Another years caching over... 2012 in review

What a year 2012 has been for caching! Unlike 2011, it hasn't really had any major downs - apart from not finding much caches in the second half - but instead has seen a rise in the quality of caches, and I've surprisingly managed to break ALL my previously set records. You're in the right place as I'll be reviewing my years caching in detail, looking back to the past, and the future as another years caching begins tomorrow. It's surprising how quickly time does fly, and this year was no exception!

The year kicked off with some ABFTN caches, which were very clever. We then embarked on several trails in Wiltshire, before Wrighty invited me to an event with him on January 15th - never before would I have imagined the local caching celebrity, Wrighty, to invite me caching - it was an honour! We went caching in the area beforehand, and generally had a great day.

I went with him again in February where we completed the QBS series, before summiting White Horse Hill and going onto the Cold War Cache, which I can announce is my cache of the year! This was where my new rule of quality over quantity began taking play - one simple cache could represent hundreds!

This month was also the start of a long and fun journey, as I attended the CacheWalker Butcher Bash event, having helped out with some of the activities. I launched a new forum as admin for CacheWalker on February, and introduced all sorts of new ideas such as Weekly Polls. The forum was the start of a journey for me with CacheWalker, as I ended up co-organising the next two CacheWalker events after that, which was an honour to play such a part in a caching groups of what was originally my local caching celebrities!

March and April saw me break whole new records. In March I finally logged my 1000th find, Topofthehill, after a super day - it was my main goal of the year, and it was already achieved on a very worthy cache. April saw me break an even bigger record, which wasn't even a goal, originally! I found 156 caches throughout the month, which I felt was a huge achievement. Plus, by this time, my series 'Snowshill Scramble' was receiving very positive reviews, and I enjoyed checking over it on my first maintenance run. I also checked over my resoundingly popular (somehow) Westcote Wander and got each and every cache back into tip-top condition.

The summer truly was a festival for Geocaching, as the Geolympix branded it as. After a quieter month in June having missed out on the CacheWalker climb up Snowdon, July brought more records and highlights for the year. I attended the Geolympix Mega event, on the very day that I managed to bag 11 icons in 11 hours. Then two days later, I broke my record for most in one day, with the Geolympix Mega Ring, bagging 65 caches in a day! The summer continued with some caching Spanish-style, and then in September it ended with a rather wet CacheWalker picnic event!

In October, I remembered I had set myself another goal to find 100 more Geocaches by my fave cache hider Wrighty. So, we set off to do one of his most talked about series' "Many Steps" which was wonderful, and one of my highlights. Caching then took a slow down until Twixmas, as things got busy elsewhere in life (in other words... 'taxi's' were booked! Haha!)

And, of course, the years caching concluded in true CacheWalker style yesterday at the Twixmas Bash.  A perfect end to a good years caching.

So how did I do? Well I didn't find 100 more Wrighty caches, so that's one for next year! But I did beat my best in 1 year, one of my original goals, hitting 510 caches for the year. I also managed to reach my last original goal - to find my 1000th cache. So overall a successful year of caching for me, the best yet.

What does 2013 hold? Will I spur on to 2000 finds? Will I find 200 more caches by Wrighty? No goals set yet, just going to go with the flow and enjoy whatever the caching world has in store for me next year.

Happy new Year to all!

Griff Grof

CacheWalker Twixmas Bash 2012

Power to the CacheWalker | 8 caches | 5 miles | Guiting Power 

Hello!

Yesterday was a superb day! It was the CacheWalker Twixmas Bash 2012, which we'd been organising since mid-September!

We met up outside the venue in the village of Guiting Power, The Farmers Arms, at 09:00 for a 09:15 set off for the pre-event group walk. I was already spotting some familiar faces, and checking people off as I saw them, so that the pub knew who was here for food. I went to give the landlady the list, and when I came back out everyone had already set off! We quickly caught up with them, and were well underway on the group walk!

The group walk was planned and set by Wrighty (How lucky can we be?!) and it took us along tracks that I love but hadn't been on for years - it was like walking along memory lane! The caches were all great, and I even got joint-FTF on one of the caches - my second, and undoubtedly last for 2012!

The walk and caches were all great, the walk took us along some beautiful woodland, over river valleys, right on top of hills with far reaching views, and also some pretty Cotswold villages like Kineton. 

Talked to a lot of people on the walk, there must have been at least 40 of us, and everyone was friendly as useful, and having just as good a time on the group walk as I was. 

The walk really was a special one, and made the event even better than it would have been otherwise. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and the CacheWalker company, with the series finishing with a large ammo can, in true Wrighty style.  Highly recommended 

Once we arrived back in Guiting Power, it was back to The Farmers Arms for the main event. It was a HUGE success with everything going to plan in the end... nearly 60 people were booked in to eat! 

Food was enjoyed, as was Wrighty's quiz, and before too long it was time to announce the winners of the CWSBC 2012 and the CacheWalker Forum Awards. I was honoured to be crowned the winner of CWSBC at 949 miles, and also the CacheWalker Forum Member of the Year! Congratulations to all the other winners, and to walkingwood for winning the quiz. Secret Santa was fun, too, with everyone getting a fun gift at the end. 

The company at the event was superb too, and it was great to catch up with bikermel76, who made it to the event! Everyone was lovely, and I enjoyed talking to several people and putting faces to names too. The younger cachers also had a great time playing skittles! 

Overal the event was AMAZING! One of my 2012 caching highlights... talking about my caching in 2012, you better check back here later for "2012 in review" - a must read, plus the announcement of my cache of the year. 

Griff Grof