210

Logging The First Cache
WES37, 5-Bears, Dizzy L

Recently, three new geocache series were hidden in Central Illinois.  A geocache series is a set of caches that can be found singly or in a "power run" to rack up some big numbers.  We decided to find all three series in a single day...with a target of finding at least 200 caches in a single day.  Our team consisted of five cachers, WES37, Dizzy L, 5-Bears and the two of us MNM1011.

We gathered at our house at 6:00 AM.  The van was filled with caching tools, GPS receivers, and plenty of cool drinks.  The temp was 75 so it was a perfect time to start the day's effort.

Logging the Finds

The first series we tackled was the IBE AUS (Named after the song, “I’ve Been Everywhere and using the names of Australian cities for individual cache names.)  The first cache was hidden beside a rural road just outside of Decatur.  The rest of the 90+ caches of the series were hidden along 15 miles of roads leading to Mt. Auburn.

You've got to hustle to find 210!!!

The next series, IBE US, stretched about 10 miles from Illiopolis north to near Mt. Pulaski.  The caches in this series were named after US cities and was placed by the same owners as the IBE AUS series.

The final series, Feed the Frenzy, was east of Decatur, near Bement, Illinois, and consists of 25 caches.  These three series totaled 210 caches.  We found all but 1, but made up for it by finding an individual cache.

Mona Hustling Down the Highway!

Our Log Stamp!

Finding 210 caches in 8 ½ hours takes a lot of coordination.  For our team, we had one person logging the caches, one navigator, on driver and two finders.  We rotated assignments to keep everyone fresh and to give everyone a chance to find caches.  Having two finders was important, not only to double the find speed, but also it helped to have two sets of hands help sign the cache.  Speaking of signing the cache….WES37 had a special rubber stamp made that had all our geocaching names on it.  This really helped speed the process…one person would unroll the cache log and hold it flat as the other would stamp it. 

5-Bears' 1000th Cache!

Mile after mile....cache after cache.  The day seemed to zip by.  We had lunch alongside a country road, eating our sandwiches, chips and tomates standing by the van.  Didn't want to take too much time eating because we had caches to find!

Is that a cache???

After finishing up the two IBE series we had to drive about 40 minutes to get to the last series.  It was over 100 degrees by now and yet there was still lots of energy in the team.  Only 25 caches to find!  On the nineth cache of Feed the Frenzy we had our first DNF (Did Not Find).  Not bad when you consider we had 193 finds in a row up to that point.

About 2:00 in the afternoon, we found cache #210.  We had done it!  It feels so good to set a goal and then accomplish it like that!  We turned the van homeward, cranked up the AC and cruised home to shower and relax!  But wait...relax?  Not yet, there was still the little matter of spending the next three hours entering our finds into geocaching.com.  That's not nearly as much fun, but it sure is nice to see those numbers!!!!

The photo below was taken at the end of the day...we're hot, sweaty and dirty...but happy with our 210!

210 At Last!