Author: Paige Edmiston
7 Tips for Achieving All 7 Souvenirs of August
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyuepAOlhrg&feature=youtu.be]
This August, your mission is to explore more of the geocaching universe and, ultimately, to become one of the super-cachers who earn the highly coveted Achiever souvenir. To unlock this special geocaching achievement, you’ll need to find 6 specific geocache types in the month of August.
Here are 7 tips to help you achieve, well, Achiever status:
1. Be Prepared
This motto is not just for the Boy Scouts. Finding 6 different geocache types requires planning ahead, especially if you live in Traditional-heavy area. Check to see what souvenirs might require leaving your neighborhood, and see if you can tie them into a weekend road trip or business travel. And, of course, always carry your tools of the trade (TOTT) in case opportunity strikes. (Never, never get caught without a pen!)
2. Start Early
With only 6 geocache finds needed to earn the Achiever souvenir, it can be tempting to put them off until the last weekend. Warning: This is not college. Cramming is no longer a safe bet. Start knocking off the souvenirs early in the month to allow room for error.
3. Partner with Friends
Feeling intimidated by finding a new geocache type? That’s what friends are for! As we learned with the Geocaching Personality Quiz, it takes all kinds to make up the geocaching community. Find someone who has a different personality type than you so that you can each specialize in finding specific geocache types. Friends can even help you sprinkle extra awesome on the 7 Souvenirs of August.
4. Throw a Party
To earn the Socializer souvenir, you need to log an Attended at an Event Cache, Mega-Event, or Giga-Event. Sign up for the Weekly Newsletter to learn about upcoming events in your area, or host one yourself! Remember, hosts can log an Attended for their own Event Caches.
5. Host a CITO
Don’t have an Earth Cache near you? No problem! Every neighborhood could use a CITO event. You’ll earn the Nature Lover souvenir and Mother Earth will thank you.
6. Double Check Your Neighborhood
We’ve all done it. You’ve cleared out all the Traditional geocaches in your area, and you feel like there’s nothing left to find. (Okay, you Puzzlers and Collectors. Some of us have done this. Okay, fine. I can only say with certainty that I’ve done this. Happy?) This is your chance to take off your Traditional geocache blinders and see the Multi-Caches, Mystery Caches, and Letterbox Hybrids for what they are: geocaches waiting for your autograph.
7. Put it in Perspective
Yes, earning the Achiever souvenir can be daunting. But let’s put the challenge in perspective: Traditionals are easy to come by, you can attend or host an event, and if there’s not an Earth Cache in your area, you can host a CITO event. Knock those three out and you’re already halfway there! That just leaves three more geocaches to find: one Mystery Cache, one Multi-Cache, and either a Virtual, Whereigo, Letterbox Hybrid, or WebCam Cache. Take a deep breath… and go get ‘em. (But wait for August 1st of course.)
Tell Us Your Tips
Are you an expert in finding a specific type of geocache? If so, leave your tips for finding that geocache type in the comments below. This is going to take teamwork, friends!
7 Tips to Sprinkle Extra Awesome on the 7 Souvenirs of August
Geocaching HQ staffers love August. The Seattle weather is perfect. We get to meet geocachers from all over the world who come to log the Geocaching HQ geocache or attend Geocaching Block Party. And each year, we find a new way to challenge each other to geocaching greatness.
This year, we have a collective goal: 100% of the 70+ HQ’ers will earn all 7 Souvenirs of August. This is something we’ll do together, and we would love to see you use the same teamwork-based strategy in your local geocaching community.We’ll carpool to geocaches, help each other solve Mystery Caches, and cheer each other on.
At the same time, we couldn’t resist throwing a healthy dose of competition into the mix.
To add in an extra sprinkle of challenge and fun to keep us geocaching all month long, we’ve formed seven teams that, in addition to supporting each other in achieving the 7 Souvenirs of August, will compete against each other to be the best in the following categories:
- First team to have every member complete all 7 Souvenirs of August
- Most geocache finds in August
- Greatest distance traveled
- Greatest number of Travel Bugs moved
- Average difficulty rating
- Average terrain rating
- Best geocaching-themed Instagram video with the hashtag #7SofA
This summer, you and your family, friends, coworkers, and geocaching organization can take the 7 Souvenirs of August to the next level too.
Here are Geocaching HQ’s 7 steps to attaining geocaching greatness this August:
1. Break into teams. Here at HQ, we decided to randomly assign teams to allow staffers to spend time with coworkers they don’t usually get to work with. Dividing by skill level or geocaching interest (i.e. the perfect blend of geocaching personality types) is also a great way to ensure the competition will be close.
2. Give your team an identity. Team names are a must. Without one, what will you chant when you are victorious? Our teams are (surprise, surprise) named after the 7 Souvenirs of August: The Nature Lovers, The Explorers, The Puzzlers, The Collectors, The Socializers, and The Sightseers. (We’re all going to be Achievers, after all.) Bonus points for jerseys, headbands, sunglasses, and 7 Souvenirs of August SWAG.
3. Set up a leaderboard. Share a spreadsheet to track individual and team stats, or if you’re technically inclined, work some GPX magic.
4. Strategize. Get together with your team to talk shop. Will someone host a midnight Event Cache so the team can earn all 7 Souvenirs first? Or will you focus on find count or terrain rating? Is your team made up of people who are great at solving puzzles, climbing trees, or road-tripping? (Hint: Eating pizza while strategizing helps the brain think. It’s science.)
5. Make a calendar of geocaching outings. Once you have your strategy, plan when you’ll make it happen. Geocaching together is a great way to keep inspired and avoid the dreaded DNF.
6. Create a shared online space. Setting up a Facebook group or email chain is a great way to share updates, make sure you’re on track to achieving your goals (and winning!), and keep the team engaged and inspired.
7. Capture your favorite geocaching moments. So maybe your team won’t find the most geocaches or travel the furthest distance, but you can show off that you had the most fun. Create a geocaching highlight reel and be sure to share it on your favorite social media platforms. Don’t forget to use the #7SofA hashtag.
Ready to start plotting your August strategy? Share this video and invite your friends to join in the fun:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyuepAOlhrg&feature=youtu.be]
Now Tell Us Your Tips
How will you and your geocaching organization sprinkle a little extra awesome on the 7 Souvenirs of August?
Help Name the Next Geocacher of the Month
Geocachers are known for being adventurous, friendly, a little quirky, and just plain fun.
June’s Geocacher of the Month nominees are no exception.
In addition to earning an impressive number of smileys, these geocachers have hidden quality geocaches admired by many, and they never fail to bring laughter, joy, and helpful hints to all those they meet. If you’re out on the trail and need to Phone-a-Friend, these are the geocachers you want on speed dial.
Each of the nominees below is an essential part of the global geocaching community and will receive a prize package from Geocaching HQ in Seattle, but only one will be the next Geocacher of the Month. A panel from Geocaching HQ will use your comments, community input and other data to decide the winner.
Now it’s your turn to help us select the next Geocacher of the Month: write a supportive comment for the nominated geocacher you feel should be awarded the title.
Leftygator
Afwingman writes, “Leftygator has been geocaching since 2003, before geocaching had become the hobby it is today with Pocket Queries and advancements in GPS technology. We first met leftygator just after we started geocaching in November 2009. We met for breakfast and have become great friends ever since. Leftygator has put out outstanding geocaches and does not hesitate to offer guidance and assistance to all the new geocachers in and around the Mississippi Gulf Coast area. Stumped on a cache? Call leftygator and he will go out his way to give you the nudge you need to get you back on track. With Keesler Air Force base located in Biloxi, he has taken airman under his wing that became interested in geocaching. They then take the hobby world wide in their travels and adventures and get other airman involved who get their friends into geocaching. He is a great asset and ambassador to the geocaching community and it would be an honor to have him considered for Geocacher of the Month.”
Dhaulaghiri writes, “After overcoming the shock of moving to Houston, TX we met a great bunch of local cachers that have provided us with lot’s of caching fun. .Jpeg particularly stands out because of the ingenious nature of his hides and the variety of hides he’s put out, but also because of his wonderful, thoughtful and sometimes even downright funny logs on caches he finds.
.Jpeg is an inspiration to me and other cachers I know in the Houston area, always willing to help out a fellow cacher, go on a hunt on short notice and last but certainly not least a truly wonderful human being!”
gillywig
animalbiker67(ab67) writes, “The caches that gillywig puts out are interesting to do. [She is} always willing to assist in every way and is always bubbly and full of energy. Gillywig assists finders with her Puzzle ones too, but will still not give the game away – brilliant hints. She is a joy to communicate with and she never lets me down.”
