This year many geocachers have been trying to fill their calendar grid to complete the 366 Calendar challenge. For many this has been an a year round project that will be completed this month by finding a cache on Feb 29th. This month we will have a series of interviews of those that have been taking part in this challenge. This time we asked questions to valleyags47, Glen Silvers.
When and why did you decide to try and complete the 366 calendar day challenge?
I started to look into this challenge when I saw log entries on my caches that were like "Day 253 filled." This started about a year ago. I thought I should give it a try.
Appropriately how many blank spots did you have when you decided to complete the challenge?
About 70 "openings" on my calendar.
What has been the most challenging aspect of completing the challenge?
The hardest part of this is that I have found most of the nearby caches. It requires me to travel more than I like. The biggest problem is time. I have two very busy kids and a job that has me working odd hours. I have to make time to cache. So the hardest things for me are time and distance.
How has it changed the way that you geocache?
It has not affected the way I cache.
Can you share a story of a time this past year you’ve needed a cache on the grid and were worried that you were not going to get it?
I stopped actively trying to do this challenge because it was testing my gamesmanship. Example I looked online to find a clustering of caches that had not been found in months. I found them but I signed the log with dates that I needed to be filled. But I caught myself cheating and that was not cool. What fun is a game when you cheat? The challenge was taking the fun out of caching and that is what it is all about. That said, I still look at my calendar and plan in my head. I guarantee that I will find one on Leap day.
What advice would you give to someone that wants to complete this challenge or one similar to it?
Don't do this challenge unless you have the time and patience, and only do it if it is fun.
What are you doing to celebrate the completion of this challenge?
If and when I complete this challenge I will do what I do with any milestone; say "Yeah for me." in that caches log entry.
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