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315 caches in 24 hours


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We are a group of 8 danish geocachers team DK08 that tried to break the record of 312 caches on 24 hours Sunday May 18th in the Sacramento area. We startede 00.12 and finished 24 hours later. We found a total of 315 caches and are now holding the record as far as we know.

 

We started setting up a set of guidelines to ensure that we did the attempt under conditions that most geocachers hopefully can accept, and that might be followed if anyone attempts to break our record:

 

1.The cache is logged with our team name for the whole team in the logbook.

2.It is only allowed to search for one cache at a time, that alo means no splitting up to travel to the next location.

3.Not every member of the team needs to be present at the cache (driver and navigator may sty in the car).

4.The planned trip will be tested before the record run to locate parking areas, entrances to parks, places to shop for food and toilets. No caches will be located in advance.

5.It is possible to have a car following to get supplies. They are not allowed to help in the search.

6.Obviously, all traffic laws will be obeyed.

7.The record run is performed in 24 running hours – no time-outs!

 

We have a website coming up powercaching24h.com, where we will post information on our preparation, guidelines, programs used to keep track of the caches and so on. Due to technical problems the site has not been up running before we arrived in the US and we have not been able to do at lot of work on it yet, but that will follow. The web page holds a forum where other geocachers trying to break the record can post information on their attempts.

 

DK08 consists of following geocachers: Dr. Elmer, Picht, gjensen, tottommy, zooor, Sjanten and Schuleit. We are all looking forward to the GeoWoodstock and meeting other geocachers.

Edited by Schuleit
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We are a group of danish geocachers team DK08 that tried to break the record of 312 caches on 24 hours Sunday May 18th in the Sacramento area. We startede 00.12 and finished 24 hours later. We found a total of 315 caches and are now holding the record as far as we know.

 

We started setting up a set of guidelines to ensure that we did the attempt under conditions that most geocachers hopefully can accept, and that might be followed if anyone attempts to break our record:

 

1.The cache is logged with our team name for the whole team in the logbook.

2.It is only allowed to search for one cache at a time.

3.Not every member of the team needs to be present at the cache.

4.The planned trip will be tested before the record run to locate parking areas, entrances to parks, places to shop for food and toilets. No caches will be located in advance.

5.It is possible to have a car following to get supplies. They are not allowed to help in the search.

6.Obviously, all traffic laws will be obeyed.

7.The record run is performed in 24 running hours – no time-outs!

 

We have a website coming up powercaching24h.com, where we will post information on our preparation, guidelines, programs used to keep track of the caches and so on. Due to technical problems the site has not been up running before we arrived in the US and we have not been able to do at lot of work on it yet, but that will follow. The web page holds a forum where other geocachers trying to break the record can post information on their attempts.

 

DK08 consists of following geocachers: Dr. Elmer, Picht, gjensen, tottommy, zooor, Sjanten and Schuleit. We are all looking forward to the GeoWoodstock and meeting other geocachers.

 

IBTL!!! :grin: Congratulations, sounds like you had fun.

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We are a group of danish geocachers team DK08 that tried to break the record of 312 caches on 24 hours Sunday May 18th in the Sacramento area. We startede 00.12 and finished 24 hours later. We found a total of 315 caches and are now holding the record as far as we know.

 

We started setting up a set of guidelines to ensure that we did the attempt under conditions that most geocachers hopefully can accept, and that might be followed if anyone attempts to break our record:

 

1.The cache is logged with our team name for the whole team in the logbook.

2.It is only allowed to search for one cache at a time.

3.Not every member of the team needs to be present at the cache.

4.The planned trip will be tested before the record run to locate parking areas, entrances to parks, places to shop for food and toilets. No caches will be located in advance.

5.It is possible to have a car following to get supplies. They are not allowed to help in the search.

6.Obviously, all traffic laws will be obeyed.

7.The record run is performed in 24 running hours – no time-outs!

 

We have a website coming up powercaching24h.com, where we will post information on our preparation, guidelines, programs used to keep track of the caches and so on. Due to technical problems the site has not been up running before we arrived in the US and we have not been able to do at lot of work on it yet, but that will follow. The web page holds a forum where other geocachers trying to break the record can post information on their attempts.

 

DK08 consists of following geocachers: Dr. Elmer, Picht, gjensen, tottommy, zooor, Sjanten and Schuleit. We are all looking forward to the GeoWoodstock and meeting other geocachers.

While this is something that would never interest me personally (my idea of heavy caching is to find from one to four caches in one day, after which I wanna go take a nap or do something else other than caching), but it sounds like you folks all had a lot of fun, so congratulations!

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Have to ask......

 

How many members in your team??

 

Were team members searching for more than one cache at a time (simaltaneous finds)?? (given #3)

I wondered about that as well at first, but it looks like rule #2 (below)

2.It is only allowed to search for one cache at a time.

has that matter sewn up tightly, and that they did hunt for only one cache at a time.

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Did the team members split up? Was some looking for a cache while the others was heading to the next spot? :grin:

I interpreted rule #3 to mean that maybe only one person jumped out at the LPC to grab the cache while the rest stayed in the car. Driver with the foot ready to hit the gas, note taker confirming the find, navigator plotting the best route to the next cache, reserve crew naping in the back, etc.
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Was there any travel taking place while a search was going on? And had any member of the team found any of these caches previously?

 

Forgive our questions, but the last "record" turned out to not exactly be as first advertised.

 

No Travel while searching. We had a 12 pers van, and the van stayed with the team all the time. No member had searched for or found any caches previously. We had no help from any local cacher.

 

Regards, Brian.

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As we are not native English speaking, some inaccuracies obviously have sneaked in to the guidelines. I've edited the first post to clarify.

 

Anwering some of your questions:

 

1. As Dr. Elmer writes. The team did not split up at any time. Everyone was either out searching or present in/around the car preparing for the next cache.

 

2. The logs were signed with DK08, if every member should sign, it would not be possible to log that high number of caches. A profil of DK08 exists decribing the members of the team.

 

3. Every member of the team will individually log every cache even though everyone did not actually touch the cache container. This was a team-achievement and would not have been possible without a driver and navigator (role rotated during the day) that stayed in the car during the search.

 

4. We had no local guide. Only 8 danish geocachers who had never been caching in the area before. We don't feel that the record would be real if someone knowing the cache location would have been in the car.

Edited by Schuleit
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Every member of the team will individually log every cache even though everyone did not actually touch the cache container.

 

Hmmmmm - not sure about this one...... so 8 people were involved in finding 315 caches - so all 8 people get to log each of those caches individually????

That's like saying "I was at such and such an event when this local cache was found - even though I didn't actually find it or sign the log - so I'm going to log it online anyway..because I was with the person who found it just before and again just after"

Oh - and if the log was signed in each case with a team name, surely that's the name that the caches get logged against - not the team members' names...?

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Every member of the team will individually log every cache even though everyone did not actually touch the cache container.

 

Hmmmmm - not sure about this one...... so 8 people were involved in finding 315 caches - so all 8 people get to log each of those caches individually????

That's like saying "I was at such and such an event when this local cache was found - even though I didn't actually find it or sign the log - so I'm going to log it online anyway..because I was with the person who found it just before and again just after"

Oh - and if the log was signed in each case with a team name, surely that's the name that the caches get logged against - not the team members' names...?

With 827 posts you have obviously been reading these forums long enough to know that's how team runs are done.

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Was there any travel taking place while a search was going on? And had any member of the team found any of these caches previously?

 

Forgive our questions, but the last "record" turned out to not exactly be as first advertised.

 

No Travel while searching. We had a 12 pers van, and the van stayed with the team all the time. No member had searched for or found any caches previously. We had no help from any local cacher.

 

Regards, Brian.

 

Not that is very impressive. :rolleyes:

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We don't feel that the record would be real if someone knowing the cache location would have been in the car.

I was with you up to here. Why is your apple real but my orange is not? I personally wouldn't like to set a record under "your" rules, but if you had fun, great. I had fun setting a record as part of a two-person team with a local driver and navigator who didn't help us find the caches. You'll have to take my word for that, just as I will trust your word that you did find all the caches within a consecutive 24 hour period. With two people, everyone is involved in the cache find. What's the difference between two of your eight geocachers staying in the car, vs. my navigator and driver staying in the car?

 

The important thing when claiming a "record" is to define the circumstances and rules under which the record was set. You've done that. It does not mean that different people cannot claim a "record" under a different set of self-imposed rules.

Edited by The Leprechauns
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This is a very cool accomplishment and I appreciate the guidelines you've listed. Throwing around a phrase "world record" with so many self-imposed guidelines is the only iffy thing for me. For example, I'm pretty sure I have the world record for most caches found by a guy named Paul who was born in Newfoundland but now lives in New Brunswick - 79 in one day. Beat that, other Paul's from Newfoundland who now live in New Brunswick!!!

 

Seriously tho, well done.

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Congrats. Sounds like you set yourself a realistic and solid set of guidelines for the run. I saw your t-shirts at the Friday night event, but didn't get the meaning. I'll be sure to shake your hand in person today (assuming you are wearing the same shirts today? :rolleyes:

 

I'll bet it was a lot of FUN!! ;)

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We don't feel that the record would be real if someone knowing the cache location would have been in the car.

I was with you up to here. Why is your apple real but my orange is not? I personally wouldn't like to set a record under "your" rules, but if you had fun, great. I had fun setting a record as part of a two-person team with a local driver and navigator who didn't help us find the caches. You'll have to take my word for that, just as I will trust your word that you did find all the caches within a consecutive 24 hour period. With two people, everyone is involved in the cache find. What's the difference between two of your twelve geocachers staying in the car, vs. my navigator and driver staying in the car?

 

The important thing when claiming a "record" is to define the circumstances and rules under which the record was set. You've done that. It does not mean that different people cannot claim a "record" under a different set of self-imposed rules.

 

Was everyone always at the cache to find them? :rolleyes:

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With the notable exception of The Leprechauns, perhaps the most legitimate claimant to this record so far since he personally found and signed every cache, it amazes me how many folks that don't like numbers runs, have never tried it, wouldn't spend the time or money or energy to plan it and don't even understand it will post in here to gripe about it and try to pick it apart.

 

What is the motivation for trying to tear these folks down?

 

There's no reward for this, no prize, no record, in fact, except through the recognition we give them for their effort.

 

Whether or not you would have done it that way, provided you were willing to get off your duff and do it at all, give them the recognition deserved.

 

When you find 316 in 24 hours then you can state "that's how it should be done".

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Personally, a serious numbers run is not something I would do, or even contemplate. That being said, the team that can, or will, has every right to do so.

The team made it clear to themselves what the goal was, how to achieve it, and spent the time setting out rules for themselves. For that, I offer my congratulations.

Well done on achieving what you set out to do.

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2. The logs were signed with DK08, if every member should sign, it would not be possible to log that high number of caches. A profil of DK08 exists decribing the members of the team.

 

3. Every member of the team will individually log every cache even though everyone did not actually touch the cache container. This was a team-achievement and would not have been possible without a driver and navigator (role rotated during the day) that stayed in the car during the search.

 

You made a team profile. You cached as a team. You signed the logs using the team name. However each member of the team is going to log online using their own profile. Something just doesn't add up. Make sure you let the cache owners know you are doing this or your team members might have some of their find logs deleted. Some cache owners check the paper cache logs. If they can't find a name in the paper cache log then they will delete the online log.

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Congrats on the record. I don't want to take anything away from it, but really how saturated was the area you found all of these caches in? If I were to look for 300+ caches in one day I'd be driving hundreds of km's. In my city there are only 60ish caches.

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2. The logs were signed with DK08, if every member should sign, it would not be possible to log that high number of caches. A profil of DK08 exists decribing the members of the team.

 

3. Every member of the team will individually log every cache even though everyone did not actually touch the cache container. This was a team-achievement and would not have been possible without a driver and navigator (role rotated during the day) that stayed in the car during the search.

 

You made a team profile. You cached as a team. You signed the logs using the team name. However each member of the team is going to log online using their own profile. Something just doesn't add up. Make sure you let the cache owners know you are doing this or your team members might have some of their find logs deleted. Some cache owners check the paper cache logs. If they can't find a name in the paper cache log then they will delete the online log.

It is a good idea to make sure someone mentions the team profile in the first log that goes to each cache page. Sometime we cache with other people, usually after events. We'll pick a group moniker for the day (The INKY Breakfast Club for example) and that is what gets signed on the log. The first person who logs the cache mentions the team name that was signed and lists all the folks present--then everyone else just begins their logs with something like"We were out with the Inky Breakfast team today after the event and..."

 

You could just post a link to the team profile in your logs. My husband and I have a "Team Neos" account we made for hides we place together and trackables etc --when we cache together, that is how we sign the log. Then we log the caches under our individual accounts (Neos 1 and Neos2). The "Team Neos" account page has information on our separate account names. When we cache separately, we sign our individual account name. So far no one has complained.

 

I can't think of a group that tried to make a serious record run attempt that didn't pick a group name and sign the logs that way.

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We are a group of 8 danish geocachers team DK08 that tried to break the record of 312 caches on 24 hours Sunday May 18th in the Sacramento area. We startede 00.12 and finished 24 hours later. We found a total of 315 caches and are now holding the record as far as we know.

 

We started setting up a set of guidelines to ensure that we did the attempt under conditions that most geocachers hopefully can accept, and that might be followed if anyone attempts to break our record:

 

1.The cache is logged with our team name for the whole team in the logbook.

2.It is only allowed to search for one cache at a time, that alo means no splitting up to travel to the next location.

3.Not every member of the team needs to be present at the cache (driver and navigator may sty in the car).

4.The planned trip will be tested before the record run to locate parking areas, entrances to parks, places to shop for food and toilets. No caches will be located in advance.

5.It is possible to have a car following to get supplies. They are not allowed to help in the search.

6.Obviously, all traffic laws will be obeyed.

7.The record run is performed in 24 running hours – no time-outs!

 

We have a website coming up powercaching24h.com, where we will post information on our preparation, guidelines, programs used to keep track of the caches and so on. Due to technical problems the site has not been up running before we arrived in the US and we have not been able to do at lot of work on it yet, but that will follow. The web page holds a forum where other geocachers trying to break the record can post information on their attempts.

 

DK08 consists of following geocachers: Dr. Elmer, Picht, gjensen, tottommy, zooor, Sjanten and Schuleit. We are all looking forward to the GeoWoodstock and meeting other geocachers.

 

When I read this post I said to myself, "I wonder how many people are going find ways to dis this incredible effort." Then I was trying to figure out why I was so sure this would happen and I came up with these answers.

 

1. There are some that are just adverse to anything that has to do with numbers and Geocaching.

2. There will be some that will question the methods.

3. Some people are just meanies.

 

This effort along with all the self imposed guidelines got me thinking about a world record for finding Geocaches in a 24 hour period. It struck me that this phenom is not going away any time soon. That someone will see this and come along and beat this one but that too will be called into question because of another variance or something or other.

 

I think it is high time that someone figures out a way for this to be a legit verifiable achievement with results that can be measured. I think the guidelines these guys used would be a good start. Anything anyone would add to them?

Edited by Team GeoBlast
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Yes, I am a newbie, so this is probably a stupid question but is there not a standard set of rules for a worlds record? B) I know you are all going to flame the heck out of me but if there are no rules and no impartial judges, then there are no records, in my opinion. Everything from speed records to eating records are validated by a set of rules and some form of judge. Why doesn't the Goecaching comunity approach The Guiness Book Of World Records?

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Yes, I am a newbie, so this is probably a stupid question but is there not a standard set of rules for a worlds record? B) I know you are all going to flame the heck out of me but if there are no rules and no impartial judges, then there are no records, in my opinion. Everything from speed records to eating records are validated by a set of rules and some form of judge. Why doesn't the Goecaching comunity approach The Guiness Book Of World Records?

There is no 'record' if you mean some sort of official sanction or recognition. There are no rules except as have been unofficially agreed upon in these forums.

 

One reason is that nobody, even those of us who occasionally do such numbers runs, wants geocaching to become competitive.

 

It's hard to say "It's not about the numbers" and "I have the biggest number" in the same sentence, but there it is. That's just the way we cache!

 

Perhaps the thing to be respected is that these men and women set out to do a thing never-before done, spent months and thousands of dollars planning it under unclear rules, did their best to accommodate 'how it should be done', then went and did it. That deserves respect no matter whether the 'record' officially exists or not. Not to even mention traveling overseas and doing it without local help!

 

Those of us who have set, or attempted to set, a 'world record' do it for fun and fully recognize that only the acceptance by our peers as record holders will be the only gain.

 

That said, there are a set of fairly nebulous rules to claiming a record, some are basic geocaching practices, some have become standards through debate in these forums, some have become established principles through the mistakes of those who have tried before.

 

If you read the rules this team set for themselves then you will see that they studied previous attempts and conformed to the best current understanding of how such things are done.

 

My team for the Dallas Record Run was 4 Germans and 4 Americans in a 12-passenger van for exactly 24 hours. We found and signed 312 caches and DNF'd, if I recall correctly, 46 more.

 

However, we signed many of the caches by initialing the container with a Sherpie rather than opening the cache to get the logbook, and for 18 of the caches we split into two groups. Those two decisions were soundly criticized throughout the community and many in the community decided that the 294 caches that we did find, still a record, would not be recognized as such.

 

This team (no, I don't know them, never heard of them, didn't know they were even going to try) learned from mistakes such as mine and went out of the way to avoid them.

 

So, every cacher has to decide, within your own understanding of 'the rules', whether you will accept their run as a record.

 

I do. As far as I am concerned this team holds the world record for most caches found in 24 hours until somebody else finds 315!

 

My DRR team did, by the way, work at length with the rules committee of the Guinness Book of World Records. They do not have a category for cache runs and won't create one unless / until it is more commonly done. Since, I hope, geocaching will never become a competitive game I don't see that happening.

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Yes, I am a newbie, so this is probably a stupid question but is there not a standard set of rules for a worlds record? B) I know you are all going to flame the heck out of me but if there are no rules and no impartial judges, then there are no records, in my opinion. Everything from speed records to eating records are validated by a set of rules and some form of judge. Why doesn't the Goecaching comunity approach The Guiness Book Of World Records?

You're right. There is no "official" record. Still, it's a pretty impressive accomplishment.

 

For a "real" record there would have to be a standard set of rules, different categories, audits, etc. The above team were 8 members with no guide. Others have attempted, and some have set, records with a two person team with another as a local guide and driver, or have attempted records with very questionable, and rejected by the community, standards of what it meant to be a "find." There really needs to be a standard: a set of rules of what constitutes a find, an audit trail, confirmation, different categories (solo, pairs, unlimited, etc.), what kind of support is allowed, etc.

 

Unless someone steps up and forms some sort of body for such caching records there will only be these informal records.

 

Congratulations, Team DK08, on the new record!

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Yes, I am a newbie, so this is probably a stupid question but is there not a standard set of rules for a worlds record? B) I know you are all going to flame the heck out of me but if there are no rules and no impartial judges, then there are no records, in my opinion. Everything from speed records to eating records are validated by a set of rules and some form of judge. Why doesn't the Goecaching comunity approach The Guiness Book Of World Records?

There is no 'record' if you mean some sort of official sanction or recognition. There are no rules except as have been unofficially agreed upon in these forums.

 

One reason is that nobody, even those of us who occasionally do such numbers runs, wants geocaching to become competitive.

 

It's hard to say "It's not about the numbers" and "I have the biggest number" in the same sentence, but there it is. That's just the way we cache!

 

Perhaps the thing to be respected is that these men and women set out to do a thing never-before done, spent months and thousands of dollars planning it under unclear rules, did their best to accommodate 'how it should be done', then went and did it. That deserves respect no matter whether the 'record' officially exists or not. Not to even mention traveling overseas and doing it without local help!

 

Those of us who have set, or attempted to set, a 'world record' do it for fun and fully recognize that only the acceptance by our peers as record holders will be the only gain.

 

That said, there are a set of fairly nebulous rules to claiming a record, some are basic geocaching practices, some have become standards through debate in these forums, some have become established principles through the mistakes of those who have tried before.

 

If you read the rules this team set for themselves then you will see that they studied previous attempts and conformed to the best current understanding of how such things are done.

 

My team for the Dallas Record Run was 4 Germans and 4 Americans in a 12-passenger van for exactly 24 hours. We found and signed 312 caches and DNF'd, if I recall correctly, 46 more.

 

However, we signed many of the caches by initialing the container with a Sherpie rather than opening the cache to get the logbook, and for 18 of the caches we split into two groups. Those two decisions were soundly criticized throughout the community and many in the community decided that the 294 caches that we did find, still a record, would not be recognized as such.

 

This team (no, I don't know them, never heard of them, didn't know they were even going to try) learned from mistakes such as mine and went out of the way to avoid them.

 

So, every cacher has to decide, within your own understanding of 'the rules', whether you will accept their run as a record.

 

I do. As far as I am concerned this team holds the world record for most caches found in 24 hours until somebody else finds 315!

 

My DRR team did, by the way, work at length with the rules committee of the Guinness Book of World Records. They do not have a category for cache runs and won't create one unless / until it is more commonly done. Since, I hope, geocaching will never become a competitive game I don't see that happening.

 

Ok, all this sounds reasonable. My only sticking point would be the title "World Record". How about Unofficial World Record, since the rules were not standard and there was no judge? As you said though every cacher must decide for themselves and I would add "with respect given to all decisions". I for one would not accept any such attempt as any sort of World Record. A valiant effort, fantstic run, complete dedication, caching above and beyond the call of duty, more than I have done or will do? Yes to all of these but World Record, no. I think this comes from my feeling that the people who do compete for true World Records deserve the recognition they have strived for.

 

Thank you BTW for trying to get Guiness involved. It is too bad they didn't see fit to include such a fun endeavour.

Edited by Krieg's Bones
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Averaging a cache every 4.57 minutes (13+/hour) . . . MAN, the caches could hardly have even been 1/10 miles apart. MOST IMPRESSIVE!!!!

 

Fnding the cache, opening containers, unfolding log sheets, stamping a team name, re-folding log sheet, stuffing it in the container, sealing and re-hiding the cache, getting back & into the car, driving to the next cache and doing that 315 times at the rate of 13+ per hour for 24 straight hours, non-stop. Almost everything had to be perfect, including easy finds, traffic . . . it seems impossible.

 

Congratulations Team - Well Done!!!

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Goddag Team DK08!! Congratulations STILL on 315 in 24!! It was great to meet you at GeoWoodstock VI and I wanted you to know that I am busy finding all your names/emails in order to send those group pictures we took. In the process of doing so, I came across this site you created!! It's been fun to see all the other cachers that took time to respond... and just letting you know that although it's now June 2nd, your accomplishment in coming to America/California for the first time and managing to plan out such an amazing feat in a new county to find 315 caches in 24 hours, is beyond "PRICELESS"!! Farvel from Sharon & Mac

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'TheAlabamaRambler' date='May 25 2008, 08:14 AM' post='3487435']

 

However, we signed many of the caches by initialing the container with a Sherpie rather than opening the cache to get the logbook, and for 18 of the caches we split into two groups. Those two decisions were soundly criticized throughout the community and many in the community decided that the 294 caches that we did find, still a record, would not be recognized as such.

 

 

I sure wouldn't appreciate you doing that to my cache if you found it.

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'TheAlabamaRambler' date='May 25 2008, 08:14 AM' post='3487435']

However, we signed many of the caches by initialing the container with a Sherpie rather than opening the cache to get the logbook, and for 18 of the caches we split into two groups. Those two decisions were soundly criticized throughout the community and many in the community decided that the 294 caches that we did find, still a record, would not be recognized as such.

 

I sure wouldn't appreciate you doing that to my cache if you found it.

 

Nor would most of us. But, as TAR mentioned when he said "Those two decisions were soundly criticized throughout the community" , that topic has been widely covered in the past. This thread is about the OP's run which did not do that.

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