Project-GC tracks a statistic called "Cache Centroid". The best description I could locate was that it is "the point on the surface of the Earth corresponding to the 3-dimensional average of all your [found] cache positions (not including Adventure Labs). That is, calculate each cache position as X, Y, and Z in 3 dimensions. Average them all, and that point will be somewhere inside the Earth. Find the point on the surface directly above it, and that is your centroid."
I have seen that statistic and wondered how much it changes as I find geocaches on caching trips (near and far) in all directions from my home in Toledo. I thought it would be a fun idea to place a series of traditional cache as near as I could to my current calculated Centroid and record the position of the Centroid to that spot over a period of time. When and if it moves significantly, I would periodically place a new geocache near to the new position. I look forward to seeing the movement over time. I am also curious in which general direction it usually moves.
This is the fourth geocache in the series. It has been almost a year since the latest in this series and almost 2 years since the first. It is fascinating watching the Centroid move. The net effect of my last year of geocaching has moved the Centroid 7.32 miles South (and a bit West). It is about 44 Miles SSW from my home In the past year most of my caching has been within 70 miles from home (mostly North, Northeast and East). However, I did have a 6 week long trip to Pensacola Florida and did lots of caching while there and on the route to and from there. I also did a side trip to pick up Mississippi as a state. That trip is the reason that my Centroid moved dramatically in the direction it did. When I first returned in late October, the Centroid was about 5 miles more South (SE of Ottawa) than it is now. I have been monitoring its progress since then, watching as it moved North and a bit East, waiting for it to get near a place for me to place another cache in the series. However, it was always too close to houses, in the middle of fields OR along roads where there was no safe place to park and too dangerous. For the past 2 months, I have purposely done many caching trips 50-70 miles to the Northeast and East of Toledo in order to help steer the centroid to a good spot. I am surrprised how much the Centroid moves. I would think that averaging the 8500+ geocaches I have found would make the move with each new cache find rather small. However, while steering the Centroid, it would often move more than 50 feet for each geocache found.
My Cache Centroid history from this geocache (to be updated periodically).
4-18-21: N 41 03.909 W 083 59.768 - About in the center of this intersection.
If I have not updated the Centroid in a while, you can find my current Centroid at the following link
https://project-gc.com/ProfileStats/Starkacher (Copy/Paste this URL since the link below is not working)
<a href="https://project-gc.com/ProfileStats/Starkacher">Project-GC Starkacher profile stats</a>