2021 GC Trackable Patch

This geocaching trackable patch is my personal travel tracker for the year 2021. It accompanies me from cache to cache, visiting every cache I go to, whether found or not found.  It will be retired at the end of the year with a summary of my geocaching highlights in 2021.

JAN 1, 2021 ACTIVATION

My objectives for the year are as follows:

• Achieve 730 geocache finds during 2021 (for an average find rate of 2.0 caches per day). 
• Add at least three new U.S. states to my States Visited map. 
• Visit one other country or territory. 
• Add two D/T squares to my Difficulty/Terrain Grid. 
• Attend 12 events (average of 1 per month). 
• Attend one Mega/Giga Event (such as Geowoodstock XVIII in British Columbia). 
• Create one geocaching event and create three new geocaches.
• Complete 12 Adventure Lab series.
• Achieve 12 FTFs.
• Acquire 12 souvenirs.

PROGRESS TOWARD 2121 OBJECTIVES

My progress toward the objectives stated above:

• Found 1017 geocaches through Nov 30th (3.1 per day average)
• Visited 4 new states this year:
  1. Wisconsin (state) on 4/22/2021
  2. Oklahoma (state) on 8/17/2021
  3. New Mexico (state) on 8/19/2021
  4. Kansas (state) on 9/11/2021
• Added 1 new D/T squares to my Difficulty/Terrain Grid:
  1. 74th square filled (D/T 2.5/4.5) 306 days after filling previous empty square by finding One of 11 Different Cache Types Challenge (GC5QNWQ) in Nashville, TN on 9/29/2021
• Created 3 geocaching events:
  1. March 1st "Holiday" Meet & Greet (GC95WAH) in Orlando, FL on 3/01/2021
  2. Veterans Day Weekend CITO in Pigeon Forge (GC9HJ6D) in Pigeon Forge, TN on 11/14/2021
  3. Community Celebration Event: Barn Quilt Workshop (GC8T8M0) in Lillington, NC on 12/30/2021
• Attended 10 geocaching events:
  1. Oakwood Cemetery CITO III (GC94W0M) in Raleigh, NC on 1/20/2021
  2. "Casimir Pulaski Day" Meet & Greet (GC95WAH) in Orlando, FL on 3/01/2021
  3. Mill Creek Rd Cleanup - Wilmington, NC Area (GC96P9D) in Leland, NC on 3/27/2021
  4. Appleton Parks and Recreation CITO Event (GC9794W) in Appleton, WI on 4/24/2021
  5. America's Pastime I (GC9B859) in Kannapolis, NC on 6/12/2021
  6. 2021 Together Again - Community Celebration Event (GC8M911) in Goldsboro, NC on 7/18/2021
  7. VeteranTributes Provo Meet 'n Greet (GC9EZRA) in Provo, UT on 9/04/2021 
  8. Veterans Day Weekend CITO in Pigeon Forge (GC9HJ6D) in Piugeon Forge, TN on 11/14/2021
  9. �� Lights ... Camera ... GIFF 2021 �� (GC9HVM0) in Cary, NC on 11/18/2021
  10. Community Celebration Event for Durham's 1st Cache (GC8M96H) in Durham, NC on 12/12/2021
• Created 2 geocaches -
  1. Averasboro Battlefield Bonus Cache #1 (GC99KEA) near Dunn, NC on 4/30/2021
  2. Averasboro Battlefield Bonus Cache #2 (GC9AP3D) near Wade, NC (not yet submitted or published)
• Created 2 Adventure Labs -
  1. Averasboro Battlefield near Dunn, NC on 4/30/2021
  2. Hamilton: "Quilting Capital of the World" in Hamilton, MO on 9/26/2021
• Completed 48 Adventure Labs -
  1. Grotesque Adventure Lab in Durham, NC on 1/03/2021
  2. Paint the Town in Durham, NC on 1/03/2021
  3. The Cradle of American Golf in Pinehurst, NC on 1/09/2021
  4. Who is Barton Stone? in Wilson, NC on 2/10/2021
  5. Historic Wilson in Wilson, NC on 2/10/2021
  6. Secret Garden in Wilson, NC on 2/10/2017
  7. A Rocky Mount Adventure in Rocky Mount, NC on 2/17/2021
  8. Goldsboro - Our Town in Goldsboro, NC on 2/17/2021
  9. Churches in Orlando in Orlando, FL on 3/02/2021
  10. Kenly - Hometown Charm in Kenly, NC on 3/21/2021
  11. Walking Tour of Caolina in Chapel Hill, NC on 4/16/2021
  12. Chapel Hill Art Walk in Chapel Hill, NC on 4/16/2021

Objective met and surpassed -- See complete list below

• Found 7 FTFs:
  1. Geo-Anniversary Cache (GC94WRR) in Fayetteville, NC on 1/21/2021
  2. Monkey Bread (GC951RF) in Fayetteville, NC on 1/21/2021
  3. Soldier Troop (GC98B82) in Holly Springs, NC on 3/31/2021
  4. Cap It Off (GC98BF1) in Cary, NC on 4/06/2021
  5. By the Ponds (GC98PG5) in Fuquay-Varina, NC on 4/15/2021 
  6. MBD (GC9A88A) near Sanford, NC on 5/02/2021
  7. Hotel Hides: Swinging Silver (GC9AZ1Q) in Raleigh, NC on 5/09/2012
• Acquired 29 souvenirs:
  1. First 2021 acquired on 1/02/2021
  2. Natural Wonders of the World on 3/04/2021
  3. Solar System Wonders of the World on 3/21/2021
  4. Ultimate Explorer on 3/21/2021
  5. CITO 2021 Season 1 on 3/27/2021
  6. Mars Perseverance Rover on 3/31/2021
  7. The Science of Discovery: Rocket science acquired on 4/16/2021
  8. The Science of Discovery: Geology acquired on 4/16/2021
  9. Wisconsin State on 4/22/2021
  10. The Science of Discovery: Environmental science on 4/22/2021
  11. The Science of Discovery: Futurology on 4/23/2021
  12. Blue Switch Day 2021 on 5/02/2021
  13. Locationless Cache - GC8NEAT on 5/22/2021

16 additional souvenirs

This patch is the perfect way for me to make myself trackable and to graphically illustrate on a map my geocaching adventures wherever I go! The patch includes the official Geocaching icon with the words 'Discover Me Geocaching.com'. Securely attached to the bottom of the patch is an engraved metal strip with its unique tracking number.

Thank you for posting a discover entry and a note when you see me and my trackable patch on the trail or at an event.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2021

In addition to the highlights detailed above, my other noteworthy geocaching accomplishments for the year are as follows:

• Significant geocaching accomplishments (chronologically listed)  - 
  1. "Oldest Caches Found" added to my top 10 list
     • Boo Boo...we're not in Jellystone anymore! (GC7CB) in Raleigh, NC on 4/12/2021 (it was placed 4/23/2001 -- my 5th oldest geocache found)
     • Beavers Playground (GC17B) in Raleigh, NC on 4/12/2021 (it was placed 01/15/2001 -- my 3rd oldest geocache found)
     • Mingo (GC30) in Mingo, KS on 9/11/2021 (it was placed 5/11/2000 -- my top oldest geocache found, the oldest active geocache in the world)
  2. Caches found with most favorite points - 
     • Let’s improve the outdoors - Locationless cache (GC8NEAT) with 3,471 favorites (with 17,569 finds) when I claimed as found on 5/22/2021
     • Mingo (GC30) in Mingo, KS with 3,309 favorites (with on 8,658 finds) when I found on 9/11/2021
  3. Most counties in a day during 2021 - 20 counties (in NC, TN, VA) on 5/23/2021 (two shy of beating single-day record of 21 counties on 7/06/2014)
  4. New caches with the highest elevations -
     • Black Bear Pass Cache (GC7WBWA) in Colorado at 12,838 ft 
     • Ski Pole, Maybe Not (GC7YEAZ) in News Mexico at 10,256 ft  
     • ZK over 10K (GC2X596) in New Mexico at 10,174 ft   
     • Old Town Square (GCWMTJ) in Colorado at 9,298 ft   
     • To Too Two EASY (GC1XA6W) in Colorado at 9,295 ft 
     • CO-RRPT-Anvil Mountain Gossans (GC5ZKAP) in Silverton, CO at 9,295 ft
     • Galloping Goose (GC9CYB6) in Telluride, CO at 8,799 ft
     • A Funny Way to Ride the Rails #1 (GC76D6) in Telluride, CO at 8,796 ft
     • Wabbit Season #3 (GC60ATY) in Black Forest, CO at 7,398 ft on 9/08/2021
     • Wabbit Season #5 (GC60AVQ) in Black Forest, CO at 7,300 ft on 9/09/2021
• Milestones -
  1. Achieved the following centenary finds:
     • 7,700th Find - Historic Wilson: Railroad (Adv.Lab) in Wilson, NC on 2/10/2021
     • 7,800th Find - CBA Was Here (GC4BQR2) located near Fremont, NC on 3/21/2021
     • 7,900th Find - Public Art in Appleton: Sidewalk Poetry (Adv.Lab) in Appleton, WI on 4/23/2021
     • 8,000th Find - Let’s improve the outdoors - Locationless Cache (GC8NEAT) in Seattle, WA on 5/22/2021
     • 8,100th Find - Faison's First Touch of Cache (GC23QPB) in Faison, NC on 6/18/2021
     • 8,200th Find - For the Kid in Us All #4 (GCZT26) in Cary, NC on 7/26/2021
     • 8,300th Find - Alphanumeric Cachers: Challenge Cache (GC2XPEK) in Pleasant Grove, UT on 8/25/2021
     • 8,400th Find - Deep Rooted (GC85X8F) in Highland, UT on 9/03/2021
     • 8,500th Find - Lake Junaluska: Chief (Adv.Lab) in Junaluska, NC on 9/16/2021
     • 8,600th Find -  Awesome Campgrounds #1 (GC73DGB) near Gatlinburg, TN on 11/12/2021
     • 8,700th Find - The Result - Sarah Lee Odend'hal Fain (Adv.Lab) in Norfolk, VA on 12/21/2021
  2. Filled my "Finds By Hidden Month" Grid for 2001 with the following three finds:
     • January - Beavers Playground (GC17B) in Raleigh, NC on 4/12/2021 (it was placed 01/15/2001)
     • April - Boo Boo...we're not in Jellystone anymore! (GC7CB) in Raleigh, NC on 4/12/2021 (it was placed 4/23/2001)
     • September - Cache of Ages (GC1A0E) in Sheboygan, WI on 4/22/2021 (it was placed 9/01/2001)
  3. Cache Found with the Highest Elevation:
     • Black Bear Pass Cache (GC7WBWA) in Colorado at 12,838 ft 
  4. Oldest Cache Found:
     • Mingo (GC30) in Mingo, KS on 9/11/2021 (oldest active cache, placed in May 2000)
  5. Longest Streak:
     • 60 consecutive days with finds from 08/15/2021 to 10/13/2021 (beating my previous streak of 50 in 2018)
  6. Distance Traveled Geocaching:
     • Traveled the distance from the earth to the moon (238,900 miles) while geocaching by visiting He's Dead, Jim! (GC38FDB) in Bunker, UT on 8/28/2021
• Challenges accomplished - 
  1. S.o.B. Challenges - 1,000 Favorites in NC and SC near Dillon, SC on 2/28/2021
  2. D-N-F Challenge (GC5FJNQ) in Rural Hall, NC on 5/23/2021
  3. Area Code Challenge - North Carolina (GC2W3QW) in Kannapolis, NC found & signed on 6/12/2021 (qualified on 12/19/2020, logged on 12/20/2020)
  4. Date Challenge - October (GC2XPEY) in Pleasant Grove, UT found & signed on 8/25/2021
  5. Date Challenge - Seventeenth (GC2XPF9) in Pleasant Grove, UT found & signed on 8/25/2021
  6. Alphanumeric Cachers (Challenge Cache) (GC2XPEK) in Pleasant Grove, UT found & signed on 8/25/2021 (qualified 10/01/2014)
  7. Date Challenge - Twenty-first (GCMNR1) in Pleasant Grove, UT found & signed on 8/28/2021
  8. Date Challenge - March (GCMNN1) in Orem, UT found & signed on 8/28/2021
  9. Date Challenge - November (GCMNNQ) in Orem, UT found & signed on 8/28/2021
  10. Summer Caching Challenge (GC9580K) in Kaysville, UT on 9/02/2021
  11. Challenge of the Decade: Find 15 of 18 Cache Types (GC2EQYD) in Kaysville, UT on 9/02/2021
  12. Happy Birthday X10 Challenge (GC961EF) in Taylorsville, UT on 9/02/2021 
  13. Date Challenge - June (GC2MNN7) in Lindon, UT on 9/05/2021
  14. Date Challenge - Twenty-Sixth (GC2MNRE) in Lindon, UT on 9/05/2021
  15. Date Challenge - Twelfth (GC2MNQD) in Lindon, UT on 9/05/2021
  16. Date Challenge - Twenty-Ninth (GC2MNRM) in Pleasant Grove, UT on 9/06/2021
  17. One of 11 Different Cache Types Challenge (GC5QNWQ) in Nashville, TN on 9/29/2021
  18. A Virtually Rewarding Challenge X 5 in Greensboro, NC on 11/12/2021
  19. A Virtually Rewarding Challenge X 10 in Greensboro, NC on 11/12/2021