. What a fun buncha folks.

3.3k · January 19, 2007

The key to finding lots of caches is a "cache rich area," and prior planning.

I was thinking today, what is the most caches you could get in one day in a fairly standard city with many caches (but new to you). Is 100 possible?

I did 10 today with virtually no advance preparation in about 3 hours of field caching. I think with some serious planning and prep work, 100 is possible. Anyone tried?

I did 100 with two other guys in about 12 hours in Palm Springs. The time included the two hour drive to Palm Springs and stopping for a 10 on the way there. We planned the route in the La Quinta area very carefully. We walked over 10 miles and off-roaded to a bunch of them. It was a lot of fun but none of us want to do it again.

It just so happens that i'll be in the Greater Palm Springs on Saturday to find a 5 star terrain cache for number 1000. I'm going to spend the rest of the day finding all the caches on my pre-planned maps. I'm saving all the easy caches for last.

Map 1

Map 2

Edited January 19, 2007 by Kit Fox

January 19, 2007

Hard to imagine doing it. My personal record is 13 in one day and that nearly killed me. Then again, I'm over 50.

1.6k · January 19, 2007

sure, but do you really want to? Is it about the numbers? Are you going to enjoy this experience, or is it going to be a mad slog just to hit some arbitrary target.

the most I did was 19, and they were all verts, and located around the national mall. Not sure I could do 100 today. Not the way I cache. I enjoy the hunt and the scenery too much.

2.1k · January 19, 2007

sure, but do you really want to? Is it about the numbers? Are you going to enjoy this experience, or is it going to be a mad slog just to hit some arbitrary target...

...I enjoy the hunt and the scenery too much.

These two concepts are not mutually exclusive. You can do and enjoy both.

30 or more in a day is physical activity, problem solving and the same visual treat as if doing them one per day.

I find it a very enjoyable experience. It's a project and when you get home you know you have accomplished something.

5.3k · January 19, 2007

BoB's run in Chicago and a find before and after...101 finds in well under 12 hours (not counting the drive...about 4 hrs each way. None of us were familiar with the area, but we did have a group of 7...if I remember correctly! Would have been 102, but we opted not to do the APE cache...which has since been archived...DOH!!

Tod and I found 51 one day while in Toledo OH, not sure how long we spent, but it wasn't 12 hours.

I was in a group that did the 99 BoB's in 3 hours and 44 minutes...so to the OP, yes it is quite possible.

6.7k · January 19, 2007

sure, but do you really want to?

Why else would we do it if we didn't want to?

Is it about the numbers?

Despite the implications, accusations and insults that fly around over numbers in these forums I can honestly say that I have never cached with anyone who let numbers guide his / her game. I have met hundreds and cached with dozens of cachers and never met anyone that remotely qualified as a "numbers ho".

Are you going to enjoy this experience, or is it going to be a mad slog just to hit some arbitrary target.

If you don't enjoy it you'd be pretty silly to stay in the car! Yup, "a mad slog" might be an apt description, especially of one memorable 24-hour run my CacheLeague team did in Nashville when it never stopped raining! And yes, we genarally have some arbitrary number in mind, but don't much care if we reach it or not - we're a bunch of friends (even if we just met) running amock, filled with laughter and adrenaline and just having a ball.

the most I did was 19, and they were all verts, and located around the national mall.

Great! The bottom line is you had a good day, saw some stuff, had fun... nobody is counting! Well, nobody that matters.

Not sure I could do 100 today. Not the way I cache. I enjoy the hunt and the scenery too much.

And there is absolutely no reason you should. Everyone enjoys their own way of playing and no one with an iota of sense will compare your way with mine or anyone else's, nor measure any geocacher by their numbers!

3.3k · January 19, 2007

sure, but do you really want to? Is it about the numbers? Are you going to enjoy this experience, or is it going to be a mad slog just to hit some arbitrary target.

the most I did was 19, and they were all verts, and located around the national mall. Not sure I could do 100 today. Not the way I cache. I enjoy the hunt and the scenery too much.

You and I think alike in regards to the new numbers game. I have about 100 caches on my potential list, plus a back-up list of easy caches if I hurt myself while hiking. In my trip planning, 85% of the caches have a minimum terrain rating of 2 with a max of 5. My fun will be enjoying the desert scenery, while hiking with my wife, and finding the kind of caches that I like to hunt.

24.7k · January 19, 2007

I was thinking today, what is the most caches you could get in one day in a fairly standard city with many caches (but new to you). Is 100 possible?

I did 10 today with virtually no advance preparation in about 3 hours of field caching. I think with some serious planning and prep work, 100 is possible. Anyone tried?

It's easily possible. With a little planning and in an urban area. I've done over 25 in a day while putting 500 miles on the rig and with a hike or two in the mix so 100 is no sweat.

6.7k · January 19, 2007

sure, but do you really want to? Is it about the numbers? Are you going to enjoy this experience, or is it going to be a mad slog just to hit some arbitrary target.

the most I did was 19, and they were all verts, and located around the national mall. Not sure I could do 100 today. Not the way I cache. I enjoy the hunt and the scenery too much.

You and I think alike in regards to the new numbers game. I have about 100 caches on my potential list, plus a back-up list of easy caches if I hurt myself while hiking. In my trip planning, 85% of the caches have a minimum terrain rating of 2 with a max of 5. My fun will be enjoying the desert scenery, while hiking with my wife, and finding the kind of caches that I like to hunt.

Not to be argumentative, but why do folks feel the need to jump in on a thread that asks "Caches in a day? 100 possible?" and tell us how they don't like this kind of caching, don't do it, and imply that those of us who do are 'in it for the numbers'.

Are you in some way threatened if we play a bit differently and just have to get your opinion of the percieved (and non-existant) 'new numbers game' in?

Does the fact that you don't like this style of caching in any way answer the OP's question?

Yes, 100 a day is quite possible in a cache-rich area.

Outside of a much-debated World Record Run attempt that I didn't log and don't officially claim of 312 in 24 hours, my best day was 142, but I am sure (I don't remember) that number took more than 12 hours.

I have done 100 in 12 hours, however, on at least four runs that I can recall.

Now - I have been a geocacher for 1,253 days from my start date through today, 3 years, 5 months, 4 days, and of that time have spent at most 20 days doing races and numbers runs. It's just not what anyone does all the time.

How then does 20 days out of 1,253 define a cacher as 'in it for the numbers' such that you can say he's 'playing the new numbers game' and spout opinions about this 'style' of caching?

EDIT to add: My fellow cachers will tell you that I have almost as many signatures in found paper logs that I didn't log online as I do online logs, three that I found so far this week I haven't and won't log online, numbers TRULY don't mean a thing to me, and I regularly cache with folks who do the same thing. At least one of the folks along on a 100-cache-day never logged a one of them online because she was afraid of being criticised here in the forums! This whole categorization of 'in it for the numbers' apears to be an irritating artifact of this forum more than a real-life issue!

Edited January 19, 2007 by TheAlabamaRambler

January 19, 2007

Not to be argumentative, but why do folks feel the need to jump in on a thread that asks "Caches in a day? 100 possible?" and tell us how they don't like this kind of caching, don't do it, and imply that those of us who do are 'in it for the numbers'.

Are you sure you don't care about your numbers???

Outside of a much-debated World Record Run attempt that I didn't log and don't officially claim of 312 in 24 hours, my best day was 142, but I am sure (I don't remember) that number took more than 12 hours.

I have done 100 in 12 hours, however, on at least four runs that I can recall.

Now - I have been a geocacher for 1,253 days from my start date through today, 3 years, 5 months, 4 days, and of that time have spent at most 20 days doing races and numbers runs. It's just not what anyone does all the time.

How then does 20 days out of 1,253 define a cacher as 'in it for the numbers' such that you can say he's 'playing the new numbers game' and spout opinions about this 'style' of caching?

If the OP was simply asking if finding 100 caches in 1 day was possible then yes should have been the only response. Jumping on someone for expressing their opinion is BS. A valid question was asked: Why would anyone want to find 100 in 1 day? Sure it would be fun for you if NUMBERS were your goal but we all know that geocaches are put in "cool, scenic" locations. It you ran in and out to quickly you would miss out on all that. I think that is valid to this thread.

Please spare me and don't post the little dude eating popcorn......

January 19, 2007

If I didn't load up the kids for a numbers run like I usually do, I could probably do a really good run. But having all the babybugs slows you down. Things like lunch, bathroom breaks and the fun of playing at the new park we found makes for lots of non-caching time! Our best day with the whole family out was 16 in about 6 hours when I was trying to make my goal for the year.

I am in it for my own personal numbers game, not competing against someone else, so I'd like to try a cache run to get 100 or more in a day sometime. Anyone around here want to join me? I don't think I could get King Stinkbug interested!

January 19, 2007

Wowsers... didn't mean to start a serious discussion. I was just wondering if it was possible. I mean, it's a goal.

I look at it like "The Amazing Race". I'll never get a chance to be on TV and race around the world. But if I can re-create the fun and excitement of it in my own life, I think it would be a good time. Especially if I can convince other fools like me to do it with me and make some new friends. That's what it's all about anyway. So yea, that DAY would be about the numbers, but it's just one more day of fun - just with a different goal.

2.2k · January 19, 2007

In Nascar, everyone needs to be on the same playing field as the others. Otherwise, whats the point? Allowing one car to use nitrous oxide when others don't would skew the numbers completely and they would then be worthless.

The answer to the question of if it's possible is "Yes". I could do 500 in a day depending on the requirements for the run. Does the group need to stay together? Is there a limit of the number of people in the group? What are the logging requirements? Does everyone have to sign or can one person sign for the group? Does everyone in the group need to be present at the find site or can everyone be spread out doing different caches at the same time? Does everyone have to travel together or can you have seperate cars? Can the group be spread throughout the state? Throughout the country? You could theoretically have a "Group" of 50 cachers throughout the state logging caches for the "Group" and claim 1000 finds in a day.

The question can only really be answered if the debate is well defined.

2.6k · January 20, 2007

We started out on Dec. 31 06 with a group of about 8 to 10 cachers I stayed with the group until about 1:30pm and flagged over 50 caches, some flagged over 100 caches that day, was it about the numbers? or just a group of caching friends getting together and having a fun time on the last day of the year. We had a fun day and most of us were laughing most the day.

I've been doing so called numbers runs since my 2nd day caching 3/7/01, yeah a whole 6 caches that day. Labor day weekend of 01 another cache run with my then 7 year old grandson, we did a whole 17 caches that day from sun up to sun down, and he still talks about all the fun we had that day.

It's a game play it any way you want,but let me play it any way I want.

And yes 100 caches in a 12 hour period is vary doable.

January 20, 2007

BoB's run in Chicago and a find before and after...101 finds in well under 12 hours (not counting the drive...about 4 hrs each way. None of us were familiar with the area, but we did have a group of 7...if I remember correctly! Would have been 102, but we opted not to do the APE cache...which has since been archived...DOH!!

Tod and I found 51 one day while in Toledo OH, not sure how long we spent, but it wasn't 12 hours.

I was in a group that did the 99 BoB's in 3 hours and 44 minutes...so to the OP, yes it is quite possible.

BoB's solo + a couple 101 in 7hr 45min

Caches in a day? 100 possible?

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