Return to Project-GC

Welcome to Project-GC Q&A. Ask questions and get answers from other Project-GC users.

If you get a good answer, click the checkbox on the left to select it as the best answer.

Upvote answers or questions that have helped you.

If you don't get clear answers, edit your question to make it clearer.

+33 votes
10.9k views
2016 is a fresh new year full of geocaching possibilities. Do you have any special goals that you are planning to fulfill during 2016?
in Miscellaneous by pinkunicorn (Moderator) (194k points)
retagged by pinkunicorn (Moderator)
My Goal was to reach 1000 which i would reach this weekend. By now i think it would rather be reaching 1200 Caches ;)

74 Answers

+10 votes

Hello, nice idea to write down, what I keep in mind... smiley Therefore:

  • First of all to complete the Finds by found date calendar. I only miss the leap day yet.
  • Follow on the practice I set up for myself - to create one geocache/event for every one hundred I have found/attended. (22 owned yet)
  • Go on with the Finds by hidden month completing. I miss 42 there yet. Would be satisfied with the half of this amount missing at the end of this year.
  • To visit at least 4 new countries and the geocaches there, of course. Always thinking about how much I travelled prior started going for caching... smiley
  • 5 new gemstones and 2 diamonds.
  • Follow on with finds in streak (480 currently) as long as I can.
  • Keep logging one FTF per month (currently 9 - including this January).
  • Silver belt. (Uff... this is going to be the toughest mission I think.)

Those are the main statistic goals. However first of all I would like to see new places I wouldn't ever plan to visit if not going for caching. That's what I love this game for. wink

by Guru Joe (1.6k points)
I'd like to fill in the remaining holes in my Finds by hidden month grid as well, but at this point all of them require me to travel to other countries.
Well, that's my concern as well. That's why I have just put WA on the forthcoming GIGA in Germany. This way I hope I can fulfill it. And moreover I can add another one "to do" to my above mentioned list. :-)
+9 votes

As for my own goals, I have a few:

  • I plan to complete my mystery calender so that I have logged at least one mystery cache on each date (I currently have 14 dates to go). [2016-05-30: Done]
  • I'm going to complete a challenge that requires me to log at least 50 caches per calendar month for two years. I have now completed 12 months, so I need to keep it up during all of 2016. [2016-12-05: Done]
  • I'll try to achieve diamond badges for letterboxes (currently missing 13) [2016-09-11: Done] and events (currently missing 27) [2016-10-04: Done].
  • I'll try to keep logging at least one FTF per month. I'm currently up to 53 but I haven't managed one for January yet... [2016-12-04: Done]
  • Finally, and probably most work-inducing: I'm going to arrange a Mega-Event. [2016-11-05: Done]

Edit 2016-12-05: All goals completed!

by pinkunicorn (Moderator) (194k points)
edited by pinkunicorn (Moderator)
I've been contemplating how to host a mega event as well.  I am definitely interested in a 'thread' on this subject.
Just go ahead and start a thread in the Miscellaneous category!
+9 votes
I'm planning to bring my geocaching streak up to at least a year long. I tried this last year, but broke the streak at 266 days. Ideally I'd like to have my longest streak exceed my longest slump, but that's going to be tricky when my longest slump was close to four years.

I will be passing 1000 finds this year (currently at 930), I'll see if I can manage it this month.

I've set myself a personal challenge of at least 3 types per day for 33 days. If challenge caches get reinstated I may make a challenge cache for it (although I'll probably loosen the challenge to not require the 33 days to be in a single streak).

I finished an alphabet streak that I started in December. I failed the last attempt I made at that challenge when I hit X.

I'd like to finish my D/T matrix this year. Definitely should be able to fill in my hidden dates and found dates calendars.
by sumbloke (Expert) (35.1k points)
I managed my 1000th find in January and finished my 33 day streak of 3 types per day in February.
+9 votes
Have a lot of fun!
by Zazza1 (680 points)
+8 votes

I am about to move to an other  city this year, and start a new job there, so geocaching is not on the top of my list for this year. Nevertheless i want to try to reach some points:

  • I'd like to reach 3000 finds ( currently at 2648)
  • I would like to fill some holes in the hidden month stats. (one missing in 2004, 3 in 2003, and 7 in 2002; 2000 and 2001 are completely empty, not sure to ever find one of those.) Let's see which gaps will be filled in 2016
  • and the hidden date stats, too, currently i miss 6 dates..
  • place some caches in the new area
  • That will hopefullly fill the gap (6th Feb.) in my Placed caches by found date stats. I had them all, but when i transferred one cache with app. 930 logs to an other user, that day was gone with the logs, too. So i have to hide a new cache, because i archived the old ones due to the move
That's a lot of work for me.. :-)
by NoobNader (Expert) (15.9k points)
+8 votes

I want to round up my statistics a bit, especially:

  • complete the calendar matrix (only two days are missing)
  • complete the D/T matrix (only one combination is missing, but there is no suitable cache within 50 km of my home zone)
  • get a diamond badge in the above mentioned categories
  • get some more gemstone badges, e.g. the ruby badge for the Letterboxer and the Head-In-The-Ground Award
  • reduce the percentage of traditional caches
  • increase the average log length

Moreover:

  • hide two or three caches (I already have ideas for them)
  • organize at least one event
by tadaima (12.5k points)
My goals for 2016 are to find at least 1,000 caches (preferably 2016+), complete the Jasmer Challenge, and increase my letterbox, multicache, and virtual finds to 100 each.
+7 votes
2016 Will be a interesting year. I hope to get 1000 more cache.
- Makt my first werigo fore what we hope Will be a Nice mega-event https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC64644_spatind-2016?guid=8a431ef1-e24a-4e0b-bbca-569c20e4d2bb#
- Make a qualiti power-trale White 30 rear and uniqe cache.
- And finale get a New familymember in mars.
by Lenko89 (510 points)
+7 votes

- I plan to complete the finds by found date calendar. I only miss the leap day, as many other cachers do :-).

- Change some Ruby-badges into diamond.

- Change some Platinum-badges into gemstones.

That´s it and it´s a lot of work.

by Spasskaiser (700 points)
+7 votes
New year and also a new geocaching season. ANd there are also a few Goals:

- finally log all my caches I have in my field notes (almost embarrassing to say that I am about 1500 logs behind)

- geocaching in some other countries more

- and simple always having a good and joyful time with geocaching
by Turako (1.1k points)
+6 votes
I want this year publish a letterbox and an event organized with the difficulty 5
by Minos2003 (4.8k points)
What's your ideas for creating an event that really motivates having a high D-rating? There's a requirement that the event "takes place at the posted coordinates" and a cacher is allowed to log it online after having "attended the event" (which I take to mean having been on the spot).

I can see how it's easy to create an event with a high T-rating (just pick a place that's difficult to get to), but how to meaningfully make an event with a high D-rating?
My best idea I have had (but not tested), is to have it in a closed room/building, with a combination lock or similar. Where one has to solve a mystery to get the code.

I can't see that it's against the guidelines, but I am quite sure it's not what Groundspeak would like either, and maybe not even approve of.
I also believe it will be difficult.
The event on a floating island and the letterbox secured with lock.
For suggestions and ideas I'm happy
An event has no logbook according to guidelines. With exception of Mega and Giga. Therefore it's hard to use a lock for the logbook.
Well, an event doesn't *have* to have a log book and even if it does, signing it is not mandatory in order to log the event as attended. Note that that is true for mega events (and probably for gigas) as well: "Every Mega-Event must have a free or low cost participation option. Free or low cost participation options should include main event activities such as gathering, signing the logbook (if there is one) and participating in geocaching activities." (from https://support.groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=86)
I am not aware of other revievers' policies, but our (Czech) RW publish only D1 Events & MegaEvents. However CITOs are still free to be D5.
Do you know the motivation of why a CITO can be more difficult than a "normal" event?
I can see their point that all events should be D1 (or at least D < 3). But I can't see why that shouldn't apply to CITO then.

Regardless, interesting to hear the differences between nations.
According to GS, some CITO activities are physically or mentaly demanding, so CITO can still be > D1. e.g. https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC5A9NW_cito-souteska-kamenice-ve-strzi-9
Do you happen to have a reference to that "according to GS"? I'm interested in seeing how they phrase it.
Thanks for the answers.
A CITO I like that.
My idea would GC5M2AG
Greetings Since
Heinz Pfisterer from Belgium
I once attended a D5 event: http://coord.info/GC5HB9G
In the listing it says it is D5 because of the date and time (christmas eve 11 pm).
A good idea, let's see if I can do that in Belgium too.
Thank you for these great ideas
An event in the centre of a maze could warrant a high difficulty level.
+6 votes

Good question!

In my case, the answers are as follows:

  • With the exception of the APE and Lost&Found (plus the unsupported types), to get at least the bronze of every badge going in Badgegen. At present this means I need to find 18 multi-caches, 14 mysteries, 1 mega, 1 webcam, 2 regulars, 6 FTFs and host 1 event (which is already published)  - Achieved all badges 28 August.
  • To get my first diamond badge - probably for CITOs attended (3 more needed) - Achieved 16 April.
  • To host an alternative Pi Day event for the British date format - ie on 22/7 - Hosted with 5 attendees.
  • To attend the North Wales Mega and every connected event during that week - Achieved all official events in Wales
  • To get at least 50 caches in a single day
  • If the opportunity arises, to get ten cache types in a single day - Achieved 16 April

I'd also like to get up to 2000 caches, though at my current rate that will probably be next year .

by Optimist on the run (Expert) (20.1k points)
edited by Optimist on the run (Expert)
Progress report:

Regular cacher bronze badge (100 regular caches) achieved 24 Jan.

Event host badge achieved 29 Feb.

Ten types a day (Webcam, virtual, traditional, earthcache, letterbox, CITO, wherigo, event, mystery, multicache in that order) achieved 16 Apr, giving me my first non-country diamond badge and my webcam bronze badge.

Three FTFs on 14 May gave me the bronze FTF badge.

Pi Day event hosted on 22/7 as planned.

I attended all the official Mega Week events held in North Wales, though not the Imp's event on the previous Monday (held in England) as I didn't go that way (I held a small event of my own instead).

I got my 50th Mystery Cache on 8th August

I got my 50th Multi-cache on 28th August. Still keeping up with at least one cache in Wales per month.
I've set myself another target for this year as well: to get at least one cache in Wales each month. So far I've got Aberystwyth in January, Ebbw Vale in February and a series across Mid-Wales in March.
Achieved this on 15 December with a caching trip to Mid Wales.
+6 votes
To complete the fizzy challenge, add 10 webcams, and 100 caches in three states other than my own.
by railroad (610 points)
I wish I could realistically add 10 webcams. Today there are only 7 of them active in all of Sweden (4 of which I have logged already). (There have only ever been 21 of them published in all of Sweden, and the rest of them are archived.)
+6 votes
Planned some personal challenges with the badges in the statistics. Reaching the next level in all of the cache catregories (esp. multi and unknown), all German regions (three more to go) and a 360° challenge (42 missing) - the last one will be the toughest, though. Maybe at the end of the year there will be 6,000 founds, too, but that is not a main goal.
by HumboldtundBlackJack (290 points)
+6 votes
I want to enjoy nature and finding caches, see some new places and meet new people.
by RendyStod (1.5k points)
+5 votes

Similar to tadaima, I would like to round up my statistics a bit and doing that, get out to some nice adventures with my geocaching friends now they are all back home ;-)

  • going on to complete the calendar matrix (some 60 days left)
  • same for the D/T matrix (73. field completed today so 8 missing)
  • get some more souvenirs (in particular the nice leap year one)
  • find a nice hiding spot for the lovely cache my friends made for me
  • organise an event on my own.
by Domino_67 (6.8k points)
+5 votes
Having only started in mid August 2015 it's difficult to know which targets to focus on as there is still so much possibles to achieve. As a minimum I want to be able to clear out my local city area, and achieve 1500 caches (possibly 2000). I'd like to add a couple of extra countries and complete my D/T matrix barring T4, 4.5 and 5 which I'm finding physically impossible given a bad hip.

I'd like to do more road trips with fellow local Cachers and attempt a genuine 100 caches in a day, made up of normally placed caches rather than bucket power trails.
by ShammyLevva (Expert) (8.3k points)
Not sure that would be possible without a power trail. 24 hours in a day x 60 minutes per hour is 1440 minutes per day. That leaves you just 14.4 minutes per cache in order to find 100 in a day.

Without a power trail, it seems like it would be difficult to even find 100 caches that you could even travel to within that time period. Plus you have to factor in the time it takes to actually find the cache and sign the log (or not find it - a DNF - and then have to go elsewhere!). And taking time to eat and get gas will cut into your time even further. Seems like it would be difficult!
+5 votes
My goal is to reach 1000 finds in 2016. Perhaps a new country and paint my own and one neighbour state green. I am a collector of counties, so 50 more counties should be a target :)
by Hænningsen (920 points)
+5 votes
Keep all my caches in good state offered to geocacher in Belgium (400+), may be one or two more abroad during holidays, intitiate some people to this interesting hobby, reach the 2000 found, organize an event or two and participate to some during the year .. and enjoy nature and photography!
by Pepegeo (10.2k points)
+5 votes
In 2016 i want:

- reach 1000 finds in my country

- make a CITO

I hope, that I'll have more time for geocaching. :-)
by Miszczus (2.6k points)
good idea, me to same target in france
+5 votes

My plan for 2016 is to create and hide at least 20 more outstanding, creative, awesome geocaches.

If I can make this happen I would be very pleased.

by Der Grosse Baer DGB (1.9k points)
...