The Maryland Geocaching Society

I'm curious as to what people's average difficulty and terrain rating are. My friend Flaffle has her terrain rating over 3.0. My difficulty average is 2.04 and terrain is 2.01. Flaffle wanted to place a challenge cache in Pa for those who have a terrain rating over 2 but the reviewer thought it would be too difficult. So, if you don't mind, can some cachers post their average difficulty and terrain ratings, please? Just something like 1.8/1.6 is fine, difficulty first. I guess number of finds is relevant as well. I have 1012 at the moment.

Feel free to chime in if you think it's a decent challenge and deserves a cache.

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Cache$King

1.73 / 1.55 / 7,772 Finds

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.

-- Albert Einstein

2.04 / 1.84 / 4,169 finds

Data is readily available on cacher's stat pages

1.75/1.63. 1,766 caches.

1.59/1.46 We only have 97 finds. Just started in December and having a blast!

Premium Membership required for Stats page.

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TheWeatherWarrior<---geocaching since March 2002
mdgps member since August 1, 2003. Member #246 of the 2900+
http://www.weatherwarrior.net (where my geocaching pages are)
New Blog: http://igeowarrior.wordpress.com/

1.88/1.64 - 821 finds

I think the problem with this kind of challenge is that for the old timers, who have thousands of caches, it would be almost impossible for them to bring their averages UP to that level. For newbies starting out, if they knew about the challenge, they could easily achieve the rating. But the longer you've been caching the more difficult it would be!

That's an interesting POV that I hadn't considered. When I decided to shoot for 2.0+, it took some work to get there, even though I was only around 700, since I had done the C&D Canal trail (130+ caches @ 1.5/1.5). I suppose that those in the many thousands with an average of 1.6 would never be able to get there. Of course, there are a lot of cachers who don't care to do the higher D/T caches as well so every cache doesn't need to be for every cacher.

Thanks for all the input. I hope to hear some more.

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Cache$King

1.71/1.69 - 4704 Finds

Getting over a 2 will definitely be a challenge for any cacher, especially if they have been caching for any period of time. Its just that I do not think it applies to enough cachers to make it over the threshold.

Thanks Brian. It's good to know that. I suspect that's why the PA reviewer nixed it. I'm still quite curious as to how many people would qualify.

I know that I have a traditional cache that only gets about 1 or 2 finds a year. That doesn't mean that it shouldn't be there. I also have a couple of puzzle caches that may not see any more finders, since the puzzle gurus have solved and found them already. Again, that doesn't mean that they shouldn't be there.

There are some challenges that are not likely to be qualified for until you get over a thousand caches (Delorme, Jasmer and Fizzy are some that come to mind). Having a challenge that is more suited to someone with less finds might be nice. I remember having 100 finds and thinking I was really cool!

Something like this would have to include a minimal number of finds or else someone that finds a single 2.0/2.0 cache would qualify.

After hearing some more feedback and checking some user stats, and maybe getting some input from Dr.MD, I'll decide if it makes sense.
Thanks!

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Cache$King

Such a challenge does not comply with current Groundspeak challenge guidelines/rules ... they must not require a cacher to change their caching style (IOW to NOT find certain caches, which would be necessary to qualify for almost everyone). The Regular Challenge in PA for example, where the challenge is to get the number of finds on regular size containers greater than any other size container, would now not be allowed. Fortunately it is "grandfathered" in.

Oreviewer is a stickler for the rules... actually I think all reviewers will stick to the Groundspeak rules, it doesn't seem to be one that's open to Reviewer discretion.

My stats: 2.34 / 1.93 / 4674

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Sue, Vinny & Sue Team

See point 6 specifically: http://support.groundspeak.com/index.ph ... age&id=206

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Sue, Vinny & Sue Team

Thanks, Sue. That kills the idea. But that's OK.



Seems like an odd requirement. If I choose to change my geocaching style to find certain types of caches . . . well, that's my choice. Not to get anyone started but it's sounding very Orwellian to me.

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Cache$King

I think it's because some cachers get all bent out of shape if there's a "?" on their map that they can't change to a smilie

I used to have a slight obsession with clearing "?"'s but let that go when the streaking challenges popped up in MD. I think 12 days in a row is my longest streak and I have no plans to change that.

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Sue, Vinny & Sue Team

I had an obsession with clearing all caches within a certain radius of home (5 miles) but lost interest in urban hides. I always have them around for getting caches on certain days (like leap day, 12/12/12, etc). I can't do a streak either. Too many things going on in my life to be able to commit to finding a cache a day.

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Cache$King

1.74/1.65 6,553 finds. I don't see this going up any time soon. Our terrain rating will be limited a bit for the foreseeable future.

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We are now Mr. And Mrs. Coupleocachers.

Mine's 1.85/2.02 with 7917 finds. Yes, it can be done for someone with a lot of finds.

2.03/1.83/1801 (over eight years)

Is it just me or are challenges perhaps getting a wee bit out of hand? Ironically, on the point of changing behavior to meet requirements, I would have to do so to meet the requirements on a good number of the challenges out there (though I admit doing so would generally involve little more than simply getting out and geocaching more). Regardless, following finding the MD's 5 oldest challenge I stopped looking at challenges since I simply do not have the time to have that kind of focus or pour that much effort into meeting specific requirements anymore.

tl;dr - I'm sad question marks aren't being used for honest to goodness *puzzles* anymore...

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Of course there are, more than ever, take your blinkers off.

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Sue, Vinny & Sue Team

1.81/1.64, 1596 finds