Planning for 100 in a day

[+lifechooser]

The most caches I've ever found in a day is 24, mainly because I only get a couple of hours at a time free to geocache. In the summer I'm hoping to do 100 in a day. I've found a likely looking area with lots of cache'n'dashes, but I'm wondering what is the best way to attack them?

 

Normally I would create a bookmark list linked to a pocket query. Then I have a piece of paper containing each cache in order. This also includes the cache name, clue, and sometimes a small pencil map if landmarks such as road junctions are nearby. I will also use this to write some log notes for later. When finding caches, I check the last 5 logs of each cache to ensure that it isn't missing or too hard.

 

Is this the best way, or do other people have a better method? Does it scale for 100 caches, and how many caches should I have on my list to allow for DNFs?

[+drsolly]

The most caches I've ever found in a day is 24, mainly because I only get a couple of hours at a time free to geocache. In the summer I'm hoping to do 100 in a day. I've found a likely looking area with lots of cache'n'dashes, but I'm wondering what is the best way to attack them?

 

Normally I would create a bookmark list linked to a pocket query. Then I have a piece of paper containing each cache in order. This also includes the cache name, clue, and sometimes a small pencil map if landmarks such as road junctions are nearby. I will also use this to write some log notes for later. When finding caches, I check the last 5 logs of each cache to ensure that it isn't missing or too hard.

 

Is this the best way, or do other people have a better method? Does it scale for 100 caches, and how many caches should I have on my list to allow for DNFs?

 

I'd recommend doing a big ring, or two smaller rings closer to each other. If the caches are 300 meters apart on average, that's 4 minutes walking, plus 2 minutes finding, plus a minute signing; 7 minutes per cache = 700 minutes = about 12 hours.

[+stevo185]

Agree with solly, you've got lots of rings down your way to choose from. If you can travel a little then have a look at the poshrule loops south of Peterborough. They are smaller and if you stitch a few together you can easily get to 100. We got 114 in one day - would have been more but we spotted a nice Indian restaurant while it was still daylight! It was just over 20 miles walking.

If you really want to do drive bys then there is the Skeg to Ness series, or at least part of it.

We do the planning by putting the PQs in gsak then exporting to Excel with columns for all the relevant info - name, hint, size, D/T and last few logs.

 

Good luck.

Steve.

[+lifechooser]

Thanks for the tips, I'm planning on doing this challenge the day after the mega in Cartmel. As a result, I'll probably have to head to Preston or Blackburn to get enough cache density. This would be easier where I live, however it's all about when I have a day to dedicate to caching without worrying about holding the baby etc. I think I will find as many cache and dashes as I can, particularly en-route, and then break it up with a couple of short circuits.

[+The Frosties!]

you could always "pop" over toward york for the mega series ii, 100 caches, 21 miles, with a village (and pub) in the middle? Mrs F thinks she and I should do that soon....21 miles does worry me a little

[+thebruce0]

Hey, if you're ever in Canada, feel free to stop on by GC3D5ED and record your record if you pass 100

[+The Bongtwashes]

If you find yourself near Oxford this summer you may find a series set as five ring circuit totalling 26 miles. You don't have to attend The Geolympix, but it would get you to the right area, and you might be able to do as much of the series as you want in the company of other like minded cachers.

[+Shiggaddi]

There is also the recently published Halo series in Cornwall. There are a few who completed it in a day. There are over 100 caches in the series, plus quite a few others which don't divert from the route.

 

One thing that I discovered when doing a high number in a day, and that was when caching by myself, it would be handy to have company to speed things up a little. It can take a good few minutes of searching, but with more people searching, the cache is found quicker. It it a wise idea for the finder to be last to sign the log and replace, as they know the hiding place better, whilst in the meantime other people will be on the way to the next cache. If this saves say a minute per cache, then times that by 100 and you've saved 100 minutes (1 hour and 40 minutes) which could be the difference between getting 100 finds or not getting them.

[+DizzyPair]

If you want to find 100 caches in one day, doing a lot of cache and dashes is not the way to do it.

 

The most we have found in one day is 123. This was achieved by myself, without anyone else, whilst Mrs Dizzy was on Brownie holiday.

 

I started on drsolly's Chiltern Hundred at 0200 and cached until late afternoon. Then after a short rest started again in the evening and stopped just before midnight.

 

Sorry, but I do not agree with Shiggaddi's idea of having company to speed things up. Using Shiggaddi's method of other people going on to the next cache whilst a log is being signed might speed things up, but if you want to find 100 in one day, then you'd only be cheating yourself, because you would not be the one that found every one of the 100 caches.

 

So my advice is do it alone....YOU will find the 100 caches

 

Edited to add that after the Chiltern Hundred, I did some other caches that were all close together.

Edited March 4, 2012 by DizzyPair